Sierra Streams Institute

DRY CREEK RIPARIAN RESTORATION MANAGEMENT FOR NATURAL RESOURCES PROGRAM, BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, CALIFORNIA. BASE PLUS 4 OPTION PERIODS.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: DESIGNING FOR SCIENCE LEARNING IN SCHOOLS BY LEVERAGING PARTICIPATION AND THE POWER OF PLACE THROUGH COMMUNITY AND CITIZEN SCIENCE.

AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD IS TO IMPLEMENT FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES INCORPORATING FUEL LOAD REDUCTION METHODS AND STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE THE LIKELIHOOD OF INDIRECT DIRECT IMPACTS OF CATASTROPHIC FIRE ON LAND PARCELS WITHIN THE YUBA RIVER WATERSHED.ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED IN REDUCING THE FUEL BEARING LOAD FOR THIS AWARD ARE BY THE USE OF HAND PILING, MANUAL THINNING OF THE LANDSCAPE, MASTICATION, MECHANICAL PILING AND THE APPLICATION OF HERBICIDES. THERE IS ALSO PLANNED EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH FOR EVACUATION PREPAREDNESS AND AN UPDATE TO COMMUNITY FIRE PROTECTION PLANS.EXPECTED DELIVERABLES OUTCOMES: EXPECTED DELIVERABLES AND OUTCOMES ARE THAT THE REDUCTION ON FUEL LOADS IN THE YUBA WATERSHED WILL COVER ABOUT 323.9 ACRES OF COMPLETED FUELS TREATMENT, WITH A TARGET OF REACHING 70% FUELS LOAD REDUCTION. EDUCATE ABOUT 500 MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ON BEING FIRE WISE OF THE SURROUNDINGS. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THIS AWARD ARE THE OVER 15,000 RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING THE YUBA WATERSHED ALONG WITH RECREATION USERS, PRIVATE AND PUBLIC LANDOWNERS DOWNSTREAM.SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE HIRING LOCAL CONTRACTORS TO IMPLEMENT TASKS AND COLLABORATE WITH THE RECIPIENT ON COMPLETION OF THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS AWARD.

SHOREBIRD TRACKING IN RESPONSE TO SUSTAINABLE RIVERS PROGRAM ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS.

CULTIVATING STEM SYNERGIES: PARTNERSHIP FOR RE-IMAGINING INFORMAL ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE LEARNING -URGENT SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL CHALLENGES, SUCH AS EXTREME DROUGHTS, WILDFIRES, AND CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION, DRAW ATTENTION TO THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND HISTORICAL INJUSTICES IN THESE PLACES, AND THE NEED FOR TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATIONAL APPROACHES ROOTED IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EQUITY. THIS PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING PROJECT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN FOUR ORGANIZATIONS IN CALIFORNIA'S SIERRA NEVADA REGION THAT STRIVE TO CULTIVATE A TRUSTING AND MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL PARTNERSHIP TO DO THIS WORK. THE GOAL OF THIS PARTNERSHIP IS TO GENERATE IDEAS FOR INFORMAL STEM LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT (1) FOCUS ON SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL ISSUES, SUCH AS HUMAN-CAUSED CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS LOCAL IMPACTS AND (2) INTEGRATE INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND WESTERN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. THE STEM LEARNING EXPERIENCES CONCEPTUALIZED BY THE TEAM WILL FOCUS ON DEVELOPING PLACE-BASED, INTERGENERATIONAL, AND INTERCULTURAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY. THE SIERRA STREAMS INSTITUTE, CALIFORNIA HERITAGE: INDIGENOUS RESEARCH PROJECT, BEAR YUBA LAND TRUST, AND SRI EDUCATION EXPLORE HOW TO FORGE AN EQUITABLE PARTNERSHIP AND ATTEND TO POWER DYNAMICS USING THE SIX RS OF INDIGENOUS RESEARCH FRAMEWORK (RELATIONSHIPS, RESPECT, RELEVANCE, RECIPROCITY, RESPONSIBILITY, AND REPRESENTATION) ACROSS ALL PROJECT PHASES. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF THE PARTNERSHIP ARE TO: A) ESTABLISH A GENERATIVE AND COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERSHIP BASED ON MUTUAL BENEFIT, TRUST, RESPONSIBILITY, POWER-SHARING, EQUITY, AND SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF CORE ISSUES AND CONCEPTS; B) ENGAGE IN EXPLORATION AND IDEA GENERATION FOR FUTURE INFORMAL ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT ARE EMBODIED, PLACE-BASED, INTERGENERATIONAL, AND INCLUSIVE OF DIVERSE CULTURES, POPULATIONS AND CONTEXTS; AND C) DOCUMENT AND SYNTHESIZE IDEAS AND QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE PARTNERSHIP (CHALLENGES, RESOLUTIONS, AND KEY TAKEAWAYS); AND D) CREATE A ROADMAP FOR IMPLEMENTING FUTURE INFORMAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT CAN BE PROPOSED FOR AISL IMPLEMENTATION AND OTHER FUNDING PROGRAMS. THE PROJECT WILL INVESTIGATE: 1. ARE THE SIX RS OF INDIGENOUS RESEARCH PRINCIPLES AUTHENTICALLY GUIDING PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND DOCUMENTATION? 2. DO PROJECT STRUCTURES AND PROCESSES FACILITATE POWER SHARING, EQUITY, AND EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION? 3. IS THE PARTNERSHIP MEETING ITS STATED GOALS FOR EACH OF THE PROJECT PHASES? THIS PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE ADVANCING INFORMAL STEM LEARNING (AISL) PROGRAM, WHICH SEEKS TO ADVANCE NEW APPROACHES TO, AND EVIDENCE-BASED UNDERSTANDING OF, THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF STEM LEARNING IN INFORMAL ENVIRONMENTS. THIS INCLUDES PROVIDING MULTIPLE PATHWAYS FOR BROADENING ACCESS TO AND ENGAGEMENT IN STEM LEARNING EXPERIENCES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING TO SIERRA STREAMS INSTITUTE TO IMPLEMENT ITS PROJECT, WHICH WILL DESIGN, DEMONSTRATE, AND DISSEMINATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PRACTICES, METHODS, AND TECHNIQUES, THAT WILL SERVE TO INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND ENCOURAGE BEHAVIOR THAT WILL BENEFIT THE THROUGHOUT WESTERN NEVADA COUNTY AND YUBA COUNTY OF CALIFORNIA. THE GRANTEE WILL DO THIS THROUGH EFFORTS TO PROMOTE COMMUNICATION AROUND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES SURROUNDING WATERSHED HEALTH, WITH A FOCUS ON CLEAN WATER AND THE IMPACTS TO FOOTHILL AND VALLEY COMMUNITIES. THE OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES IN THIS PROJECT ENHANCE STUDENTS' CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS AROUND THESE LOCAL AND REGION-WIDE WATERSHED ISSUES. THESE ACTIVITIES WILL SERVE AS A PATHWAY FOR STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION AND STEWARDSHIP. THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FULL FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000. ACTIVITIES:THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THROUGHOUT WESTERN NEVADA COUNTY AND YUBA COUNTY OF CALIFORNIA AND PROVIDE SCHOOLS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, INFORMAL EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (EE) ORGANIZATIONS THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS PROJECT PERIOD INCLUDE: THE DEVELOPMENT OF A WATERSHED COMMUNICATION TOOLKIT (WCT) THAT SUPPORTS YOUTH IN CRITICAL THINKING AND SCIENCE LITERACY BY COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR PEERS AROUND REGION-WIDE WATERSHED ISSUES. THE WCT WILL INCLUDE ACTIVITIES ON INDIGENOUS WAYS OF KNOWING THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED BY TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS. (3) TO PILOT THE WCT AS AN EXTENSION OF EXISTING EE PROGRAMS IN THE REGION, WITH AT LEAST 8 DIFFERENT 4-8TH GRADE CLASSES FROM SCHOOLS. SUBRECIPIENT:SUBAWARDS WILL BE TO ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS TO CONDUCT THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES: DEVELOP AND DESIGN THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (EE) OPPORTUNITIES DATABASE. DEVELOP THE WATERSHED COMMUNICATION TOOLKIT (WCT). PILOT WATERSHED COMMUNICATION TOOLKIT (WCT) WITH EXISTING EE FIELD PROGRAMS. ALL SUBAWARDS WILL CONTRIBUTE DIRECTLY TO ACHIEVING THE THREE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES LISTED ABOVE. SOME SUBAWARDS MAY ADDRESS MORE SPECIFIC NEEDS WITHIN EACH CATEGORY, SUCH AS MAINTENANCE OF PILOT PROGRAM FIELD SITES OR TRANSPORTATION OF CLASSES TO AND FROM THE FIELD SITES. SIERRA STREAMS INSTITUTE (SSI) WILL REACH OUT TO A LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HELP ADVANCE THESE OBJECTIVES. THEIR ELIGIBILITY, CAPACITY AND EXPERTISE WILL DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF THEIR SUBAWARD. A. SUBAWARD OVERSIGHT: ALL SUBRECIPIENTS WILL ENTER INTO A SUBAWARD AGREEMENT THAT IS SIGNED BY BOTH SSI AND THE SUBRECIPIENT. EACH AGREEMENT WILL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: SCOPE OF WORK (SOW), PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE, OUTLINE OF FINANCIAL CONTROL, INVOICING PROCESS, AND FUNDING INSTRUCTIONS (ELIGIBLE AND NON-ELIGIBLE COSTS FOR THE SUB-AWARD). SUBRECIPIENTS MUST KEEP TRACK OF ALL EXPENDITURES AND ACTIVITIES UNDER THE SOW AND PROVIDE BRIEF QUARTERLY UPDATE REPORTS.OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: AN INTERACTIVE, PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES DATABASE (EEOD), CATALOGING DOZENS OF K-12 ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (EE) FIELD SITES AND EE OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS 14 SCHOOL DISTRICTS; A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE WATERSHED COMMUNICATION TOOLKIT (WCT) WITH WHICH EDUCATORS CAN CONNECT THEIR STUDENTS WITH OTHER CLASSES AND REGIONS THROUGH THE SHARED LENS OF WATERSHED SCIENCE AND STEWARDSHIP; AND THE PROVISION OF AN OUTDOOR EE EXPERIENCE COUPLED WITH ACROSS-SCHOOL SHARING AND PILOT COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITY (IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WCT) TO AT LEAST 8 CLASSES. SIERRA STREAMS INSTITUTE (SSI) ANTICIPATES THAT THE PILOT PROGRAM WILL REACH AT LEAST 8 ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS AND 200 4-8TH GRADE STUDENTS, ROUGHLY HALF OF WHOM LIVE IN COMMUNITIES CATEGORIZED AS DISADVANTAGED BY THE (CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE SCREENING TOOL) CEJST OR ATTEND A TITLE

FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE BEAR RIVER WATERSHED GROUP

ESTABLISHING THE BEAR RIVER WATERSHED GROUP

THE GRANTEE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEVADA COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, WILL DEVELOP AN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER AT THE WOOLMAN PROPERTY NEAR NEVADA CITY, CA TO SERVE AS A COUNTY-WIDE AND REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION RESOURCE FOR STUDENTS AND EDUCATIONAL TRAINING FOR TEACHERS. GRANTEE WILL ADAPT EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM TO REFLECT LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND HISTORICAL CONCERNS INCLUDING LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF MINING AND EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES, THE ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE AND RESTORATION NEEDS OF THE LOCAL WATERSHED, AND THE HISTORY OF SURVIVAL AND ADAPTATION OF NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES IN THE AREA. ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE TEAM BUILDING, POND STUDIES, RESTORATION AND INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL, AND PHENOLOGY. THE CURRICULUM WILL FOCUS ON RESTORING AND PROTECTING LOCAL WATERSHEDS, POND STUDIES, RESTORATION AND INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVEAL, AND PHENOLOGY. THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FULL FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $91,000. SEE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. PREAWARD C