This overview is being prepared for our board on a semiannual basis to provide an update on our project activities that have special funding (grants and contributions.) Each funded project contributes 15% of its budget to operations; any net income goes to the unrestricted fund.

There is a separate list of the many volunteer activities whose (minor) expenses are funded from membership contributions and the general (unrestricted) fund.

A. FONR Funded Projects

A.1 Napa River Historical Ecology:

Project consists of distinct phases/subprojects that include GIS (Graphical Information System), the creation of the Historical Map and an Atlas.

Objective: Collect and record ecological history of the Napa Valley.

• Time frame: Started in 1999, ongoing
• Total budget (up to date): $180K
• Income:  Grants from the Mennen Environmental Foundation, Mead Foundation, Napa Valley Museum, Community Foundation (Dey), General Fund.
• Expenses (major): Contract labor for project management, research, data collection, assembly and GIS work.  Equipment/tools: Computer and software, templates, office materials

Deliverables:

• GIS topographical data,
• Historical ecology map based on GIS layers
• Albums with historical photographs, interview records, other collectibles
• Napa River Watershed. Exhibit at the Napa Valley Museum “Voices of the River”
• On-line publication on the WICC web-site (Napa County Watershed Information Center)
• Coffee-table size ECO-Atlas of the Napa County

A.2 In-School Watershed Education:

One of the highly visible and successful programs, the project consists of two programs for Napa River Watershed Education in Elementary and in High schools.

Objectives:

• Elementary Schools: Develop and disseminate materials for educational use to involve the community in learning about their watershed and how it can be protected.
• High Schools: Provide science teachers in Napa County High Schools and Middle Schools individual stipends to develop innovative lessons to help students better understand the dynamics of local watersheds. Teachers will also be reimbursed for materials and field studies. The lessons follow the State of California Science Standards with a focus on the Napa River Watershed.
• Time frame: Started in 1999, ongoing
• Total budget (up to date): $65K — Elementary Schools, $38K — High Schools
• Income:
  Elementary Schools: Grants for the completed Macro-Invertebrate study project (from the Mennen Environmental Foundation, Mead Foundation, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, San Francisco Foundation, Water Resource Control Board and San Francisco Estuary Project, Vallejo Sanitation, and Walmart) included funding for this program from 1999 to 2005. As of 2006, $10K/year of FONR’s unrestricted funds were applied to continue the project. In 2008, the City of American Canyon was contributing $25K as part of an SEP (Supplemental Environmental Project); and the Rutherford Grove Winery in St. Helena granted $5,500.
  High Schools: $35K was granted by the Foster Corporation; $3500 was contributed by the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District.
• Expenses (major):
  Contract labor for teachers and project managers
  Stipends for contracted teachers
  Educational materials

Deliverables:

• Watershed education programs in elementary and high schools across the valley.
• Teacher workshops, materials and field trips

A.3 Annual River Festival with the Napa Valley Symphony on Labor Day weekend:

• Income: Donations by local businesses and individuals, food/wine sales (2010: $75K)
• Major Expenses: Event management, stage, sound, light, fireworks (2010: $70K)

A.4 Scheduled and ad-hoc “Eco Boat Tours” on the Napa River & Lake Hennessey

• Cooperation with Napa River Adventures
• Income: Fees/donations by patrons

A.5 FONR Basic Operations – rent, utilities, phone, web, administration, insurance, bookkeeping, supplies

• Income: Membership contributions, donations, overhead transfers from funded projects
• Budgeted Expenses 2011: $30K

B. FONR Volunteer Projects

Hundreds of volunteer hours go into these activities. We pride ourselves by providing independent, qualified input and reviews to plans, guidelines and projects true to our mission to advocate river-friendly living. The following list is a brief overview. Each project provides many opportunities for volunteer participation. Costs for materials, meetings facilities and services are provided from the general, unrestricted fund.

B.1 Napa River Flood Control & Restoration Projects: Currently with the City of Napa, City of St. Helena, Napa County, American Canyon, Yountville.

• Project and Environmental Impact Reports (EIR) Reviews
• Financial Oversight Committee (1 permanent member)
• Technical Advisory Panel (2 permanent members)

B.2 Urban Riverfront Committee: Advocate quality planning for the Urban Riverfront, the key to revitalizing the City of Napa around its river and benefiting the entire Valley. FONR has a unique role as the river’s advocate as the renowned river restoration and flood project is built.

B.2.1 Subcommittees:

• Planning, Design Guidelines, and Project Review
  • Napa Pipe EIR reviews and comment
  • Urban Design Guidelines update
  • River Trails
  • Hotels & other construction projects on the river
  • Design of the Oxbow Commons (“Dry Bypass”)
  • Boating, docks and river activities
  • Art and Education/Interpretation

• City of Napa Parks, e.g.
  • Design and restoration of the Oxbow Riparian Preserve/Park
  • Design and restoration of the Trancas Crossing Preserve/Park
  • Review and comments on the City’s Park Master Plan

  
  Napa County Regional Park & Open Space District
  

  • Support the 2009-2013 Master Plan
  • Monitor, comment and support the individual projects
• Watershed Protection
  • Advocate and support watershed projects by stewardship groups throughout the county.
  • Review vineyard conversion and other EIRs in the Napa River watershed.
• Public Relations/Education:
  • Environmental Forums for City and County electoral candidates
  • Annual San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival in Vallejo
  • Speaking engagements to businesses and citizens groups
  • Conduct regular membership meetings
  • Keep an active volunteer data base and interactive web site and email distribution lists

A collaborative effort to learn the history of the local landscape

What did the Valley look like in the year 1800? Where were the first vineyards? Which creeks had salmon? Where were the best fishing holes? How has the landscape changed, and what can it teach us?

Friends of the Napa River is working with the San Francisco Estuary Insitute to develop a Historical Ecology Project on the Napa River Watershed. A Historical Ecology Project is an intensive, broadly-based effort to recover, organize, and interpret diverse information about the early local landscape and how it has changed. Through such a project, local knowledge about the land is recovered and preserved for future generations.

Since conditions have changed so rapidly during the past two centuries, historical research is necessary to explain current conditions of local streams, forests, wetlands, and other habitats, and their ability to support people and wildlife. Despite the dramatic changes, it is generally possible to learn the original details of the native landscape, such as which creeks had salmon, how wide the river corridor was, which types of vegetation dominated where, and other important information about the natural functions of the landscape. The Project can help the community define and understand the existing environmental challenges and suggest how they might be successfully resolved in the future.

The San Francisco Estuary Institute, an independent, non-profit science organization, developed the award-winning Historical Ecology Program to support regional and local environmental planning efforts. SFEI’s regional program started in 1993 and has produced the historical maps of baylands, featured in the Bay Area EcoAtlas.

Anticipated Products: The Project is currently working on a richly illustrated Napa Historical Ecology Atlas. This publication will make the findings of the multi-year Project widely accessible. The Atlas will celebrate the natural heritage of Napa Valley, inspiring both increased stewardship and more accurate conservation planning. Additional products include detailed, large-format maps of the Napa River Watershed, from Mt. St. Helena to the marshlands of San Pablo Bay, showing the landscape prior to European settlement (circa 1800) and an intermediate point circa 1900. Accompanying databases and archives will make all data collected available as public resources.

Classroom environmental program sponsored by Friends of the Napa River

Contacts: Kent Ruppert, Shari Gardner.

Download brochure here

The Napa Watershed Education Program is dedicated to teaching Napa Valley students, grades 2-6, concepts focusing on the ecological dynamics of our watershed.

Each grade level receives a series of three, hour-long, science based lessons. Each series is adapted to the specific grade level being taught and is supported by hands on materials, visual aids, and a teacher edition to provide additional activities. This program and all materials are provided at no cost to the students, teachers, or schools.

The program has been in existence for eight years, and has grown from three lessons a year to 145 lessons, totaling 3,600 student contacts, in 50 public and private classrooms. Although the program has had great success (see teacher comments), there have been years when the program could not be offered due to lack of funding.

We are seeking funding from private contributors within our watershed rather than from state and national resources that have proven unreliable in the past. The program budget is set at $10,000 a year as it has been for the past seven years. This is a very cost effective program providing high quality environmental education to our Napa Valley youth.