NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – On Feb. 21, 20 volunteers from The Environmental Club at the University of California, Davis and Pioneer High School spent their Saturday morning working hard to help restore the Blue Ridge loop at Stebbins Cold Canyon.

Tuleyome, a conservation nonprofit, and the UC Natural Reserve System – who own and manage the land – guided the group in three restoration projects all designed to divert and capture water in the right places.

With the morning fog receding down the canyon, the group started a steep half a mile hike up to the staging area.

Paul Havemann of the UC Natural Reserve System then explained the overall goal of the restoration project and our goals for the day.

Half of the hard work was simply carrying the heavy supplies up the trail to where they would be used.

Getting an unexpected workout, the volunteers carried 10 water bars and three long erosion blankets, weighing 50 pounds each up the trail.

If you’ve ever gone hiking after a heavy rain you will be familiar with how trails, with little to no natural resistance, become temporary rivers.

The water bars volunteers installed help divert flowing water to the sides of the trail, preventing deep erosion trenches and getting water to the plants that desperately need it.

The erosion blankets, made out of coconut fiber and straw, also help to prevent water erosion and hold water for the native seed bank to reestablish.

The group installed these biodegradable blankets where people who cut the trail have killed all vegetation and added to the erosion problem.

To help prevent further degradation of the area, please stay on designated trails at all times and politely tell others to do the same. 

The next round of trail work will happen from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 21. What better way to celebrate the first day of spring than to spend the morning outside, giving back to the trails you love?

Thank you to UC Natural Reserve System for organizing the projects, to Andrew Fulks and Bob Schneider of Tuleyome for the use of their tools, and to all of the hardworking volunteers.

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you are interested in learning about Tuleyome’s upcoming events and community service projects.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Clear Lake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club (CLTTGC) is excited to offer a drawing for this bright and cheerful quilt which was created by expert quilt maker, Julie Nodine. 

In keeping with Nodine's history of donating quilts, her husband, Richard Nodine, has donated this beauty to CLTTGC in her memory.

It is a full, double bed size duvet cover with a scalloped border in the double wedding ring pattern.

She used Kaffe Facett fabrics in the arch and named it “Yellow Submarine.”

The proceeds from the quilt drawing will benefit CLTTGC's two scholarships offered to high school students pursuing a degree in horticulture and related fields, as well as local school district student
gardens.

The quilt can be viewed at Kerrie's Quilt Shop in Lakeport.

Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. They can be purchased after March 15 at Kerrie's Quilt Shop or at Flowers by Jackie in Lakeport.

The drawing will be held at the close of the upcoming CLTTGC Garden Tour on May 30.

For further information, contact CLTTGC President Marva Brandt at 707-279-1625.

The club meets at noon on the third Tuesday of the month (except July and August) at the Scott's Valley Women's Club, 2298 Hendricks Road, Lakeport.

CLTTGC is a member of the Mendo-Lake District, California Garden Club Inc., Pacific Region and National Garden Clubs Inc.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Redbud Audubon Society program meeting on Thursday, March 19, features Hopland resident Bob Keiffer, who will present a program on “Birding in Hawaii.”

The meeting will take place at the United Methodist Church Social Hall, 16255 Second St., Lower Lake.

Refreshments begin at 7 p.m., followed by the program. 

Those who have seen Keiffer’s programs know the photography is stunning and his program provides interesting and educational facts.

The complete title for this program is “Birding in Hawaii, (and other ecological tidbits).”

Keiffer was born and raised in Mendocino County and has had a long-time interest in natural resources – specifically an interest in birds and mammals of the oak woodland habitats.

He followed his interest in wildlife by obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife management from Humboldt State University in 1979 and he is a certified associate wildlife biologist with the Wildlife Society.

He was the founder of the Peregrine Audubon Chapter in interior Mendocino County and has been the compiler of bird observations for Mendocino County, reporting to the North American Birds publication (Northern California region) for about 25 years.

Keiffer has been at the University of California’s Ag and Natural Resources Division – Hopland Research and Extension Center for more than 30 years, mostly as principal superintendent of agriculture.

There he has introduced and presented the topic of oaks and oak woodland habitat, wildlife, range managements, and many other topics to visitors, classes and groups.

Join the Redbud Audubon Society for this special program.

The chapter's programs are free and open to the public.

Visit the chapter's Web site at http://www.redbudaudubon.org/ .

Bonnie Thompson is a member of the Redbud Audubon Society.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Local 4-Hers gathered from around the county at Mountain Vista Middle School in Kelseyville on Feb. 21 to compete in the county-level Presentation Day, an annual public speaking competition.

The event was hosted by the Blue Heron 4-H Club and Cobb Mountain 4-H Club.

Almost 40 participants showed off their knowledge in various topics that ranged from cooking to playing basketball.

Participants earn a red, blue or gold medal, and if their presentation was truly outstanding they get their name on a plaque.

Plaques are handed out in various categories, which include Healthy Culture/Living, Life Skills, Other, and Science, Engineering and Technology (SET).

The 2015 winners included Bron, Nate and Cord Falkenberg, Wyatt Smith, Robin Adams and Katey Brown.

If a gold is achieved, a gold pin is awarded to the 4-Her for their hat, as well as the option to present at Sectional Presentation Day, where multiple counties are present and competing.

If the 4-Her is awarded a gold there, they move on to state level, competing against the best 4-H presentations our state has to offer.

At the county level presentation day, presenters also have an opportunity to do an encore of their presentation in front of all the participants if chosen by their area judges. After this, all the presenters gather for a group picture.

For more information about 4-H, contact the county 4-H office 707-263-6838, visit online at http://celake.ucanr.edu/4-H_Program/ or check out the Lake County 4-H program on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/LakeCounty4HProgram .

Ethan Jones, 16, is a 4-H All Star candidate.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Do you love your local library? Can you imagine a world without books? It used to exist; will it exist again in the aftermath of our technological age?

The Middletown Luncheon Club will meet from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, at the Middletown Senior Center, 21256 Washington St.

The club's speaker this month is Christopher Veach, director of Library Services of Lake County.

He will give a short and interesting history of libraries from the ancient world to the free public library in the United States.

Veach will share the local history of libraries here in Lake County and explain why they are still relevant today.

After lunch, everyone can make a trip down the hall to the Middletown Library and check out a book.

Lunch will be served this month by the United Methodist Women.

For only $5 per person, enjoy a delicious lunch of lasagna, zucchini and spinach salad with strawberries.

Reservations are required. Please call 707-987-3113 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information or to make a reservation.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Lake County PEG TV 8 Board will hold a regular meeting on Wednesday, March 11.

The meeting will take place beginning at 6 p.m. in the Clearlake City Council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

Business items on the agenda include approval of the Feb. 11 meeting minutes, continuing consideration of fundraising event possibilities, an update on the station's current technological capabilities, consideration of a resolution establishing the policy for loans from general fund to the restricted pass-through fund, the updated members manual, and the programmers' and chairman's reports.

LCPTV is Lake County's public, education and government Channel 8 on Mediacom.

Board members include Chair Ed Robey and Vice Chair Martin Scheel, and board members Denise Loustalot, Vince Metzger and Eric Hoefler.