Redwood Valley Outdoor Education Project

VOLUME 5 ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2002

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RVOEP Receives EPA Award!
The Redwood Valley Outdoor Education Project has been selected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region 9 office to receive one of its 2002 Environmental Achievement Awards in recognition of its exceptional work and commitment to the environment. Each year the EPA celebrates and recognizes outstanding environmental advocates who have made significant contributions toward enhancing and protecting the quality of our environment.

Wayne Nastri, EPA Regional Administrator
Kathy James, UUSD Board member
Cathy Monroe, RVOEP Board member
Kay Heath, UUSD Assistant Superintendent
Jennifer Harris, RVOEP Board chair
Laura Yoshii, EPA Deputy Regional Administrator

On June 6, representatives from the RVOEP and the UUSD traveled to San Francisco to participate in a special award ceremony at the EPA office.

The Parlin Fork Conservation Crews
One of the longest-standing RVOEP supporters has been the Parlin Fork Conservation Camp, formerly under the direction of CDF Division Chief Jim Anderson and now directed by William "Brad" Bradley. The Camp's crew has done a tremendous job over the years doing the hard work of building and maintaining RVOEP's 2 1/2 miles of trails in addition to doing brush clearing, weed abatement, and a number of miscellaneous projects, including building the steps up to the composting privy.

When RVOEP first started up, board member Duane Wells approached Jim Anderson to see about getting one of the camp's crews to come out to work on various projects: trail building, brush clearing, and clearing the parking lot area. Over the years, Parlin Fork Camp crews, averaging about 15 men, have been instrumental in doing a lot of the hard physical work it takes to keep RVOEP in good shape. Camp crews come out when requested, which has average about five times a year. The availability of the well-trained crews is a tremendous asset to RVOEP.

The Camp has recently built several new picnic tables for RVOEP. The tables, made from wood milled at the Camp on a small 1954 production mill in operation at the Camp, will be arriving soon.

The 100-man Camp has four crews that, in addition to fighting fires, are available for community work for tax-supported agencies such as schools and parks. They have done work for several local state parks (McKerricher, Russian Gulch, Hendy Woods, etc.) and schools (for example working on playing fields for Fort Bragg schools). The crews roofed the Community Center in Mendocino, have worked with the Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Mendocino, and even done cemetery cleanup. The Camp also provides a valuable service by repairing expensive fire hose for local fire districts and agencies.

Inmates are active in fundraising efforts for Victims of Crime and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Crew members make and donate small craft items that are sold at barbeques fundraiser events. The Make-A-Wish Foundation uses proceeds from the fundraiser, which average $20,000 or more per event, for residents of Mendocino County.

Parlin Fork Conservation Camp is run by the California Department of Forestry and the Department of Corrections. Inmates are from the state prison system and volunteer for assignment to the camp. They must earn the right to work at the camps through good behavior and earning points, meeting strict physical requirements and attending a wildfire fire fighting training course. The inmates typically earn between $1 and $2 a day but may earn up to $1 an hour when working on emergencies (fires, floods, or earthquakes).

RVOEP Junior Wildlife Biologists
Mapping the Watershed

Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Graders have been playing the roles of Wildlife Biologists as they monitor the suitability of the West Fork of the Russian River as a habitat for salmon and steelhead. Young scientists analyze the gravel needed for spawning, look at the tree cover, check for fish hiding places, and carefully take the water temperature. They eagerly collect aquatic insects to see if the stream supports the diversity needed for a healthy fish habitat.

Finally, with trowels in hand, they create a model of the Russian River Watershed in the sand. From this model a carefully drawn map is made which shows the headwaters, major tributaries, main stem, and estuary which all make up the Russian River steelhead and salmon habitat. Tired, but satisfied from a morning of hard work and adventure, our young scientists munch on a sandwich as they discuss some ways that humans might improve the river habitat.

If you have not visited the RVOEP lately you are in for a wonderful surprise.
Our beautiful gazebo is completed and the new storage shed is installed. The gazebo was designed by Bob Axt and built by Greg Hoyt Construction. Lee Burgess at Burgess Lumber donated the support poles, Bill Taylor at OCS Welding donated the special metal fittings, Jerry Goodrick at Big 4 Rents donated the use of equipment, Mike Nelson at California Shingle and Shake donated the shingles, and Barbara Clausen Newell donated 10 gallons of Penofin for the new shed. Mike Mayfield at Mendo Mill and Lumber Company discounted materials for both structures. John Tilley did the trenching for the water and electrical lines, and Timbermill Barns installed the storage shed. Ed Lukas installed the electrical lines and wired the storage shed, as well as vandal-proofed it. Others who donated time to the project were Helen Menasian, Duane Wells, Jennifer Harris and Clare Nunamaker. Six new picnic tables from Parlin Fork Conservation Camp will arrive soon. The gazebo provides a place for students to get out of inclement weather and the storage shed provides needed storage for educational equipment and displays.

The New Storage Shed and Gazebo

We thank the California Department of Education Environmental Education Unit for the grant to fund the storage building, trenching, electrical hookup and picnic tables. The gazebo was funded in part by funds donated by the Rita Meyer Estate and by M. Elizabeth Sherwood. It is exciting to have this goal accomplished and already in use.

The cost of bus transportation will probably double during the next school year, and we are raising funds to cover bus trips. If you would like to do something nice for one of our schools, offer to pay for a bus trip to bring students to the site. The anticipated cost for a bus trip for the coming school year will be approximately $85. If you would like to sponsor a bus trip, call Jennifer Harris at 485-7935.

We are in need of the following items:

2 legal-size filing cabinets (any number of drawers)
Bookcases
Lightweight folding tables
Educational display for solar panels and composting toilets
Additional signs to be posted at the river
Old shower curtains which can be sewn into sit-upons
A working 10-gallon aquarium
More docents!

If you can donate any of these items please call Jennifer at 485-7935

Collin Grey Petitte
The RVOEP has received several donations in memory of Collin Grey Petitte, son of Jan and Alan Petitte of Ukiah. Jan is a teacher at Redwood Valley Elementary School. Collin died in late March after a brief illness.

Collin Petitte was a senior at Oregon State University and was to receive his Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife science after the summer term. His major emphasis was wetland waterfowl and wetland habitat conservation and restoration. He was 23 years old.

The RVOEP Board extends its sincerest condolences to Jan and Alan Petitte. The donations were received upon a request from the family that contributions be made in Mr. Petitte's memory to a wildlife or nature conservancy fund. The RVOEP appreciates being the recipient of these contributions and gratefully accepts all memorial donations.