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Eco-Bulletin ~ May 2, 2007

1. Docent Training at the Coastal Discovery Center

2. Soil/Water Conservation Lecture on Keyline Design

3. Water Fest 2007

4. Bike Tour of Nipomo’s Woodlands

5. ‘Go Native II’ Environmental Art Show and Sale

6. Support Protection of Creek Habitats (Atascadero City Council Meeting)

7. Bowden Ranch Docent-Led Hike

8. Irish Hills Trail-Work Party

9. Bike Tour of Nipomo

10. Eat Locally: Farmer-to-Chef Reception

11. Bishop Peak Ranger-Led Hike

12. ‘Make Green By Building Green’ Workshop

13. Attend Morro Bay/Cayucos Wastewater Treatment Facility Meeting

14. Islay Hill Trail-Work Party

15. One Planet Life

May 2 through May 24

Docent Training at the Coastal Discovery Center

The Coastal Discovery Center at San Simeon Bay opened its doors in July 2006. Educational programs for school groups and adults are in development, as is a website and finance committee. Volunteers are needed now. Share your knowledge, experience and enthusiasm by becoming a docent!

Docent Training Schedule 2007

- May 2: 6 pm – 9 pm

- May 5: 9 am – 4 pm

- May 9: 6 pm – 9 pm

- May 24: 4:30 pm – 8 pm

Located at beautiful and historic Hearst State Beach, the theme of the facility is “Connecting Land and Sea.” Visitors to the Coastal Discovery Center learn about local natural and cultural resources, take a video voyage to the deep sea, watch live rainbow trout, and listen to a talking tidepool.

The Coastal Discovery Center at San Simeon Bay is cooperatively managed by the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and California State Parks. A one-year commitment of at least two 4-hour shifts per month is required. State Parks docents will receive State Parks credit for training and volunteering at the Coastal Discovery Center. For more information, contact Michele Roest, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (805) 927-2145 or Michele.Roest@noaa.gov.

Thursday, May 3

Soil/Water Conservation Lecture on Keyline Design

The Sustainable Agriculture Resource Consortium (SARC) will be co-hosting a lunchtime lecture series to promote ideas for achieving sustainability on Thursday, May 3, from 7-9pm at Cal Poly, Room 8-123. The SARC is proud to co-sponsor a FREE public presentation Keyline Design and Sustainable Agriculture with Australian Keyline Designer, Darren Doherty. Keyline Design is a land management strategy for restoring and regenerating landscapes, and is applicable to both rural and urban areas. It provides an effective combination of water conservation and soil building. Mr. Doherty has consulted with hundreds of farmers and ranchers worldwide to help increase the fertility and water holding capacity of their land. This talk has received great reviews and should be highly informative. Learn how to make the most of your soil and water resources. For details, see www.calpoly.edu/~sarc/keyline.htm.

Saturday, May 5

Water Fest 2007

Where can you hear live music, recycle old electronics and walk in the belly of a whale, all for FREE? At WaterFest 2007! The Home Depot Parking Lot of the Irish Hills Shopping Plaza off Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo will be transformed into a pool of fun from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, May 5 for the first-ever countywide celebration of Earth’s most precious resource: water.

Hands-on educational activities and festival games from thirty exhibitors will keep the kids busy. Demonstrations and exhibits will highlight ways to protect and preserve water, methods of water conservation, pollution prevention and other ways to make us all better stewards of our environment. Event organizers include SLO County Partners for Water Quality, the County of San Luis Obispo, the Environmental Center of SLO County (ECOSLO), The Land Conservancy, Central Coast Salmon Enhancement, Atascadero Mutual Water Company, CREEC Network and the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education. ECOSLO is working to make this a low-waste event with composting and recycling bins, games and information on how to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rethink.

Entertainment on the stage includes Water Theatre, wildlife presentations, and live music performed by Resination, The JD Project and the Cuesta Ridge Mountain Boy; KJUG will host a live radio broadcast. ECOSLO’s Enviro-Gumby eGO electric scooter will be on display, with raffle tickets available for $10 (drawing will be held later this summer or when we sell 2,000 tickets – whichever comes first).

Bring the whole family to learn while you play on the 5th of May. Water Fest 2007 is free so don’t miss a drop. Check out the Web site at www.slowaterfest.org for the latest updates on festival fun, a map or directions, or more information.

Sunday, May 6

Bike Tour of Nipomo’s Woodlands

Bicycle almost 6 miles of roads and golf trails of this “instant city” in Nipomo at 9:30am on Sunday, May 6. Meet Bill Denneen, voted Best Friend to the Environment in the 2007 New Times Readers Poll, at the junction of Willow & Albert Way.

Sunday, May 6

'Go Native II’ Environmental Art Show and Sale

Atascadero Native Tree Association (ANTA) and the San Luis Outdoor Painters for the Environment (SLOPE) have teamed up for the second time to paint and raise money to preserve the wonderful native forest that is Atascadero and its environs. The “Go Native II” art show and sale will be Sunday afternoon, May 6, 2007 from 1pm to 5pm at the Atascadero Lake Pavilion, 9315 Pismo Street in Atascadero. Enjoy being served hors d'oeuvres, wine, beer and soft drinks while you stroll looking at the paintings and listen to the sound of music. Artists include Alfredo Arciniaga, John Barnard, Nancy Becker, Dotty Hawthorne, Anne Laddon, Fayrene Parrish, Shirley Pittman, Eileen Pritchard, Denise Schryver, Rosanne Seitz, Laurel Sherrie, Jeanette Wolff, Rod Aszman and Ted Slavin. They have been holding several paintouts a month for over a year painting the native forests, vegetation and landscapes of the Upper Salinas River Watershed and Northern San Luis Obispo County. Over 50 original watercolors, oils and pastels will be available for sale as well as cards and prints. A signed giclee print will be raffled and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the ongoing conservation efforts of ANTA. Tickets are $15.00 and are available at The ARTery in Atascadero, The Gallery at the Network in SLO, through PayPal at www.atascaderonativetree.org, and at the door. For more information contact Denise Schryver of SLOPE (flyer@onemain.com ) or Tina Salter of ANTA (tinasalter41@sbcglobal.net ).

Click here for a map to the Atascadero Lake Pavilion.

Tuesday, May 8

Support Protection of Creek Habitats (Atascadero City Council Meeting)

ECOSLO urges everyone interested in the protection of Atascadero creek habitats to attend the City Council meeting at 7 pm on Tuesday, May 8 at the Council Chambers, located at 6907 El Camino Real in Atascadero. The City Council will be reviewing the City’s current creek setbacks and proposing a General Plan Amendment to increase most of these setbacks. The council meeting will begin at 5:30 and the creek setback ordinance will be heard following regular business beginning at 7 p.m.

This issue is an outgrowth of a lawsuit brought by ECOSLO in 2002. The current setback changes being advocated by the city reflect the settlement reached in 2003. The proposed revisions to the General Plan would establish a 35-foot setback along major creeks, 20 feet along minor ones, and 50 feet along the Salinas River. The proposals represent responsible planning and are consistent with requirements in other communities.

It is essential that environmental advocates attend the meeting and speak before the Council. Opponents of the amendment have sent out fliers to creek-side residents saying their property rights are being violated and that the City is taking land in the setbacks. This is simply not true. The City is trying to ensure the uninterrupted flow of streams and to protect riparian habitats. Setbacks are a restriction on the use of the property and do not give the City or public the right to use the private property in any way.

Attend the meeting on Tuesday evening, May 8 or write to the members of the City Council:

- George Luna, Mayor gwluna@gmail.com

- Mike Brennler, Mayor Pro-Tem mbrennler@atascadero.org

- Jerry Clay, Sr. jclay@atascadero.org

- Tom O’Malley tomalley@atascadero.org

- Ellen Beraud ellen@ellenberaud.com

For more information on the creek setbacks, call 461-5000 ext. 3402, e-mail permitcenter@atascadero.org or go to www.atascadero.org. To watch or listen to future city council meetings as they happen, go to KPRL 1230 AM, which broadcasts the meetings until 11 p.m.; Charter Cable Channel 20 or www.slo-span.org . The meetings will be replayed on Charter Cable Channel 20 every day at 1 a.m., 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. until the next meeting. The meetings will be archived at www.slo-span.org to view at any time.

Saturday, May 12

Bowden Ranch Docent-Led Hike

Natural San Luis Docent-led hikes are free and held on Saturdays. Join them for a hike at Bowden Ranch at 9am on Saturday, May 12. Meet at the trailhead at the end of Lizzie Street, off Johnson. The trail ascends up the ridge behind San Luis High, and actually connects to the Reservoir Canyon Open Space. Rather steep but not too long. It is less than one mile to the top for stunning vistas and views of the wildflowers in bloom. For more information, please call 781-7211 or 544-1777.

Saturday, May 12

Irish Hills Trail-Work Party

SLO Stewards maintains trails, creeks, and open space. Work parties go out on Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. On Saturday, May 12, trail work will be done in the Irish Hills. Meet at the Prefumo Canyon trailhead. From Highway 101, take Los Osos Valley Road north, turn left onto Prefumo Canyon Road and stay on it for one mile. The trailhead is on the left after the bridge crossing. Please wear long pants and sturdy shoes. Water and snacks will be provided. For more information, please call the San Luis Obispo City Parks and Recreation Department at 781-7302.

Saturday, May 13

Bike Tour of Nipomo

Spend your Sunday afternoon on May 13 riding the bikeways to the Nipomo Native Garden, Nip Park, Creek-side Preserve, Dana Adobe (if time) and experience a great new bike-trail. Meet Bill Denneen at the Nipomo Library with bike & helmet at 9:30am.

Wednesday, May 16

Eat Locally: Farmer-to-Chef Reception

Central Coast Grown and the Central Coast Chef’s Association present “Pallet to Palate” on Wednesday, May 16, from 6-8pm, at the Inn at Morro Bay. This farmer-to-chef reception features food that is “centrally grown and locally prepared.” Tickets are $10 per person and reservations are required. RSVP to rroot@innatmorrobay.com or call 772-2238 x 1710.

Learn why more people are seeing the economic, environmental, and health benefits of eating locally. Click here to watch the video from Worldwatch Institute’s Senior Researcher Brian Halweil.

To find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area, where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies, visit www.localharvest.org.

Sunday, May 20

Bishop Peak Ranger-Led Hike

SLO City Parks & Recreation holds free ranger-led events Sundays starting at 1pm. On Sunday, May 20, explore Bishop Peak. Please meet at the Patricia Drive trailhead. To reach the trailhead, take Foothill Blvd. west and make a right turn at Patricia Drive. Continue north on Patricia Drive and the trailhead will be on the left just past Patricia Court. Please wear sturdy shoes and bring water to drink. For more information, please call 781-7302.

Wednesday, May 23

‘Make Green By Building Green’ Workshop

The eighth event in the SLO Green Build Educational series entitled LEARN BUILD SAVE will be held on Wednesday, May 23, from 6:30-8:30pm at the Ludwick Community Center in San Luis Obispo. While geared towards building professionals, all interested members of the general public are welcome to this event.

“Making Green by Building Green” is the theme of the evening’s presentation, which reveals how thinking green, planning green and building green can be good for your bottom line. Turko Semmes, General Contractor and CEO of Semmes & Co. in Atascadero, will discuss how builders can make green building an effective part of their business plan, give their clients a wider range of choices, and further the twin goals of energy efficiency and sustainable building practices in all aspects of their projects. Find out why it’s important to get up to speed in this rapidly expanding field. Kevin Hauber, a banker with The Mortgage House in San Luis Obispo, will discuss new approaches to valuation & financing of energy efficient green homes & remodels that go beyond the traditional lending models, providing further incentives to builders and homeowners who are committed to long-term green solutions. This event is free and open to the public. For more info, visit www.SLOGreenBuild.org or email info@slogreenbuild.org.

Thursday, May 24

Attend Morro Bay/Cayucos Wastewater Treatment Facility Meeting

Show your support for an upgrade (tertiary level) of the Morro Bay/Cayucos wastewater treatment plant at the next meeting of the Joint Powers Authority (JPA) on Thursday, May 24 at the Morro Bay Community Center (1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay, CA, 93442). Meet prior to the meeting at 4:30pm for free pizza. We need as many people as possible to attend and urge the officials of Morro Bay and Cayucos to upgrade their outdated sewage plant to tertiary treatment in less than five years.

Although the necessary construction time is less than two and a half years, the plant proposes to complete the project and improve water quality by March 31, 2014. However, the plant's own documents show that a faster, more efficient upgrade is not only possible, but would be less expensive as well. To request an upgrade to tertiary (rather than secondary) level treatment, attend the meeting on May 24 and sign a petition letter at ECOSLO’s office at 1204 Nipomo in San Luis Obispo or download and print the letter located online at www.ecoslo.org/letters

Saturday, May 26

Islay Hill Trail-Work Party

SLO Stewards maintains trails, creeks, and open space. Work parties go out on Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. On Saturday, May 26, trail work will be done on Islay Hill. To reach the trailhead and meeting place, take Tank Farm Road to Spanish Oaks Drive and continue to Sweet Bay Lane. Turn left onto Sweet Bay Lane; trailhead is at the end of Sweet Bay Lane. Please wear long pants and sturdy shoes. Water and snacks will be provided. For more information, please call the San Luis Obispo City Parks and Recreation Department at 781-7302.

One Planet Life

If everyone consumed as much as North Americans, we would need five planets to sustain our high-waste, high-pollution habits. Pledge to live a One Planet Life, learn more and teach others about how it can be done at www.care2.com/oneplanet.

Learn more about our individual impact and help reduce the amount of pollution and waste we produce as a whole. It can start with something as simple as buying fewer pieces of clothing or driving one less day per week. Watch the video, and show your commitment to decreasing your impact on our One Planet by signing their pledge and learning more from the resources provided by Care2.