California Society for Ecological Restoration February 2025 |
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In this newsletter, you will find:
SERCAL 2025 Annual Conference CDFW Restoration Grant Renew Yourself: Join SERCAL Thank you, Sponsoring Members! Prospect Island Tidal Habitat Restoration Project Undergrad Mentorship Program — Marine Sciences Here's Some Good News! Showcase Your STEM, Sustainability, and Climate Solutions at the Tri-Valley Innovation Fair, April 12 Our Partner Organizations are the Best! Check Out All the Resources on our Website! |
See You at Restoration's Finest Annual Gathering!
1. Save the Date: April 21-23 at the DoubleTree in Sacramento
2. Join our amazing sponsors! There's no power greater than 1:1 convos
3. Sign up for an April 21 fieldtrip — you know you want to!
4. Be a Torchbearer by sponsoring a rising star from the Next Generation
Registration for the conference and hotel discounts begin THIS WEEK...Watch your inbox and our website for the latest details! |
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The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced $17 million in grants to support habitat restoration across the state, with at least $8.5 million specifically allocated for salmon recovery projects. The funding comes from various sources, including the 2022 Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) Initiative, Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds, CDFW’s Cannabis Program, and Proposition 68. Key Goals: Biodiversity Protection: The grants aim to enhance ecosystems critical for fish, wildlife, and watersheds across California. Salmon Recovery: Eight of the 18 projects focus on salmon restoration, particularly in the Klamath-Trinity watershed, addressing challenges like drought and climate change.
Projects: Smith River Alliance: $517,000 for the Middle Stotenburg Creek Coho Habitat Enhancement. Scott River Watershed Council: $127,000 for administrative streamlining and $219,000 for tailings restoration. Yurok Tribe: $3.1 million for Prairie Creek Floodplain Restoration. Salmon River Restoration Council: $2 million for Windler Floodplain habitat enhancement. Ducks Unlimited: $740,000 for White Mallard Dam improvements and Butte Creek flow enhancements. Sierra Streams Institute: $991,000 for Dry Creek fish passage and habitat improvements. The Nature Conservancy: $814,000 for the Marble Peaks Ranch acquisition.
These initiatives, including the significant Prairie Creek and Scott River efforts, aim to boost coho salmon populations, especially following recent Klamath Basin dam removals. The projects also focus on enhancing water security for communities and ecosystems, ensuring resilience against climate change impacts. |
With your support of SERCAL, you are facilitating the growth and sustainability of a collaborative, knowledge-based, forward-thinking industry that is leading the effort to create and sustain a robust California native landscape for wildlife, plants, and people.
We greatly appreciate the support and camaraderie of the following organizations and invite your organization to join in this important effort!
Valley Oak Sponsors
Arroyo Willow Sponsors Sustaining Business Members
Sustaining Individual Members Scott Dreher | Richard B Lewis| Emily Zefferman
This year's first Torchbearer for the Next Generation
Did you know you can change the future for a Next Gen Attendee? Learn more here!
And the continued and generous support of Victor Schaff and the Schaff Family Foundation
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Prospect Island Tidal Habitat Restoration |
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The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and Bureau of Reclamation have begun the $69.4-million Prospect Island Tidal Habitat Restoration Project in Solano County. Spanning 1,600 acres, the initiative aims to restore tidal wetlands to support endangered species like Delta smelt and Chinook salmon while improving the Delta ecosystem. Key Features: Environmental Benefits: Restoration will enhance aquatic food webs, improve habitats for Delta-dependent wildlife, bolster water quality, and contribute to carbon sequestration. Long-Term Goals: The project supports the requirement to restore 8,000 acres of new tidal habitat, aligning with the Healthy Rivers and Landscape program. Collaboration: Funded by DWR and Reclamation ($46 million), it highlights state-federal partnerships.
The project involves breaching levees to reintroduce tidal flows, complementing a recently completed Delta restoration effort. Expected to finish in 2026, the project underscores a commitment to ecosystem resilience and water sustainability. |
Undergrad Mentorship Program - Marine Sciences |
The Pathways to Research Training Program has provided funding to faculty so that they may provide mentorship to underrepresented students in ocean and coastal science.
"Many of the funded programs focused on one key strategy: mentorship, often accomplished by pairing undergraduate students with graduate mentors. One program, at San Diego State University, found success by creating research teams consisting of a community college student, a fourth-year undergraduate and a graduate student mentor. After participating weekly in collaborative research and online trainings for three months, the younger students reported a higher sense of belonging in the sciences."
Read more here! |
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The State Coastal Conservancy has approved over $113 million in grants to support 47 coastal restoration, climate resilience, public access, and conservation projects across California. Highlights include: Land Acquisition: Over 1,100 acres will be conserved, including a 52-acre parcel at Point Molate in Richmond for a shoreline park and 430 acres in Newark Baylands for habitat restoration and public use. Restoration and Resilience: Over 650 acres will undergo habitat restoration, such as tidal marsh recovery in Humboldt County and wildfire resilience efforts in Los Angeles and Monterey counties. Trails and Access: Several projects focus on extending and improving the California Coastal Trail, creating public access amenities, and adapting coastal infrastructure for climate change. Community Engagement and Inclusion: Grants will fund "Coastal Stories" projects that highlight diverse community narratives, promote traditional ecological knowledge, and improve beach accessibility for people with disabilities.
This initiative aims to restore ecosystems, protect natural and cultural resources, and enhance public enjoyment of California’s coastline while addressing climate challenges. |
Showcase Your STEM, Sustainability, and Climate Solutions at the Tri-Valley Innovation Fair, April 12
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Each year, Quest Science Center hosts the Tri-Valley Innovation Fair, which brings together a diverse audience of 3,000–4,000 attendees eager to explore STEM, sustainability, and climate innovations through hands-on learning. This year’s event takes place on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at the Alameda County Fairgrounds.
The Innovation Fair provides an excellent opportunity to showcase work in STEM education, environmental conservation, and climate action. For the second year in a row, we will have an entire hall dedicated to sustainability—offering a platform to engage directly with curious minds of all ages and promote important topics like restoration, climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.
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Our Partner Organizations are the Best California Native Grasslands Association (CNGA) leads the popular Grasslands session at our conferences. Our organizations also offer a joint membership discount as well as discounted registrations to each other's events.
California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) is another important partner in restoring our native California landscapes. We offer discounts to each other's annual gatherings.
California Ecological Restoration Business Association (CalERBA) is a 501c6 organization that represents a growing sector of state businesses that specialize in delivery of high impact environmental outcomes.
California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD) is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to serving as a strong advocate, technical resource, and partner to the state's 96 RCDs so that they can be Relevant, Excellent, and Visible “go-to” hubs for conservation in their communities.
Ecological Workforce Initiative is working to meet the workforce needs of the growing ecological restoration industry by training workers for living-wage careers that support both the economic vitality of our communities and the health of our environment.
The UC Davis Graduate Program on Environmental Policy and Management provides advanced training in applying environmental science to real-world environmental policy and management issues focusing on building quantitative skills for practice-oriented careers in environmental policy and management.
Members of the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) are able to earn CERP credits towards certification through SERCAL's annual conference.
The University of Wisconsin Press offers SERCAL members discounted subscriptions to Ecological Restoration and Native Plants Journal.
Are we missing a potential partner? Let us know who to contact! |
Post a Job | Find a Job
It's easy and it's free! Find a great job or an amazing new member of your team. Here are some of the most recent jobs posted to our website: Habitat Restoration Crew Member (AmeriCorps) - Paicines, CA. Conservation Legacy. Application Filing Deadline: 02/15/2024. Education Senior Coordinator - Sacramento, CA. California Native Plant Society. Application Filing Deadline: 02/23/2025. Restoration Research Mentor, Assistant Project Scientist in the Earth Research Institute - Santa Barbara. University of California, Santa Barbara. Initial Review Date (apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee): 1/10/2025; Final Review Date (Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled): 03/31/2025. Associate Restoration Scientist - Modesto, CA. River Partners. Application Filing Deadline: Open until filled Engineer - Sonoma County. Sonoma Resource Conservation District. Application Filing Deadline: Open until filled. Restoration Field Manager/Senior Restoration Field Manager - Dixon, CA. Solano Resource and Conservation District. Application Filing Deadline: Open until filled Project Director of Restoration - Truckee, CA. Truckee River Watershed Council (TRWC). Heavy Civil Project Manager - Petaluma, CA. Hanford ARC. Application Filing Deadline: Open until filled
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Our email address is: info@sercal.org 515 N Desert Stra
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