Statement of need: Central Coast residents are in need of an easy to locate and user friendly source of technical information concerning natural resource conservation on the Central Coast

Objective I:  Develop and disseminate technical information.Strategy 1: Conduct local workshops focusing on natural resources management to educate community watershed interests

Opportunity: Many local conservation partners are engaged in regular educational programs, but are lacking adequate funding. Council can supplement partner's educational budgets through our small Info/Edu. Grant program.

Action:

• Provide funding to organizations for workshops to deliver technical information
  such as: rural roads management, small acreage management, and wildlife management
• Support and participate in Central Coast Cropland and Rangeland Water Quality Workshops
• Participate in Central Coast Fire Safe Council Activities

Strategy 2 : Promote and distribute technical natural resource information important to Central Coast residents.

Action:

• Continue to develop the Resource Management Guide For Small Acreages
• Maintain and distribute Pitch Canker and Sudden Oak Death information
• Make Watershed Water Quality Model available to community groups
• Provide funding for publishing and distribution of resource materials
• Promote resource materials on Council Web Site
• Support the development of an Ag Practice Handbook in the Spanish language
• Provide financial support to the Dunes Center Conservation Education Program
• Provide funding and distribution for updated rural roads management handbook
• Coordinate Pajaro River Flood Prevention Authority and Watershed Council activities and make information available to Central Coast communities

Strategy 3 : Encourage land conservation through sustainable agricultural production and long-term easements.

Opportunity: There exists several local organizations promoting sustainable agricultural such as Cal Poly Sustainable Ag Resources Consortium, Central Coast Ag Network, RCD’s and UCCE. Council to develop cooperative projects with these partners.

Action:

• Participate with the SLO Ag Roundtable to promote the protection of productive farmland
• Support community sustainable agricultural demonstration projects
• Network and support Central Coast Vineyard Team programs
• Promote and participate in UC Cooperative Extension short courses for land and water management
• Promote federal, state, and local programs that offer conservation easements to landowners

Statement of need: Information about the CRMP process is needed on the Central Coast to bring together diverse watershed interests.

Objective II: Promote and participate in the coordinated resource management and planning process.

Strategy 1: Distribute information on the CRMP process at various meetings and events.

Opportunity: The Central Coast has a long history of successful CRMP activities with many watershed groups engaged in this process.

Action:

• Use landowners familiar with CRMP to explain process to watershed groups
• Use Council Web Site to highlight watershed group activities and accomplishments
• Council to encourage communities to use the CRMP process to solve resource problems

Strategy 2 : Promote and participate in Central Coast watershed planning activities.

Action:

• Continue to sponsor and help facilitate Pajaro River Watershed Council meetings
• Support and promote Central Coast CRMP groups.
• Participate in the Pajaro River TMDL Advisory Committee

Strategy 3 : Promote task group formation to gather existing regional watershed data and standardizing that data for use by various land-use planning groups.

Opportunity: Central Coast stakeholders are ready and willing to participate in resource related ad-hoc committees. In many cases the Council can facilitate these groups.

Action:

• Participate in the Arroyo Grande Watershed Flood Control Advisory Committee
• Participate in the Tri-County Fish Team
• Participate in the SLO Ag Roundtable

Statement of need: Financial and management resources are needed to implement natural resource improvement projects.

Objective III: Provide financial and technical project management assistance where needed, to implement projects.

Strategy 1: Help council constituents develop project ideas and discover funding opportunities to accomplish their program goals.

Opportunity: Grant money is available and in many cases targeted to the Central Coast. Council can help partners discover funding opportunities.

Action:

• Provide grant search and review services to community members
• Provide grant application review assistance for local projects in line with Area Plan

Strategy 2 : Provide grant and/or project management assistance to insure projects are completed as designed and budgeted.

Opportunity: Council is a 501(c)(3) organization and can be the grant applicant for local organizations. Council can earn administrative fees.

Action:

• Council to act as grant applicant and provide grant fund management to various adopted projects as needed
• Provide "letters of support" for Council affiliated projects

Strategy 3 : Provide a mechanism to deliver a permit coordination program to facilitate the implementation of conservation practices.

Opportunity: RWQCB pollution settlement funds are available and earmarked for permit coordination if lead organization will step forward.

Action:

• Serve as lead agency and coordinate a two county permit coordination program to be funded by the RWQCB
• Coordinate RCD permit coordination program with other similar local efforts to avoid duplication.

GOAL B: IMPROVE THE CONDITION OF OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LONG TERM SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY

Statement of need: Central Coast farming communities are under pressure to convert prime farmland, making it increasingly difficult for farmers to survive.

Objective I: Implement projects that complement a diverse and stable agricultural economic base for rural communities.

Strategy 1: Promote the marketing of locally grown food and fiber as well as the development of value added products.

Opportunity: Council surveys indicate Central Coast residents will financially support and patronize local food production and marketing businesses.

Action:

• Assist in the formation of the Central Coast Ag Network, a community-based direct marketing organization
• Provide technical assistance to the Buy Fresh/Buy Local Campaign
• Provide technical assistance to the Central Coast Home Grown Meat Alliance
• Provide technical assistance to the Central Coast AgTourism Council
• Serve on the CA AgTourism Working Group

Strategy 2 : Develop programs which assist rural communities enhance infrastructure and expand technologies.

Opportunity: The Agricultural Land-Based Training Association is a member of the Council and delivers farming and resource technology to the community, emphasizing Spanish language clients.

Action:

• Assist the Agricultural Land-Based Training Association with technology transfer to clients
• Promote Strawbale Construction techniques

Statement of need: Lack of economic information keeps potential business opportunities from being realized.

Objective II: Facilitate the exchange of economic information.

Strategy 1: Develop a network of economic information resources to make community members aware of opportunities and available assistance.

Action:

• Work with and promote the programs of the Small Business Development Centers and the Economic Vitality Corporation
• Promote Cal Poly Extended Education Programs
• Promote forest agency financial assistance programs to Central Coast communities

Strategy 2 : Promote council projects that explore new economic opportunities for agricultural producers.

Opportunity: Local USDA Rural Development office has Rural Business Enterprise and Value-Added Producer grants available.

Action:

• Develop new project ideas that test the feasibility of an agricultural venture, like the spent mushroom compost/horse manure feasibility study
• Work with Central Coast Fire Safe Councils to demonstrate the economic benefits of fuel management
• Utilize Rural Development grant programs that deal with value-added agricultural production and marketing

Statement of need: There is a lack of awareness of community development programs throughout the Central Coast. This may be due to lack of outreach, awareness, or understanding by community members.

Objective III: Citizens throughout the council planning area are aware of community development programs.

Strategy 1: Develop resources that enhance the delivery of the RC&D program.

Opportunity: Local Internet Service Provider offers free website hosting to Non-Profits and Web Designers offer reduced fees for our Council’s activities. Surveys indicate a growing number of people use the Internet for information gathering.

Action:

• Continue to improve Council Web Site to highlight and promote programs
• Deliver RC&D program message to local community groups and organizations
• Research and apply for funding to support RC&D programs and projects.
• Continue to fund projects that publish and distribute resource materials

Strategy 2 : Expand council membership and participation by reaching out to traditionally under-represented groups within the Central Coast region.

Action:

• Continue to involve the Costanoan Indians in the RC&D program to identify the needs of Native Americans
• Deliver RC&D message to traditionally under-served Central Coast communities such as the Guadalupe area

Compliance Statement
"The Central Coast RC&D Council agrees that the RC&D Program will be conducted in compliance with the non-discrimination provisions as contained in the Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-259) and other nondiscrimination statues; namely, Section 504, of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 and in accordance with the regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture (7CFR-1 5, Subparts A and S) that provide that no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, marital status, or handicap/disability be excluded from participation in., or be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program activity receiving Federal financial (or technical) assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture or any agency thereof."

The Central Coast RC&D Council agrees that the signing of this document constitutes agreement to comply with Federal laws concerning restrictions on lobbying, a drug-free workplace, and responsibilities for nonprocurement, suspension, and debarment, and State review.

The Central Coast RC&D Council hereby adopts this RC&D Area Plan and agrees to use effectively the assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to realize the goals and objectives outlined herein.

This action authorized at an official meeting of the Central Coast RC&D Council, Inc. on November 16, 2005.

U.S. Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The State Conservationist hereby acknowledges the attached Area Plan of the Central Coast RC&D Council, Inc. as meeting the requirements under Public Law 97-98 to receive assistance from USDA.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.