Salmonid Restoration Federation, Trees Foundation and Salmon Protection and Watershed Network will Host the 9th Annual Coho Confab August 25-27, 2006 at Point Reyes National Seashore in Humboldt County

Salmonid Restoration Federation, Trees Foundation and Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN) will sponsor the 9th annual Coho Confab August 25-27, 2006 at the Clem Miller Education Facility in the beautiful Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County. The Confab is a hands-on symposium focused on exploring the restoration of our local watersheds and learning techniques to enhance the recovery of critically endangered salmon and steelhead and their habitats.

The Confab brings together community members, landowners, activists, scientists, students, and restoration ecologists for a weekend of innovative skills-building workshops, hands-on tours of restoration projects, community networking, and fun.

Participants will learn an array of cutting-edge restoration techniques, including road decommissioning, biotechnical streambank stabilization, water quality monitoring, native plant propagation, underwater fish identification, and more. A Friday night orientation will highlight local perspectives on salmon restoration in Marin County, Lagunitas Creek and Point Reyes National Seashore. On Saturday evening Tomales Bay Association will host a feast and we will share music and stories.

1. Underwater fish identification in Lagunitas Creek with Eric Ettlinger who is an Aquatic Ecologist with Marin's Municipal Water District.
2. Maureen Roche from the Mattole River offering her popular workshop entitled, “Tales from a Hidden World,” where participants will have a chance to snorkel and see coho salmon.
3. Jim Harrington, aquatic bioassessment pioneer, will teach how macro-invertebrate sampling can be used as a tool for assessing creek health.
4. Native plant collection and propagation with Circuit Riders Productions Inc.
5. Fish rescue and relocation with SPAWN.
6. Brannon Ketchum from Point Reyes National Seashore will lead a tour of the new Giacommini Wetlands restoration project where participants will learn about andassist with invasive species removal.
7. The Confab will also include a Bioengineering workshop where participants will have an opportunity to build organic structures with native materials to help stabilize eroding banks led by the local RCD.
8. Jim Locke, a local geology professor from Marin College will teach “Salmon Population Response to Geologic Factors.”
9. David Lewis from UC Cooperative Extension will lead a Tomales Bay Watershed Management workshop and sustainable farm tour that addresses water quality priorities and techniques.
10. Bird response to riparian restoration with Point Reyes Bird Observatory.
11. Tour of SPAWN’s community-based projects in the San Geronimo Valley including their new Raincatchment Design Project at the Lagunitas School, a new bioengineered bank stabilization site and riparian reforestation, a native plant nursery, and new land trust pruchase...