Wildfire and You: Protecting Your Home from Wildfire

Contra Costa Resource Conservation District and Alameda County Resource Conservation District are excited to announce this upcoming webinar on actions residents can take in and around their homes to protect against the threat of wildfires. This webinar on April 20, 2021 from 6:00-7:00 PM, will cover topics of home hardening, defensible space creation, defensible space and chipping programs in our counties, and actions our own RCD members have taken to fire-scape their homes. For more information, please click on the link below.

Click here to register

USDA/SBA Drought Notification

Are you a farmer/rancher or small business who has been impacted by drought? Please see attached notifications regarding the U.S. Department of Agriculture designation and U.S. Small Business Administration declaration as the result of fast track Drought. This will open up some funding sources through USDA FSA for eligible, impacted parties including emergency farm loans for physical and crop production losses. Please contact the FSA office in Stockton for more information on eligibility in Alameda County.

Read the announcement here

Volunteers Wanted for Earth Day Clean-Up Event

The Earth Day clean-up event is an annual event hosted by the Alameda County Clean Water Program, that helps keep our waterways free of harmful trash. This year, we need your help to clean Castro Valley Creek, San Lorenzo Creek, and other community waterways by cleaning up in your neighborhoods and local natural areas. Please participate and help us get the word out. These annual clean up events are so important to the waterways! Click the link below to register or for more information.

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USDA Announces Resumption of CFAP Payments

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on March 24th, 2021 that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will resume issuing payments under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) early next month. Secretary Vilsack also announced the establishment of a Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative to provide COVID-19 relief more equitably to a broader range of agricultural producers.

Read the announcement here

Xerces Resident Monarch Article

Have you read about the steep decline in western monarch overwintering numbers while at the same time observed more monarchs flying around your neighborhood or gardens along the coast? Read the latest Xerces article about the phenomenon of increasing resident populations, what we can do to enhance the viability of natural migration of monarchs, and why it is important.

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Spreading Compost on Rangelands: Preparing For and Executing Carbon Farm Projects

On February 9, 2021, the Alameda County Resource Conservation District and its partners gathered virtually for a discussion on spreading compost on rangelands. Carbon farm planners, farmers, ranchers, and practitioners heard about costs, compost quality, and lessons learned from demonstration carbon farming projects. Ranchers shared their experiences applying compost through CDFA’s Healthy Soils Program Demonstration and Incentives projects.

2021 CFDN Meeting Series

The California Farm Demonstration Network is hosting a four-part series on California soils. This series will feature four speakers, each with extensive knowledge of California soils through the lens of farming and agriculture. Speakers will be covering various topics, including composting, orchard recycling, soil sampling, testing for microbial dynamics, and more.

When: March 24, April 21, May 19, June 16.

Each session will be 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Where: Online via Zoom.

Click here for more information

Bobcat Spotting

We were happy to spot a bobcat greeting us at the office on Monday, January 25!

Alameda County Conservation Partnership

The Alameda County Resource Conservation District (ACRCD) and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) collaborate as the Conservation Partnership to serve as the lead conservation agency in Alameda County. We provide technical and educational services for natural resource conservation and agriculture enhancement. The Partnership collaborates with many partners including private landowners, local, state and federal agencies and other organizations to develop and implement various conservation and agricultural strategies. The ACRCD also works closely, on a fee for service basis, with public agencies and private sector companies, to help achieve conservation based goals.