Public Outreach

The following is a listing of presentations given by the WATER Institute throughout the year.

Each talk, including our “Basins of Relations: Thinking Like A Watershed” presentation, is customized to address the unique ecological, land use and community issues associated with the watershed we are presenting in. We take into account the concerns of the constituency we are addressing and tailor these talks to meet the needs of this diverse array of communities (i.e. emphasizing urban storm water management strategies suited to urban environments vs. storm water strategies tailored to rural/agrarian land uses). We highlight the local species of concern that could benefit from the restoration practices we promote.

  • Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy (Healdsburg, CA): In January 2016, Kate gave a presentation entitled “Castor in California: Partnering with Beaver Towards Watershed Restoration and Climate Change Resiliency” to 60 community leaders enrolled in the Institute’s yearlong leadership program. Water Agency staff, community activists and land restoration practitioners were among the attendees.
  • Western Women’s Tracking Conference (Truckee, CA): In January 2016, Kate presented about beaver ecology and tracking at the UC Berkeley Sagehen Research Station to a group of 25 trackers. Participants learned about the importance of beaver to the Truckee River watershed.
  • National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Sierra Meadows Convergence (Calistoga, CA): In February 2016, Kate and Brock gave a presentation on Beaver and Mountain Meadow Restoration to 60 scientists, NGO and agency staff.
  • Guadalupe-Coyote Resource Conservation District (Gilroy, CA): In February 2016 Brock gave a presentation on “Collaborating With Beavers: Increasing Land’s Resilience to Drought” as part of a half day workshop on Wildlife Management for Working Landscapes. There were 50 people in attendance.
  • KZYX Mendocino Public Radio (Philo, CA): In February 2016, Kate and Brock gave a radio interview about the benefits of beaver to the north coast.
  • Made Local Magazine (Rohnert Park, CA): In March 2016 this magazine published an article entitled “KELP! Ocean Rich: Seaweed is a regenerative super food that can help heal the earth. All we have to do is to eat it” that included an interview of Kate about seaweed harvesting http://madelocalmagazine.com/2016/03/kelp/.
  • Call of the Forest: Water, Climate, Spirit Panel and Talk (Pt. Reyes Station, CA): In March 2016 Brock gave a talk on water to 200 people
  • Fort Bragg Town Hall Beaver Presentation (Fort Bragg, CA): In March 2016, Brock and Kate partnered with the Mendocino Land Trust to give a public presentation about Beaver on the North Coast to an audience of 50. Private landowners and staff from CDFW, TU, TNC, MLT and other NGOs were present.
  • Salmonid Restoration Federation Annual Conference (Fortuna, CA): In April 2016, Kate gave a presentation on “Beaver Restoration Feasibility Assessment in the Sierra Nevada” to an audience of 80 agency staff, regulators, NGOs and restoration contractors (see video at https://vimeo.com/album/3935113/video/164842449). Kate also presented a poster on Beaver and Roadways to dozens of participants. As part of a session on Climate Change, Brock presented a talk on “Thinking Like Planet Water for Rehydrative Resilience in a Time of Global Weirding” to an audience of 100.
  • Caltrans Brown Bag Lunch Presentation (San Luis Obispo, CA): In March 2015, Kate was invited to give a 45 minute presentation to two dozen Region 5 Caltrans employees about the history of beaver in California, how they benefit our watersheds and what Caltrans can do to manage them non-lethally. This talk has resulted in employees submitting non-lethal management proposals on two different projects.
  • Land Paths Fish Moon Thank You Event (Santa Rosa, CA): In April 2016 Brock gave a talk about the newly installed roofwater harvesting system at Rancho Mark West and the natural history and health of the Mark West watershed to a audience of 40.
  • UC California Naturalist Training (OAEC): In April 2016, Brock gave a talk on water in California to participants studying to become certified naturalists through the UC California Naturalist Program.
  • Beaver and Roadways Public Presentation (San Luis Obispo, CA): In May 2016 Kate collaborated with Caltrans District 5, the City of San Luis Obispo, the Tri-County Fish Team and Swift Water Design to give a talk about the benefits of beaver, road damage mitigation and a non-lethal management pilot by Caltrans, Swift Water Design and WATER Institute to a diverse audience of 30 agency, NGO and community members.
  • City Hall Demo Garden Charette (Santa Rosa, CA): In April 2015 Brock participated and presented at this invitation only charette with architects, installers and urban planners.
  • Tri-County Fish Team Quarterly Meeting (Santa Barbara, CA): In May 2016, Kate partnered with Swift Water Design to give a talk on beaver ecology, benefits to salmonids and non-lethal management to a group of 25 agency, NGO and tribal fisheries scientists.
  • The Buckeye Gathering (Lake Concow, CA): In May 2016 Kate gave a presentation about beaver ecology and benefits to salmonids and watershed restoration to an audience of 40.
  • Carbon Farming Success Stories from Around the Globe: An Evening with Darren Doherty (Sebastopol, CA): In May 2016 Brock moderated a panel with Darren Doherty (Regrarians Ltd.), Renata Brillinger (CalCAN) and Brittany Jensen (Goldridge RCD) on carbon farming practices and applications to an audience of 250.
  • Beaver In California: Creating a Culture of Stewardship (in print and online): In June 2016, Kate Lundquist and Brock Dolman published their new 32 page beaver restoration guidebook. This publication will help landowners, resource managers and policy makers gain a better understanding of the history of beaver in California, their behavior and ecology, their benefits to ecosystems and how, through stewardship, we can partner with them to restore our watersheds, recover endangered species and adapt to climate change https://oaec.org/publications/beaver-in-california/.
  • Sonoma County Beaver Blitz Organizer Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA): In August 2016, Kate gave a beaver presentation to employees of Sonoma County Regional Parks, Sonoma Land Trust, Swift Water Design, the Salmonid Restoration Federation and Russian Riverkeepers about the importance of beaver to Sonoma County in preparation for our Beaver Blitz in October 2016.
  • Martinez Beaver Festival (Martinez, CA): In August 2016, Kate partnered with Swift Water Design to share our latest beaver stewardship offerings at this renowned gathering of wildlife specialists and enthusiasts. Over 1,000 people were in attendance.
  • US Forest Service Brown Bag Presentation (Mare Island, CA): In September 2016, Kate presented a talk on “Beaver Restoration on National Forests in California” to 25 US Forest Service staff members from Region 5. This talk stimulated an important conversation that led to the request that Kate lead a region-wide webinar on the same topic in December 2016.
  • Permaculture Skill Center Workshop (Sebastopol, CA): In September 2016, Brock co-taught with Erik Ohlsen a workshop entitled “Advanced Water Harvesting Systems” to 30 students from across the west.
  • North American Permaculture Convergence (Hopland, CA): In September 2016 Brock was part of a panel discussion on “The Water Crisis In California: A Permaculture Perspective” to an audience of 100.
  • Russian River Confluence Presentation (Camp Meeker, CA): In October 2016 Brock gave a presentation on watersheds to 25 river advocates, elected officials and agency staff at the Bohemia Preserve.
  • Holistic Management International Cultivating Communities: Land, Food & Health Conference (Paicines, CA): In October 2016, Brock gave a keynote presentation on “Big Picture on Water: Engaging Imagination and Creativity” to an audience of 100 participants. He also gave a talk entitled Designing with Nature: Permaculture to an audience of 75 ranchers and rangeland managers.
  • Bioneers Conference Panel (San Rafael, CA): In October 2016 Brock sat on a panel entitled “Fire and Water: Land and Watershed Management in the Age of Climate Change” to an audience of 150.
  • 11th Hour Project Connect Gathering (San Francisco, CA): In October 2016 Brock gave the keynote address to this 100+ group of international grantees funded by the 11th Hour Project.
  • Localizing California Waters Conference (Groveland, CA): In November 2016, Brock gave a presentation on Integrated Design: Putting Water and Soil Back in the Equation to an audience of 100 regulators, elected officials, engineers, water activists and NGOs.
  • US Forest Service Webinar (Online): In December 2016, Brock and Kate gave a webinar on Beaver Restoration on National Forests to US Forest Service staff from across the State of California (Region 5).
  • Salmonid Restoration Federation’s North Coast Water Conservation Workshop (Fortuna, CA): In January 2017, Brock gave the keynote address to 200 agencies staff, restoration NGOs and for-profit firms on climate change, permaculture, and building community-based water conservation programs.
  • “Restoring Summer Base Flow under a Decentralized Water Management Regime: Constraints, Opportunities, and Outcomes in Mediterranean-Climate California” (Published in print and online): In January 2017, Brock Dolman published this peer-reviewed scientific paper he co-authored with Matthew Dietch in the journal Water http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/9/1/29/pdf.
  • Ecological Farming Association’s 37th Annual Conference (Pacific Grove, CA): In January 2017, Kate gave a presentation on the benefits of beaver to farms and rangelands in California to farmers, ranchers and conservationists from across the US.
  • Marin Resource Conservation District Board Meeting (Pt. Reyes Station, CA): In February 2017, Brock and Kate presented beaver information in support of Jerry Meral’s (Natural Heritage Institute) proposal to the board that they support a beaver reintroduction pilot in Marin County.
  • NFWF Meadows Workshop (Calistoga, CA): In February 2017, Brock gave a beaver restoration presentation to 70 attendees of this annual meeting of agencies, non-profits and consultants.
  • Winter Count Ancestral Arts Gathering (Maricopa, AZ): In February 2017, Kate gave a presentation on Beaver Restoration to an audience of 75 from all across the United States.
  • Walker Creek Ranch (Petaluma, CA): In February 2017, Brock and Kate facilitated interested partners in a discussion of habitat improvements for Walker Creek Ranch.

Updated 3.1.17

The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center (OAEC) is an 80-acre research, demonstration, advocacy and organizing center in Sonoma County, California that develops strategies for regional-scale community resilience.

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