By Jose L. Sanchez Jr.
Tuesday, September 6, 2005
Sonoma County supervisors have agreed to help pay for an environmental education program in which Petaluma high school students monitor creeks and tend native plants.
The agreement, which still must be negotiated, would conclude a dispute between the county Water Agency and Petaluma city schools arising from the removal of trees along Adobe Creek in Petaluma and other creeks around the county in 2003.
One of the Water Agency's tasks is to remove excessive vegetation from creek banks to reduce the danger of flooding.
Students from Casa Grande High School had spent two decades cleaning up Adobe Creek, replanting its banks and recreating its salmon population.
Following complaints by school officials and students about excessive cutting along a 300-yard swath of the creek, the Sonoma County grand jury issued a report critical of the agency's creek management practices.
On Aug. 23, the Board of Supervisors budgeted up to $43,000 to cover its obligations under the proposed agreement with the Petaluma schools. It also authorized the Water Agency to negotiate an agreement with the Petaluma schools to provide $18,000 to $25,000.
Mike Thompson, the agency's deputy chief engineer, said the criticism over Adobe Creek was unfounded. But he acknowledged the agency had made mistakes in tree removals elsewhere. To prevent problems from recurring, the agency now has an environmental specialist accompany crews to make sure that creek bank trimming is done correctly, he said.
"I think this is movement in the right direction," said Supervisor Mike Kerns, who represents Petaluma. The proposed agreement "will be educating students and having them work on projects that will benefit the whole community," he said.
John Shribbs, who teaches physical and environmental science at Casa Grande High, said the arrangement with the county will be the "cornerstone" of an environmental education project he has been working to put together for several years.
The city of Petaluma provided a $14,000 grant for the nursery, the international energy company BP provided $1,000 for a solar irrigation system and the Petaluma Education Foundation provided $1,000 for pots and potting material.
"It's cutting edge as far as a new approach to education," Shribbs said. "It's connecting students and experts to do real things. It's learning by doing."
He said he hopes to have 1,000 plants ready to be replanted along the banks of area creeks in a year or two.
© The Press Democrat. For copyright information view our User Agreement