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!

As these storm systems become stronger, our tree care must be more diligent. Currently, there is a high demand for certified arborist to perform property risk assessments specific to their trees.

Signs to look for to detect risks of falling trees or limbs:

• Bare branches

• Brown leaves and needles

• Sawdust at the base of the tree

• Signs that the tree roots are shifting

• Dead wood

• Deep cracks through the bark

For more information:

• Visit brochure on tree hazards at http://bit.ly/2jeWJ29

• Visit brochure on trees at power lines at:http://bit.ly/2joEhEk

• To find arborists certified by the Internal Society of Arboriculture: visit http://bit.ly/2joy9w4

Source: PG&E and U.S Department of Agriculture

CALL ECI TO SCHEDULE A CERTIFIED ARBORIST TO ASSESS YOUR PROPERTY FOR RISK 831-459-0656 

“NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by section 320301 of title 54, United States Code, hereby proclaim the objects identified above that are situated upon lands and interests in lands owned or controlled by the Federal Government to be part of the California Coastal National Monument and, for the purpose of protecting those objects, reserve as part thereof all lands and interests in lands owned or controlled by the Federal Government within the boundaries described on the accompanying maps, which are attached hereto and form a part of this proclamation. The Orange County Rocks and Islands shall be managed as part of the original offshore area of the monument, and the remainder of the lands shall be known as the Trinidad Head, Waluplh-Lighthouse Ranch, Lost Coast Headlands, Cotoni-Coast Dairies, and Piedras Blancas units of the monument, respectively. These reserved Federal lands and interests in lands encompass approximately 6,230 acres. The boundaries described on the accompanying maps are confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected.” – President Obama

Read more about the history and ecosystems of each newly protected area in the Proclamation HERE. 

Lost Coast Headlands

Cotoni-Coast Dairies Near Davenport in Santa Cruz County

The iceplant eradication is primarily through the use of hand spraying herbicide and hand pulling of iceplant. Iceplant is an extremely invasive species that has choked thousands of acres of dune systems along the California Coast. A recent analysis of aerial imagery of SRSB revealed that iceplant cover ranges from 35% to 65% with an average of 48% across the foredune community.

In SRSB, there are 280 acres of rare coastal dune and coastal marsh habitats. The dunes extend inland in some places for over 1000 feet and are 50–60 feet above sea level at their highest points. They are home to many species of wildlife and migratory birds.

The three plant communities at SRSB are foredune, coastal scrub and dune pond. Several special status plants and plant communities are occurring here, including Menzies’ wallflower (Erysimum menziessii ssp. menziesii), Monterey gilia (Gilia tenuiflora ssp. arenaria), Monterey spineflower (Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens), and sand-loving wallflower (Erysimum ammophilum), as well as central dune scrub and northern coastal salt marsh communities.

Chorizanthe pungens

Vegetation in the foredune and coastal dune scrub communities provide food, cover, and nesting sites for many species of insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. Velvet ants, ground-nesting wasps and bees, scarab and dune beetles and many other insects live in the dunes. Harriers and songbirds may forage on the plants and animals found in the dune scrub plant community. Amphibians and reptiles include the Pacific tree frog (Pseudacris regilla), Coast garter snake (Thamnophis elegans terrestris), and the northern alligator lizard (Elgaria coerulea). Mammals such as coyotes (Canis latrans), raccoons (Procyon lotor), feral cats (Felis catus) and non-native red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) may hunt birds and smaller mammals in the dune habitat.

The eradication phase will be complete after spring 2017 with a second round of removal scheduled for fall 2017. There is also seed collection from the local dune communities for future planting and seed broadcast. After planting and seed broadcasting, there will be ongoing maintenance and monitoring to ensure success. The findings of this project will be published as a Dune Restoration Best Practices Guide for future efforts.

Project Goals:

1. Eradicate Iceplant from Fore and Mid Dunes
2. Establish Diverse Native Plant Composition in SRSB Dunes
3. Enhance Storm Reslience of Dune Systems
4. Support California State Parks Dune Management Efforts

Historical flows of the Salinas River

Find and follow ECI on Instagram. Like our photos and share relevant information in the habitat restoration community. We’re all working together to improve California’s habitats and ensure a better future.

Central Coast Wilds (CCW), a division of Ecological Concerns Incorporated (ECI), is a California native plant nursery founded in 1992. Our work is motivated by our concern over the continuing threats of native species extinction, concomitant loss of biodiversity and the desertification of California’s bioregions. We believe that these trends can be reversed through the integration of ecological principles with land use planning. We provide ecological services with applications in natural lands management, landscape design-build and sustainable agriculture.

Nursery Production Responsibilities: 

•  Oversee and direct all nursery staff.
• Manage propagation, irrigation, fertilization and maintenance schedules.
• Implement organic IPM programs for general and specific pests.
• Conduct pesticide safety training.
• Implement nursery propagation protocols for over 300 different native plant species.
• Use and maintain the nursery plant inventory data base (MS Access DB).
• Maintain the supply of all nursery production materials.
• Oversee and participate in construction and maintenance of nursery facilities.
• Coordinate plant deliveries and deliver plants as required.
• Implement and manage BMPs for pest control and water quality.
•  Procure appropriate potting soil/test and maintain water quality. Contract Management
• Manage all aspects of multiple production contracts
• Continuously review the status of current projects and plant materials being grown.
• Provide accurate grow times for plants requested by potential contract clients.
• Communicate with customers and project managers regarding the status of their contracts.
• Negotiate change orders to contracts as required to accommodate customer needs.

Required Qualifications

• College degree in horticulture or related biological science (e.g. plant ecology).
• Minimum five years nursery management experience.
• Minimum five years native plant propagation and production experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of California native plant identification at multiple stages of development.
• Good working knowledge of California native plant communities.
• Strong organizational skills and proven ability to coordinate multiple complex project simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently to complete specific tasks and meet inflexible deadlines.
• Ability to multi-task and work in a hectic office environment with various personalities.
• Excellent communication and customer relations skills.
• Must be physically fit: able to stoop, bend, and repeatedly lift 35 lb
• Valid driver’s license and good driving record.
• Willingness to work in inclement weather (rain gear provided).

Send resume and brief cover letter to info@centralcoastwilds.com

The goals of the project are to reduce watering by 20%, reduce use of heavy fertilizers and maximize rainwater retention rates.

There is also the added benefit of promoting California natives and indigenous plants to the Fort Ord ecology.

Last Year’s Installation

Crews installing browse protection for deer in the area.

One Year Later

One Year Later

In October 2013, a Cal Water pipe broke and polluted the San Mateo and Polhemus creeks with potable water. Over several days, eight million gallons of drinking water entered the two creeks. Drinking water is treated with high levels of chlorine, which can be highly toxic to certain fish. Specifically, this Cal Water incident resulted in 276 fish deaths, 70 of which were steelhead trout, an endangered species.

Cal Water is now required to pay $505,519 to the Water Board, $20,000 to CDFW, and $1 million towards pipe replacement and creek restoration expenses. The fine will be used to perform repairs to this section of pipe and make improvements to the creeks’ habitat through restoration.

If this area is restored properly, there will be a dramatic effect on the biodiversity of the surrounding habitat corridor. Many restored natural areas end up healthier than they were before the pollution events took place. Hat Creek in Northern California is a good example. A three-year project began in 2013, restoring 1-1/2 miles of in-stream trout habitat and a recreational river trail.

The funds have not yet been allocated specifically for restoration but many community members are advocating for this cause of action and the project could become a reality in the not too distant future.

More information on the Hat Creek restoration project click here

For additional details on the Cal Water settlement visit click here

99% Percent Invisible #episodelawnorder

DredgeFest California
Workshop June 13-17
Public Tour June 18 & 19

DredgeFest California combines an intensive design workshop, held at U.C. Berkeley, with two tours open to students and the public.

Our focus is the sedimentary challenges and potentials of the Bay-Delta system of San Francisco. Here, sediment-linked phenomena such as pulses, droughts, dredging, diking and reclamation all intermingle. It’s a menagerie of sedimentary events in a region bound to sediment-management practices like no other, that is now facing serious challenges born of climate change and sea level rise.

In an effort to communicate the scale of operation in these massive landscapes, two day-long tours will be held. One tour will focus on the San Francisco Bay itself and the dredging and reclamation that occurs there, while the other will address the levee-linked landscape of the Delta. These tours are open to the public and welcome to curious participants of all levels and will give an opportunity to experience these unique places first-hand.

Advanced students and regional experts are also invited to apply to participate in the workshops. Over five days, designers, local stakeholders, and experts (from academia, industry, and government) will come together to envision and respond to future sedimentary scenarios for the Bay-Delta. Workshop details and application instructions can be found at http://dredgeresearchcollaborative.org/dredgefest/workshops/

For more information, visit http://dredgeresearchcollaborative.org/dredgefest/ 

Organized by the Dredge Research Collaborative, DredgeFest California completes the Four Coasts project.

1. Edgewood Wildflower Walks near Redwood City - Edgewood’s serpentine grasslands are renowned throughout California for their lush wildflower carpets and rich biodiversity. Free walks are led by docents at Edgewood Park and vary according to what’s in bloom. The walk covers about 3 miles, at a moderate pace with frequent stops. Walks start from the Bill & Jean Lane Education Center. Bring water, a hat, sturdy shoes, sunscreen, and a snack if you wish. Walks don’t stop for lunch, but picnic tables are usually available after the walks in the Old Stage Day Camp area.

2. Dispea Trail in Marin - This trail is perfect for everyone. It starts down by the ocean and steadily climbs through old oak groves. After the fern covered oak groves the trail opens up to blue skies and steep grasslands facing the ocean at a 45 degree angle. The trail hugs the hills and eventually dips back into beautiful redwoods and pops back into meadows and vistas.

3. Table Mountain Ecological Reserve near Oroville Lake – Created by ancient lava (basalt) flows, the approximately 3,300 acre North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve is an elevated basalt mesa with beautiful vistas of spring wildflowers, waterfalls, lava outcrops, and a rare type of vernal pool called Northern Basalt Flow Vernal Pools. Typically fissures in the basalt soak up winter rains, forming seasonal streams and waterfalls. In a few places, however, the underlying basalt is impermeable to water forming a temporary pool. Soon to dry up after rains end, only specialized plants and animals adapted to this habitat can survive over time.

4. Henry Coe State Park through the Dowdy Ranch Entrance –  There are great views looking east and north to the hills of the Diablo Range. The landscape looks almost did when early explorers like Juan Bautista de Anza traversed it in 1775.

The eight tools roughly correspond to the stages of the development cycle including initial land use planning, site design and construction, and ultimate occupancy and long-term maintenance. As a result, local watershed managers will generally need to apply some form of all eight tools in every watershed to provide comprehensive protection. A local watershed plan is often used to define how and where the eight tools are specifically applied to meet their unique water resource objectives.

1)         Land Use Planning, is perhaps the most important because it involves making decisions about the amount and location of development (and new impervious cover) that occurs in a watershed. Land use planning techniques, such as watershed planning, watershed-based zoning, overlay zoning, and urban growth boundaries, are used to redirect development, preserve sensitive areas, or reduce impervious cover in a given portion of the watershed.

2)         Land Conservation, involves choosing the most critical areas in a watershed to conserve in order to sustain the integrity of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Critical habitats for endangered species, aquatic corridors, hydrologic reserve areas, contiguous forests and wetlands may be important conservation areas, and can be protected via land acquisition and conservation easements, to provide permanent protection from development.

• Aquatic Buffers are the third tool, and involves making choices on how to maintain the integrity of streams, shorelines, and wetlands, and protect them from encroachment. Buffers are recommended along aquatic corridors to physically protect and separate water resources from disturbance and pollution from adjacent land.

4)         Better Site Design, which seeks to design development sites to create less impervious cover, conserve more natural areas, and use pervious areas to more effectively treat storm water runoff. Better Site Design affords greater protection to water resources by reducing both storm water runoff volume and pollutant loads to downstream waters.

• Erosion and Sediment Control deals with the clearing and grading stage in the development cycle, when storm water runoff can deliver high sediment loads to downstream waters. This tool reduces the impact of sediment by requiring specific temporary practices to be installed at construction sites that reduce erosion and prevent sediment from entering downstream waters.

6)         Storm Water Management, identifies how, when, and where to provide storm water management within a watershed, and which combination of storm water treatment practices will best meet watershed objectives. Storm water treatment practices compensate for the hydrological changes caused by new and existing development by reducing runoff volume and improving water quality.

7)         Non-Storm Water Discharges, involves making decisions on how to control discharges from waste water disposal systems, illicit connections to storm water systems, pollution from household and industrial products, and other point sources of water pollution.

8)         Watershed Stewardship, involves creating programs to promote private and public stewardship to sustain watershed quality. The goal of watershed stewardship is to increase public understanding and awareness about watersheds, promote better stewardship on private lands, and develop funding to sustain watershed management efforts. Each of the eight tools should be specifically applied to protect unique wetland resources in watersheds that may be vulnerable to impacts from future development.

 Source: https://cfpub.epa.gov/watertrain/moduleFrame.cfm?parent_object_id=1278

Sustainable design is the big trend for residential landscapes, according to the 2016 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). The top trend—rainwater/graywater harvesting—reflects a growing consumer demand for beautiful residential landscapes that also save water.

The hottest sustainable design elements include rainwater/graywater harvesting (88 percent), native/adapted drought tolerant plants (85 percent) and permeable paving (77 percent).

Here are the top ten project types with the expected highest consumer demand:

1. Rainwater/graywater harvesting – 88%
2. Native plants – 86%
3. Native/adapted drought tolerant plants – 85%
4. Low-maintenance landscapes – 85%
5. Permeable paving – 77%
6. Fire pits/fireplaces – 75%
7. Food/vegetable gardens (including orchards, vineyards, etc.) – 75%
8. Rain gardens – 73%
9. Drip/water-efficient irrigation – 72%
10. Reduced lawn area – 72%

In other news, The global rainwater harvesting market is set to reach nearly $962 million by 2020, according to market research by Technavio.

The morning session consisted of a series of interesting lectures by seasoned professionals speaking about a variety of topics to help homeowners, landscape professionals, and public agencies alike, better understand and achieve new sustainable models for front yard landscapes.

• Landscape Design: Martin Quigley, Director of Gardens and Grounds, UCSC Arboretum
• Plant Species Selection: Brett Hall, California Native Plant Program Director UCSC Arboretum
• Sheet Mulching and Lawn Removal: Dakotah Bertsch, Landscape Designer & Project Manager, ECI
• Drip Irrigation, Rainwater and Grey Water: Jon Laslett, Senior Project Manager, ECI

In the afternoon, participants broke into groups and enjoyed hands-on demonstrations and tours from each of the presenters. This is where participants were able to enjoy the grounds of the Arboretum, get a more in-depth and hands-on sense of what their projects might look like and how to do it themselves, and discuss any lingering questions.

It was a great turn out and hopefully many of the students left with confidence to tackle their projects, inspire others, and add to the matrix of ecological landscapes in our beautiful area.

At the entrance to the arboretum, participants mingled and talked with industry experts.

From Left to right the Q&A session with a panel of speakers: Jon Laslett, Sr. Project Manager and Ecologist at Ecological Concerns Incorporated; Dakotah Bertsch, Landscape Designer and Project Manger at Ecological Concerns Incorporated; Martin Quigley, Director of Gardens and Grounds at UCSC Arboretum; Brett Hall, California Native Plant Program Director at UCSC Arboretum.

Dakotah Bertsch demonstrating how to do sheet mulching properly.

STRAW led the group in safety and planting protocols before letting them loose to the restoration day.

Students team up with teachers and parents to perform planting along the flood banks. The young plants installed today will provide over a mile of shade and habitat for future fish and frogs.

Perfect weather for a picnic on the upper reaches of the Pajaro River.

STRAW is a program created and sustained by Point Blue Conservation Science. “STRAW’s science education emphasizes project based learning and offers an integrated learning experience for students to work together, connect to their local watershed, and be empowered by their actions.” – Point Blue

The property operates as a working farm with 30-40 acres of row crop production fields with crop rotation, cover cropping and sustainable grazing practices in place. The farm prides itself on sustainability; building healthy soils for healthy plants; and its mission to provide organic produce to charity.

As of 2015, the rich habitats of PNF are now permanently protected by an affirmative agricultural conservation easement executed with Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST). ECI implemented many of the strategies suggested in the habitat management plan and trained employees of the farm to properly execute the restoration practices. The relationship between ECI and PNF continues to grow as the farm’s many habitats show success in their management.

The stormwater from the new neighborhood is intended to drain into the basin and infiltrate into the creek or water table. The basin is actually constructed of two retention ponds lined with upland native grasses. There are riparian trees and shrubs propagated from local watershed sources along its banks.

ECI was hired as the maintenance contractor to ensure the riparian plants and upland grasses survive through their establishment period. The maintenance on these stormwater basins is critical in the first few years. Many landscape contractors neglect these sites after install and they end up failing in purpose and function. The team at ECI was also hired as a consultant to write the maintenance manual for this basin.

Rolling out the sheet cardboard before covering with 4″ of recycled wood mulch.

ECI’s landscape designer, Dakotah Bertsch, worked with the client to develop a plan to incorporate their goals into a cohesive vision for the landscape, working in additional ecological features such as a rain garden to harvest stormwater, permeable decomposed granite paths, and a rain water harvesting tank for water storage. Grade changes for the rain garden were achieved using boulders and dry-stacked stone retaining walls, and all soil was kept onsite in order to minimize waste and enhance the sustainability of the project.  The lawn and excavated soil from the rain garden were recycled in place to create planting mounds for a palette of carefully selected native plants.  Much of the nursery stock used was grown at Central Coast Wilds, ECI’s nursery division, with seeds and cuttings collected from local watersheds.

The installation took a couple of weeks to complete, and included demolition of their older landscape, light grading for the rain garden, construction of the paths, and planting. The landscape was polished off with wood chip mulch to help retain moisture and build soil. Since installation, the plants have started to grow in wonderfully, and we have seen butterflies and other insects enjoying the new habitat.  The client has been very involved in gardening and maintenance, and has even opted to get their landscape rated as a Monterey Bay Friendly Landscape – certifying that their landscape is ecologically beneficial, and qualifying them for numerous local discounts.  We are excited to see this project continue to serve our client and the community at large!

ECI’s landscape designer, Dakotah Bertsch, worked with the client to develop a plan to incorporate their goals into a cohesive vision for the landscape, working in additional ecological features such as a rain garden to harvest storm water, permeable decomposed granite paths, and a rain water harvesting tank for water storage. Grade changes for the rain garden were achieved using boulders and dry-stacked stone retaining walls, and all soil was kept onsite in order to minimize waste and enhance the sustainability of the project.  The lawn and excavated soil from the rain garden were recycled in place to create planting mounds for a palette of carefully selected native plants.  Much of the nursery stock used was grown at Central Coast Wilds, ECI’s nursery division, with seeds and cuttings collected from local watersheds.

The installation took a couple of weeks to complete, and included demolition of their older landscape, light grading for the rain garden, construction of the paths, and planting. The landscape was polished off with wood chip mulch to help retain moisture and build soil. Since installation, the plants have started to grow in wonderfully, and we have seen butterflies and other insects enjoying the new habitat.  The client has been very involved in gardening and maintenance, and has even opted to get their landscape rated as a Monterey Bay Friendly Landscape – certifying that their landscape is ecologically beneficial, and qualifying them for numerous local discounts.  We are excited to see this project continue to serve our client and the community at large!

The ultimate goals are to minimize sedimentation while removing pollutants from stormwater, allow for groundwater infiltration and minimize the landscapes irrigation needs. The difference between rain gardens and bioretention areas is size. Bioretention areas are larger and are used in commercial or agricultural settings for satisfying municipal permitting requirements. Rain gardens are generally smaller and emphasize collection and filtration of residential stormwater; permits are usually not required. Another helpful resource is the C-3 Handbook published by the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program. 

Both of these post construction measures can involve the application of biotreatment soil. It depends on the infiltration objectives and the infiltration rate of the native soil. For smaller residential rain gardens, you could also use a good compost. A standard biotreatment soil is composed of approximately 65% sand and 35% compost. A biotreatment soils main purpose is to allow for faster infiltration rates and provide interface with the plants roots and remove pollutants. Biotreatment soil is installed at the end of the construction process in order to protect it from potentially damaging construction-related impacts, including runoff of silt, debris, or other organic matter.

Because they adapt well to fluctuating wet and dry soil conditions, drought tolerant and/or California native plants are then planted in the biotreatment soil layer. Particularly good grasses and perennials include those listed below.
• Meadow Barley (Hordeum brachyantherum)
• Creeping Wildrye (Leymus triticoides)
• Common Rush (Juncus patens)
• California Aster (Aster chilensis)
• Golden Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium californicum)
• Creeping Spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya)
• Western Goldenrod (Euthamia occidentalis)
• Rosilla or Sneezeweed (Helenium puberulum)
• California Tiger Lily (Lilium pardalinum)
• Scarlet Monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis)

Local native plant nurseries are the best resource for recommending the most suitable plants for your location. In order to ensure that the bioretention and rain gardens function properly, they should be inspected and maintained regularly to ensure that there is no excessive sediment buildup, and that there is a dense vegetative cover.

Bill Halleck has over 30 years of experience in landscape architecture, land conservation and habitat restoration. Ecological Concerns Incorporated is a landscape contractor and Central Coast Wilds is its native plant nursery. Both are located in Santa Cruz, CA. Contact Bill with questions or comments at bhalleck@ecologicalconcerns.com.

This rainwater harvesting system features two connected 660-gallon above-ground tanks creating a total capacity of 1,320 gallons. The tanks are tucked into a small space along the side of the house so that they are hidden from view. A level pad was made for the tanks by installing a small retaining wall. The tanks also specified to be low profile, to give the owner the option of building above them in the future. Rainwater is filtered in multiple stages to keep the storage tanks free of debris, and filtered again before being delivered to the irrigation system.

The landscape planting palatte was designed by lead botanist, Ellen Uhler. The landscape and rainwater harvesting system was designed by ECI landscape architect Bobby Markowitz and landscape designer Dakotah Bertsch, The installation by was done by ECI’s crew led by foreman Spencer Dillon.

The new Labyrinth at Rosicrucian Park, will require little or no irrigation, resulting in a savings of hundreds of thousands of gallons of water each year. There were more than 1,000 new trees, shrubs and grasses planted in the Labyrinth,including many that attract and provide habitat for local birds and butterflies.