Welcome to our November 2013 e-Newsletter!
A message from our Division Director, Don Allan
 Summer has flown by with a mix of watershed implementation projects to complement the planning projects in Active Living and the Community Gardens Programs. With the finishing touches applied to the Hikshari’ Trail, the Active Living program dove into a feasibility study for extending the California Coastal Trail north of Little River. The attention of the trail community has been largely focused on completing the Arcata – Eureka segment of the CCT in addition to completing the planning for Eureka’s Waterfront Trail while also maintaining interest in the Annie-Mary Trail – all high priority projects. Meanwhile, residents in the Westhaven - Trinidad area and the Trinidad Coastal Land Trust have been advocating to keep extending the CCT northward to complete an approximately one-mile trail across Little River that would provide trail users with an alternate route to Highway 101 from Arcata all the way to Patrick’s Point State Park. Thanks to a grant from the State Coastal Conservancy, NRS embarked on a feasibility study for connecting Clam Beach Drive to Scenic Drive. This section of the CCT is a pinch point where trail users have the choice of using the Highway 101 shoulder or taking to the beach and wading across Little River at Moonstone Beach.
The Active Living Program has also stayed busy with some other exciting projects. The Bike Kitchen at Jefferson School is up and running, the Safe Routes to School project is working with local schools to increase traffic safety awareness and to enhance the safety of children walking to school through a crossing guard program. Existing crossing guards received training from law enforcement prior to the start of school. The Community Gardens Program continues to work with the North Coast Garden Collaborative and is in the process of installing information kiosks at several gardens. NRS also supports a community-building project in the town of Loleta - this grassroots community-based effort has been achieving great things and developing leadership capacity in Loleta.
The watershed program continued to work on the Martin Slough Enhancement Project with the City of Eureka and received a new design grant from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop designs for re-connecting cut-off meanders to provide backwater habitat for Coho salmon on Freshwater Creek. NRS also continues to monitor and maintain wetland mitigation sites at PG&E’s Buhne Point power plant through a subcontract to Stillwater Sciences and at the new Safeway store on Harris Avenue. Watershed Program Manager Craig Benson has been very busy as a co-watershed coordinator for the Humboldt Bay watershed and Mad River, assisting landowners in Elk River in developing a forum to discuss watershed issues, supporting the Humboldt Weeds Management Area by writing grant applications, and consulting with the Mad River Alliance.
The diversity of NRS’s projects is at times challenging but also very stimulating - there is never a dull moment!
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Above: Bike education in progress
Community Bike Kitchen Opens in Eureka
The Community Bike Kitchen provides a safe, welcoming space to share bicycle knowledge and recycle used bikes into the hands and feet of the community members – all through a small donation or by volunteering time in the bike kitchen. Since opening June 1 of this year, the Community Bike Kitchen has been a hub of learning and activity for all ages – youth to seniors. In addition, our Earn-a-Bike program has enabled dozens of folks the opportunity to volunteer in the bike kitchen learning new skills while working towards a new set of wheels. A passionate group of community members and staff from Redwood Community Action Agency came together in early 2013 to explore opportunities for creating and sustaining a bike kitchen. The group wanted to focus on education and sharing of community knowledge, and found a great partnership with the Westside Community Improvement Association, which has been restoring the old Jefferson School into a new bustling, community center. In addition to tremendous community support and donations, the Community Bike Kitchen recently was fortunate to receive a grant from the John Anderson Brown & Dorothy Eileen Brown Memorial Fund, and Julie Willows Memorial Fund, both funds of the Humboldt Area Foundation. This grant will enable the bike kitchen to start monthly topic-specific workshops and to purchase bicycle work stands and tools to better meet members’ repair needs. The bike kitchen is a place to learn new skills, find a bike for yourself, make some repairs, and connect with others passionate about bikes. We are located at 1000 B Street in Eureka in the Jefferson Community Center, and are open Tuesdays 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information visit us on Facebook, Community Bike Kitchen at Jefferson School, or contact Emily at 707-269-2061.
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Above: An upgraded haul road in the watershed
Luffenholtz Creek Source Water Protection Project
Perhaps the most unique watershed project of the summer has been working on a project to reduce turbidity levels in Luffenholtz Creek (City of Trinidad’s water supply) by relocating two roads built pre-Forest Practices Act rules. A common practice in the old days was to build roads up the middle of the valley where the road could take advantage of the gentle grade and relatively flat land. In Luffenholtz Creek the main haul road between Big Lagoon and Crannel was built in World War II before there were regulations protecting creeks and riparian zones. NRS, in partnership with the City of Trinidad, GHD (City engineers), and Streamline Planning (City planners) developed an Integrated Coastal Watershed Management Plan in 2008 to address pollutant discharge into the Trinidad Area of Special Biologic Significance (ASBS). NRS assessed area roads for sediment sources and identified roads within the Luffenholtz Creek riparian zone as sources of fine sediment that affect turbidity levels in Luffenholtz Creek, and water quality at the City’s water intake at Westhaven Drive. Thanks to a combined effort of GHD, Streamline Planning, Green Diamond, the City, and NRS, a grant was secured from the Department of Public Health to protect the City’s source water by building new roads outside the stream management area to replace the old roads. When the new roads are put into service in 2014, the roads in the stream management area will be decommissioned and Luffenholtz Creek will have a buffer zone up to modern standards. The project will also decommission several stream crossings in the headwaters to prevent catastrophic failure, install new culverts to reduce runoff concentration and prevent road crossing failure, and replace an undersized culvert with a bridge.
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Above: A tree planted in the sidewalk in Eureka.
Eureka Street Tree Program
NRS is working with
homeowners and business
owners to plant more trees,
free of charge, in the
sidewalk or front yard
of homes in the Eureka
area. The project area
includes residences within
the city limits of Eureka. The
program will provide sidewalk
cuts and plant trees in side-
walks if sidewalks are wide
enough to accommodate them.
Otherwise they must be
planted in fenceless front
yards, within 12 feet of the
street curb, and away from
water and utility lines. NRS
assists in locating utilities
(to avoid planting conflicts),
as well as selecting tree
species and proper sites to
plant them. The homeowner
must give permission, and
may choose between several
tree varieties. The sidewalk
cuts (where applicable),
tree/s, planting, and materials
are all free; watering and
subsequent maintenance will
be the responsibility of the
homeowner. Tree-lined streets
are shown to have a traffic-
calming effect, reducing the
amount of speeding on busy
corridors. They also beautify
neighborhoods, increase
property values, and can really
bring people together,
encouraging residents to clean
up their neighborhood and
interact more with one another.
To find out if your residence is
eligible for one or more free
trees, please contact Natalie
at (707) 269-2059 or
natalie@nrsrcaa.org.
For more information and to
learn more about the benefits of
street trees, visit the project’s
Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/
EurekaStreetTrees.
The project is funded by the
California Department of Forestry
and Fire Protection Urban and
Community Forestry Program.
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