News

by Frank Robertson March, 2013 Sonoma West Times & News [excerpt:] The effort to buy Preservation Ranch still needs money and a state board’s okay before the controversial timber-to-grapes conversion proposed near the town of Annapolis is officially halted. “We’ve got some work to do,” said 5th District Sonoma County Supervisor Efren Carrillo regarding the milestone $24.5 million purchase now …

by Denny Rosatti March, 2013 Vibrant Bay Area reprinted with permission The modern-day Northern California land rush to convert forests to vineyards lost some steam last month. The Preservation Ranch project, located in the northwestern hills of Sonoma County near the small hamlet of Annapolis, was a 20,000 acre proposal that would have permanently converted nearly 1,800 acres of timber …

Thursday, March 21 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Gualala Arts Center Friends of the Gualala River hosts Karen Maki of the Sierra Club, with a presentation, “End Clearcutting in California,” on Thursday, March 21 at 7:00 p.m. at the Gualala Arts Center. Clearcutting threatens California communities and environment All Californians deserve clean air and water, healthy forests and a sustainable economy. …

“Clearcutting in California”  a video production by Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center (CSERC) Clearcuts – More than Ugly Clearcutting harms the forest ecosystem in numerous ways. Clearcutting first removes all the profitable sawlog-sized trees on a clearcut site. Then most clearcuts are bulldozed after logging to strip the site of bushes, young trees, or other plants that might compete with …

Jeanne Jackson / Mendonoma Sightings and Friends of the Gualala River present Gualala River Sightings March 7, 2013 Gualala Arts Center About 90 people attended the celebration of the Gualala River and its wildlife and watershed on March 7, 2013 at the Gualala Arts Center; the presentation was very warmly received. Many of the photographers were present to speak about …

by Brett Wilkison March 1, 2013 Santa Rosa Press Democrat [excerpt:] Sonoma County wine industry representatives and grape growers are voicing some relief over news this week of the tentative conservation deal that would shield nearly 20,000 acres in northwestern Sonoma County from a disputed forest-to-vineyard conversion project. The large proposal called for clearing almost 1,800 acres of former commercial …

Friends of the Gualala River (FoGR) celebrates the announcement that The Conservation Fund has agreed to purchase the 20,000 acre Preservation Ranch property in the Gualala River Watershed in northwest Sonoma County. The Conservation Fund, together with their funding partners, the California Coastal Conservancy, Sonoma County’s Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, and the Sonoma Land Trust, plans to preserve …

by Brett Wilkison February 26, 2013 Santa Rosa Press Democrat [excerpt:] A national conservation group has reached an agreement to buy nearly 20,000 acres of timberland in northwestern Sonoma County, a move that derails the long-disputed, forest-to-vineyards conversion project pushed by CalPERS, the giant state workers pension fund. The $24.5 million purchase of the so-called Preservation Ranch, to be completed …

  Update: See the “Best of” photos: 2013 Gualala River Sightings Thursday, March 7 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Gualala Arts Center The full Gualala River, by Jeanne Jackson Mendonoma Sightings and Friends of the Gualala River will co-host Gualala River Sightings, a gathering of photographic “Mendonoma Sightings” along the Gualala River on Thursday, March 7th at 7:00 p.m. in the …

by Matt Gleeson December, 2012 California Northern Magazine [excerpt:] I’m here to visit a major flash point in the North Coast’s battle over what is called “forest-to-vineyard conversion,” a bland term that doesn’t quite capture what is an intensive reworking of the land. To plant a vineyard where there was a forest, first you have to clear-cut all the trees …

Understanding and Managing the Effects of Groundwater Pumping on Streamflow by Paul M. Barlow and Stanley A. Leake November, 2012, U.S. Geological Survey Introduction Groundwater is an important source of water for many human needs, including public supply, agriculture, and industry. With the development of any natural resource, however, adverse consequences may be associated with its use. One of the …

by Rob DiPerna Environmental Protection Information Center January, 2013 [excerpt:] Throughout the north and central California coast, Coho salmon are teetering on the brink of oblivion. According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, 85-90 percent of remaining Coho population in the Central California Coast ESU occurs in watersheds with privately managed forestlands. The 2011 Central California Coast Coho Recovery Plan …

Por: Mikel López Iturriaga October 22, 2013 El País blog “El Comidista” La matanza de Sonoma. [excerpt:] Puede que de forma ingenua el vino se asocie al amor por la tierra y al entendimiento con la naturaleza. Cuando piensas en esta bebida, te vienen a la cabeza bucólicas colinas cubiertas por viñas, agricultores con cestos llenos de uvas y pajaritos …

Permanent Protection for Our Sonoma and Mendocino Coastlines is Within Reach We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure permanent protection for one of the most iconic and sensitive portions of the California coast. The spectacular beauty of our coastline between Bodega Bay and Pt. Arena attracts millions of visitors, but it’s what you can’t see with the naked eye that …

Friends of the Gualala River will host two staff members of the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) who will discuss the role of public interest advocacy and litigation in defending biodiversity at Gualala Arts Center on Thursday, November 15 at 7:00 p.m. EPIC and FoGR both use an integrated, science-based approach that combines public education, citizen advocacy and strategic litigation. …

Sea Ranch Forum Saturday, November 3 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Del Mar Center The Sea Ranch Local environmental groups have raised concerns about two major vineyard conversion projects that could significantly impact Gualala River stream flows, water quality and habitat for wildlife, including endangered salmon and steelhead. Chris Poehlmann, right, with fellow environmentalist Peter Baye (Louis Sahagun / Los Angeles …

Friends of the Gualala River protects the Gualala River watershed in Northern California and the species living within it.

“Fallen Giant” Photograph by Scott Chieffo receives the Environmental Art Award sponsored by Friends of the Gualala River at the 2012 Art in the Redwoods Fine Arts Exhibit “Fallen Giant” – photo by Scott Chieffo Friends of the Gualala River (FoGR) sponsored an award at the Art in the Redwoods Festival in 2012, for the eleventh year in a row. …

Dear Supporters, pdf version [1.3 MB] Friends of the Gualala River (FoGR) has taken a giant step to stop vineyard projects that clearcut the river’s forest, and we need your help! On June 7, 2012, we filed a lawsuit against CAL FIRE, the state agency approving the controversial landmark proposal by a Spanish winery giant to clearcut 154 acres of …

Friends of the Gualala River protects the Gualala River watershed in Northern California and the species living within it.