Placement Site
Physical Address: 1530 Madera Ave, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
San Luis Obispo, CA - City Data Information Link
Mentors: Meredith Hardy, Fish Habitat Specialist, CCC; Hallie Richard, Program Manager, CSLO RCD; Makenzie OConnor, Monitoring Projects Manager, MBNEP; Marysia Borucinska-Begg, Conservation Science Educator, Creeklands Conservation
Number of Corpsmembers at Site: 2
Number of Years Site has Hosted WSP Corpsmembers: 15
Placement Site Organizations and Percentage of
Time Corpsmembers will serve with each partner:
Creek Lands
Conservation - CLC (22%)
California
Conservation Corps - CCC (22%)
Coastal San Luis Resource
Conservation District - CSLRCD (22%)
Morro Bay National Estuary Program - MBNEP (22%)
City of SLO (12%)
Other Partner Organization(s) of Placement Site:
Service Hours:
8-hour days: 95%
10-hour days: 5%
Housing Offered: Yes-if available
Work Vehicle Provided: Yes when with CCC, and
personal vehicle mileage reimbursed when with other partners
CM Time Spent in Field/Office:
In the field: 80%
In the office: 20%
Corpsmember Activities:
Site Specific Education & Outreach: 15%
H2O Monitoring: 15%
Invasive Plant Removal: 9%
Post-Restoration Monitoring/Maintenance: 8%
Native Planting: 8%
Native Plant Propagation: 8%
Spawner/Redd Surveys: 4%
Volunteer
Management: 5%
Culvert
Assessments: 5%
Habitat Surveys: 3%
Data Entry: 5%
Fish Passage Assessments 4%
CRAM or RIP RAM: 1%
Field Pit Tagging: 2%
Commuting To/From
Field Sites: 3%
E-Fishing: 2%
Watershed Group
Meeting Support: 1%
GIS Mapping: 1%
Snorkel Surveys: 1%
Placement Site Objectives and Organizational Needs:
SLO SI is focused on the recovery of
South-Central California Steelhead in the coastal streams of San Luis Obispo (SLO)
County. This unique partnership between three unique non-profits, the City of
SLO and the CCC was formed to promote a regional and multi-faceted effort for
the recovery of Steelhead Trout. Each entity boasts enthusiastic, experienced
staff whose passion is to protect and restore Central Coast watersheds and
steelhead populations while mentoring the next generation. Together, this Placement
Site provides Corpsmembers diverse work experiences. Each organization within
SLO SI will provide 20% of meaningful project work for WSP Corpsmembers. Coastal
San Luis RCD will provide experience in: (1) native plant monitoring, (2) invasive
species management, (3) flow monitoring including irrigation efficiency
evaluations for reduced consumptive use of surface water, (4) instream habitat
monitoring, (5) watershed group meeting support and GIS support. Creeklands
Conservation will provide experience in: (1) Fisheries surveys in Arroyo Grande
Creek; (2) Assist with Trout in the Classroom and field trip releases; (3)
estuary water quality monitoring with State Parks and other projects as they
arise during the term. The Morro Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP) will
provide experience in: (1) Water quality monitoring (conventional analysis,
flow and nutrients) (2) bioassessment surveys; (3) intertidal eelgrass
monitoring; and4) salt marsh monitoring and invasive species management. The
California Conservation Corps (CCC) will provide experience in: (1) Surveys-spawner
and population surveys in Morro Bay Watershed and various other local creeks
(2) Native plant propagation and revegetation on Villa Creek Estuary
Restoration project, and Pollinator focused Planting Projects (3) Cal Trans
Wildlife Connectivity assessments around road crossings. City of SLO projects
will include experience in: (1) vegetation survey/assessment for flood control
planning and projects. (2) Work with CDFW on PIT Tagging fish in the SLO Creek
Watershed. (3) Work with CDFW on tracking PIT Tagged fish from previous years
to determine dispersal or site fidelity tendencies. (4) tree planting and
restoration projects in the creek system.
Mentorship Style:
SLO SI Mentors typically adapt to each individual Corpsmembers to deliver what
type of mentorship would work best to help in their development. We start by
building a respectful relationship with everyone through the onboarding process
at each organization. Once we know the Corpsmembers motivations and goals, we
work to develop project experiences that will help them reach their
developmental goals. Depending on the individuals
knowledge and learning style will determine how hands on we are throughout the
process. We have daily check-ins on progress and roadblocks and provide
guidance and/or resources to help them be successful. Additionally, project calendars
are managed monthly allowing Corpsmembers to split their time between
organization and its corresponding mentor. Each Mentor has an extraordinary
work ethic, so a lead by example approach is common. The group understands the
worth of spending face to face time to allow shared experiences to transcend
into the workspace. We strive to create a safe space for Corpsmembers to learn,
fail, learn, ask questions, define their needs and experience success.
Unique Characteristics of Placement Site:
SLO SI is unique
due to its collaborative nature serving several organizations with different
but aligned missions (state agency, local municipality, and non-profits). Our
State partner the CCC allows SLO SI Corpsmembers to get in the field and work
hard to gain the on-the-ground experience it takes to implement restoration
projects while working alongside seasoned CCC Corpsmembers. With the CCC as a
partner Corpsmembers can be involved in unique CCC base events and the option
of temporary dorm style housing on the CCC Los Padres Residential Center.
Another SLO SI attribute is two of our Mentors
have received the Restorationist of the Year award from the Salmonid
Restoration Federation and several of the Mentors and Field Leads are WSP
alumni! The SLO SI Placement Site can offer temporary dorm style housing at the
CCC Los Padres Residential Center. SLO SI is a very impassioned
group of Mentors that continue to be excited about the collective mission of
doing everything possible to restore the ecological function to local
watersheds and recover local steelhead runs while developing future
restorationists. SLO SI is very proud of the fact that
many past Corpsmembers have found employment in their chosen field, many
locally.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Desired in CM:
Interest in having a wide variety of day-to-day
tasks (e.g., hiking or snorkeling up small creek systems, to office work and
meetings)
Excited about SLO SI partners collaborative
mission of furthering local restoration goals
Spanish speaking skills are a bonus for
Creeklands Conservation outreach.