Membership Appreciation May 15
PLT to host “Meet Your Board” Event in Auburn
By Jeff Darlington
Placer Land Trust wants to thank all of our members for the support you’ve given us over the years.
Whether you’re a long-time member or you’ve just joined us, your support is critical in helping us to preserve open spaces and farmlands in Placer County. THANK YOU!
To acknowledge your support, Placer Land Trust is hosting a “Meet You Board” event in Auburn on Thursday, May 15.
Come join us for desserts, coffee and refreshments as your Board talks about the exciting projects underway at Placer Land Trust!
The Meet You Board event will be held at the Rose Room at the Auburn Civic Center, 1225 Lincoln way. There’s no RSVP necessary; just come for a brief presentation by the Board about Placer Land Trust projects, and a social hour of informal discussions and refreshments.
“We’re a local organization, formed by the community and working for the community,” said President Bob Cooley-Gilliom. “Over the past decade we’ve built a strong local constituency interested in preserving the beautiful open spaces and productive farmlands of Placer County.
“This is an informal opportunity for members of the organization to talk directly to our Board about land preservation in Placer County, find out what we’re working on now, and talk with other PLT members.”
Turkey Escapes from Thanksgiving Block:
Living Fat & Happy
By Mark Perry
At the Placer Harvest Celebration last fall we auctioned off a free range turkey raised by a young future farmer. Some of you have expressed curiosity about the turkey’s ultimate fate….
The morning after the event we drove the PLT turkey toward his destiny. We arrived at a beautiful hilltop hacienda with a large barn on 10 acres. Chickens scratched at our feet as the buyer related that a few years back she’d bought another turkey, and that with a lot loving care the turkey had lived for several years. She hoped this bird would do the same!
So…the PLT turkey’s new nom de plume is “Chuck” and he’s surrounded by friendly chickens, goats, horses, and some extra special humans that take great care to see that their animals are comfortable.
Chuck is now living the dream retirement we’d all love to have!
Committees Make PLT Successful
By Patricia Callan-McKinney
As Placer Land Trust implements it’s new Strategic Plan, it’s clear that the work of PLT committees will be critical to the success of the Trust. the goals set forth in the Strategic Plan give direction and focus to these committees.
PLT will be asking you, our members, to help. Will you volunteer to share your expertise or some of your time to help preserve open space and farmlands in our county?
Here is where the important work will be done:
Fundraising
In addition to soliciting contributions from the community, the Fundraising Committee is responsible for “at least one annual fundraising campaign,” such as our successful Placer Harvest Celebration. If you have ideas or experience raising money, we need your help! If you’d like to help specifically with the Placer Harvest Celebration by assisting in the planning, soliciting donations, PR, or by helping on the day of the event, please contact us. It’s a great event, and you’ll meet some very nice like-minded people.
Project Selection
The PLT Project Selection Committee reviews potential land projects based on PLT’s stated goals and project selection criteria. this Committee eventually recommends land conservation projects to the Board for approval.
When a property comes to PLT’s attention, teams from the Project Selection Committee walk the property to survey its conservation values and its overall value to the community.
Using checklists to assure objectivity, the team looks for specific “conservation values” (such as wildlife habitat or agricultural productivity), and they look at the surrounding land uses to help the Board make decisions.
This committee needs the expertise of biologists, arborists, botanists, ecologists, agricultural professionals and photographers.
We’re also looking for interested members who recognize natural beauty and love to hike and walk the land.
Other Committees
Only two of the eight PLT committees have been described on this issue; look for more committee details in future issues of Land Lines.
If you’re interested in becoming a committee member or if you have a specific skill or spare time, please give us a call.
Please also attend our “Meet Your Board” event on May 15, where the roles of all the PLT committees will be described by our Board members.
From the Board Room
“Small but Mighty”
During the past year and a half, I have had the honor of working with a very special group of people. I want you to be aware of how much they have accomplished.
Your Board has completed a Strategic Plan to focus the mission of Placer Land Trust. During this process, they have strengthened their resolve to act at all times with integrity and professionalism.
They are a volunteer board of six – soon to be seven. Small but mighty! In addition to the strategic planning process, each has been directly involved in all aspects of the work of the land trust, from project selection to fundraising. They share a strong commitment to reach PLT’s goals, and a sense of urgency to preserve land.
We appreciate the difficulty of finding extra time in our busy lives. Four of our Board members have full time jobs, two have has serious personal family crisis; and yet, they have given that most precious commodity: their time.
Over the years I have come to greatly appreciate the power of an individual when that individual decides to take action. The power of a group of individuals can be awesome.
I know this quotation to be true:
” Never doubt that small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” —Margaret Mead
—–Patricia Callen-McKinney
Placer Harvest Celebration
back by Popular Demand This Fall!
By Linda Raimondi
350 people turned out for the first-ever Placer Harvest celebration in November
Many thanks to those of you who attended the first annual Placer Harvest Celebration on November 22, 2002, in conjunction with the Mountain Mandarin Festival
The event was a great success! 350 people came out to support Placer Land Trust’s efforts to preserve farmlands and open space in Placer County, raising over $10,000 for PLT.
A fine meal was provided by Ty Rowe of Bootlegger’s Old Town Tavern & Grill using PlacerGROWN foods, music was provided by Bruce Coleman, and the highlight of the event was the live country auction called by Dan Macon.
“The success of this event demonstrates that our local agricultural industry is an acknowledged and appreciated part of our local community, economy, and landscape,” said PLT Executive Director Jeff Darlington. “It was great to see so many people turn out to support our farmers and ranchers, and support the important work Placer Land Trust is doing to protect the beautiful and productive agricultural lands of Placer County.”
PLT is looking for volunteers to help make the 2nd annual Placer Harvest Celebration even better than the first! If you’s like to help, please contact us at (916) 663-1476.
2002 Sponsors
Janice Forbes, Sierra Business Council, Foxglove Environmental, Placer County Agricultural Marketing Program, Mountain Mandarin Festival, Bootleggers Old Town Tavern & Grill, PlacerGROWN, Beermann’s Beerwerks, Auburn Community Bank, Kathryn Grey, Michael Montgomery, UBS/Paine Webber
2002 Major Donors
A Frame of Mind Gallery, Amtrak, Mara Bresnick & Dan Eaton, Brockway Enterprises, Patricia Callen-McKinney, Jeff & Christa Darlington, Rief Erickson, Food to Dine for, Hyatt-Baumbach Vineyards, J.D. Richey Sportfishing, Kevin Johnson, Kovar’s Karate Center, Mark Perry, Linda & Phil Raimondi, Nancyjo Riekse, Ruth Rippon, Marcie Rosenzweig, Trick’s Gymnastics, Christine Turner, Western States Trail Foundation
2002 Volunteers
Rip Arenz, Jayne Brooks, Jerry Burns, Lisa & Jack Churton, Shawn Coe, Carole Darlington, K-Sue Donnolly, Dan Eaton, Karen Fukasawa, Bob Hermiston, Kathy Herndon, Molly & Tim Johnson, Kelly Kreeger, Pete Lloyd, Dan Macon, Marty McKinney, Matt McKinney, Joanne Neft, Norman Olson, Phil Raimondi, Sally Rice, Ty Rowe, Whitney Rutherford, Scot Sampson, Rene Simon, Steve Smith, Katie Truex, Ellen Turner, Jan Turner, Martha Turner, Nancy Waisel, and more
Thank you to all who helped make the 2002 Placer Harvest Celebration a success, and we hope to see you again this Fall! Stay tuned…..
Restoration of Canyon creek Begins
Opportunities exist for volunteers to assist in restoring this stream on Stagecoach Preserve
By Jeff Darlington
Volunteers have been hard at work at Canyon creek on Stagecoach Preserve, planting native flowers, shrubs and trees, and protecting them with wire cages so they will have a chance to grow to maturity.
Placer Land Trust is recruiting volunteers to get their boots dirty to help us restore Canyon Creek, at PLT’s Stagecoach Preserve in Auburn.
To kick off National Volunteer Week (April 27 -May 3), a special Canyon creek Work day will be held from 1-5pm on Sunday, April 27.
Come out for four minutes or stay for the whole four hours. Or just stop by and say “Hi” and enjoy the natural beauty of this neighborhood stream. Bring your work gloves, hat, gardening shoes, and favorite gardening hand tool; together we’ll dig in to help this creek get back to looking the way Mother Nature intended.
“The restoration of Canyon Creek is an ongoing project,” said Board member and project leader Mark Perry. “On the April 27 Work Day, we’ll be focusing on weed removal, but we have a real need for long-term volunteer land stewards.”
“This restoration project is a great example of how natural open space conservation can fit into an urban setting. We’d like this project to be a model for preserving a small percentage of urban lands with unique natural qualities,” said Perry.
School kids can learn a lot about California’s native plants and wildlife at Stagecoach Preserve. PLT is proud to provide places like this preserve for kids – and adults – to slow down and enjoy the quality scenery they have in their home towns.
It is all thanks to volunteer foresters, arborists, artists, landscape architects, workers, and PLT members. Together, you enable PLT to take a leadership role in preserving Placer County’s unique natural areas.
To attend the April 27 Work Day, please email Mark Perry at board@placerlandtrust.org or call the office at (916) 663-1476.
Be A Local Hero: Support Local Agriculture
By Joanne Neft & PlacerGROWN
Did you realize that every time you bite into a juicy piece of locally grown fruit, you’re helping to preserve vital farmland? That every bag of just-picked vegetables you buy at a local produce market helps ensure that market’s future?
Fresh produce, homemade jams, local wines – they add a special dimension to the quality of our lives in Placer County. Putting PlacerGROWN food on your table is a delicious way to celebrate our local abundance, while supporting the farmers and ranchers who work so hard to create it.
Believe it: your actions can make a big difference.
Every purchase of locally-grown products supports local agriculture and keeps our farmers and ranchers in business.
By enjoying these products today, you’ll help create a sustainable future where the products and viability of our local agriculture industry will be enjoyed and preserved for years to come.
Being a local hero has never been easier.
10 Easy Ways to Be a Local Hero:
- Shop at Placer County farmers’ markets.
- Buy locally from roadside farm stands and farmers’ markets.
- Landscape your garden with trees and shrubs from Placer County nurseries and tree farms.
- Choose local fruits, jams and wines for gifts.
- Request PlacerGROWN products at your grocery store.
- Thank your grocer for carrying local produce.
- Sign up for a Placer County CSA farm box.
- Attend local agricultural events and celebrations such as the Mandarin and Eggplant Festivals, the Farm Bureau dinner, the Cattlemen’s dinner, and the Placer Harvest Celebration.
- Spread the word by displaying your PlacerGROWN bumper sticker.
- Support Placer Land Trust’s efforts to preserve farmlands in Placer County.
To learn more about how you can make a difference in supporting local agriculture, contact PlacerGROWN at (916) 663-9126 or Placer Land Trust at (916) 663-1476
Executive Director’s Report
Getting our Boots Dirty
Conservation easements are great tools to preserve land. But the job of preserving land doesn’t end with the recording of a conservation easement. This sets the framework for permanent protection of the land, but what many people don’t realize is that land preservation requires real people to walk the land … forever.
As one land trust professional put it: “The conservation easement is like the wedding, and the stewardship of the land is like the marriage. While the wedding is a big celebration, the marriage requires constant care and attention to thrive.”
This analogy means that the land trust and the landowner must work together through time to steward the land. Communication between the two parties is essential, especially down the road when the land ownership changes. Regardless of who owns the land, the land trust has the eternal obligation to monitor the easement at least once a year to ensure that the conservation or agricultural values are preserved.
So, periodically, we need to get our boots dirty.
This is the part I really love! After all, our organization is all about land: its value, its beauty, and its contribution to our individual lives. For me, stepping foot on the Placer County lands preserved by Placer Land Trust is the best part of my job.
Recently, I monitored our conservation and agricultural easements in Newcastle with Board member Patricia Callan-McKinney and Advisors Christa Darlington, Mehrey Vaghti and John Ranlett. We got to tromp around farmlands and beautiful open spaces, recording the conditions of the easements and taking photographs.
On the ground, a Great egret methodically stalked the wetlands; on the water, a pair of Pied-billed grebes dunked themselves looking for food; and in the air, a Black-shouldered kite hovered above neat rows of Placer-grown kale, cabbage and spinach.
That beats a day in the office anytime!
I hope you’ll consider joining us at our Canyon Creek Work Day, Sunday, April 27, 1-5pm in Auburn, where we’ll be discussing our volunteer land stewardship program.
Also, we’re hosting a “Meet Your Board” event on Thursday, May 15 7-9pm in Auburn, where we’ll talk about the stewardship of this and other PLT projects. M
Meanwhile, enjoy the beautiful springtime in Placer County.
And be sure to get your boots dirty!
JEFF DARLINGTON
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
