As summer turns to fall, you would hardly know it here in California. Fortunately, we got a spate of rain earlier this month, but it’s been the heat that has grabbed the headlines. The two-week long heat wave that occurred earlier in the month was the hottest and longest on record for September. And this year has kept the hot, dry trend going, marking our third year of drought and 15th dry year out of the last 20.
So yes, things are changing, impacting the fish, landscapes, and people of California. Now more than ever, it is critical that we invest in large-scale, nature-based solutions to combat climate change and protect our communities, and we must implement them quickly.
CalTrout’s Legal and Policy team has been quite busy in those pursuits, advocating for funding to maintain and protect California’s natural infrastructure, such as meadows, estuaries, and floodplains, as a way to mitigate climate change impacts. We were excited to announce last week the recent signing into California law of some ambitious climate legislation, which you can read more about below. We applaud the Governor and legislative leaders for creating the policy incentives and providing funding to take action.
By investing in natural infrastructure, not only are we able to better protect the climate, but can also promote species diversity and secure our precious water supply, among other benefits. CalTrout looks forward to continued partnership with the State and other institutions as we all fight to counteract the effects from climate change on California’s fish, water, and people.
Thank you for supporting our efforts and staying engaged.
Best,
Thank you for your interest in the Eel River Forum! We looking forward to sharing meeting updates and other info from the Eel River watershed with you as they develop.
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Thank you for your interest in Big Chico Creek and the Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project! We looking forward to sharing project updates, news, and stories with you from the Big Chico Creek watershed as they develop.
Thank you for your interest in Big Chico Creek and the Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project! One of our staff members will do their best to get back to you as soon as possible. However, please note that due to limited capacity we may not be able to respond to all questions or fulfill all requests.
Let us know if you are interested in volunteering and we will get in contact with you as soon as we can.
Thank you for your interest in the Elk River! One of our North Coast Region staff members will do their best to get back to you as soon as possible. However, please note that due to limited capacity we may not be able to respond to all questions or fulfill all requests.
Peter Moyle is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, at UC Davis. He is author or co-author of more than 240 publications, including the definitive Inland Fishes of California (2002). He is co-author of the 2017 book, Floodplains: Processes and Management for Ecosystem Services. His research interests include conservation of aquatic species, habitats, and ecosystems, including salmon; ecology of fishes of the San Francisco Estuary; ecology of California stream fishes; impact of introduced aquatic organisms; and use of floodplains by fish.
Robert Lusardi is the California Trout/UC Davis Wild and Coldwater Fish Researcher focused on establishing the basis for long-term science specific to California Trout’s wild and coldwater fish initiatives. His work bridges the widening gap between academic science and applied conservation policy, ensuring that rapidly developing science informs conservation projects throughout California. Dr. Lusardi resides at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and works closely with Dr. Peter Moyle on numerous projects to help inform California Trout conservation policy. His recent research interests include Coho salmon on the Shasta River, the ecology of volcanic spring-fed rivers, inland trout conservation and management, and policy implications of trap and haul programs for anadromous fishes in California.
Patrick Samuel is the Conservation Program Coordinator for California Trout, a position he has held for almost two years, where he coordinates special research projects for California Trout, including the State of the Salmonids report. Prior to joining CalTrout, he worked with the Fisheries Leadership & Sustainability Forum, a non-profit that supports the eight federal regional fishery management councils around the country. Patrick got his start in fisheries as an undergraduate intern with NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division in Sacramento, and in his first field job as a crew member of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Wild and Heritage Trout Program.