Document adapted from recent information. Contact District for current information and plan updates.
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REGION:  CENTRAL COAST
LOCATION:  MONTEREY COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

INTRODUCTION:

The Resource Conservation District of Monterey County (RCD) is a public agency that had its beginnings in 1942. The RCD is a subdivision of the State of California. The RCD recognizes that clean water, healthy soil, vegetation and wildlife are essential to the ecological welfare of this region, its economic health and quality of life.

The Directors of the RCD serve voluntarily and are appointed by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors. The Directors represent a broad spectrum of experience including farming, ranching, biologists and planners. They are dedicated to serving both public and private conservation needs. The Directors and RCD staff work closely with the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) who serve as the RCD's technical staff.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Resource Conservation District's mission is to conserve and improve our natural resources, integrating the demand for environmental quality with the needs of agricultural and urban users. The Resource Conservation District of Monterey County seeks to achieve the sustainable management of local natural resources including soil, water, vegetation and wildlife throughout Monterey County.

RESOLUTION OF ADOPTION

This Long Range Plan was adopted by the Board of Directors of the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County on December 12, 2000.

PLAN OF ACTION

GOAL 1

Enhance the quality and quantity of natural resources in Monterey County through responsible land management practices.

OBJECTIVE 1

Expand and promote technical assistance to land users on methods of erosion control, flood control, water conservation and improvement to wildlife habitat.

STRATEGIES

1. Provide guidance to NRCS program of technical advice on local issues such as soil erosion, water quality and conservation.

2. Encourage and assist with the adoption of conservation practices by land users. Following is a list of current practices which may be modified or added to as experience and information becomes available:

a. Irrigation Water Management through tailwater recovery, irrigation efficiency
b. Nutrient Management using soil nutrient quick tests and cover cropping
c. Run-off Reduction using sediment and storm water basins, proper furrow alignment, road and critical area planting, cover cropping
d. Erosion and Gully Protection sediment and storm water basins, proper furrow alignment, road and critical area planting, cover cropping, proper grading and revegetation of waterways, underground pipelines.
e. Pest Management and Pesticide Reduction promoting hedgerow and critical area planting using native shrubs and grasses
f. Weed Control using cover cropping and critical area planting with native grasses
g. Native Plant Protection and Restoration through hedgerow and critical area planting using native trees, shrubs and grasses and the removal of noxious weeds and revegetation using native plants in natural areas.

3. Work closely with NRCS, UCCE, and other technical persons with expertise in local natural resource management and conservation practices.

4. Conduct training of NRCS/RCD and natural resource agency staff on local conservation practices to ensure consistency of technical information offered to land users.

OBJECTIVE 2

Develop and distribute effective educational materials to landowners through one~on~one outreach, workshops and field days.

STRATEGIES

1. Provide information to land users on local sources of assistance for implementing conservation measures such as the NRCS, UCCE, native plant nurseries and other resources.

2. Collaborate with partners (i.e. Farm Bureau, CAFF, UCCE, RCDs, Water Management Agencies) to conduct and broadly advertise educational workshops and field days on conservation topics.

3. Select and publicize a conservation farmer of the year.

4. Develop educational materials and brochures in cooperation with our partners that are locally relevant, technically accurate, and culturally appropriate.

OBJECTIVE 3

Monitor and assess the success of conservation practices to increase natural resource and landowner benefits.

STRATEGIES

1. Work with our partners to identify gaps in our conservation practice knowledge an d collaborate to develop research and monitoring projects that address these gaps.

2. Conduct rainy season and follow-up observational monitoring of conservation practices

3. Conduct and contract monitoring programs to survey insect and weed populations, erosion reduction, and nutrient loss/enhancement associated with RCD demonstration projects.

4. Conduct field trials of selected conservation practices to identify those most appropriate and effective for local conditions.

5. Cooperate with community watershed-based groups (i.e. Farm Bureau Pilot Projects, Carneros Creek Association) to promote self-monitoring of water quality and associated changes from conservation practices.

6. Support NRCS, CAFF, MBNMS efforts to develop cost-benefit information on conservation practices and perform these analyses when necessary.

GOAL 2

Increase public awareness of conservation issues and acceptance of economically and environmentally feasible solutions to these problems.

OBJECTIVE 1

Develop a public education program to mcrease awareness of RCD goals and services and the factors involved with the depletion of local natural resources

STRATEGIES

1. Participate in region-wide agriculture and conservation education events such as Farm Day and the Monterey County Fair.

2. Develop relationships with area K-12 schools to be an educational resource on conservation topics and promote volunteerism in local projects.

3. Encourage and participate in community forums addressing locally important land use and conservation issues.

4. Help create and support partnerships between school greenhouse/garden projects and individuals' or communities' conservation activities.

5. Develop and promote opportunities for volunteerism in local conservation projects by students, retirees, community members, Boy and Girl Scouts, 4-H, and other local groups.

6. Collaborate with partners (i.e. Farm Bureau, CAFF, UCCE, RCDs, Water Management Agencies) to conduct and broadly advertise educational workshops and field days on conservation topics.

OBJECTIVE 2

Develop a public education program to increase understanding and cooperation between agricultural and residential users and promote local solutions to conservation and natural resource issues.

STRATEGIES

1. Select and publicize a conservation farmer of the year.

2. Work to foster communication amongst community members (i.e. landowners, residents, growers, ranchers, etc...) by serving as a liaison between 'upstream-downstream' neighbors to address land use impacts and conservation concerns.

3. Assist land users to develop model agreements of cooperative working arrangements and disseminate these model agreements to our partners and the public at large.

4. Identify and publicize activities throughout the Central Coast where local residents are working together to address local conservation issues.

OBJECTIVE 3

Develop strategies that encourage the long-term integration of conservation awareness and promotion within the agricultural and residential communities.

STRATEGIES

1. Serve in an advisory capacity and provide and facilitate partner technical assistance on conservation practices to the Central Monterey Bay Farm Training Center in the Elkhorn Slough Watershed.

2. Support and help facilitate community efforts to organize around conservation issues such as Agricultural and Community Watershed Councils.

3. Identify social settings and networks within the various land user groups and promote outreach activities that work within existing networks.

OBJECTIVE 4

Educate landowners about city, county, state and federal environmental regulations and assist them to comply with those regulations.

STRATEGIES

1. Develop and disseminate outreach materials that clarify city, county, state and federal environmental regulations (i.e. permit requirements for riparian work, erosion control ordinances, Endangered Species Act, etc...)

2. Work with area governments to develop permit streamlining agreements and facilitate permits according to these agreements for land users adopting or planning to adopt conservation practices.

3. Develop cooperative arrangements with area governments such as the County to fund the RCD and encourage regulatory referrals to RCD/NRCS when phased assistance can replace immediate enforcement.

GOAL 3

Increase the protection and long-term viability of agriculture and natural lands throughout Monterey County.

OBJECTIVE 1

Strengthen the participatory voice of area residents in local and regional public policy processes.

STRATEGIES

1. Participate in public forums that address relevant, local and regional conservation and natural resource issues.

2. Develop and disseminate education literature that address local and regional conservation and natural resource issues and describe local conservation practices that individuals might adopt on their land.

3. Encourage and support efforts of community and watershed-based groups (i.e. Farm Bureau Pilot Projects, Carneros Creek Association) to participate in public planning and regional political processes.

OBJECTIVE 2

Develop an outreach and technical assistance strategy that reduces ~pstream-downstream' impacts and conflicts between agricultural producers and residents. Specifically at the urban-agricultural interface and neighbor-to-neighbor impacts.

STRATEGIES

1. Facilitate small working groups of neighbors to educate and address downstream cumulative impacts of watershed activities.

2. Provide and facilitate partner technical assistance to mdividuals in the working groups such that cumulative impacts are reduced and the financial hardship of a solution is shared amongst all the contributors.

3. Facilitate communication between land users and government agencies (i.e. Public Works, CALTRANS) to correct water flow routing and structures that aggravate flooding and erosion and inhibit the conservation activities of the land user.

4. Develop cooperative arrangements with area governments such as the County to fund the RCD and encourage regulatory referrals to RCD/NRCS when phased assistance can replace immediate enforcement.

GOAL 4

Support community and watershed-based approaches to local land and resource conservation issues and promote cooperation amongst different land user groups.

OBJECTIVE 1

Strengthen the awareness within community and watershed organizations of local environmental issues and conservation land practices that help correct these problems.

STRATEGIES

1. Participate in community group meetings to present or lead discussions on conservation issues and practices.

2. Help community groups identify experts in various environmental fields of interest to invite to speak at meetings.

3. Develop and disseminate educational literature addressing local conservation and land use issues.

OBJECTIVE 2

Provide a program of technical assistance for groups and individuals interested in adopting conservation practices.

STRATEGIES

1. Develop and disseminate technical educational literature on conservation practices and alternatives.

2. Provide and facilitate partner technical assistance to land users wanting to adopt conservation practices.

3. Participate in community group planning meetings to prioritize conservation neeUs and develop strategies and projects to address these needs.

OBJECTIVE 3

Establish a program to provide guidance to forming and young community groups concerned with natural resource issues throughout Monterey County.

STRATEGIES

1. Share experience and knowledge of community group formation and activities at guidance council planning and/or commumty group meetings.

2. Disseminate educational literature, present, and suggest experts to present on conservation topics of interest to the community groups.

3. Offer neutral meeting facilitation when practical or necessary to mediate potential conflict or launch the group forward.

GOAL 5

Continually build the Resource Conservation District to meet the conservation needs of landowners, residents and agricultural producers throughout the county.

OBJECTIVE 1

Manage the District effectively and responsibly so it may achieve its mission and goals.

STRATEGIES

1. Conduct annual review of director attendance and involvement at District Meetings and other activities in order to provide the best possible RCD leadership.

2. Conduct annual and periodic review of staff to assure RCD and project goals are being achieved, professional development needs are identified and raises awarded according to performance and results.

3. Review the District Annual Work Plan and Long Range Plan on a regular basis during the year.

4. Review activities and expenditures for each grant and conduct periodic reviews by directors of District grants and projects to assure requirements are being met for each Scope of Work.

OBJECTIVE 2

Develop and maintain the District's network of partners, collaborators, and contributors to involve and represent all land user groups, communities, agencies and individuals in our operation.

STRATEGIES

1. Maintain existing and establish working relationships and partnerships with conservation and resource management organizations, land user groups and resource agencies throughout the region.

2. Staff and directors will attend conservation and resource management meetings and forums (i.e. Farm Bureau, CRMP, public planning forums, partner sponsored workshops, City Councils, etc...) to remain abreast of local and regional issues.

OBJECTIVE 3

Increase, diversity and maintain our funding base to support the District and its programs and activities.

STRATEGIES

1. Continue to seek County and other sources of baseline funding.

2. Maintain a database of local, state, and federal funding opporrunities and remain abreast of grant RFP releases.

3. Continue to maintain affiliations with private foundation funding (i.e. Packard), and identify and pursue new private foundation or individual sources of financial support.

4. Optimize our current grants and assets to leverage new grants to continue and expand RCD projects.

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