Point Blue Conservation Science A Presentation to Yosemite-Mariposa Regional Water Advisory Council Wendell Gilgert March 26th, 2014 Securing Water and Wildlife on Working Lands

Point Blue Conservation Science California: 2013 driest year on record /

Point Blue Conservation Science Because of our climate smart actions today, healthy ecosystems will continue to sustain vibrant wildlife & human communities, on land and at sea ….

Point Blue Conservation Science Rangeland Watershed Initiative Increase water, carbon, wildlife and economic productivity on CA rangelands through eco-friendly grazing with ranchers, NRCS and others

Point Blue Conservation Science Five Year Goals– “Re-water” 1.13 million acres 1) Increase soil water storage by 15% = 2 Hetch Hetchy’s over 5 years. 2)Increase soil carbon by 15% = ~1.13 million tons of carbon sequestered per year going forward 3)Leverage Farm Bill habitat improvement funds. 4) Support 45 Leopoldian watershed land stewards. 5)Improve ranching operations working with 110 ranchers.

Point Blue Conservation Science Partner Biologists On the Ground Tiffany Russell Alicia Young Kelly Weintraub Corey Shake Alissa Fogg Melissa Odell Bonnie Eyestone Ben Martin Corey Shake

Point Blue Conservation Science Upper Stony Creek Model

Point Blue Conservation Science Bringing Back Water

Point Blue Conservation Science Same Creek, Re-watered, 8 years later

Point Blue Conservation Science Pre and Post Prescriptive Grazing

Point Blue Conservation Science Managing the Soil Surface

Point Blue Conservation Science Watershed => Water Catchment

Point Blue Conservation Science Annual vs. Perennial Root Structure August 2006 / Vol.56 No.8 BioScience 649

Point Blue Conservation Science Conservation Practices Wetland Wildlife Management Upland Wildlife Habitat Management Mgt & Restoration of Rare & Declining Habitats Prescribed Grazing Management Fence Range PlantingWater Facility

Point Blue Conservation Science Research Support UC Davis Rangeland Watershed Lab Dr. Ken Tate Dr. Leslie Roach

Point Blue Conservation Science Research Support Benchmark and Implementation Metrics

Point Blue Conservation Science Field Metrics-Soils & Vegetation Soil Characteristics: Soil bulk densitySoil samples Soil organic matterSoil samples Soil carbonSoil samples Soil infiltrationSoil samples Rangeland Vegetation: % cover of perennial speciesLine-intercept transects % cover of annual species (e.g., smooth brome, rye, fescue) Line-intercept transects % cover of noxious/invasive weeds (e.g., medusahead, star thistle) Line-intercept transects

Point Blue Conservation Science How can we work together?