Featured Tool: The Adapted Streamlined Bee Monitoring Protocol: Evaluating Pollinator Habitat Plantings Using Bee Abundance and Floral Resource Selection
Declines in bee abundance and diversity across California has led to a call to provide more habitat for these pollinating insects. Restoration practitioners need implementation guidance to choose a planting palette across a diversity of ecoregions and land uses. We partnered with the CA Association of Resource Conservation Districts and the state Wildlife Conservation Board to utilize a visual assessment of bee abundance and morphometric groups across pollinator plantings in California.
Sophie Noda, Working Lands Ecologist
Email: snoda@pointblue.org
Alissa Fogg, Stewardship Ecologist
Email: afogg@pointblue.org
Farm and Ranch Management Tools
A collection of resources for private landowners, farmers, and ranchers, aimed at helping improve wildlife friendly practices on private lands.
The Adapted Streamlined Bee Monitoring Protocol: Evaluating Pollinator Habitat Plantings Using Bee Abundance and Floral Resource Selection. We partnered with the CA Association of Resource Conservation Districts and the state Wildlife Conservation Board to utilize a visual assessment of bee abundance and morphometric groups across pollinator plantings in California.
COMMONS Compost Planner. Through a collaborative effort, we’ve co-produced a spatial planning tool to help guide compost application to maximize soil health and carbon storage benefits, called the COMMONS Compost Planner.
farmOS. Conservation planning is complicated work. It is a collaborative process between land stewards and technical professionals to create a detailed plan to manage natural resources effectively and sustainably. We’re excited to share a solution in development: the farmOS Conservation Planner, built in direct partnership with the people who do this work every day.
10 Years of the Rangeland Monitoring Network impact: A New StoryMap. The Rangeland Monitoring Network is a collaborative network of land stewards and scientists working together to improve rangeland ecosystems through data, planning, and on-the-ground action for people, wildlife, and working lands. Since the inception of the Network in 2014, our team has collected information on birds, plants, and soils from 145 ranches on 28 counties across the state. This includes 2,375 bird points and 500+ plant and soil points. Explore what we’ve found!
Ag-C. A major effort from our Soils Program includes the co-development of the Agricultural Carbon Monitoring Program Crop-C and Range-C frameworks, which strive to bring reliable carbon monitoring to land stewards nationwide.
Virtual Fence Guide. A quick reference of commonly available virtual fencing options for ranchers and land managers interested in replacing conventional barbed-wire fence to help manage livestock, cut labor costs, and support wildlife habitat.
Wildlife Monitoring on California Working Lands. This guide is geared towards landowners, agricultural technical service providers, and community scientists who are interested in pursuing wildlife and pollinator monitoring on lands stewarded for resources such as food, fiber and cultural uses. Illustrations of California wildlife and habitats brighten the pages with resources and links to monitoring techniques and programs.
California Oaks Planting Guide. The guide is intended for landowners and land managers and includes six helpful sections that guide you through the process from finding seeds and materials to where to plant on your land to caring for oaks once they’re in the soil.
Tending the Edges: The Benefits of Hedgerows on Bay Area Working Lands. Spanish version. English version. A beautifully illustrated booklet created by the Marin Resource Conservation District with collaboration from Point Blue and other partners. It highlights the potential benefits of pollinator hedgerows for working lands in Marin County and beyond
Rangeland Planting Guide. Tips and resources for producers planning a rangeland seeding.
Life Belowground on the Range, an introduction to the soil communities that support California’s rangelands. Produced by Point Blue Conservation Science in cooperation with TomKat Ranch. Written by Senior Soil Ecologist Chelsea Carey, illustrated by Rangeland Field Ecologist Mel Preston, and designed by Jordan Rosenblum.
Building Multibenefit Recharge Basins.
This 3-page document highlights best practices as understood by wildlife experts and practitioners as of February 2020. If you are interested in participating in a pilot project or providing feedback, please contact recharge@pointblue.org.
Rangeland Watershed Initiative.
Point Blue’s Rangeland Watershed Initiative works with local communities across California to enhance conservation on food-producing lands. Our team of biologists work hand-in-hand with Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) conservationists and ranchers throughout California to implement practices that benefit soil, water, air, plants, and animals. Those practices include on-farm pollinator habitat, carbon farm plans, ranch infrastructure, waterbird habitat, grazing management, riparian restoration, and more. Visit our Working Landscapes section to learn more and find contacts.
Rangeland Watershed Initiative Handbook. This handbook provides an overview of the Rangeland Watershed Initiative (RWI) program structure, vision, activities, and approaches for conservation planning, implementation support, and ecological monitoring on rangelands. Developed by Point Blue Conservation Science in partnership with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), RWI advances the sustainability and conservation of working lands through value-added Partner Biologist positions.
Guide to the Pasture Plants of Coastal San Mateo County
A very cool guide to Central Coast pasture plants written and illustrated by Point Blue’s Mel Preston, published by TomKat Ranch, and supported by other partners in the region.
How Grazing Could Restore California’s Grasslands
An article in Conservation Magazine summarizing a recent Point Blue publication on the role of planned grazing in increasing native perennial grass distribution on a coastal California ranch.
Common Species of the Working Lands of Coastal San Mateo County: A Wildlife Checklist
A checklist to common birds, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals created by Point Blue staff, including Rich Stallcup, and partners (best to print on legal-sized paper).
Being the Best Nest Box Landlord for Birds in the West
A handout with tips on how to build, maintain and monitor nest boxes for western cavity nesting species.
Habitat Enhancement Guide Marin and Sonoma
An easy-to-use guide to habitat restoration and enhancement for riparian and oak woodland habitats in Marin and Sonoma Counties, California.
Habitat Enhancement Guide Sacramento Valley
An easy-to-use guide to habitat restoration and enhancement describing practical steps that landowners and land managers can take to improve bird habitat in the Sacramento Valley.
How to Help Quail on Your Farm or Ranch
A handout on how to attract and support quail on farms, ranches or in yards.
A tip sheet discussing the actions you can take to keep birds at your feeder safe from disease and predators.
A two sided identification card to some of the most common waterbirds in California.
Pocket Guide to Sierra Nevada Birds
A pocket-sized guide to common birds of the Sierra Nevada, containing tips for their protection and conservation.
Pocket Guide to Sagebrush Birds
A pocket-sized guide to common birds of the sagebrush habitats, containing tips for their protection and conservation.
Pocket Guide to Sagebrush Habitat
A pocket-sized guide to learning about sagebrush plant species.
Pocket Guide to San Francisco Bay Birds
A pocket-sized guide to common birds of San Francisco Bay, containing tips for their protection and conservation.
Pocket Guide to Beach Birds of California
A pocket-sized guide to common birds of California’s beaches, and tips for their protection and management.
A handout summarizing Point Blue’s science showing that habitat restoration works for protecting birds.
A two-sided quick guide created with the Natural Resource Conservation District on how to maintain healthy oak woodland habitats on your land.
Keeping Riparian Habitats Healthy
A two-sided quick guide created with the Natural Resource Conservation District on how to maintain healthy riparian habitats on your land.
Keeping Mountain Meadows Healthy
A two-sided quick guide created with the Natural Resource Conservation District on how to maintain healthy mountain meadow habitats on your land.
A two-sided quick guide created with the Natural Resource Conservation District on how to maintain healthy grasslands on your property.
How to assess mountain meadow health and find resources in your area to restore your meadow.
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