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the poisoning the well human impacts to the american river watershed by alan ehrgott current american river conservancy be replicated again and again with other chemicals and with other wildlife species until enraged citizens rose-up and demanded higher testing standards due in part to the concerns raised by rachel carson the environmental protection agency was established in 1970 but still to this day the legal statutes that regulate pesticides fungicides and rodenticides set looser standards than even those that regulate food and drugs within its review of new pesticides government evaluates the toxicity but also measures the economic benefit a chemical compound might provide this process pits agricultural production against potential increases in cancer and neurological disease new pesticides even if they are very toxic can win approval if they work just marginally better than existing ones it can also take 6-7 years to remove that chemical from the market if it is found to have severe health consequences in 2004 the american river conservancy received a grant to study the impacts of non-point source pollutants on biological organisms within the american river watershed we chose a welldesigned and documented protocol called rapid bioassessment assessing the specific presence of chemicals in water can be very expensive and time consuming involving gas chromatography and intensive lab work as an alternative rapid bioassessment inventories water-based insect larvae such as caddis and mayflies living submerged under rocks and within streams and creeks these water-based insects have varying degrees of sensitivity to chemical imbalance like a wide array of canaries in the coal mine these insects tell us when water quality drops the disappearance of a particular insect species can often point to the particular pollutant or cause after three years of study our data showed a direct correlation between the density of residential continued on page 3 hope to see you may 21 at the gold hill ranch open house and june 13 at trailfest informational newsletter for summer 2011 june july august i was ten years old when rachel carson s silent spring was first published in 1962 i was most likely reading the hardy boys and robinson crusoe then but i do remember family discussions regarding the severe cases of smog within our hometown of pasadena this was my first exposure to human impacts on the environment and upon human health during bad air days i wasn t allowed outside to play in high school a forward thinking chemistry teacher assigned silent spring as required reading his message to us was simply beware he said the world was full of well-meaning chemical companies that would sell pesticides and other chemicals under the name of improving our standard of living in the short term only to see long-term impacts to wildlife and the increasing incidence of cancer in this issue feature article land update 1-3 in human beings education update camp info 4-5 mr brown specuvolunteer oportunities 6 program hike leader thank you 7 lated that rachel inside the bluebird project 8 carson s wellprograms calendar 9-11 documented impacts book review wish list 12 eddies-volunteer thank you 13 of ddt on the reproriver sustainability stewardship 14 duction of the bald positive impacts 14 eagle and the peresummer supporters 15 become a supporter 16 grine falcon would see insert for details on these events

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page 2 the current summer 2011 june july august land conservation update new salmon falls trailhead good news for equestrians arc has been awarded a $738,000 competitive grant to purchase 151 acres on salmon falls road that will serve as an equestrian trailhead for the south fork american river trail arc believes this acquisition will allow equestrians to travel the entire trail from highway 49 magnolia ranch all the way to salmon falls road following the purchase of this land arc will work with the bureau of land management and the equestrian community to build a trailhead large enough to accommodate pick-up trucks and horse trailers in order to receive these grant funds and close escrow by our contractual date in late july 2011 arc must raise $20,000 as a local match to these grant funds the purchase price is $758,000 and is equal to the fair market value as established by an independent appraiser we need help from the equestrian community to complete the final equestrian link on this south fork american river trail please donate whatever you can to help arc complete this last equestrian link in the trail 100 of your donation will be used toward the purchase price of the subject 151 acres of land payment by credit cards will charge a processing fee for more information please contact julie andert or noël robinson at 530 621-1224 or elena delacy at 530 295-2190 donations can be made on-line at arc s secure website at www.arconservancy.org gold hill wakamatsu historic farm arc continues to receive strong community support for the restoration of historic buildings and the recreation of the historic gold hill ranch and farm first settled by charles graner in 1854 charles graner developed an early vineyard and winery on the site and then sold the 272 acre ranch to the japanese in 1869 the gold hill wakamatsu tea and silk farm colony became the first japanese colony in america when it was settled by 22 samurai colonists from aizu wakamatsu following their defeat to imperial forces during the meiji restoration in 1874 the land became the property of the francis veerkamp family and was farmed for grain fruit and later for meat and dairy products in july 2010 arc was successful in placing the property on the national register of historic places at a level of national significance later in october 2010 arc purchased the property for $3.2 million with a combination of competitive grant funding and loans arc is working to pay off the loans restore the buildings and develop a plan for developing the 272 acre property as a public park and historic farm property featuring many of the crops first introduced to california by the wakamatsu colonists in 1869 as well as crops historically grown by charles graner and the veerkamp family attend the open house and help be part of this plan see insert i would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority ~elwyn brooks white essays of e.b white 1977

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page 3 the current summer 2011 june july august continued from page 1 population and the loss of stream-based insect diversity data also suggested that increased human development brought a complex array of pollutants everything from petroleum based pollutants to pesticides herbicides domestic animal waste as well as soil contaminants transported into the stream by soil disturbance and erosion we need only look at our daily household routines as homeowners to find incriminating evidence how often do harmful chemicals such as prescription drugs get flushed down the toilet or washed down the drain into a septic system how often does paint thinner gasoline or oil get dropped on the ground how often do pesticide and herbicide residues work their way into the water table and eventually into surface water downstream in looking at pesticides alone americans use 4.5 billion pounds of it each year or 11.2 pounds of it for every man woman and child but the problem is more widespread than just pesticides recently an observant arc member called us about suspected pollutants within a stream area off the el dorado trail just east of missouri flat rd and just north of an extensive industrial area two arc employees took a water sample kit and found ph levels within the creek and nearby pond at an extraordinary range of between 11.5 ­ 13.1 or about the ph level of straight ammonia immediately arc staff called the california office of emergency services and an investigation was begun more recently arc heard that the problem was pinpointed to a large pile of slate lime exposed to rain and erosion we don t know how long this problem existed but we do know that high ph runoff entered into weber creek with resulting impacts to native fish and other forms of aquatic life as el dorado county residents we should be proud of our beautiful streams and rivers we also have a duty and responsibility to keep them clean for downstream water consumers in the months ahead arc will develop programs investigating biological and other organic measures to control pest problems perhaps someday in the not-too-distant future el dorado county can declare itself a safe pesticide-free county we owe it to our children and our neighbors downstream to try our best welcome arc s newest board member hilary mulligan hilary was born and raised in california to a third generation ranching family she grew up in the sierra nevada foothills and spent her childhood exploring the local woods and rivers particularly enjoying the beauty of desolation wilderness she lives in placerville with her two children brooklind and koa and husband hilary has journeyed and worked in africa india australia and new zealand promoting organic farming and collective agriculture overseas her conservation career has included volunteer leadership development environmental advocacy and grassroots community-based initiative training she has held positions with u.c berkeley entomology department u.s forest service fire sciences laboratory missoula mt california department of fish and game and the sierra club hilary holds a degree in conservation and resource studies from u.c berkeley in 2006 she developed and continues to manage the trust for public land tpl major donor travel program it is tpl s mission of conserving land for people that brought her to the organization in 2000.

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page 4 the current summer 2011 june july august education update summer ee update summer is just around the corner and arc camp programs are filling up fast sign up your kids or grandkids today view detailed ee camp descriptions on pages 5 and 6 day and overnight programs available in coloma el dorado hills echo lake throughout the sierra online registration is available at www.arconservancy.org/campregistration or www.epicsierra.org or contact molly ­ 530 6211224 at the nature center for a paper copy nature bowl congratulations to all the 3rd/4th and 5th/6th grade teams who participated in the nature bowl semi-finals at the american river nature center over 150 students came from throughout el dorado county to compete in this hands-on science competition we look forward to seeing students from ca montessori project jackson elementary lake forest elementary latrobe school district and pleasant valley middle school at students from ca montessori project participate in nature investigations the state finals on may 21st special thank you to smud leaky ducts faulty insulation and prob for generously sponlems with your a/c system can rob you of soring the 27th anmoney and comfort at home smud s home performance program mixes tech nual event nology building science and hard work to test your home s performance http www.smud.org/homeperformance partment extra thanks to all our ee volunteers in march nature bowl volunteers weathered the storms with smiles and gusto gratitude to our judges danny callaway cathy ciafalo martha deaquino cindi ehrgott mary elliott patti galdal joanne geggatt judith gossett debbie knochenhauer giguette knochenhauer gillian knochenhauer dana lashley kathie matto marlene reilly tyler schade and cece walrond thank you also to thiaa besan and gail wilson for helping assemble 160 prize packets for arc s nature bowlers kids expo in april thiaa besan moira mcvicar rachael mcvicar marty overlander and donna orth offered their hands and excitement at arc s hands-on exhibits at kids expo kudos moira mcvicar rachael mcvicar and donna orth at kids expo epic sierra special thanks to sarah sheven and alex mitchell past epic sierra teen participants for attending a sacramento epic sierra info night and sharing their adventure stories with others there are still spots available for the 2011 trip ­ see page 6 for details school programs this spring students from william brooks and lake forest elementary lent a hand at the nest nature exploring for students and teachers program special thanks to cathy ciafalo and patti galdal for helping the students become land stewards last but most certainly not least an eight-legged applause to kathie matto for her role as grandmother spider in the web of life arc field trip program ee thank yous spring has been a busy season for the environmental education ee homeschool tuesdays look for our fall programs starting in september de thank you also to smud eid forest service and regional water authority for providing fun prizes to nature bowl participants.

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page 5 the current summer 2011 june july august 11 arc nature camps 20 energized by nature in coloma backyard bandits in el dorado hills this summer s coloma nature camp energized by nature addresses how nature s forces provide energy for plants and animals including us use the sun s energy to create a tasty snack design your own turbine and see how to create power from water uncover ways to create energy from every day items even trash older campers ages 6-11 spend 1 day at the dave moore nature area and 9-11 year olds participate in local hikes and an overnight at greenwood creek includes dinner and breakfast backyard bandits is a separate arc camp that investigates the outdoors in el dorado hills and lake natoma bird watch in an oak woodland park scope out critters in new york creek and cool off at the aquatic center spend a day at lake kayaking and searching for great blue herons ages 7-10 $200 $45 kayak fee register with the el dorado hills community service district by phone 916 933-6624 or through the el dorado hills activity guide online save your spot and book a kayak fee on arc website july 5-8 june 20-24 waitlist or august 15-19 ages 4-5 $130 110/arc members ages 6-8 $200 180/arc members june 13-17 or july 11-15 new nature camp at echo lake july 11-15 ages 9-11 $230 210/arc members new nature camp at echo lake provides an overnight option for older campers bask in the high sierra s cool mountain air at berkeley s echo lake camp only 1 hour from placerville learn or refine your camping skills in the evening enjoy campfires and an astronomy program get ready to hike canoe weather permitting and bond on this exciting mountain retreat scholarships available go to www.arconservancy.org/campregistration questions contact molly at arc 530 621-1224 many camp scholarships available apply online www.arconservancy.org/campscholarship deadline may 15th how to register for camp all meals and tent lodging included ages 12-14 $305 280/arc members june 26-28

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page 6 the current summer 2011 june july august volunteer opportunities starts/ends in coloma national trails day june 11 2011 9am ­ 1pm approx join arc blm rei and the american hiking society to appreciate and maintain our local trails on june 11 from 9am to 1pm national trails day is a nation-wide event focused on promoting healthy lifestyles through connections with the outdoors please bring gloves a water bottle and dress appropriately lunch sponsored by rei please contact tyler schade tyler@arconservancy.org or call 530-621-1224 for details and to sign up or register online ­ go to www.arconservancy.org and click on the activities tab to search for national trails day registration it s easy and convenient river cleanup days monday july 18 thursday august 11 wednesday september 7 9am to 3 pm approx join el dorado county and american river conservancy as we clean up trash and debris along the south fork american river this is the first in a series of 4 local cleanup days culminating in the great sierra river cleanup on september 17 2011 july s cleanup will focus on the upper chili bar section of the sf american august s cleanup will focus on the lower gorge section and september s will be a low water cleanup please call noah triplett at 530 621-6052 or tyler schade at 530 621-1224 for more information and to sign up great sierra river cleanup ­ saturday september 17 from 9am to 12noon the 3rd annual great sierra river cleanup will be held in various watersheds throughout the sierra nevada join countless volunteers the american river conservancy the el dorado county and georgetown divide rcds and the california association of rcds as we clean up various sites in the american and cosumnes river watersheds please visit our website www.arconservancy.org for more information and to sign up you may also contact tyler schade at 530 621-1224 or tyler@arconservancy.org to inquire about this opportunity participate in the 2011 safe to swim study this statewide water quality monitoring effort samples local swimming holes to make sure that levels of harmful strains of bacteria are low ­ and that our local waterways are safe for swimming we need volunteers to take quick grab samples at identified locations in the american and cosumnes river watersheds in june august and september arc is working with the local resource conservation districts and the central valley water board to gather data please contact elena delacy 530 295-2190 or tyler schade 530 621-1224 for more information experience rocks rivers and ranges arc s 14-day journey filled with outdoor fun education and service in the sierra nevada mountains raft world class rapids and paddle ancient lakes stroll through historic towns and soak in panoramic mountain landscapes help build trails and restore habitats for endangered wildlife conclude with a multi-day backpacking trek through meadows and mountains in yosemite national park without a doubt an adventure for epic proportions ages 14-18 14-day trip $1750 arrival and departure coloma ca trip i july 10-23 trip ii july 24-aug 6 1 go to www.epicsierra.org 2 print/submit a trip application and deposit questions contact michael or molly at arc phone 530 621-1224 email info@epicsierra.org epic sierra is an arc education program thanks to arc s epic sierra sponsors how to register for epic and mountain hardwear

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page 7 the current summer 2011 june july august thank you to el dorado county library brian hayes sarah murray karen drellich for the month of april arc had a wakamatsu tea and silk farm colony display in the entrance of the placerville library brian hayes graciously lent us his beautiful pottery for the display wakamatsu donors will receive a gas fired tea bowl 500 or a wood-fired tea bowl 1000 created by brian thank you karen drellich for lending us beautiful kimonos and japanese items for the display thank you to sierra disposal services in preparation for the open house on may 21 we ve been working at gold hill thank you also to sierra disposal service for dumpsters donated for clean-up at gold hill ranch american river trailfest monday june 13th 5pm to 10pm earthtrek campground lotus ca off hwy 49 go green and save green on-line ticket sales advance discount www.arconservancy.org/trailfest spring arc hike to table mountain program hike leaders thank you our spring line-up was bigger than ever we had volunteers leading historical tours at the wakamatsu site molly hucklebridge gave a patagonia presentation and slide show kenna foster taught youth photography el dorado storyteller s guild had a story-time for all ages and howard williams led a birding by ear walk john kipping hosted an indigenous use of plants later a whales in alaska photo presentation tara stiles taught tai chi in nature nolan smith showed us petroglyphs of the middle fork and scott cushman showed us grey water rainwater harvesting fred klammt taught tapping into renewable energy and nathan jennings showed us how to use our gps units also betty sederquist offered a photography workshop hikes included table mountain led by tom petersen and michael dotson keith atwater s dog walk on the el dorado trail tony cervantes so fork trail hike kanaka valley and knickerobocker hikes were led by tom petersen a vernal pool and native plant walk hosted by jinnah benn marcia paulson and donna orth led the robie point hike robert mackler led for the birds talk and walk and john robert cornell led a sacred nature walk nature provides a free lunch but only if we control our appetites ~william ruckelshaus business week 18 june 1990

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page 8 the current summer 2011 june july august volunteer profile inside the bluebird project by edith chavez ­ senior girl scout for my girl scout silver award project i asked for the help of american river conservancy with a project i had in mind and judith gossett offered me the project to help the comeback of the western bluebird in my first meeting with her she introduced me to wendy guglieri both explained to me the situation of the bluebird i agreed to build 20 houses set up a trail and recruit people to monitor the houses to record data on the population for cornell university i feel accomplished on how the project took shape and the knowledge i acquired in the process at the beginning i simply wanted to help the bluebirds because of a picture wendy and judith showed me of a little baby bluebird and because they were one of my favorite animals now it has taught me the importance of these little feathered creatures and about the rest of the environment they live in i had originally learned about the bluebirds themselves and then started to get into other species surrounding them and their interactions sometimes i grew rather anxious about the outcome of the project wondering if the bluebirds would actually use the houses if they would build nests or if i would convince volunteers to monitor the houses and record the data once a week or to help me part of the time because of the fact that i live in rocklin and going back and forth to magnolia ranch takes me about 2 hours and it s not easy to go every single weekend and weekdays are practically full with school and homework i felt a great responsibility toward the american river conservancy and to fulfill what they were expecting from me i worked my best on weekdays and weekends and sometimes during the night combining school and project work now that i have reached my goal i realize how important this project truly was not just to the birds but to me as well and the implications of the students of the high school volunteering and establishing new links for the american river conservancy i felt deeply honored to be under the mentoring of wendy and judith and i m enjoying every single moment we have together and all the knowledge they are passing on to me i grew as a person as a girl scout and it reinforced my desire to be a biologist now i am wondering what project i will do next western bluebird monitoring project a success by judith gossett ­ volunteer coordinator thanks to edith chavez and her family there is a new bluebird trail at magnolia ranch when i first met edith 14 and her family in september 2010 i never imag ined the accomplishments that would be achieved for this project edith s silver award project for girl scouts edith s project was to update and extend a bluebird trail at magnolia ranch edith took down last year s 17 nest boxes at magnolia ranch and repaired and painted them and made 30 brand new nest boxes she solicited donations collected bottles and cans from the neighbors and sold girl scout cookies to raise money for the materials for the boxes in partnership with edith chavez arc and consultation with peggy cranston blm biologist edith installed twenty nest boxes at magnolia for nest boxes that were in full sun she also installed sun shades in addition to magnolia ranch edith donated and installed twenty three nest boxes at gold hill/wakamatsu and four at marshall gold discovery state historic park in coloma each nest box was geo-tagged so that a satellite map could be made of the trail edith laminated reference charts pictures of cavity nesting birds and pictures of their nests and eggs she put together data sheets in a binder for collecting data she also created a brochure about the western bluebird recovery project for the nature center asking for more volunteers to get involved or to donate to the project edith recruited and trained some young volunteers from golden sierra high school to monitor the magnolia bluebird trail for this year s nesting season end of march until mid-august it s exciting to see edith s project supported and sustained by local youth edith lead and demonstrated the first monitoring session with the volunteers and donated four backpacks filled with all the supplies monitors would need going forward edith s father raul her mother edith her sister ardith and her grandmother irma all volunteered their time and labor wendy guglieri our bluebird monitoring expert and myself volunteered to assess the sites for each nestbox and participate in installation edith s accomplishments are truly impressive they go way beyond the scope of the requirements for her silver award and include community outreach and partnering with federal and state agencies a local high school and arc she has demonstrated leadership and responsibility and has shown that one person really can make a lasting difference no matter their age it was an honor to work with her and her wonderful family since last fall many thanks to edith and her family!

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page 9 the current summer 2011 june july august program calendar june 2011 sunday monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday saturday sunday monday tuesday july 2011 wednesday thursday friday saturday august 2011 sunday monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday saturday 1 2 3 4 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 8 9 7 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 8 9 10 11 12 13 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 26 27 28 29 30 31 28 29 30 31 friday the 3rd saturday the 4th saturday the 4th sunday the 5th saturday the 11th saturday the 11th saturday the 11th saturday the 11th sunday the 12th monday the 13th saturday the 25th saturday the 25th sunday the 26th thursday the 30th 8:30-10pm 10:30am-12:30pm 8am-12pm 8am-12pm 9:30am-4pm 9-10:30am 7:30-10pm 9am-1pm 9-11am 5-10pm 8am-2pm 2-6pm 8am-5:30pm 8:30-10pm june 2011 wine tasting under the stars wild edibles stevens trail hike south fork trail hike natural dye workshop composting 101 moonlight horseback ride national trails day historic monroe trail hike trailfest hunter s trail hike kayak basics-lake natoma french meadows hike sky theatre saturday the 2nd saturday the 9th saturday the 9th sunday the 24th thursday the 28th saturday the 30th sunday the 31st 8:30am-12pm 1-4pm 7:30am-3pm 10:30am-3pm tbd 9:30am-2pm 2-6pm july 2011 el dorado trail hike-kids dogs welcome how to care for your land-without taming it lyon s creek hike arc blood drive wild scenic on tour film festival ladie s valley family hike picnic kayak basics-lake natoma august 2011 woods lake to winnemucca-hike bio-intensive garden tour desolation wilderness-lyon s trail the american river conservancy is a member of earth share of california providing charitable giving opportunities in the workplace for more information on how you can get involved with one or more of these programs contact the conservancy saturday the 6th saturday the 13th sunday the 14th non-profit member of 7:30am-3pm 8-9:30am 8am-3pm our mission the american river conservancy serves our community by protecting and enhancing natural habitats where wildlife can flourish through education and recreation we promote a broad ethic of stewardship ensuring healthy ecosystems now and for the future.

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page 10 the current summer 2011 june july august programs plus sign up and for meeting location cool area suggested donation $5 members $10/non-members stevens trail-hike saturday june 4th 8 am ­ 12 pm this is a historic trail originally built in 1859 as a toll road from colfax to iowa hill across the north fork american river stunning views of the north fork along the way we will end up at secret ravine creek at the river kay osborn will lead this difficult hike of 6 miles which is strenuous with a 1000 ft elevation change although well-graded intermediate-advanced hikers only responsible teens older welcome suggested donation $5/members $10/nonmembers contact arc to sign up and for meeting location colfax area so fork trail-hike sunday june 5th 8 am ­ 12 pm join tony cervantes arc volunteer and shingle springs tribal tanf family advocate tony will take you on a 4-hour hike on the so fork trail of the american river the trail should still be green and may even still have wildflowers this trail includes grasslands oak woodland chaparral and riparian habitats a little bit of everything we ll share the trail with mountain bikers and equestrians too ages 10 welcome the difficulty of this hike is moderate with about 700 feet of vertical gain/loss steady rain cancels contact arc to sign up and for meeting location folsom lake salmon falls area suggested donation $5/members $10/non-members historic monroe trail hike sunday june 12th 9 ­ 11 am join arc volunteers donna orth marcia paulson for this beautiful little trail in the coloma state park this is an easy-moderate hike of about 3.5 miles there is some uphill with the trip to the marshall monument 10 welcome w/adult supervision contact arc to sign up and for meeting location coloma area fees free/members $10/non-members hunter s trail hike-rubicon saturday june 25th 8 am ­ 2 pm approx tom petersen arc volunteer and extreme hiker will lead this 8mile moderate hike from ellicott s bridge to hale s camp and back you can also choose to turn back mid-way and make this a 4-mile hike you ll also have the opportunity to eat lunch and swim if desired contact arc to sign up and for carpool location georgetown area fees free/members $10 non-members french meadows hike sunday june 26th 8 am ­ 5:30 pm 2hour drive each way howard williams a wildflower enthusiast and birdwatcher will lead this hike on a trail in the french meadows area this trail leads into beautiful duncan canyon and goes through part of the 17,000 acres devastated by the star fire which occurred 10 years ago nature heals and we should see many different species of flowers and birds the hike will be about 3 miles on mountain trail with an elevation gain of perhaps 500 feet this will be a nature hike not a forced march but the elevation gain at 5,000-ft and the elevation of the hike will demand some level of fitness responsible teen and older welcome rain cancels contact arc to el dorado trail hike ­ children and dogs welcome saturday july 2nd 8:30 am ­ 12 pm pack up the kids and dogs this trail is a true gem in el dorado part of the rails to trails program this route climbs very gently up from placerville to near camino keith atwater past arc board member volunteer will lead you up this trail that s about 6 miles round trip hikers can turn around at any point they choose this hike is unique in that keith is allowing dogs he will give a brief talk on dog etiquette on the trail before you begin all ages welcome strollers ok contact arc to sign up and for meeting location placerville area suggested donation $5/members $10 non-members lyon s creek hike saturday july 9th 7:30 am 3 pm approx there are several meadows along this trail which will reward wildflower lovers also at least 3 creek pools the trail leads to 2 subalpine lakes lake sylvia lyons lake with views of surrounding peaks most impressive is pyramid peak kay osborn will lead this moderate 5-8 mile hike depending on the group s preference responsible teens and older welcome contact arc to sign up and for meeting location placerville area suggested donation $5/members $10/non-members ladies valley family hike picnic arc members only saturday july 30th 9:30 am 2 pm join arc staff elena delacy and noël robinson and their families for a leisurely day along the north fork cosumnes river through oak woodlands and beautiful riparian habitat protected by the american river conservancy in 2008 you ll have the opportunity to enjoy a short hike 1 mile eat a picnic lunch along a calm stretch of the river and go for a quick dip in the water this property is not currently open to the public we are offering arc members the opportunity to enjoy this special place ­ limited to the first 30 people all ages welcome contact arc to sign up and for meeting location placerville area free members only woods lake to winnemucca-wildflower hike saturday august 6th 7:30 am ­ 3 pm approx kay osborn will take you through forest and meadow with beautiful wildflowers and around woods lake you will then hike up a steeper open trail to round top lake with views of distant peaks after lunch you ll head down the outlet creek and back to the parking this is a seven mile moderate to intermediate hike fit 10 welcome with adult supervision rain cancels suggested donation $5/members $10/non-members meeting in placerville area sign-ups required desolation wilderness lyon s trailhead sunday august 14th 8 am ­ 3 pm approx there are several meadows along this trail which will reward wildflower lovers also at least 3 creek pools the trail leads to 2 subalpine lakes lake sylvia lyon s lake with views of surrounding peaks most impressive is pyramid peak tony cervantes will lead this moderate-difficult 10mile hike responsible teens and older welcome contact arc to sign up and for meeting location suggested donation $5/members $10/non-members all programs require sign-ups please contact julie@arconservancy.org or 530-621-1224

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page 11 the current summer 2011 june july august up and for meeting location coloma area fee $5/members $10/nonmembers vibrant rainbows and earthly mellows a one day workshop designed as an introduction wine tasting under the stars friday june 3rd 8:30 10 pm arc has joined forces with david girard vineyards and starforge astronomy group for a wonderful night of wine tasting and star gazing come for this unique opportunity to view the moon early in the evening followed by the planet saturn and its rings plus many beautiful objects in the summer sky including the hercules star cluster double and triple stars in the big dipper and the hunting dogs and galaxies in leo and virgo all this while tasting award winning wines at this beautiful vineyard in placerville wine will be sold by the glass or bottle complimentary tasting ends at 5pm suggested donation $10 please call to sign up and for more information at 530-621-1224 or contact julie@arconservancy.org age 21 welcome rain or heavy clouds cancels moonlight horseback ride saturday june 11th 7:30 ­ 10 pm come enjoy a beautiful summer ride under the moon and stars pam greer with dha and julie andert with dha arc will lead this easymoderate horse ride saddle up and be ready to ride by 7:30 pm no stallions experienced riders and horses only please bring chairs beverage snack to share if you want to stay and socialize afterwards rain or hidden moon cancels suggested donation $5/members $10/non-members location tbd-cool area contact arc to sign up and for meeting location sky theatre stargazing for arc members only thursday june 30th 8:30 ­ 10 pm arc has reserved the brand new amphitheater along with the observatory at the cameron park rotary community observatory in placerville for this members-only event let these well trained docents introduce you to their pride joy the newly constructed amphitheater featuring their milky way presentation their state-of-the-art observatory features two 14inch telescopes that bring our galaxy to life and offer excellent views of the summer triangle along with constellations cygnus lyra aquila and plants saturn and venus contact arc to sign-up and for meeting location placerville area free members only donations to observatory encouraged arc blood drive sunday july 24th 10:30 am ­ 3 pm closed for lunch 12-12:45pm please help us have another successful blood drive we ve had great community support in the past and hope we can pull it off again if you have never donated blood here are a few facts to encourage you fewer than one in ten people actually donate blood three teaspoons of blood can save a baby s life one donation has the potential to save as many as three lives and approximately one out of every seven people entering the hospital needs blood blood drive held at arc nature center 348 hwy 49 coloma please call to make an appointment 530621-1224 we need a minimum of 25 donors to make this blood drive successful all blood drive participants will receive a free t-shirt and pint of baskin robbins ice cream sixteen years with consent form and older welcome www.bloodsource.org to natural dying on natural fibers saturday june 11th 9:30 am ­ 4 pm participants will learn how to create brilliant rainbow hues as well as interesting earth tones the natural dyes selected will range from exotic traditionals to locally available plants this workshop is about how to achieve a good working understanding of natural dyeing included is a 10 page handout with recipes and instructions designed to make it easy to reproduce the colors at home participants work hands-on in teams and by the end of the day they make lovely sample cards to take home generally with over 20 different hues the natural fibers that we dye are selected from silk mohair alpaca wool and more your instructor anni redding has worked with natural and synthetic dyes for over 20 years and has taught natural dyeing since 2005 14 welcome w/adult supervision contact arc to sign up and for meeting location greenwood area fees $50/members $65/non-members composting 101 saturday june 11th 9 ­ 10:30am come learn the dirt on composting this class taught by kay osborn master gardener and arc volunteer will teach you the basics of how to convert yard garden and kitchen waste into soil building compost also what to do and what not to do how large how long the process takes best methods and practices she will also have samples on hand so you can see what good compost should look like 10 welcome w/adult supervision contact arc to sign up and for meeting location coloma area fees free members $10/non-members kayak basics lake natoma two dates available june 25th or july 31st 2 ­ 6 pm do you want to learn to paddle but are not sure where to start this half day class on lake natoma will allow you to try many different types of kayaks including sea kayaks touring kayaks recreational kayaks and siton-tops learn basic strokes and the differences between each boat type this class also focuses on essential water safety and how to maximize your fun california canoe kayak cck has kindly offered to teach their basics class to arc supporters and donate ½ their proceeds back to the conservancy cost $59 bring a picnic and enjoy your morning there too please sign up with cck directly at http www.calkayak.com/rsv/dspclndr.cfm varclassid=365 or call 800-366-9804 prerequisites only the desire to learn however good physical condition is required to assure an enjoyable class the minimum age for kayak basics is 14 years children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian how to care for your land without taming it saturday july 9th 1 4 pm arc biologist elena delacy will present ways that you can take care of your property with wildlife in mind we ll touch on oak woodlands fuels fencing gardening for wildlife and strategies for dealing with pesky weeds elena has been working with the american river conservancy since 2003 and has experience conducting habitat restoration and is passionate about sierra nevada foothill ecology age 17 welcome contact arc to sign up and for meeting location coloma area fee free to arc members $10 non-members bio-intensive garden tour saturday august 13th 8-9:30 am tour a biointensive demonstration garden in auburn and learn about sustainable mini-farming nikki duncan is a placer county master gardener and biointensive sustainable agriculture instructor certified through the non-profit ecology action nikki grows approximately 80 of her diet including grains for making breads granola crackers and tortillas the growbiointensive method includes deep soil preparation planting in a grid pattern rather than in rows and growing compost crops the method uses less water increases yield and requires little to no imported compost or fertilizer because you produce what the soil needs to maintain fertility right in your growing space suggested donation free/members $10/non-members contact arc to sign up and for meeting location auburn area wild edibles saturday june 4th 10:30 am ­ 12:30 pm what plants do we have here in the foothills that can be added to our food and made into medicine come join candis cantin on an herb/food id walk candis has lived in the county for 27 years and has evergreen school of integrative herbology where she teaches about herbal medicine and health in this class she will be teaching the participants about the health value of local plants responsible teens welcome rain cancels contact arc to sign

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page 12 the current summer 2011 june july august book review by amy hoffman introduction to earth soil and land in california california natural history guides author david carle publisher university of california press c 2010 dirt made my lunch dirt made my lunch thank you dirt thanks a bunch for my salad my sandwich my milk and my munch `cause dirt you made my lunch find this book at the arc bookstore ryone on the planet lived the average californian s lifestyle we would need 6.35 earths and discusses possible solutions to help reduce our footprint in the future the book successfully delivers on its goals to encourage people to appreciate the living soil as the literal foundation for environmental concerns and to help make the connection between soil and our impact on the land if you d like to learn more about connections you can explore the other three introductory books water air fire written by david carle on the californians and their environment series you can also calculate your california footprint and explore ways to reduce it at www.coolcalifornia.org -quoted from the banana slug string band c 1989 in the book introduction to earth soil and land in california if you re seeking a comprehensive and enjoyable introduction to earth as in dirt and the impact of humans on the land look no further than the introduction to earth soil and land in california by david carle the first part of the book sets the foundation with the story of ecosystems beneath our feet it describes the living soil introducing the basics of soil ecology soil carbon and nitrogen cycles and the role of soil organisms in those cycles if you ever wondered why earthworms appear on sidewalks after a heavy rain the answer is in this chapter and it s probably not what you thought the second part of the book presents an overview of humans on the land in california the human footprint on california land covers the history of land use and attitudes towards land ownership starting from the native americans and mission period through the gold rush statehood real estate booms and farming wild land considers the extent of california s wild lands and their managing agencies and how wild land management relates to soil health the living soil made my lunch brings home the ways in which we depend upon farming and healthy soils lastly walking softly explores california s current footprint on the earth e.g if eveman is a complex being he makes deserts bloom and lakes die ~gil stern virtual environmental education and teambuilding-story by scott underwood check it out at http www.malode.com/2011/02/virtualenvironmental-education-and-teambuilding arc wish list easy-up canopy cover cereal boxes red white blue poker chips small rowboat or canoe refrigerator for graner house snack bars blue black pens back-up generator energy-efficient light bulbs dot matrix paper carport cover work gloves assorted sizes for more wish list info visit the arc website at www.arconservancy.org

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page 13 the current summer 2011 june july august eddies volunteering in spring 2011 thank you to all who volunteered february through april 2011 volunteers at the nature center have helped with docenting mailings brochures installation of organization stations and numerous other tasks many thanks to our public program and hike leader volunteers-great line-up this spring volunteer training workshops completed gold hill/wakamatsu docent training native plant restoration and biodiversity monitoring many volunteers come for the gold tail sutter s mill school work day at gold hill ranch on april 9th to build trails for fun run volunteers have contributed to our wakamatsu/gold hill project hauling more and more trash clearing brush building trails setting up bird nest boxes planting and leading public tours golden sierra high school volunteers have begun monitoring the bluebird nest boxes at magnolia ranch nature bowl once again was fun and successful we could not have accomplished this great feat without our volunteers if you have not had a chance to participate in this event sign up to volunteer for next year one cold winter s day 10 national americorps young adults came and helped with folding brochures moving furniture in the attic for projector installation cleaning out the supply closet transporting all the recycling and helping straighten out the garage our thursday volunteer straightened out all the papers on the desk in the kitchen and reorganized everything i felt like 11 angels had descended from heaven the lasting results have made things easier for all staff many thanks again to all our volunteers adams jaime aguilar juline ahola kelly alexander mary alfheim kenneth and markus allen ed and joanne allyn cathy and carl anderson adam angela ben blake brice and brooke archipley tracy atwater keith bailey carol baker frank and jill barla carolyn bean michael benn-hansen jinnah bessan thiaa boyes bob and lynne brown dawn brown gloria bunseng hao butler alice caldwell haley callaway danny calvin jen cantelow alice carey rosemary carlisle jolie carlson greg carter eric castro julie center robin cervantes tony chavez edith raul edith sr ardith and irma cherry courtney cicero janet ciofalo cathy clanin joseph and ruth clark allison and steve clement alison collins clint compton richard cooney mike cornwall diane corporation intel covington courtney curtice cliff cushman faith and scott dale karen and john dalton robert bob deaquino martha delacy elena devine jill drake thomas drake-maurer elliot drellich-ormond karen edmonson nin edwards laurie ehrgott alan and cindy elliott mary evans pam and loyd fedler mike fety lauren fety beverly fogg alissa foster kenna fountain mark fox nettie fredrickson erick galdal patti gallant bill geggatt joanne germick desiree giles john gorin doris gossett judith guglieri wendy hansen deanne and jim harris michelle hartman kenneth harwell barry taryn and trinity hayes brian hebenstreit domna and jim henry alice higdon soloman ty and amy hoehn becky holler harris and len horn jeff howard chris hucklebridge molly humphreys penny hunt matt intel corportation jackson brad jensen bill karapirar patty kiehne kristine killmer tink kipping john klammt fred kliner diana kevin mark knochenhauer debbie giguette and gillian lashley dana lee barb leffler trish leimbach julie lobach melissa lockwood margaret lubetkin lester and kaitlin lyster mike mackler robert mae doni markgraf hailei marquez melissa martin bev maurer peter matto kathie matyac debbi garrett jenna kyle and scott maurer peter and elliot mchatton shannon mcvicar moira and rachel meadows steve mills lori mingle jared mitchell alex monzo pat moore brian emily maragret and megan mulligan hilary and katy murchison joe murray sarah myers brendon needles kris oberlander marty olson barbara olson jessie orchard jenny orr kyle orth donna and thom osborn kay palmer dewayne parsons robin paulson marcia petersen tom phillips caitlin pingle ray plimpton bailey poulter chad price sarah ragle frances rand bonnie and jim rathbun dan reed pat reeves anthony robert and sheila reffner sean reilly marlene rewick stephanie robinson aidan and declan robinson noel and seth rocke elizabeth romvari rozsa sanford linda sanford taylor santos angel scarlett wendy schade tyler schaefer malia keilani and vicki schuld brooke cameron and sharron schuld sharron shakespeare heather shapiro jason sharp jordan sheven sarah sifford jerry smith bill and teri smith julie smith nolan soracco carla stadler doug stanley janice stark mike stedeford wendy stewart-baker ann sundquist midori and walker tanimoto herb teixeira richard tel michael thomas tim trout bob tuch chris tull deb underwood scott vail scott and vicky valdes becca van camp jane and gordon villa josh walker annie walrond cece weaver jack and judy weiseth ed wells mari widroe greg williams ann williams howard williams-schade kathryn wilson gail winkler nora

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page 14 the current summer 2011 june july august river sustainability and stewardship by tyler schade banks removing invasive species conserving water at home monitoring water quality or even a simple thank you long before europeans discovered the river regions of the pacific northwest native americans had for over 1500 years developed a culture based on a gift economy and reciprocity in a gift economy gifts were passed throughout a community gifts were not possessions and were unable to be owned in fact the very act of accepting a gift meant the receiver also accepted the requirement to return a gift in kind to the giver the economic social and personal power was not held in accumulating gifts but in passing them on reciprocity describes the way in which mutual exchanges take place it can be thought of as you get out of something what you put into it or what comes around goes around in these native cultures this was a very real exchange not a concept or philosophy for example taking salmon from the river meant something had to be given in return for the river s gift ­ respect and honor rituals and celebrations and returning the fish s bones to the river taking a superfluous amount of salmon would cause the river to be less generous with its gift in the 19th century the native peoples saw this very thing happen as fishermen from the east coast began taking more salmon than could be processed in the canneries letting salmon rot out in the sun soon salmon runs began decreasing eventually salmon populations began going extinct in our backyard of the american and cosumnes rivers we have the ability to pass on the gifts that nature constantly gives pollution in a river brings back a reciprocal effect ­ less wildlife and vegetation and lower quality water for use and play what we give to rivers will return to us and what we take from the earth demands a reciprocal exchange regardless of the activity ­ rafting fishing swimming throwing trash in the river or dumping oil in streams ­ there is a return to us we have to pick what we give the river if we give it nothing we cannot expect generosity if we give it trash and disrespect we can expect negative returns river stewardship is about taking care of a river that has taken care of us we cannot own the river but we can form a relationship with it and give it whatever gifts we have to offer numerous gifts can be offered picking up trash from the river positive impacts by alice cantelow have you thought lately about the positive effects we humans often have on our environment that s right the positive ones sometimes we get caught up focusing on all our negative impacts that we forget to stop and smell the roses there are a lot of people out there who truly care about the environment and who are doing things to help whether large or small there is the suburbanite who has planted a native redbud and has helped many native bees and flies find a nectar source or the placerville teen who recently created a cleanup event along hangtown creek with his friends providing music entertainment and local businesses providing support mt democrat april 22 2011 how about the many ranchers who love their land and care enough about its ecological health to attend a recent uc davis sponsored oak rangeland course and don t forget the neighbor who is out there biking walking taking public transportation and avoiding air travel all to reduce pollution and greenhouse gases think too of the many volunteers working with local orphaned wildlife or removing invasive weeds on their weekends or taking time out of their busy schedules to help restore a local creek with riparian vegetation plantings we humans should not forget that we too are part of our environment and that every little thing we do adds up just as every drop lost from a leaking faucet adds up to huge losses over time so too does every little positive thing we do add up to significant help over time and when every little thing we do gets added to every little thing our friends and neighbors are doing well the results can be staggering threatened animals like sea otters and bald eagles bounce back native plants on the brink of extinction are saved and through organizations like the american river conservancy large areas of land are preserved forever so keep the faith hang in there and keep on helping the natural world around you even if its inch by inch you are not alone.

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page 15 the current summer 2011 june july august thank you american river conservancy spring supporters new members derr household harms household hoff household mcdavid household moore household roberts household vail household wilkinson household renewing members alexander household aron household beauchamp household beichley household belgal household bly household bonser household bridges household britting household bush household cathie household chapman household cornwall household curtice household de haas household delacy household dietz household dorithy household eaton household fety household finley household gaddie household geyer household ghilotti household gromer household hall household harris household hession household higdon household holmes household hucklebridge household jackson household jensen household jones household kiehne household king household kushwaha household le pouvoir household leffler household levitsky household loeffelbein household mackler household magneson household mason household militello household moore household mount household nager household nishimura household ober household osborn household petersen household pingle household piper household plimpton household presgrave household quidachay household ramsay household rathbun household roberts household robinson household rodgers household ross household rusk household salmon household schierholt household schiller household shakespeare household sing household smith household stroth household tausta household thomas household van camp household west household whatley household wheat household white household williams household wolfe household in-kind other donors britting household carroll household elliott-klemm household knochenhauer household layton household mccombs household jean starns tausta household earth share of california oars-river trips o.a.r.s west donation line american river festival ee donors sierra nevada conservancy wakamatsu donors david girard vineyards barros household eastment household fety household hansen household holmes household hopkins household humphreys household stroth household tull household yoshida household calvin household river rat raft bike if you happened to drive by gold hill ranch on friday april 29th you were probably wondering what all those kids were doing running around the ranch gold trail students k-8th grade completed a 5k fun run to raise funds for their teacher s classroom supplies the race began at gold trail and the students raced by okei s gravesite around the pond to the graner house and past the lake at gold hill ranch a fun time was had by all on a beautiful and historic day the american river conservancy is located in the american river nature center inside the marshall gold discovery state historic park at 348 hwy 49 coloma ca the nature center book store are open to the public thursday thru sunday from 11 am-3 pm our offices are open to volunteers and supporters monday thru friday from 9 am-5 pm and weekends from 11 am-3 pm we can be reached by phone at 530 621-1224 or online at www.arconservancy.org.

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