2005-2006 Public Outreach

OCCIDENTAL ARTS AND ECOLOGY CENTER’S
WATER INSTITUTE 2005-2006
PUBLIC EDUCATION, OUTREACH AND POLICY ADVOCACY EFFORTS

PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH:

• Quaker Friends House (Santa Rosa): In May 2005 Brock made a presentation to this group’s members regarding Sonoma County’s General Plan Update and the Water Resource Element.
• Friends of the Russian River’s Creekkeeper Academy (Healdsburg, CA): The first class of this new six-week educational program was held in May 2005 and Brock participated as an introductory speaker. He is scheduled to give the opening talk at the May 2006 training.
• Rana Creek (Carmel Valley, CA): In May 2005, Brock presented his “Conservation Hydrology” presentation targeted to support the people dealing with the design of the California Academy of Sciences and Design
• Green Gulch Farm Zen Center (Muir Beach, CA) In May 2005 Brock gave an evening talk and watershed walk with staff at the center.
• Oakmont Senior Living Center (Santa Rosa, CA) In Spring 2005, OAEC staff spoke to 70 members of this community’s current events group as well as their Sunday Salon.
• School Garden Teacher Training & Support Program (OAEC): During OAEC’s 2005 School Garden residential trainings, WATER Institute staff worked with participating teachers from 15 schools to broaden their literacy about watershed restoration and watershed ecology in an effort to further integrate science curriculum with ecologically sustainable values.
• Sonoma State University (Santa Rosa, CA) In October 2005, OAEC staff presented a “Basins of Relations” PowerPoint presentation to Elizabeth Herron’s Ecological Identity class over a two-day period.
• Bioneers Conference (San Rafael, CA) In October 2005, Brock gave a presentation to approximately 65 people called “Water Planet: Protecting and Restoring Watersheds” a PowerPoint presentation focused on watershed restoration.
• University of California-Berkeley (Berkeley, CA): In November 2005, Brock spoke to Ignacio Chapelas’ Environmental Biology class (60 students).
• Sonoma State University (Santa Rosa, CA). In December 2005, Brock presented a workshop called “Blue Building” to students enrolled in a Green Building certification program as part of their larger Environmental Studies department. The presentation covered watershed processes, storm water management, groundwater recharge and watershed friendly development.
• Basins of Relations Training Program (OAEC): In December 2005, OAEC hosted the 7th Basins of Relations training for 12 adults from 8 different watersheds, and provided training in a range of topics to empower them to start and sustain effective community watershed groups.
• Sonoma State University (Santa Rosa, CA): In January 2006, Brock spoke to 80 people at SSU about Water Issues in Sonoma County.
• Earth Activist Training (Cazadero, CA): Brock gave an evening presentation on “Thinking Like a Watershed” for 50 people attending this course in January 2006.
• KZYX Radio (Santa Rosa, CA) In January 2006, Brock was interviewed regarding problems with water privatization.
• New College of California (Santa Rosa, CA): In January 2006, Brock presented a ½ day Ecology workshop for 25 M.A. students and a full-day Ecology workshop for 50 B.A. students in the Culture, Ecology and Sustainable Community program. In April, Brock also led a tour of OAEC with a slideshow presentation for 25 students from New College’s San Francisco campus.
• Santa Barbara City College (Santa Barbara, CA): In February 2006, Brock made presentations on campus that were attended by over 200 people. He presented a “Conservation Hydrology” PowerPoint presentation as well as a half-day workshop with Landscape Architect students on Permaculture and Water Conservation Hydrology.
• Salmon Protection and Watershed Network - SPAWN (Forest Knolls, CA): In February, Brock presented a slideshow and led a discussion for this group’s “Winter Salmon Seminar Series.”
• Santa Rosa Junior College (Santa Rosa, CA): In March 2006, Brock participated in their Environmental Forum on Restoration Ecology, presenting a watershed talk to over 50 students, faculty, and community members. Additionally, their Natural Resource Conservation and Recreation Technology Advisory Committee is working to create a comprehensive concentration regarding watershed planning and restoration. Brock is an active member of this committee.
• WATER Institute Speaker Series (Sonoma County, CA): In the Spring and Fall of 2006, the WATER Institute is offering its first Speaker Series – with lectures, tours and watershed walks that are all free to the public. Brock is leading each of these and often co-leading with guests, depending on the topics discussed.
• California Native Plant Society (Marin Chapter) – In April, Brock spoke to their Marin Chapter about water issues in the region.
• Sonoma State University (Santa Rosa, CA): As part of their “Sonoma County in the Balance” Lecture Series, Brock presented his “Basins of Relations” slideshow in April. This series features panel discussions by various leaders in the community, and Brock holds the only solo presentation.
• University of California – Davis (Davis, CA): Brock offered a presentation in May on “Water and Sustainability” as part of their “Sustainable Student Lecture Series”.
• Village Building Convergence (Portland, OR): Brock gave the closing keynote presentation on May 27, 2006 at this annual gathering hosted by City Repair.
• Regenerative Design Institute & Permaculture Institute of Northern California (Marin, CA): Presented “Bringing Home the Wildness, Restoring the Balance of our Surrounding Ecosystem” as part of Reverential Regenerative Re-wilding on June 27.
50th Anniversary Conference of the International Society for Systems Sciences (Sonoma, CA): Presented a talk and slideshow on Sustainable Watershed Management, Planning, Public Policy and Restoration on July 11, 2006.
• Urban Permaculture Guild’s Urban Permaculture Course (San Fran. Botanical Garden): Brock taught a day-long workshop on July 15, 2006 related to watersheds, urban stormwater water management and restoration.
• Summer SOULutionaries Social Series (San Francisco, CA): Presented by Urban Permaculture Guild and New College of California, on July 15, 2006 Brock offered “WATER Spread: Basins of Relations: A Reverential Rehydration Revolution”
• Golden Gate School of Feng Shui (San Francisco, CA) Offered a “Thinking like a Watershed” presentation for Feng Shui practitioners on August 28, 2006.
• Salmon Creek School (Occidental, CA): On September 8, 2006 Brock offered introductory remarks at their “Discover the Salmon Creek Watershed: Remembering our History” gathering.
• New College of California (Santa Rosa, CA) On September 29, 2006 offered a presentation to the Environmental Education Masters Program on “Basins of Relations: Thinking Like A Watershed.”
• West Coast Green Conference (San Francisco, CA): In September, Brock presented a workshop on “Becoming Ecoliterate: Techniques in Regenerative Design, Permaculture, and Nature Awareness”
• Sebastopol Water Forum. Our Water – Our Future (Sebastopol, CA): Brock facilitated a “World Café” discussion group process on October 14, 2006.
• Sonoma County Watershed Stewards Conference & Festival (Sebastopol, CA): Featured speaker on “Basins of Relations” on October 15, 2006.
• Bioneers Conference (San Rafael, CA): Co-presented a workshop with Brad Lancaster titled “Watershed Literacy and Rainwater Harvesting” on October 21, 2006.
• Sonoma State University (Santa Rosa, CA): Presented slide shows on Watershed Literacy to Instructor Elizabeth Herron’s Ecological Identity Class on October 24 and 25, 2006
• Santa Rosa Junior College (Santa Rosa, CA): Presented a field talk and tour to a Natural Resource Management Class October 27, 2006
• Federated Indians of the Graton Rancheria. Acorn Festival (Healdsburg, CA): Brock offered a talk to the tribe on Sudden Oak Death on November 5, 2006.

POLICY ADVOCACY ENGAGEMENTS:

• Linking Water and Land-Use Conference (Sacramento, CA): In May 2005, Brock participated in this course that was organized by the Local Planners of California Foundation, attended by over 60 people. This opportunity allowed him to network and learn more about public policy planning processes.
• Public Testimony to the Regional Water Quality Control Board (Santa Rosa, CA): In May 2005, Brock testified regarding the RWQCB’s on-site wastewater treatment system regulations for the North Coast.
• California Watershed Forum (Sacramento, CA): In September 2005 this forum provided an opportunity to network with agency officials and learn techniques to make meetings with legislators more effective.
• Bodega Bay Watershed Council (Bodega, CA) In December, Brock attended the first meeting of this newly-formed community watershed group, to support their efforts to organize restoration events and increase literacy in their watershed.
• West County Watershed Network (Occidental, CA): In January, April, July and October 2005, WATER Institute staff hosted and facilitated meetings of the WCWN to further engage this group in strategic processes related to County water policies and to coordinate efforts.
• Trout Unlimited and Peregrine Audubon (OAEC): In January, OAEC and WATER Institute staff hosted a meeting with Executive Director Chuck Bonham and a Chief Legal Counsel on a petition to the State Water Resources Control Board related to in stream flows for fisheries in the North Coast, Water rights Petition and water quantity. This was well attended by 25 core water activists from Sonoma Marin and Mendocino counties and the WATER Institute’s role is in supporting this group of people to clarify and engage and be aware of water policies. Brock facilitated the ½ day meeting.
• Public Testimony to the County of Sonoma Planning Commission (Santa Rosa, CA): In February 2006, Brock Dolman gave public testimony related to the Draft EIR / General Plan Update.
• Salmonid Restoration Federation Conference (Santa Barbara, CA): In February 2006, Brock was a presenter at a day-long workshop on “Water Conservation” that brought together members of various water agencies, water employees, hydrologists and federal and state employees. He presented the keynote presentation on “Conservation Hydrology” during this conference for over 400 people.
• Water Law Conference (San Francisco, CA): In February 2006, Brock attended these water policy-planning meetings to network and gain broad perspective on water law in California.
• Jared Huffman, and Pam Torliatt, Candidates for State Assembly (OAEC): In March 2006, OAEC hosted two separate meetings with Jared Huffman and Pam Torliatt to learn about their campaigns, build upon our relationships with them, and educate them about the long-term goals of the WATER Institute to put forth and adopt legislature at the state level that would make a stand-alone water resource element mandatory for counties and cities. We were encouraged at their availability and interest in working with us if elected.
• North Bay Watershed Association Conference (Santa Rosa, CA): In April 2006, Brock attended the conference “Water and Regionalism: A Collaborative Exploration of Water & Regional Environmental Issues Among Public Officials & NGO Leaders.” Geared towards water agencies, state, city and municipal water providers, it was attended by 250 people. Brock attended, asked questions and channeled discussions to strategically place the WATER Institute into these circles of water policy decision-makers.
• Sonoma County General Plan Water Resource Element (Santa Rosa, CA): Brock was involved in supporting the formation of the Sonoma County Water Coalition, comprised of 28 community organizations. He has consistently engaged with its leadership to re-write the General Plan’s Water Resource Element and Draft EIR.
• Russian River Watershed Council’s Public Caucus (Sonoma County, CA): Brock is an ongoing representative for the development of the Russian River Watershed Mgmt Plan.
• Sonoma County Office of Education (Santa Rosa, CA): OAEC is the fiscal sponsor of a Watershed Map Project that will be distributed to citizen groups throughout the region. We are working with SCOE to mail this map to every public school in the entire Lower Russian River (600 classrooms). Additionally, every 4th-6th-grade class, Junior High School science classes, and each principal in the Lower Russian River will receive one. David Berman, map creator, is an OAEC board member, and Brock Dolman collaborated with him on this project.