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California Conservation Projects

	GUZZLERS FOR QUAIL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA An ambitious water source program provided better management of water guzzlers in Southern California for quail and larger animals. Between the 1940s and 1960s the California Department of Fish and Game constructed 2,000 artificial water sources in the state. Unfortunately, over time, the locations of these guzzlers had been lost due to budget cuts and personnel changes. Wildlife Forever and several Quail Unlimited chapters provided global positioning system (GPS) equipment for wildlife biologists to pinpoint the location of these guzzlers in order to maintain them for quail and larger animals. In addition, thirteen new guzzlers were installed in Cleveland and Angeles National Forests and the Fort Hunter Liggett Military Reservation.
	El Dorado High School students in Placerville got unique “hands-on” experiences in fisheries management, while improving fishing opportunities for local anglers. Wildlife Forever assisted in a long-term project to enhance fish populations in small lakes east of Sacramento, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Artificial structures were built and installed and fingerling bass were stocked to improve the largemouth bass fisheries in the lakes. In addition, shoreline enhancement projects helped to increase the chances for survival and growth. More than 120 students were enrolled in the program, learning about conservation and fisheries management and helping local anglers at the same time.
	AN EDUCATIONAL PEARL IN RICHARDSON BAY Students in the San Francisco Bay area of California have received a hands-on lesson in conservation and species management while restoring a local estuary thanks in part to support from Wildlife Forever. The Tiburon Audubon Center is engaging student "Junior Nature Guides" and additional volunteers to restore one of the biological building blocks of Richardson Bay, native oysters. Healthy oyster populations play a crucial role in the Bay ecosystem by improving water-quality, enhancing the growth of aquatic vegetation, creating a source shell habitat, and providing forage for a number of species including waterfowl. At regular intervals, the Junior Nature Guides will monitor the expansion of the oyster population and the corresponding improvements in the health of the estuary. Wildlife Forever is proud to support this project that not only restores critical habitat, but also educates a new generation of stewards who will work to conserve the Bay in the years ahead.
	MORE WHITE OAKS FOR CALIFORNIA Your support was used to reverse the loss of one of California’s great native trees, the California white oak. These oaks are a particularly valuable wildlife resource providing many benefits. Their sturdy branches provide nesting areas for a wide variety of birds. The acorns are used by deer and other species as a food source, while the leaves provide cooling shade for fish in streams and creeks. Perhaps most importantly, the white oak’s deep root structure serves to filter precious ground water and helps to stabilize hillsides. Volunteers planted over 1,000 of the great oaks and several thousand willow cuttings along streams that feed into west coast estuaries. The plantings are helping reverse 150 years of degraded riparian buffer zones and wildlife habitat. This is an instance where both fish and wildlife benefited from one project.