Recreation

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Sen. Mike McGuire announced that several grants have been approved by the State Coastal Conservancy that will help the North Coast develop and implement local conservation, restoration and trails projects.

“The state Coastal Conservancy does incredible work and I was honored and excited to work with them to secure these dollars which will expand public access in local parks, restore endangered fish habitat and move critical environmental projects forward in Northern California,” McGuire said.

McGuire has been actively pushing for each of these grants throughout the conservancy’s grant process.

In the Second Senate District (Marin County to the Oregon border), seven grants were approved at the Conservancy’s March meeting, totaling $1.77 million.

The approved projects include:

– $150,000 to the city of Healdsburg to develop the Fitch Mountain Public Access Plan in Sonoma County;
– $37,000 to the Sonoma Resource Conservation District to prepare the Sonoma County LandSmart Environmental Document;
– $25,434 to Friends of the Dunes and $47,075 to Redwood Community Action Agency to implement the Humboldt Bay Dunes and Marsh Restoration Project;
– $85,000 to the Northcoast Regional Land Trust to implement the Freshwater Farms Nature Trail Project and Improvements in Humboldt County;
– $950,000 in US Fish and Wildlife service funds and $500,000 in Conservancy funds to Humboldt County Resource Conservation District to implement the White Slough Restoration Project;
– $326,000 to the Smith River Alliance for the Hamilton Creek Fish Passage Improvement Project;
– $200,000 to California Trout, Inc. to prepare designs and permit applications for the Mad River Floodplain Restoration and Public Access Project and implement a pilot floodplain biofiltration project in Humboldt County.

“These projects are incredibly important to continue to provide our communities with public access to our land and restoration and protection of our coast and watersheds,” McGuire said.

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Written by: Editor

Published: 12 April 2015

NORTH COAST, Calif. – The combined swim team from Clear Lake and Kelseyville high schools finally met their match on April 9 when they competed against the Tech-High Titans in Rohnert Park. 

“We knew Tech would be tough and they were,” said Coach Agustin Merodio. “Our swimmers gave it their all and swam as hard as they could. I am proud of their efforts.”

The boys weren’t able to garner any first place finishes but second place honors went to Diego Tejeda in the 50 freestyle and 500 freestyle events and Max Madrzyk in the 200 freestyle.

The girls grabbed a few first place finishes with Lauren Rudnick in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke events and Kaylie Williams finishing first in the 50 freestyle.

Also finishing first was the relay team of Kaylie Williams, Liz Fricker, Lauren Rudnick and Shannon Fronsman in both the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay events.

“It is meets like this that I remind the swimmers that they need to be improving on their own personal times,” said Merodio. “Of the 16 swimmers who swam against Tech High, 13 of them recorded personal best times.  That is a clear indication that they are practicing hard and putting in their best efforts at the meets.”

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Written by: Editor

Published: 12 April 2015

Cameras capturing neighborhood mountain lions

Question: I live in Kern County and last December caught a mountain lion on our security camera. Then, last night about 6:45 p.m. I saw it walking on the road in front of my home with a cat in its mouth.

This is a new experience for me and my research indicates that there is no reason for concern, except to notify neighbors with pets.

Can you please give me some guidance on whether I should do anything with this information? (Steve D.)

Answer: These security cameras that people and businesses are installing as well as trail cams are creating quite a buzz about lions.

People are now getting the opportunity to realize what lion researchers have recently come to understand, which is that lions live around people more than we think.

According to California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Senior Environmental Scientist and mountain lion expert Marc Kenyon, we once thought that mountain lions resided solely in the mountains (hence their moniker), but it turns out they have been living all around us.

With that in mind, we’ve also come to realize that mountain lions don’t present quite the level of danger that we used to think.

And you’re absolutely correct. Probably the best way to manage this situation is to simply warn neighbors about the presence of a lion. And if you visit our Keep Me Wild web page ( www.dfg.ca.gov/keepmewild/lion.html ) you can learn how to live and recreate safely among these magnificent creatures.

However, there is always a chance that these animals, like all wild animals, could pose a threat to public safety. Although the risk is extremely small, it still exists and we don’t take it lightly.

In addition to following the advice on the Keep Me Wild Web page, please be sure to call 911 or your local police if you or your neighbors witness a lion exhibiting any threatening behavior.

The local police can typically respond much faster than we can, however they will be in direct contact with us until we can arrive if our presence is necessary.

Such potentially threatening behaviors include:

· Following people closely and secretively;
· Intently watching children;
· Twitching tail;
· Stomping front or hind feet;
· Approaching people with ears pinned back and hissing;
· On the ground and refusing to flee when you are shouting at them aggressively and/or blowing a whistle.

Also, a mountain lion in a tree or crouching in some vegetation near a trail or a residence doesn’t always reflect a dangerous situation unless some of the behaviors listed above are also noted.

More often than not, that mountain lion is simply trying to hide until people pass and it may even feel threatened by the people who are watching it.

Alternate length measurements?

Question: For kelp bass, barred sand bass and spotted sand bass, the marine sport fishing regulations state that the size limit is 14 inches total length or ten inches alternate length.

What is the difference between total and alternate length? (Tom R.)

Answer: Total length is the longest straight-line measurement from the tip of the head to the end of the longest lobe of the tail. Tip of the head shall be the most anterior point on the fish with the mouth closed and the fish lying flat on its side.

Alternate length is the straight-line distance from the base of the foremost spine of the first dorsal fin to the end of the longest lobe of the tail (California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 1.62).

Verifying it’s a tom turkey

Question: I know that only tom turkeys may be legally harvested during the spring turkey season, so how do I prove this if questioned?

Should I leave a wing or the beard or both on the bird? Please clarify. (Anonymous)

Answer: The regulations are intended to require that only tom turkeys may be taken during the spring season, but the law specifically states that the turkey must be “bearded” (a bearded turkey is one having a beard visible through the breast feathers).

In most cases a beard will distinguish the animal as male, but in some rare incidents hens may also have them.

Keep the beard attached to the carcass until you return to your residence. You may pluck the bird in the field, but remember to keep the beard connected to the body.

Toms and hens can be easily determined by their significant head and wing color differences. If by chance you run across a rare bearded hen, even though the provisions of the law may allow you to take it, we strongly discourage it.

Spring is the turkeys’ primary mating and nesting period so hens may not be harvested in order to protect their production.

Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week in this column. Please contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

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Written by: Carrie Wilson

Published: 10 April 2015