December 21, 2023  |  Bayside, CA

Download the Press Release Here

The Northcoast Regional Land Trust (NRLT) is thrilled to announce the forthcoming installation of additional benches along the Freshwater Nature Trail at our publicly accessible ambassador property, Freshwater Farms Reserve. This is thanks to a generous grant from the Eureka Rotary Club, presented to NRLT on December 4, 2023.

NRLT is grateful for the Eureka Rotary Club’s partnership and their dedication to community well-being, environmental stewardship, and local collaboration. The benches will be built by local craftsperson, Jona Kavanaugh, of Monument Settings and will serve as a place for visitors to rest, reflect, and appreciate the abundance of life in this wild and working landscape.

NRLT extends its heartfelt appreciation to the Eureka Rotary Club for their visionary support, to Monument Settings for their collaboration and craftsmanship, and to the community for collectively stewarding and valuing this and other projects at Freshwater Farms Reserve.

Freshwater Farms Reserve is a unique coastal property owned and managed by NRLT as a demonstration of compatible land use for people, agriculture, and wildlife. Used by people of all ages, Freshwater Farms Reserve is a community resource with trail access, educational programs and events, a native plant nursery, livestock pastures, row crop areas, greenhouses, and more. Visitors are encouraged to explore the 0.75-mile Freshwater Nature Trail, open every day from 9 AM to dusk at 5851 Myrtle Ave., Eureka.

Details regarding the installation of these benches will be announced in the coming year. For more information about NRLT and the upcoming bench installation, please visit www.NCRLT.org or contact info@ncrlt.org.

This was my first time helping with the newsletter from start to finish, and I feel honored to be part of it. Our newsletters are largely thanks to Leslie Scopes Anderson, who has been NRLT’s stellar newsletter volunteer for 15 years and counting. Leslie puts her graphic design skills to work as she arranges and rearranges the content of our biannual newsletters, no matter how many edits we send her! Meeting with her to celebrate the final draft of this issue, I learned that Leslie has supported NRLT through three Executive Directors and complete personnel changes several times over. It’s quite clear the enduring impact of this organization comes from the people like Leslie, who commit to our mission to conserve, protect, and restore wild and working lands and see it through. Thank you, Leslie!

Whatever your relationship to NRLT, it becomes just that, a relationship. It ebbs and flows, but is founded on shared values of long-term relationships to the land, healthy local food, sustainable natural resource production, our region’s rich biodiversity and connected habitats and a desire to conserve and protect the lands that support us. We are grateful to the many people who have grown that relationship through our 22 years conserving lands in Northwestern California. I hope you enjoy reading about our most recent work together in this latest issue!

We are always open to feedback about our newsletter– email myself, Nadia, at n.vanlynn@ncrlt.org with suggestions or submissions. If you are not already on our mailing list but would like to be for future issues, please email your contact information to info@ncrlt.org.

Our conservation and outreach work is supported by:

Thanks to a grant from the Strong Foundation for Environmental Values, we trained several volunteers for the new Ambassador program who specialize in Environmental Education or Land Stewardship at Freshwater Farms Reserve. Volunteering can provide a deeper level of engagement with the land and the people who use it.

We are grateful for the work our volunteers are doing leading field trips, pulling invasives, and assisting with events. “It’s a great community—the people, the kids, the scientists, and the nature. It’s the best way to spend time,” said Patricia Tillotson, who volunteers as both a field trip guide and stewardship ambassador.

If you are interested in becoming an NRLT Ambassador please contact Community Engagement Manager, Matthew Morassutti, m.morassutti@ncrlt.org. You can find other volunteer events and information on our website at: ncrlt.org/volunteer-with-us.

Other Ways to Get Involved:

• Join the Volunteer Trail Stewards at Freshwater Farms Reserve on the third Sunday of every month
• Email n.vanlynn@ncrlt.org to sign up to donate a sweet treat for the cake walk or to volunteer at our Summer Celebration on August 5th
• Join our Volunteer Email List by emailing info@ncrlt.org; we will keep you abreast of pressing needs such as stuffing envelopes for our seasonal mailings or assisting with special events!
• Donate much needed funds to sustain our conservation and outreach programs

Volunteer opportunities abound here at the Northcoast Regional Land Trust! Whether you’d like to help lead field trips with elementary schoolers, walk the trail at Freshwater Reserve and keep up the fight against encroaching invasive plants, or help with mailing fundraising letters in the office, we’ve got you covered.

Please take a moment to watch the Virtual Volunteer Interest Meeting above to acquaint yourself with the volunteer opportunities available at the Northcoast Regional Land Trust. Once you get an idea of what’s available, send us a message via email!

Enjoy spending time at Freshwater Farms Reserve? Show off your expertise by leading an interpretive tour, give back to a place you care about, or help educate the next generation of environmental stewards. Maintaining this publicly-accessible working farm and nature reserve relies on generous donations and hard work from people like you! Independent and primarily self-directed volunteer opportunities and training may be explored by emailing Matthew at m.morassutti@ncrlt.org

Want to help lead environmental education field trips for elementary schoolers? NRLT hosts free educational field trips for our local elementary schools where students are introduced to the scientific method and answer the question, “can farms be part of a healthy environment?” Send an email to Nadia with your interest and availability for a 2.5 hour training at n.vanlynn@ncrlt.org

If you’re looking to volunteer alongside fellow community members, check out the graphic below, then give our events page a look! Over ten volunteer events are planned for 2023, so there are plenty of chances to come together with folks who share your interests.