Projects

PROJECTS

Rockaway Ranch, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County
Rockaway Creek rises in the Mayacmas Mountains along the eastern side of Alexander Valley. Rodney Strong Vineyards purchased the 700-acre Rockaway Ranch in 2004, which was certified in 2003. The ranch holds 120 acres of vineyard with the remaining acreage in natural wildland.

Rockaway Creek supports threatened steelhead trout in its mountainous tributaries. Increasing riparian forest along the creek and its floodplain benefits the steelhead as well as the many terrestrial species of wildlife.

This project will be implemented in 2005 and will increase the riparian and oak woodland along the creek and smooth out piles of rock excavated from the stream channel many years ago. Fences and roads will be re-located by the owner to increase the revegetation area. Live oak, big leaf maple, box elder and Oregon ash will be planted.
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Simi Vineyards, Maacama Creek, Sonoma County

School groups take part in restoration projects	Maacama Creek flows from the northwestern slopes of Mt. St. Helena through Knight's Valley and into the Russian River. Maacama Creek on the Simi Vineyard property is one of the richest riparian zones in the Russian River watershed. Varying between 250-350 feet in width, the Maacama Creek riparian corridor has a diverse assemblage of plants, small seedling willow and cottonwood, as well as 60-foot tall mature cottonwoods intermixed with mature Oregon ash, box elder, white alder, California buckeye and big leaf maple. Live and valley oak and California bay laurel grow on the outer edges of the creek corridor. On the forest floor are native snowberry, elk's clover, spicebush and California wild rose as well as a dense infestation of invasive non-native blue periwinkle and Himalayan blackberry. These invasive species cover over the riparian forest floor eliminating native plants and native tree seedlings. The invasives were distributed in small patches throughout the corridor. Since 1999, Simi Vineyard, as part of the Fish Friendly Farming program, has carried out a control program for periwinkle and blackberry.

Grapegrowers have concerns about these invasive plants both for their effects on the riparian ecosystem and as hosts for the Pierce's disease bacteria and its vector blue-green sharpshooters. Pierce's disease is deadly to wine grapevines. Control and removal of invasive plants, as well as several native understory plants - mugwort and wild grape, is the best way to control Pierce's disease and reduce the loss of grapevines. As part of the removal of invasives, Simi Vineyards and the FFF program replanted native snowberry, California wild rose, spicebush and a variety of trees.

Simi Vineyards has allowed a significant level of environmental monitoring and community education on their property on Maacama Creek, as well as performing restoration and revegetation activities.
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