 A true champion for defense of the environment, conservation, and other priorities of the Atascadero / Green Valley Watershed Council (AGVWC), Assemblymember Damon Connolly, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, shared an update at our Summer Quarterly Gathering on July 12 about legislation he authored last year, AB 2196 – The Beaver Bill! The bill was signed by the Governor in the fall and codifies into law a Department of Fish and Wildlife plan to restore beaver habitat – and beaver – in California.
Damon kicked off his talk with a question: “Do we have Beaver Believers” here today? Which was greeted with an enthusiastic collective “yes!” “I learned a lot about “nature’s little engineers” in the process of getting this legislation on the books,” he said. “The impact their dam complexes have is pretty amazing – creating habitats for rare and endangered species, reducing the intensity of floods, improving soil health, reversing erosion, creating subterranean water recharge, sequestering carbon, and helping to stop or reduce the severity of wildfires – something that’s very important in our district.” The attentive gathering of about 30 had an opportunity to ask questions. One of the key questions: will AB 2196 help restore Beaver in the Russian River? Yes, AB 2196 is expected to help restore beaver populations in the Russian River, which may include the Green Valley and Atascadero Creeks. Brock Dolman, Permaculture & Wildlands Program Director for Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, sponsor of the Beaver Bill, was on hand with Beaver trinkets and fashion and to help ask and answer some of the great questions. Damon also shared a lengthy list of policies he is addressing in Sacramento, including his successful call for and audit of the Department of Pesticide Regulation, which has not been done in decades, authoring AB 929, which will help California protect wetlands and small community water systems across the state, and AB 263 that will maintain river flows for at-risk salmon runs on two critical Klamath River tributaries – the Scott and Shasta Rivers. Thanks to all who attended, and much gratitude to Assemblymember Connolly – who stayed after his talk till the end of the meeting! We look forward to hosting you at our fall gathering, date TBD, but weather permitting, it will be held at Ragle Ranch Park once again. Woody Hastings AGVWC Board Member
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