July 1, 2011 e-update

US Fish and Wildlife Service Seeks Input on Proposed Easement Program –
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has initiated the planning process for a proposed California Foothills Legacy Area (CFLA). CFLA is a proposed new easement program to protect working landscapes and is focused on rangelands surrounding California’s Central Valley. Currently land trust throughout California, including Rangeland Coalition partner, the California Rangeland Trust, have a backlog of ranchers seeking a conservation easement on their working ranches. The Service has identified four preliminary focal areas including the following counties: Calaveras, Fresno, Kern, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Benito, Shasta, Stanislaus, Tehama, Tulare and Tuolumne. USFWS believes that establishing the CFLA, in cooperation with landowners, will make a significant contribution to conserving California’s privately-owned rangelands. For more information please contact Tracy Schohr at tschohr@calcattlemen.org. To send comments send an email to fw8plancomments@fws.gov. For more information click here Cattle Grazing Mountain Meadows and Yosemite Toads (source UC Davis) – A research study conducted by scientists from UC Davis, UC Berkeley and the US Forest Service shows evidence that livestock grazing is not a contributing to the steep decline of Yosemite toads and their habitat. The research team had hypothesized that a reduction in grazing intensity would stop or even reverse the decline of the Yosemite toad but they found no evidence to support that hypothesis. Results from the study will impact ranchers whose grazing allotments were restricted by the U.S. Forest Service in 2001 based on the assumption that grazing is contributing to the toads’ decline. Forest Service officials will use the study to develop plans that allow grazing within appropriate standards while conserving toads. A complete report is available online at: http://carangeland.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2211480a37f6ce84054176989&id=c9b834185b&e=fb0c9ea391  under the section titled Cattle Grazing, Mountain Meadows, and Sensitive Species. Rangelands Provide Valuable Pollination Services to California Agriculture (source UC Berkeley) – A study from UC Berkeley researchers published this week in the June issue of the journal Rangelands shows that California agriculture reaps $937 million to $2.4 billion per year in economic value from wild, free-living bee species that serve the critical function of pollinating crops. The new study also found that wild pollinators residing in California’s rangelands, provide 35-39 percent, or more than one-third, of all pollination “services” to the state’s crops. “This means that preserving rangelands has significant economic value, not only to the ranchers who graze their cattle there, but also to farmers who need the pollinators,” said Claire Kremen, UC Berkeley associate professor of environmental science, policy and management, and senior author of the study. The study is the first to calculate the percentage of crop pollinators that are wild, free-living species based on their proximity to natural habitats, and thus to identify the economic value of the pollination service due to wild pollinators. For more information click here
San Benito & Santa Clara County Local Working Group Meeting – July 6, Hollister, Calif. The local working group meeting will be held with agencies and community members to discuss needs and opportunities in the 2 counties. Based on feedback from the Local Working Group meeting the Hollister NRCS office will evaluate priorities for funding and discuss ways to improve the on the amount of funding for certain practices. For more information contact Athena Pratt at athena.pratt@ca.usda.gov; phone (831) 637-4360 x110.Quivira Coalition 10^th Anniversary Conference : New Agrarians: How the Next Generation of Leaders Tackle 21^st Century Challenges – November 8 –10, 2011 Albuquerque, New Mexico The Conference will feature a well-known and diverse group of authors, experts, and practitioners, young agrarian leaders working hard to successfully meet the challenges of the 21st century. Plenary sessions will feature a diverse array of agrarians covering topics related to ranching, farming and conservation. An all-day workshop, November 8, "Managing Rangelands for Success in the 21st Century," will be lead by Jim Gerrish from American Grazing Lands Services LLC of May, Idaho. A natural educator, Jim has helped farmers and ranchers across the nation more effectively manage their grazing lands for economic and environmental sustainability. Online registration opens July 1. For updated conference information click here. Clarence Burch Award Seeking Nominations–. This $20,000 award recognizes individuals or organizations who lead by example in promoting and accomplishing outstanding stewardship of private and/or public lands that are consistent with the mission of the Quivira Coalition. The 10th Annual Burch Award will be presented at a dinner ceremony at the conclusion of the Quivira Coalition's 10th Anniversary Conference. Nomination Deadline August 10, 2011.Click here for more information and nomination guidelines.Walnut Residents Want Cattle Back – An article in the Contra Costa times features the story of a group of Walnut Creek residents determined to bring cattle grazing back to the Acalanes Ridge Open Space to control weeds and reduce fire risk. To access the article click here. New Partners –
 The Coalition keeps attracting new partners. This week the Point Reyes Bird Observatory signed on to the California Rangeland Resolution. For an updated list of partners click here.