2006-2007 Public Outreach

•     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): In January 2006 Brock gave an evening presentation on “Thinking Like a Watershed” for 50 people attending this course.

•     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.

•     Basins of Relations Training Program (OAEC): In December 2006, OAEC hosted the 7th Basins of Relations training for citizens from 8 different watersheds, and provided training in a range of topics to empower them to start and sustain effective community watershed groups.

•     Leadership Institute for Ecology & the Economy (Santa Rosa, CA): Provided a “natural capital’ slide show and participated on a panel as part of the Leadership Training for a Sustainable Future Natural Capital Day in January 2007.

•      Earth Activist Training (Cazadero, CA): In January 2007, Brock gave an evening presentation on “Thinking Like a Watershed” for 50 people attending this course.        

•     No Name Women’s Group (Santa Rosa, CA): Brock gave an evening talk in January 2007 on “Basins of Relations” to 250 women who represent a diversity of leaders in Sonoma County politics, business and social issues.    

•      New College of California (OAEC): Brock taught a 1/2 day class to New College students on water and watershed health in February 2007.

•     Permaculture First Responder Course (Big Sur, CA): As part of this course’s curriculum, in February 2007 Brock taught about water and sustainable design over three-days at Esalen Institute.

•     Sonoma State Green Building Certificate Program (Cotati, CA): In March 2007, Brock provided a lecture on “Blue Building” as part of the LEED certified Green Building Training.     

•     New College of California (OAEC): In March 2007, Brock provided a 1/2 day talk and tour on watershed restoration for New College Masters in Ecology program.

•      AmeriCorp’s Watershed Stewards Project  (Santa Rosa, CA): In March 2007, Brock provided the keynote slide show for the gathering of alumni and current staff at the Salmonid Restoration Conference.

•      Salmonid Restoration Conference Dutch Bill Watershed Tour (Occidental, CA): In March 2007, Brock organized and led a “Rivermouth to Ridgeline Restoration Tour” of the Dutch Bill Watershed with 48 statewide participants, including many governmental agency staff.

•      25th Annual Salmonid Restoration Conference (Santa Rosa, CA): In March 2007, Brock gave the opening keynote talk for the conference plenary with 500 people in the audience. Feedback from organizers was that numerous people commented that the talk was “the highlight of the conference”, and subsequently Brock has been asked to give a plenary talk at the 2008 conference for what will be the third year in a row.

•      Navarro River Resource Center (Booneville, CA): In March 2007, Brock offered a public talk for the Mendocino Resource Conservation District on “Basins of Relations” to an audience of 25 landowners and farmers.

•      Bodega Fire Hall Green Building Committee (Bodega, CA): In April 2007, Brock offered a slide show and discussion with Bodega Fire Hall members on the incorporation of roof water harvesting as part of their new “Green Fire Hall” design process.

•      Petaluma’s Green Team & Daily Acts Tour (Petaluma, CA): In April 2007, Brock offered a talk during the “Save Water, Save Money, Live Well” tour of Petaluma green projects and water conservation projects.

POLICY ADVOCACY ENGAGEMENTS:

•    Trout Unlimited and Peregrine Audubon (OAEC): In January 2006, 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 has been distributed to citizen groups throughout the region and was mailed 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 received one. David Berman, map creator, is an OAEC board member, and Brock Dolman collaborated with him on this project.