Working Lands and Habitat Side by Side
Top Image: Almond Orchard Before Restoration (2024) Bottom Image: Almond Orchard After Hedgerow Implementation (2026)
From Funding to Field: How Grants Build Resilient Farms
By: Chris Yohannan, Director of Agricultural Conservation Grant dollars at work on working lands create opportunity, stability, and long-term resilience for farmers navigating increasingly complex challenges. From rising input costs to water limitations and regulatory pressures, many producers operate on…
Funding Agricultural Education for the Next Generation
By Sabreena Mcleod, Project Lead, Education Our Education department plays a vital role in advancing our mission. As interest in agriculture as a career continues to decline nationwide, the ESRCD has made youth education a central priority, emphasizing the importance…
Funding Restoration in Our Community
By Gabriela Cervantes, Sr. Project Manager, Conservation & Restoration Our work to implement native habitat projects is made possible through grants funded by agencies such as the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), which support biodiversity and help fund projects that restore…
Stewardship on Working Lands
By: Chris Yohannan, Director of Agricultural Conservation In California’s Central Valley, stewardship on working lands is a daily practice shaped by farmers who rely on the land for both livelihood and legacy. Across the valley, farmers balance productivity with long-term…
The Role of Education in Everyday Stewardship
By: Madison Taylor Environmental education allows for a connection between everyday people and the environment in several ways. For starters, the environment is something that everyone can see, feel, hear, and touch; it is a hands-on experience everywhere people go…
Repairing Native Habitat
By: Gabriela Cervantes, Sr. Project Manager, Conservation & Restoration This past December, our restoration team removed an infestation of invasive Yellow starthistle along a path over at the Stanley Wakefield Wilderness Area. This plant had created a dense monoculture of…
Sherman Boone Memorial Tree Planting
This past week, we gathered at the SOILS Education Center in Ceres to honor the life and legacy of Sherman Boone. Sherman served on the ESRCD Board for over 20 years, contributing to the growth and direction of conservation efforts…
Understanding SGMA and Groundwater in Our Region
By: Victor Jacobs, Ag Research Manager, Conservation & Restoration Groundwater is one of the most important water sources for agriculture and rural communities in California. In many areas of the Central Valley, groundwater has been pumped faster than it can…