We are passionate about healthy watersheds and all of the eco-benefits that come along with them! One of our favorite ongoing projects at the ranch is the coho salmon habitat restoration and population research.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has been regularly visiting (often daily) the ranch to collect data on population numbers, biodiversity, movement patterns (as documented by an in-stream fish scanner), and water quality.
2023 Coho Salmon Stats
Tracked 3447 coho smolts (young salmon)
Increased tracked population by over 1500!
Over 90% of the tracked smolts were natural origin, either born in the creek from hatchery released adults or ocean-returning adults.
The number of natural origin smolts born in the creek increased 20% over the prior year!
We feel fortunate to work alongside several land conservation partners and our community of ranch supporters to prioritize healthy watersheds in our daily land management activities. If it helps the watershed, we know that the environment, the livestock/wildlife, and the community will benefit from:
Increased
nutrient cycling
carbon storage
erosion control
increased biodiversity
water storage and filtration
native species movement corridors
flood control
food and timber
Reduced
vulnerability to invasive species
effects of climate change
natural disaster impacts
These eco-system services are so essential to environmental, social, and economic well-being!
From the EPA - benefits of protecting and enhancing watersheds:
Improved water quality. Natural landscapes and floodplains filter pollutants from point and nonpoint sources, promote nutrient cycling, and help retain sediment.
Carbon storage opportunities. Watersheds with intact natural land cover and soil resources are capable of sequestering carbon, thereby offsetting greenhouse gas emissions.
Increased resilience in the face of climate change threats. Intact floodplains and riparian areas enable healthy watersheds to be better adapted to more extreme weather patterns and changes in precipitation associated with climate change.
Reduced risk for invasive species colonization. Naturally functioning ecosystems are more resilient and can favor indigenous species, helping them out-compete invasive species.
