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Napa County Resource Conservation District |
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Napa County Resource Conservation District |
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A voluntary certification program for grape growers who implement land management practices that restore and sustain aquatic habitat and improve water quality.
Background
Derived from the Fish Friendly Farming (FFF) Program which has been in use in the Russian, Navarro and Gualala watersheds since 1999, development of the Fish Friendly Farming Program for the Napa River watershed was initiated by Napa Valley’s agricultural community and involved an 18-month collaborative effort between local grape growers and representatives from government agencies and environmental organizations. The result of this effort was the creation of a workbook of Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) with a farm plan template. The workbook and accompanying workshops are the centerpiece of the program and assist landowners in evaluating natural features on their farms, assessing current management practices, and implementing improved practices.
Goals and Objectives
- Ensure compliance with all local, state and federal environmental regulations
- Implement Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) and promote sustainable agriculture and ecosystems
- Improve water quality and aquatic habitat
- Implement restoration and soil erosion control projects
- Expand community awareness of responsible management practices by grape growers.
Workshops
Growers participate in a series of workshops, which are held annually and generally occur in the winter. Each series consists of four classroom sessions and a field trip. Following the workshops, each grower receives one-on-one technical assistance and field review in evaluating roads, creeks, erosion sites and other potential problems. The Program provides these technical services at no charge. Through this process the grape grower completes a farm conservation plan with a sound technical basis.
Projects
Projects identified in the farm conservation plans may include gully and other erosion repairs, road improvements, and creek and river corridor revegetation including removal of Pierce’s disease plants and other invasive species. Funds are available to provide permitting and cost share of projects, making improvements readily available to growers in the Program.
Certification
A final step of the Program is the certification of the farm conservation plan by the National Marine Fisheries Service, Department of Fish and Game, and the Regional Water Quality Control Board. The grower, in conjunction with the program technical director, presents the farm plan to the certification team. The certification team visits the farm and discusses the site and farm plan implementation timeline with the grower. Each farm plan is certified based on completeness and accuracy in describing the resources and current practices of the farm, the needed BMPs, and the implementation timeline. All certification visits are set up in cooperation with the landowners and at no time does anyone have open authorization to access private land. Once certified, the grower receives a letter from each of the certifying agencies which recognizes the grower’s commitment to improve water quality and habitat values through FFF. The grower can display the Program logo and advertise their certification at tasting rooms and other venues.
Funding
The Fish Friendly Farming program in the Napa Valley is funded through grants from the State Water Resources Control Board.
Partnership
California Land Stewardship Institute The Fish Friendly Farming program is a project of the California Land Stewardship Institute, a non-profit organization directed by Laurel Marcus. Laurel Marcus wrote the Fish Friendly Farming program and has directed it since 1997.
Napa County Resource Conservation District (NCRCD) The RCD works in partnership with the California Land Stewardship Institute to implement the Fish Friendly Farming Program in the Napa Valley. The RCD helps coordinate the program, assists with workshops, provides one-on-one technical assistance, and plans and implements restoration and erosion control projects. Established in 1945, the NCRCD is a local non-regulatory agency whose mission is to promote responsible watershed management through voluntary community stewardship and technical assistance.
For more information about the Fish Friendly Farming Program visit
www.fishfriendlyfarming.org
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