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Vintners help to preserve marshes
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CommentWinemakers are taking to wildlife preservation like ducks take to water.
The concept, embraced by Acacia Winery in the Cuttings Wharf area, is that vintners can help improve habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife while also enhancing the experiences of their guests.
The concept, embraced by Acacia Winery in the Cuttings Wharf area, is that vintners can help improve habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife while also enhancing the experiences of their guests.
Carneros vintners, along with biologists with the California Department of Fish and Game and nonprofits including Ducks Unlimited, are showing how additional wildlife habitat can be created and restored along Napa County waterways.
Last week, the Carneros Land Stewardship Foundation was established to fund small-scale resource management projects within the Carneros region.
Last week, the Carneros Land Stewardship Foundation was established to fund small-scale resource management projects within the Carneros region.
Anyone visiting the wetlands in the Cuttings Wharf area can easily see the work already done in the state-owned 14,000-acre Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area through the combined efforts of Ducks Unlimited, the California Department of Fish and Game and a host of other partners.
The state agency is restoring more than 3,500 acres of tidal marsh in three former salt ponds, with the help of Ducks Unlimited, an international nonprofit organization. DU has spent nearly $100 million to restore more than 518,000 acres in North America.
The state agency is restoring more than 3,500 acres of tidal marsh in three former salt ponds, with the help of Ducks Unlimited, an international nonprofit organization. DU has spent nearly $100 million to restore more than 518,000 acres in North America.
To celebrate the joint project, Acacia helped fund educational panels at the end of Buchli Station Road, and some of its employees volunteered last summer to help prepare the public access area. Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines also provided volunteer labor and matching funds.
The public-private-nonprofit partnership is about more than eco-tourism.
“This is benefiting important habitat,” said Tom Hoffman, wildlife habitat supervisor with Fish and Game. “We wouldn’t have been able to do a lot of what we do without DU engineering the restoration, monitoring construction and helping to fund projects.”
Nonprofits including DU solicit federal funding to match state funding for habitat protection, through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, said Hoffman.
Acacia continues to help fund wetland restoration with proceeds from the sale of its Marsh Chardonnay, and is part of the 85-member Carneros Wine Alliance, an organization of Carneros vintners and growers.
The just-formed Carneros Land Stewardship Foundation, also including vintners and growers, has put together a plan to raise $150,000 to $200,000 over the next 18 months to help finance nine Fish and Game habitat-preservation projects throughout the Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area, according to Phyllis Gillis, executive director of the Alliance.
The Carneros Wine Alliance has already received a grant from the Sonoma County Wine Grape Commission, and hopes to raise more funds during its annual trade auction, Pinot Plus, on March 29, and its annual Carneros Heritage Fest and lamb barbecue, to be held May 31.
Greg Green, regional biologist with Ducks Unlimited, said landowners up and down the Napa Valley could get help from DU to restore wetlands.
A parcel as small as five acres could suffice for a DU wetland restoration project, Green said.
“We help design projects, hire contractors, offer suggestions and technical advice and help find state and federal funding,” said Green.
The idea of using proceeds from wine sales to preserve the environment is also working Upvalley. Sterling Winery near Calistoga is working with the Napa County Land Trust to preserve ridgeland, through the sale of its 2004 Wildlake Ranch Merlot. Every $50 bottle generates $10 for the land trust.
DU is more than an organization for hunters, Green explained. Without adequate wintering habitat in North America, migrating waterfowl can’t find adequate food to migrate, lay healthy eggs and fly home again.
“We work on grasslands for nesting, and help meet the life cycle needs of waterfowl.”
Green said the habitat for waterfowl in the San Francisco Bay Area is about 25 percent of its original area a century ago. Still, at any given time there are about 200,000 to 300,000 waterfowl in the Bay Area and about a million shorebirds.
The public-private-nonprofit partnership is about more than eco-tourism.
“This is benefiting important habitat,” said Tom Hoffman, wildlife habitat supervisor with Fish and Game. “We wouldn’t have been able to do a lot of what we do without DU engineering the restoration, monitoring construction and helping to fund projects.”
Nonprofits including DU solicit federal funding to match state funding for habitat protection, through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, said Hoffman.
Acacia continues to help fund wetland restoration with proceeds from the sale of its Marsh Chardonnay, and is part of the 85-member Carneros Wine Alliance, an organization of Carneros vintners and growers.
The just-formed Carneros Land Stewardship Foundation, also including vintners and growers, has put together a plan to raise $150,000 to $200,000 over the next 18 months to help finance nine Fish and Game habitat-preservation projects throughout the Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area, according to Phyllis Gillis, executive director of the Alliance.
The Carneros Wine Alliance has already received a grant from the Sonoma County Wine Grape Commission, and hopes to raise more funds during its annual trade auction, Pinot Plus, on March 29, and its annual Carneros Heritage Fest and lamb barbecue, to be held May 31.
Greg Green, regional biologist with Ducks Unlimited, said landowners up and down the Napa Valley could get help from DU to restore wetlands.
A parcel as small as five acres could suffice for a DU wetland restoration project, Green said.
“We help design projects, hire contractors, offer suggestions and technical advice and help find state and federal funding,” said Green.
The idea of using proceeds from wine sales to preserve the environment is also working Upvalley. Sterling Winery near Calistoga is working with the Napa County Land Trust to preserve ridgeland, through the sale of its 2004 Wildlake Ranch Merlot. Every $50 bottle generates $10 for the land trust.
DU is more than an organization for hunters, Green explained. Without adequate wintering habitat in North America, migrating waterfowl can’t find adequate food to migrate, lay healthy eggs and fly home again.
“We work on grasslands for nesting, and help meet the life cycle needs of waterfowl.”
Green said the habitat for waterfowl in the San Francisco Bay Area is about 25 percent of its original area a century ago. Still, at any given time there are about 200,000 to 300,000 waterfowl in the Bay Area and about a million shorebirds.
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mikeb wrote on Jan 28, 2008 11:59 AM:
Morka wrote on Jan 28, 2008 7:35 PM: