Ecological Concerns Incorporated » Joe Rigney

California Needs a New Fire Policy

Joe Rigney — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 23:27:27 +0000

As more and more fires destroy property and lives, a radical notion based in indigenous land management practices is being brought to the forefront – fight fire with fire! Few people realize that most of California was burned over by Native Americans every five years, fires which were neither catastrophic in scale nor effect. Long term solutions to the problems to the effects of land mismanagement and global climate change will require us to move forward with bold new paradigms.

California is Burning: Rethinking the Wildland/ (Sub)urban Interface by Kelly Shannon and Donielle Kaufman on Landzine.

ECI Ecologists Recognized as Experts

Joe Rigney — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 23:36:17 +0000

ECI is pleased to announce that three members of our team are now certified by the Society of Ecological Restoration as Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioners. Congratulations Josh Fodor, Jon Laslett, and Joe Rigney!

For more information go to: http://www.ser.org/page/Certification

Removing One Invasive Opens Habitat for Another!

Joe Rigney — Tue, 30 May 2017 18:19:47 +0000

Often times, when invasive exotic plants are removed, they are simply replaced by other invasive exotics. We have often seen this problem in the field, but now there is research to back it up. Early removal and eradication is the best strategy.

Read the full article here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170518140211.htm

Will grasslands help solve the carbon crisis?

Joe Rigney — Tue, 16 May 2017 20:10:58 +0000

A new research project is looking at alpine meadows as a carbon sequestration sink. This builds on work already being performed in other ecosystems. If grasslands are actually shown to sequester carbon, it may be that money raised through a cap-and-trade program could be used for large scale grassland restoration in the near future!

Check out the full article from Scientific American at: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-meadows-rescue-the-planet-from-co2/

Are the rains washing you away?

Joe Rigney — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 22:50:19 +0000

The final numbers aren’t in yet, but it is looking like this past winter will be one of the ten rainiest on record. (see Our Ocean Backyard: Winter of 2017: How does it compare?). For long-time Bay Area residents, that comes as no surprise. Many have compared this winter to other giants – 1981-1982 and 1998, rainy seasons that locals remember all too well.

And while many of us are heaving a sigh of relief that the long drought is broken, the ravages of 2017 will be felt for years to come – mudslides and sinkholes have left a mark on our roads and properties that will take a long time and many dollars to repair.

At ECI, we are expert in managing and repairing erosion issues. If you are wondering how to fix an eroded slope or what plants to use to shore up damage from the storms, call us today and we’ll be glad to help!

Westwind Memory Care

Joe Rigney — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 02:18:17 +0000

Seasons Management is building the Westwind Memory Care facility in Santa Cruz. ECI designed a landscaping plan that focused on locally appropriate, drought tolerant native plants. ECI was also responsible for writing and overseeing the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).