2008 Wetland Management Workshop at Sacramento NWRC. (Photo by Mike Peters)

Craig Isola, Sacramento NWRC
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex staff hosted its 17th annual Wetland Management Workshop May 9 at Colusa National Wildlife Refuge.  The workshop, which targets private landowners in the Sacramento Valley, was very well received with over 100 landowners and agency personnel attending.

The intent of the workshop has always been to provide landowners with practical information regarding current wildlife and wetland issues, habitat management and restoration, and available habitat conservation programs.  To help facilitate information sharing, this year’s event focused on waterbirds and began with a morning of formal presentations and informal discussions led by Fish and Wildlife Service staff and our Conservation Partners (California Department of Fish and Game- Comprehensive Wetlands Program, USGS-Western Ecological Research Center, U.C. Davis- Avian Sciences Graduate Group). 

Morning presentations were followed by a catered lunch, provided by California Waterfowl Association, at which landowners could casually discuss wildlife issues and management opportunities with biologists from multiple agencies and organizations.  After lunch, the group reconvened for an afternoon tour of the historic Llano Seco Ranch and the Llano Seco Unit of the Sacramento River NWR.  The field trip was an important component of the workshop which allowed Service staff to provide participants “hands on” examples of wetland, riparian and upland habitat that reinforced many of the management and restoration practices discussed earlier in the day.   

“The fact that the majority of wildlife habitat in the Sacramento Valley is in private ownership underscores the importance of the Wetland Management Workshop," said Kevin Foerster, Sacramento NWRC project leader. "The ideas and information shared during this event helps ensure that private lands will continue to be managed and protected for the benefit of wildlife.”