Three sites are listed on this page. Please scroll down to read about all of them!
California Department of Fish and Game, Fortuna office
Sean McSmith showing the tools of the trade on a winter spawner survey.
1455 Sandy Prairie Court, Suite J
Fortuna, CA 95540
(707) 725-1060 (general)
(707) 725-1086 (fax)
Website for CDFG's Classroom Aquarium program (facilitated by mentor Christine Ramsey)
Site Manager:
Gary Flosi
Mentors:
Barry Collins
Mentor Biography
bcollins@dfg.ca.gov
Florie Consolati, PSMFC Fisheries Biologist
Mentor Biography
fconsolati@dfg.ca.gov
Paul Divine, Fisheries Biologist
Mentor Biography
pdivine@dfg.ca.gov
Scott Monday, Fisheries Biologist
Mentor Biography
smonday@dfg.ca.gov
Christine Ramsey, Aquatic Education Coordinator
Mentor Biography
cramsey@dfg.ca.gov
Allan Renger, Fisheries Biologist
Mentor Biography
arenger@dfg.ca.gov
Trevor Tollefson, Fisheries Biologist
Mentor Biography
ttollefson@dfg.ca.gov
Current Members:
Jessica Braren
Member Biography
Cherrie Chavez
Member Biography
Erin Hicks
Member Biography
Brett Leonard
Member Biography
Nick VanVleet
Member Biography
Megan Westersund
Member Biography
Site Description:
The California Department of Fish and Game in Fortuna will host six AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards Project (WSP) members. Four members will focus on watershed assessment, surveying salmonid habitat conditions and fish occurrence, distribution and abundance; one member on restoration project monitoring, and one member on the education and interpretation of the life cycle and habitat requirements of salmon and steelhead.
The California Department of Fish and Game’s Fortuna office focuses on salmon and steelhead habitat restoration, primarily through the administration of grants funded by the Department’s Fisheries Restoration Grants Program (FRGP). Information about this grant program is available HERE. These grants assist landowners and land managers to implement restoration projects that improve salmon and steelhead habitat. Grants are also available for education, technical education, non-profit organizational support, watershed planning, and monitoring.
The mentors at this site have created a very detailed, thorough breakdown of duties depending on the member's focus/ placement. View the document HERE.
Jodie Pixley and Tambra Fisher at a tree-planting and restoration day they organized along Beith and Campbell Creeks in Arcata. They recruited over 50 community members to help with this project.
Time members spend on each of the following tasks at their site (WSP trainings and mandatory events not included in this breakdown):
Please view this document for the breakdowns of time spent on various projects.
Member comments:
Please check back!
Mentor comments:
"We are looking for members who have an interest in watershed restoration, education and monitoring, and wish to gain experience in field surveys, data analysis, and report preparation."
For a sample calendar of WSP member duties at this site, click HERE.
Ryan and Tanya teaching local students about salmon and watersheds with WSP's Real Science curriculum.
California Conservation Corps
Sonja using a GPS unit for a watershed mapping project.
1455 Sandy Prairie Court, Suite J
Fortuna, CA 95540
(707) 725-1060 (main) (707) 725-1086 (fax)
CCC Fisheries Webpage
Mentor:
Andrea Poteet, Fish Habitat Specialist
Mentor Biography
Andrea.Poteet@ccc.ca.gov
Current Members:
David Hoyos
Member Biography
Lisa Lee
Member Biography
Site Description:
Members will work with local landowners, agencies, and other community groups to identify, design and implement watershed improvement projects; monitor past restoration efforts; work with local schools to educate K-12 students on watershed processes, salmonid life cycles, and sound land use practices. Watershed improvement projects consist of designing and overseeing the construction of instream hard structures, bioengineered projects, and tree planting. Designing projects means preparing budgets, drawing computer diagrams of instream projects, and filling out project applications.
Will Kelly kayaking the Eel River during an invasive plant survey.
Time members spend on each of the following tasks at their site (WSP trainings and mandatory events not included in this breakdown):
Monitoring - 10%
Restoration - 30%
Field Surveys and Data Collection - 20%
Report Writing and Data Entry - 25%
Lab Work - 0%
Education - 10%
Outreach - 5%
Member comments:
"I love this site! You get to do lots of cool field work."
- Sonja Kulstad-Hurst, year 13 member
Mentor comments:
Please check back!
For a sample calendar of WSP member duties at this site, click HERE.
Will helping evaluate a road decommissioning project.
AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards Project Main Office
Natalie Arroyo leading a troop of Brownie scouts on an interpretive hike through the redwood forest at Forest Conservation Days.
1455 Sandy Prairie Court, Suite C
Fortuna, CA 95540
(707) 725-8601
Project Information page
Mentor:
Lindsay Righter, Project Manager
Mentor Biography
sockeye@watershedstewards.com
Current Members:
Sonja Kulstad-Hurst (Education Team Leader)
Natalie Arroyo (Outreach Team Leader)
Noelle Melchizedek (Volunteer/Media Support Team Leader)
Team Leader Biographies
Site Description:
Team Leaders participate in organizing the education and outreach components of the AmeriCorps members’ term of service. Team Leaders coordinate with local schools and teachers to implement WSP’s Real Science education program; maintain program education materials; serve as WSP representative on sub-committee of North Coast Regional Network; collaborate with other AmeriCorps programs on regional events such as national service days; provide support and resources to WSP members; and coordinate with and maintain relationships with local community members, organizations, and agencies to organize various outreach events throughout the WSP service area.
Member comments:
"The Outreach Team Leader position is an awesome opportunity! This year, I have spent a lot of time strengthening our program, creating new outreach materials, providing member support, and engaging the community in fisheries and restoration efforts. The position is ideal for someone who enjoys meeting and interacting with people of all ages and walks of life, discussing our natural resources and strategies for sustaining them, and feels very positively about WSP (and who wouldn't?!) The staff and office environment are endlessly supportive and positive, which just helps make for a great year of service."
- Natalie Arroyo, year 12 and 13 member
"A haiku about the Education Team Leader position:
I like to teach kids
about fish, water and stuff
make them stewards, too"
- Karen Gardner, year 13 member
Mentor comments:
“Team Leader positions provide a truly unique experience for highly-motivated (often second year) members to serve in a leadership capacity. The opportunities for professional development are endless, such as learning highly valuable and transferable skills in areas like communication, event coordination, and program management, as well as exposure to how government and non-profit agencies function. Team Leaders are vital to WSP’s structure and have been instrumental in its success, plus add great energy to the WSP leadership team!”
- Lindsay Selvaggio Righter, mentor and WSP Project Manager
For a sample calendar of Education Team Leader member duties at this site, click HERE.
For a sample calendar of Outreach Team Leader member duties at this site, click HERE.
Karen Gardner teaching middle school students about the salmon life cycle at Forest Conservation Days.
