The Journey home

2009 annual report Sustainable Conservation enables landowners across millions of acres in to restore waterways that benefit imperiled fish and other wildlife. 3 Dear FrienDs,

2009 was a tough year for fish in California.

Fewer than 70,000 endangered salmon paddled their way beneath the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge to spawn in the Bay-Delta river system. It was the most dismal homecoming on record. While returns in 2010 have improved slightly, last year was the second consecutive time California’s commercial salmon season was canceled outright – another sobering first for the state.

A number of compounding factors contributed to the crash, including the loss of streamside forests, pollution, water diversions and barriers to spawning grounds. The unintended consequences of well-intentioned regulations have also made it difficult for many willing landowners to restore the health of waterways – and the wildlife that depends on them – flowing through their properties. Faced with numerous hurdles, the number of landowners engaged in restoration, like the state’s imperiled fish, has dwindled.

That’s where the power of Sustainable Conservation’s popular Partners in Restoration program shines.

Launched in 1998, Partners in Restoration makes it faster, easier and cheaper for stewardship-minded landowners to provide imperiled fish greater access to vital habitat, clear up murky water, and keep farmland and ranchland from eroding into waterways. More than a decade later, we’re witnessing big payoffs.

As you’ll read inside, with the help of our program and partners, landowners in Marin and Santa Cruz counties implemented a constellation of restoration projects across a variety of critical watersheds – from coastal lowlands to forested mountains. While each individual project was small, collectively, they’ve restored and/or opened up nearly 30 miles of streams previously unreachable for fish. The projects also reduced sediment in area waterways by more than 30,000 tons and re-established extensive areas of streamside vegetation.

And, our impact goes well beyond Marin and Santa Cruz counties.

Thanks to you, Partners in Restoration now simplifies restoration on millions of acres, and along hundreds of miles of rivers and streams in 50 key watersheds up and down California. Begun as a pilot project implemented one watershed at a time, the program has emerged as a powerful model of voluntary restoration we’re working to expand on a statewide basis. With your continued support, we’re helping the state’s struggling fish make their way home again.

Warm regards,

Ashley Boren, Executive Director Russell Siegelman, Board Chairman Profiles in Restoration highlights of the numerous restoration projects carried out under Partners in restoration in Calif. u 1 tOMALeS u BAY u u Chileno Creek, u u MARIN COUNTY Petaluma u 34 pROjeCTS SAN Re-establishing u PABLO uuu BAY creekside habitat means more shelter and water u SAN RAFAeL for threatened steelhead u 10+ Projects trout, and improved u 5-10 Projects spawning habitat to help OAKLAND u 1 Project rebuild populations.

SAN FRANCISCO

SAN FRANCISCO BAY

SANTA CLARA

SAN jOSe

Corralitos Creek, Deer Creek, Watsonville BoulDer Creek u Stabilizing this important Opening up a major u 2 u waterway improves passageway helps imperiled u u water quality, stops fish in Santa Cruz County SANTA CRUZ COUNTY u 53 pROjeCTS erosion and provides reach spawning grounds SANTA u critical fish habitat. inaccessible for decades. CRUZ uu u 3 NAtIONAL u u MARINe SANCtuARY u u 5 stateWiDe imPaCt origins oF Partners in restoration

Launched in 1998. Situated north and south of the San Francisco Bay- In concert with the federal Natural Resources By 2011, Partners in Delta estuary – the largest on the west coast of the Conservation Service and local Resource Conservation Restoration will cover Americas – Marin and Santa Cruz counties have Districts, Sustainable Conservation develops “pre- nearly 4.4 million acres of historically supported some of the most productive approved” permits for small-scale restoration efforts. farmland and ranchland, salmon and trout streams in all of California. But, these permits eliminate the need for landowners to and hundreds of miles of decades of dam building, pollution, and pumping gain case-by-case approval from multiple regulatory rivers and streams across Sfor cities and farms have taken their toll. today, agencies, making restoration projects much California. populations of these endangered fish have declined easier and cheaper to implement. Our coordinated by upwards of 90% in these two counties alone. permitting process also enables agencies to tailor established or in projects in ways that maximize environmental benefits development in nine While local, state and federal agencies have and address landowners’ needs. counties and 50 key instituted large-scale programs to bring fish watersheds from numbers up, small restoration projects carried out results Mendocino to Santa by private landowners are crucial in promoting long- Launched in 1998, Partners in Restoration now Barbara. term fish health. that’s because more than 50% of covers 50 watersheds throughout California, the state is privately owned – and a vast majority of nearly 4.4 million acres and hundreds of miles More than 200 projects California’s rivers and streams flow through or along of critical waterways. With the help of committed implemented, and over private property. landowners, more than 200 erosion control and 200,000 tons of sediment habitat enhancement projects have been completed kept out of waterways and helPing PeoPle helP nature along almost 40 miles of rivers and streams, fish habitat. that’s why Sustainable Conservation launched its preventing over 200,000 tons of sediment from award-winning Partners in Restoration program washing downstream. that’s enough dirt to fill a line Received the 2004 more than a decade ago: we saw the vital role of pick-up trucks parked end to end from Portland Governor’s environmental individuals play in protecting natural resources. to San Diego – a distance of more than 1,000 miles. and economic Leadership the program simplifies the otherwise complex and Award for effectiveness costly process landowners face when implementing Inside, we feature three projects completed in, in enhancing watersheds voluntary projects in and around waterways – projects around and even above streams by forward-thinking and working that also conserve land for growing crops and raising landowners in Marin and Santa Cruz counties. landscapes. livestock. Restoring an eroded streambank without they’re proof that making it easier for people to Partners in Restoration can require permits from as care for natural resources can help make once- many as eight different agencies, cost thousands of thriving regions of California, again, a welcoming dollars in fees and take years to be approved. home for fish. Before A bare stretch of Chileno Creek that flows through the Gale Ranch near Petaluma left threatened trout high and dry in the summer.

1 Chileno Creek, Petaluma After Sally and Mike Gale replanted native trees along Chileno Creek to keep evaporation in check, more water in the creek, and soil in place to benefit fish and other wildlife. 7 “It’s not just about taking care of the land ... it’s the trees also keep the water temperature also about perpetuating a family legacy.” down, essential for healthy fish, and have prevented as much as 600 tons of sediment from that’s Marin County rancher Sally Gale. She and clouding the creek and pristine tomales Bay, her husband Mike run cattle on their 600-acre into which the creek eventually empties. trout Gale Ranch tucked away among the postcard- migrating to and from the Pacific Ocean now perfect hills stretching west from Petaluma to enjoy clear, cool water even in hot months. Itomales Bay. First purchased by Sally’s great- great-grandfather in 1856, Sally and Mike took “Not only is the creek wet year-round now, it over in 1993. the state of the ranch when the but I’ve personally seen trout nesting [laying Gales received it, though, wasn’t what it had been. eggs] in the creek ... something I’ve never seen before,” Sally noted. “Neighboring ranches got “When we moved here, the house, the barns, interested in doing the same thing. Now, more everything was falling down,” Sally said. “We than six miles of stream have been planted.” considered calling it Falling Down Ranch.” Mike added, “the nearby creek looked like a Fish aren’t the only ones returning. Native moonscape. We basically just had to start over.” songbirds are flocking back to nest in the thick streamside vegetation. Starting over meant a new life for Chileno Creek, which zigzags through their property, and for the PRBO Conservation Science biologist tom populations of now-threatened steelhead trout Gardali: “the number of bird species found on that, like the Gale family, have relied on the the Gale Ranch has increased significantly since creek for generations. their restoration project began. the growing populations of the 33 bird species inhabiting the maDe in the shaDe ranch tell us the restoration is really paying off.” In collaboration with Sustainable Conservation, the Marin Resource Conservation District and Asked what past generations of her other local nonprofits, the Gales revived Chileno family think about the legacy she Creek by planting hundreds of native, shade- and her husband are leaving “I’ve producing trees along their stretch of the creek. for the Gales, fish and other the spot had previously been a popular hangout wildlife to come, Sally personally seen for fish, but over the years had become barren exclaims, “My 93-year-old trout nesting in the and was dry during the summertime. mother is very proud. I wish my father were alive creek ... something I’ve today, the lush bower of trees prevents to see it ... he would love evaporation and allows the creek to recharge it.” never seen before.” the groundwater table that lies beneath it. sally gale, gale ranch Before An old concrete bridge and narrow culverts blocked fish from migrating upstream in Deer Creek.

2 Deer Creek, Boulder Creek After Tom Bird and his wife Manuela pose in front of a new bridge installed with help from Partners in Restoration. The bridge gives threatened steelhead trout unrestricted passage to their historic spawning grounds. 9 As a teen during the summer, tom Bird called BriDge over trouBleD Waters streams like Deer Creek – nestled high in the through Partners in Restoration, developed in lush – home. After a concert with the Natural Resources Conservation successful career in Silicon Valley, tom and his Service and Resource Conservation District wife Manuela retired to this childhood home in (RCD) of Santa Cruz County, tom, Manuela and Boulder Creek. Since then, they haven’t rested their neighborhood road association replaced for a minute in helping threatened steelhead the old bridge and rusty metal culverts with a Atrout return home, too. free-span crossing that gives fish much-needed wiggle room. they also planted native trees and An outdated concrete bridge over Deer Creek grasses to keep soil along the streambanks in that connected area landowners stood as a place and out of the water. major roadblock to steelhead migration. According to RCD of Santa Cruz County Project “During storms, debris would be caught in the Manager Kelli Camara, the new bridge gives culverts, preventing fish from passing through,” imperiled fish unrestricted access to more tom explained. “During drier periods, the water than two miles of high-quality breeding habitat flowed under the damaged culverts, preventing upstream. the fish from traveling upstream to their spawning grounds.” “We’re helping turn this part of Deer Creek back into the fish highway it used to be,” Kelli said. Historically, thousands of fish inhabited Deer “tom and Manuela have seen more fish in the Creek. the watershed, of last two years than in the previous 15.” which Deer Creek is part, once supported the largest salmon and steelhead fishery south of San Kelli is also quick to point out that if it weren’t Francisco. But, in recent years only a tiny fraction for Partners in Restoration, the project never of fish have reached headwaters because of would have happened. She estimates tom and barriers like antiquated bridges. Manuela would have had to secure permits from six government agencies, the bulky bridge and undersized culverts also spend upwards of $15,000 of “We’re caused extreme flooding during heavy rains, their road association’s money, eroding the streambank and sending hundreds and devote two to three years helping turn of tons of sediment downstream each year. that (perhaps more) to shepherd this part of Deer Creek resulted in muddying the otherwise clear creek the permits through the and eventually the Monterey Bay National Marine approval process. back into the fish Sanctuary, of which Deer Creek is a tributary. highway it used to be.” kelli Camara, Project manager rCD of santa Cruz County In Progress Installation of streambank protections after a flooded Corralitos Creek carved out part of an apple orchard. Work was conducted in the summertime to avoid harming fish.

3 Corralitos Creek, Watsonville After Apple farmer Mitch Bulich shows off the restored section of Corralitos Creek he hopes will once again support large numbers of threatened fish. 11 Second-generation apple farmer Mitch Bulich will stanDing his grounD tell you he doesn’t smile much. But, he can’t keep to keep from losing more land and help from smiling about his work to restore a vital the Corralitos return to the fish-friendly stretch of Corralitos Creek that runs through his waterway it was decades ago, Mitch and the 60-acre apple orchard in bucolic Watsonville. RCD of Santa Cruz County completed an audacious streambank stabilization project During a recent visit, Mitch said (with a smile), using Sustainable Conservation’s Partners in S“I hope this project will bring back the fish that Restoration program. used to be here. I remember coming down to the creek when I was younger. there were so Restoration efforts involved installing a series many, I never had trouble catching the limit.” of timber and rock “speed bumps” that not only slow the creek down to a less-destructive through the mid-1900s, Corralitos Creek was pace, but also redirect its flow away from the one of Santa Cruz County’s most productive streambank to keep Mitch’s orchards safe and steelhead breeding grounds. By the 1990s, the creek dirt-free. engineers used redwood steelhead populations had declined dramatically trees that fell into the creek back in 2006 to on Corralitos Creek and across the southern part construct the velocity-reducing bumps (pictured of California’s Central Coast. In 1997, the federal behind Mitch). government listed the species as “threatened.” According to RCD of Santa Cruz County Among other factors, decades of dirt-laden executive Director Karen Christensen, “the cool runoff has clogged once-clean streams and water and riparian cover Mitch’s project has buried gravel beds needed for spawning. produced is critical to bring back populations of Sediment in the creek also flows into the endangered fish to this important watershed. – one of the nation’s most ailing Corralitos Creek is the lowest tributary to the waterways according to the nonprofit American Pajaro River, and is accessible to fish even in Rivers – and eventually the ecologically rich dry years when other portions of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. river aren’t.”

that was Mitch’s problem. In 2006, a series of More fish will mean more “[Mitch’s heavy rains turned the usually calm stretch of smiles from Bulich ... project] is critical to Corralitos Creek that meanders through his something he’s getting orchards into a rushing, theme-park water ride. used to. bring back populations Fast-moving currents broke off and swallowed a large swath of his orchard – more than 15,000 of endangered fish...” cubic yards of soil, enough to fill nearly a half- karen Christensen, dozen Olympic-sized swimming pools. executive Director rCD of santa Cruz County Thank You sustainaB le Conservation Partners

Bay Area Open Space Council California Coastal California Native Plant Central Coast Salmon 2009 Partners Bay Area Stormwater Commission Society, Santa Cruz County enhancement sustainaBle Conservation Management Agencies California State Coastal Chapter Central Valley Bird Club extenDs our sinCere Association Conservancy California-Nevada Chapter, Central Valley Joint Venture gratituDe to our Belmont Nursery California Cotton Growers Soil and Water Conservation Clean South Bay DeDiCateD Partners. Biodiesel Industries and Ginners Association Society Clemson university Advanced Drainage Systems BiRite Food Service California Dairy Campaign California Polytechnic State Coastal San Luis Resource Affinia Bosch Brake Components California Dairy Quality university, San Luis Obispo Conservation District Agflex, Inc. LLC Assurance Program California Rangeland Community Fuels Ag Innovations Network Brake Manufacturers Council California Department of Conservation Coalition Contra Costa County Agricultural Leadership – Product environmental Conservation California Rangeland trust Department of Public Works Foundation Committee California Department of Fish California Resources Agency Contra Costa County Akebono Brake Corporation Brake Parts, Inc. and Game California Rice Commission Resource Conservation Alameda County Resource Cachuma Resource California Department of California Roundtable District Conservation District Conservation District Fish and Game – Wildlife on Agriculture and the Cottonwood Creek Watershed Alameda Countywide Clean CALFeD Bay-Delta Program Conservation Board environment Group Water Program Cambria Community Services California Department of California State Floral Crowell Dairy Farm American Farmland trust District Food and Agriculture Association Defenders of Wildlife American Nursery and California Agricultural California Department of California State university, Dixon Ridge Farms Landscape Association Commissioners and Sealers transportation Fresno e2 – environmental American Society of Association California Department of California State university, entrepreneurs Landscape Architects, California Agricultural Water Resources Fresno – California east Lake County Resource Northern California Chapter Leadership Foundation California energy Agricultural technology Conservation District Institute Amyris Biotechnology California Air Resources Commission east Merced Resource AQuA teRRA Consultants Board California environmental California State university, Conservation District Sacramento – Center for Aquarium of the Pacific California Association of Dialogue east Stanislaus Resource Collaborative Policy Association of Bay Area Nurseries and Garden California environmental Conservation District California State Water Governments Centers Protection Agency ecological Solutions, Inc. Resources Control Board Association of Landscape California Association of California Farm Bureau elkhorn Slough Foundation Federation California Stormwater Quality Design Professionals Resource Conservation environmental Defense Fund Districts California Invasive Plant Association Atmospheric and erb Institute for Global Council California Water Institute environmental Research, California Biodiversity Sustainable enterprise, CALStARt Inc. Council California Invasive Species university of Michigan Advisory Committee Castelanelli Brothers Dairy Audubon California California Cattlemen’s extengine transport Systems Association California Landscape Central Coast Resource Automotive Aftermarket Fiscalini Farms California Climate Action Contractors Association Conservation and Industry Association Friends of Fiscalini Ranch Registry California Master Gardener Development Council Bank of America Preserve Program 17

Friends of Marsh Creek Monrovia Regional Water Quality San Mateo County Resource uC Davis – RIDNIS Project Watershed Monterey Bay National Control Board (North Coast Conservation District uC Division of Agriculture Friends of the RanchLand Marine Sanctuary Region) Sand County Foundation and Natural Resources Joseph Gallo Farms Morro Bay National estuary Regional Water Quality Santa Cruz County Conservation tillage Glenn County Resource Program Control Board (San Diego Sierra Club Workgroup Conservation District Morse Automotive Region) South Coast Habitat uC Santa Cruz Arboretum Great Valley Center Motor & equipment Regional Water Quality Restoration uC Sustainable Agriculture Grower-Shipper Association Manufacturers Association Control Board (San State of California Auto Research and education Hilarides Dairy National Marine Fisheries Francisco Bay Region) Dismantlers Association Program Hilmar Cheese Service Resource Conservation SureHarvest university of Washington District of Monterey County Humboldt County Resource Natural Resources Defense tDC environmental upper Salinas-Las tablas Conservation District Council Resource Conservation tamarisk Coalition Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz Huntington Botanical Olsen-ecologic engine tennessee Valley Authority District County Gardens testing Laboratories the Nature Conservancy uRS Corporation Resource Landowners Hydro engineering, Inc. Pacific Coast Producers tollenaar Dairy uS Army Corps of engineers Coalition Indian Valley Organic Farm at Pacific Gas and electric tri-County FISH team uS Department of Riparian Habitat Joint Agriculture, Natural the College of Marin Company trout unlimited Venture Resources Conservation Inland empire utilities Peninsula Open Space trust tulare Basin Wildlife River Partners Service Agency Point Reyes National Partners Sacramento Municipal uS Department of Interior Land Conservancy of San Luis Seashore – National Park tulare Lake Basin Working utilities District uS environmental Protection Obispo County Service Group San Benito Resource Agency Lawrence Livermore National Process Profiles uC Cooperative extension Conservation District uS environmental Protection Laboratory PRBO Conservation Science uC Cooperative extension, San Diego County Agency, Region 9 Resource Quikrete Master Gardener Program San Francisco estuary uS Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation District RCM Digesters uC Cooperative extension, Institute uS Geological Survey Longfellow Farming Company Redwood Community Action Davis San Francisco estuary Ventura County Resource Marin Resource Conservation Agency uC Cooperative extension, Project Conservation District District Regional Water Quality Kearney Agricultural Center San Joaquin County Resource Mendocino County Resource Control Board (Central Village Nurseries Conservation District uC Cooperative extension, Conservation District Coast Region) Kings West Lake County Resource San Joaquin Valley Air Merced County Department Regional Water Quality Conservation District Pollution Control District uC Cooperative extension, of Public Works Control Board (Central Riverside Western united Dairymen San Joaquin Valley Clean Merced County Resource Valley Region) Westside Resource energy Organization uC Cooperative extension, Conservation District Regional Water Quality Stanislaus Conservation District San Luis Obispo County tim Merkel, Ph.D. Control Board (Los Angeles uC Cooperative extension, Xerces Society San Mateo County Farm Milk Producers Council Region) tulare Yamagami’s Nursery Bureau Mission Resource uC Davis Yolo County Resource Conservation District uC Davis Arboretum Conservation District 2009 Financial Highlights sustainaB le Conservation

suPPort anD revenue

54% Foundation Grants

18% Individual Contributions

16% Other

12% Government Grants

Top Honors 6 Years running in 2009, sustainable Conservation received top honors from the country’s premier independent non-profit evaluator, Charity navigator, for our financial strength and ability to maximize donations. That makes six years in a row – a ranking only 3% of all non-profits nationwide have achieved. 19

statement oF aCtivities exPenses Foundation Grants $ 1,288,458

Government Grants $ 285,227

78% Program Individual Contributions $ 421,359

Other $ 371,264

Total Support and Revenue $ 2,366,308

12% General and Administrative Program $ 2,109,486

General and Administrative $ 326,228

Fundraising $ 285,669 10% Fundraising Total Expenses $ 2,721,383

Net Assets Beginning of Year $ 2,848,623

Net Assets end of Year $ 2,652,652

Change in Net Assets ($ 195,971)

For a complete financial report audited by Ghaffari Zaragoza LLP, Certified Public Accountants, please contact Sustainable Conservation. 19 BOARD STAFF Chuck Ahlem Ashley Boren, executive Director Chris Buchbinder, Treasurer Leah Katz Ahmadi, Grants Manager john Dawson Cristina Reis de Araujo, Controller since 1993, sustainable Conservation Kimberley Delfino Ladi Asgill, Senior project Manager Steve Gross Lisa Capirchio, Government Grants Manager/project Associate Laura Hattendorf, Robyn Carliss, Development Associate Co-Founder, Secretary joseph Choperena, project Manager Chip Koch Christiana Conser, project Manager Cynthia Hunter Lang Susan Corlett, Director of Development and Communications Steve McCormick Allen Dusault, program Director has partnered with the private sector Richard Morrison pam Igelsrud, Office Coordinator and Administrative Assistant Wendy pulling Alex Karolyi, Associate Director of Communications Tina Quinn, Co-Founder Kelli McCune, project Manager Russell Siegelman, Greg Richardson, project Associate Board Chairman erik Schmidt, project Manager Mark Valentine pamela Sergio, Director of HR and Administration to find environmental solutions that j. Stacey Sullivan, policy Director ADVISORY BOARD Lisa Thompson, Senior project Manager David Anderson Tim Vendlinski, program Director Deborah Anderson joe Bagley paul Betancourt Frank Boren, Co-Founder DeSIGNeD BY: SAN FRANCISCO ART DepARTMeNT make economic sense. our climate, Don Bransford pHOTOS BY: pAOLO VeSCIA Louis Calcagno pRINTeD ON 100% pOST-CONSUMeR, Ralph Cavanagh CHLORINe-FRee pApeR WITH Dan Dooley SOY-BASeD INK Dan emmett Bob epstein clean air and water, and biodiversity Michael Fischer Charlene Harvey jennifer Hernandez Winston Hickox Kristine johnson Rich Kelley Don Kennedy initiatives promote practical solutions Bob Kirkwood Sally Liu Felicia Marcus jerry Meral Nancy Miljanich Mary Nichols 98 Battery Street Adan Ortega, jr. that result in tangible, lasting Rebecca patton Suite 302 Greg Rosston San Francisco, CA 94111 Deborah Schmall Rebecca Shaw phone: (415) 977-0380 Barton “Buzz” Thompson, jr. email: [email protected] Stanley Van Vleck www.suscon.org benefits for California. Henry Wendt