FT 2
Biodiversity and Agriculture at the Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility and the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve
Saturday, August 9, 2014: 7:30 AM-12:00 PM
J Street Entrance, Sacramento Convention Center
Organizer:
Emma Torbert, UC Davis
Co-organizers:
Louie H. Yang, University of California, Davis;
Andrew Fulks, UC Davis;
William Horwath, University of California, Davis; and
Jessa Guisse, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
The Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility is the home of a unique “century” experiment in irrigated Mediterranean agriculture. The sustainability of different cropping systems (including organic, conventional, a “hybrid” system and rainfed and irrigated systems) are studied on one acre plots. The facility is located near the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve and researchers are studying the agroecological connections between the human-managed agricultural landscape and the adjacent riparian and buffer zones. A guided tour will show wireless data collection in process of nitrate leaching in processing tomatoes, and, depending on timing, a processing tomato harvest with Dr. Will Horwath. The tour then will walk to a large-scale planting of wildflowers and Jessa Guisse from the Xerces Society will discuss research on the impacts on bees and other beneficial insects. The walking tour will include a visit to a large-scale milkweed planting and a discussion of monarch butterfly populations in the Central Valley with Dr. Louie Yang. Andrew Fulks, manager of the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve, will guide a one hour hike through the reserve’s restored oak and grassland areas. The tour will highlight the bridge between the Central Valley’s agricultural and natural ecosystems.
Registration Fee: $37
Equipment and Attire: Should wear sturdy closed toe shoes and long pants. The 2 mile walk will be on level terrain, but the weather may be 90-100F in August by noon so please bring sun screen, hats, and water.
Itinerary: 1. 7:20 AM - Leave Sacramento for the Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility, arrive by 8 AM
2. 8 AM – Tour of the Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility
3. 9 AM – Tour of wildflower plantings with Jessa Guisse from the Xerces Society
4. 9:50 – Presentation about milkweed plots by Dr. Louie Yang
5. 10:20 – Guided hike through Putah Creek Riparian Area with Andrew Fulks
6. 11:20 - Questions and walk back to the RR Sustainable Ag Facility
7. 11:30 - Leave Russell Ranch to return to the Convention Center by 12:10.
