Farmers & Environmentalists Work Together To Restore The Salinas River

SAN FRANCISCO – On Wednesday, Nov. 5, The Nature Conservancy along with the Salinas River Channel Coalition, Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, Monterey County Water Resource Agency, Monterey County Farm Bureau, and local leaders will gather to celebrate a restoration demonstration project in the Salinas River.

“The Grower-Shipper Association is proud to be part of this project, which is just the beginning of our collaboration,” said Abby Taylor-Silva, Vice President of Policy and Communications of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California. “We are committed to working with partners in the agricultural community as well as Monterey County Water Resources and The Nature Conservancy to build river management units throughout the rest of the 94-mile river channel over the coming year.”

The project has benefited from leadership from Representative Sam Farr, Assembly Member Luis Alejo, and State

Senator Anthony Cannella and support from the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the State Water Board, U.S. Fish & Wildlife, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The demonstration broke ground on Oct. 10. Growers and landowners along the Salinas River are now officially conducting maintenance work to demonstrate this integrated approach to managing flood risk, water resources and wildlife habitat.

“After a six-year stalemate, we’re finally able to move forward with a project that will improve the natural habitat and water conditions around the Salinas River,” said Jennifer Biringer, Senior Director, The Nature Conservancy in California. “The local growers and landowners are truly the stars of the show. Through this process they have become conservation stewards and will work collaboratively to make sustainable and impactful decisions for the land along the river.”

The Nature Conservancy together with the Monterey County Resources Agency and partners used a science-based approach to better diagnose flood-risks and habitat needs then presented the local growers and landowners with a plan that mimics natural processes to enhance the conditions around the river for both people and nature. To RSVP for the event, please contact: Jennifer Biringer at jbiringer@tnc.org or Abby Taylor-Silva at abby@growershipper.com

About The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working across California and around the world to protect land, fresh water and oceans for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. In California, we’re proving when nature thrives, people thrive. For more information about The Nature Conservancy, please visit: www.conserveca.org

Source: The Nature Conservancy