California Society for Ecological Restoration April 2025 |
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In this newsletter, you will find:
Member Spotlight SERCAL 2025 Annual Conference Coastal Restoration Renew Yourself: Join SERCAL Thank you, Sponsoring Members! Delta Plan Interagency Implementation Committee’s Restoration Open Socal Wetlands Restoration 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! |
We interviewed Etinosa Igunbor, a new affiliate member of SERCAL’s leadership team.
What do you think will be the biggest benefit of being a part of SERCAL’s Leadership Team?
"Being part of the SERCAL Leadership Team offers an exciting opportunity to collaborate with like-minded professionals dedicated to advancing ecological restoration. I believe my experience in research, fieldwork, and community outreach will allow me to contribute meaningfully to shaping effective strategies, promoting sustainability efforts, and strengthening partnerships to achieve impactful restoration outcomes."
Read the full interview here! |
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Registration closes April 10 for Restoration's Finest Annual Gathering!
1. April 22–23 at the DoubleTree in Sacramento and there's still room in FIVE of the fieldtrips being offered on April 21.
2. Join our amazing sponsors! There's no power greater than 1:1 convos
3. Be a Torchbearer by sponsoring a rising star from the Next Generation
Watch your inbox and our website for the latest news. |
The State Coastal Conservancy has awarded $17.5 million in grants to support coastal access, restoration, climate resilience, and wildfire mitigation across California. These funds will enhance wildfire resilience planning in Humboldt and San Luis Obispo counties, support fire-fighting training and habitat restoration in Humboldt County, and facilitate land acquisition for conservation at the Baduwa’t Estuary. The Great Redwood Trail received substantial funding for planning, environmental services, and construction in Mendocino, Trinity, and Humboldt counties. Additional projects include wildfire resilience efforts in San Mateo County, tidal marsh restoration in Santa Clara County, and park and trail development along the Santa Ana River in Orange County. The Conservancy also reaffirmed its commitment to equity and inclusion in funding decisions. |
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.
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Arroyo Willow Sponsors
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Victor Schaff and the Schaff Family Foundation for their continued and generous support!
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Torchbearers for the Next Generation:
Sustaining Business Members:
and Sustaining Individual Members: F. Thomas Biglione | Scott Dreher | Richard B Lewis | Jennifer Long | Jim Prine | Emily Zefferman
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The Delta Plan Interagency Implementation Committee’s Restoration Subcommittee invites you to attend its third Delta Restoration Forum on May 1, 2025, 3:00-5:00 PM at the 1883 Clarksburg Schoolhouse (36397 N Center Street, Clarksburg, CA 95612). Join us to meet ecosystem restoration practitioners leading projects in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Marsh and learn about efforts underway, including active and planned projects, funding programs, and opportunities for landowners to implement wildlife-friendly practices. Building on previous Forums in February and November 2023, attendees will hear brief project presentations, network, and share perspectives.
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Socal Wetlands Restoration |
Plans are nearly complete for a wetlands restoration project at the Carlsbad-Oceanside border, aiming to replace trash and invasive weeds with native plants and a public trail. The Buena Vista Audubon Society, which purchased 3.5 acres of the six-acre site in 2016, is leading the effort in collaboration with multiple agencies. The project will serve as a buffer between urban development and the Buena Vista Lagoon, home to endangered species. While funding estimates range from $1 million to $10 million, state and federal grants are expected to support construction, which could begin in late 2026. The restoration aligns with a larger, unfunded $80-90 million SANDAG initiative to restore tidal flow to the lagoon. The project also integrates indigenous perspectives, with local tribal groups participating in preserving and reconnecting with the land. |
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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California’s Beaver Restoration Program Gains Legal Protection and Support
In a landmark move for ecological restoration, California has officially codified its Beaver Restoration Program through Assembly Bill 2196, ensuring the program's long-term protection from budget cuts and political shifts. This bipartisan-supported law strengthens efforts to restore beavers to the state’s waterways, reinforcing California’s 30x30 conservation goals. Once nearly eradicated by fur traders and development, beavers are now recognized as key ecological engineers that help mitigate wildfires, drought, and water pollution. Their dams create wetlands that store water, reduce erosion, and improve biodiversity—offering a low-cost, natural solution to climate challenges. The state has allocated $2 million to promote coexistence strategies with landowners, alongside a new beaver management plan that includes relocating “nuisance” beavers to areas where they can restore ecosystems. Recent successful relocations include sites on Indigenous lands, such as the Mountain Maidu’s Tásmam Koyóm and the Tule River Tribe’s lands in the Sierra Nevada. Environmental advocates view the program as a model for nature-based solutions nationwide, countering weakened federal water protections following a 2023 Supreme Court ruling. As beavers make a comeback, California sets a precedent for sustainable restoration—proving that sometimes, the best engineers are nature’s own. |
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: Developed Recreation and Trails Technician - Quincy, CA. Feather River Resource Conservation District. Application Filing Deadline: 04/11/2025. Fuels Reduction Technician - Quincy, CA. Feather River Resource Conservation District. Application Filing Deadline: 04/11/2025. Biologist (Restoration Specialist) - Southern California. HELIX Environmental Planning, Inc. Application Filing Deadline: 04/15/2025. Natural Resource Management Coordinator - Irvine. Natural Communities Coalition. Application Filing Deadline: 04/15/2025. Forest Restoration Field Technician - Nevada City. South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL). Application Filing Deadline: 04/18/2025. Natural Resource Student Intern - Elk Grove, CA. Sacramento Area Sewer District (Bufferlands). Application Filing Deadline: 04/24/2025. Seasonal Botanical Field Technician - Arcata, CA. Stillwater Sciences. Application Filing Deadline: 04/30/2025. Business Center Practice Leader, Environmental Services - California. Stantec. Application Filing Deadline: 04/30/2025.
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Our email address is: info@sercal.org 515 N Desert Stra
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