Events

In Conversation with Liz Carlisle

We kicked off our Spring 2023 webinar series, Solutions in our Soil, with a deep dive into the work of Liz Carlisle. Carlisle is an agroecologist, author and professor whose deep expertise in the microbial community beneath our feet – and the human community connected to it – informed an amazing conversation with our Director of Circular Economies, Ryan Flaherty.

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The Soil-Water Nexus

Healthy soils are home to a wealth of benefits – including climate solutions like carbon sequestration, increased biodiversity, and thriving farmlands that produce nutritious food. The health of our soil is also integral to drought resilience and protecting water quality. Our panel of experts unearthed the vital connection between soils and water – discussed the latest research and policies as well as the importance of taking a community-centered approach that’s rooted in equity.

Building Sustainable Supply Chains

Throughout this series, we’ve learned what soil health means and why it’s so important for increasing drought resilience, improving water quality, boosting biodiversity, and nourishing healthy farmlands and communities. But, what does this look like in practice and how can we ensure soil health is prioritized throughout the food system? Our panel of experts shed light on the importance of soil health practices and how they’re turning science into practices throughout the supply chain.

From Science to Practice

Throughout this series, we’ve explored what soil health means and why it’s so important, how it’s connected to water, and where we can promote soil health throughout the food supply chain. We heard from our expert panelists, Katie Chiapuzio of Braga Fresh and Justin Wylie of Wylie Farms, and learned how they’re turning science into practice to nourish both our communities and our environment.

More resources about soil health

• 2021 Annual Report
• Soil-Water Nexus: Breaking Barriers to Soil Health
• Doubling Down on Soil Health: Healthy Soils Week 2021

In Conversation with Kim Delfino and Curtis Knight

We kicked off our Fall 2022 webinar series, Resilience through Restoration, with a conversation between President and Founder of Earth Advocacy and Sustainable Conservation Board Member, Kim Delfino, and Executive Director of CalTrout, Curtis Knight, moderated by CEO of Sustainable Conservation, Ashley Boren. This conversation set the scene for the rest of the series and explored why we must accelerate the pace and scale of ecosystem restoration to boost climate resilience in California.

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A Collaborative Approach for California

We celebrated our recent restoration permitting accomplishments and the partnerships that make them possible. We heard from agency representatives at various levels as we highlighted the impact these new permitting pathways will have on ecosystem restoration in California, and why collaboration across sectors is essential to building a healthy and climate-resilient future.

Sustainable Conservation’s Journey to Expedite Permitting Statewide

We looked back on our evolution and celebrate the perseverance and long-term vision that brought us to the success of today.

More resources about habitat restoration

• Three Things to Know about the New U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Restoration Authorization
• Thrive California: Accelerating Restoration
• New State Water Board Permit Speeds Habitat Recovery Across California

In Conversation: CEO Ashley Boren and Secretary Wade Crowfoot

We kicked off our Spring 2022 webinar series with a conversation between our CEO Ashley Boren and California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot on what climate resilience means for California, why it matters, and what Sustainable Conservation and California’s Department of Natural Resources are working on to build the foundation for a healthy and climate-resilient California.

More videos in this series

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A Restored California is a Resilient California

Our panel of experts explored how we can work with nature through habitat restoration to build climate resilience, and highlighted projects incorporating various restoration methods in different ecosystems around the state.

A Watershed Approach to Drought, Fires and Flood

Our panelists shared their expertise on river restoration, sustainable groundwater management, and indigenous ecological knowledge and practices as they explored how nature-based solutions can boost California’s climate resilience.

More resources about climate resilience

• A Watershed Moment: Aysha Massell on Floodplains, Recharge, and Collaboration for the Future
• Thrive California: A Fresh Pathway for Habitat Restoration
• Op-Ed: How Cutting Green Tape can make California more Resilient

Preparing for our Water Future

We kicked off our Fall 2021 webinar series, Water in a Warming World, with Sustainable Conservation’s CEO Ashley Boren and State Water Resources Control Board Chair Joaquin Esquivel. They reflected on the current drought and discussed the partnerships, practices, and policies that will help us prepare for the years ahead.

More videos in this series

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Protecting Water Quality While Replenishing Aquifers

Balancing long-term groundwater sustainability and water quality will help California weather future droughts, ensure safe drinking water, and support our thriving agricultural community that feeds the nation. Our panel of experts shed light on how California can work to replenish our aquifers while protecting water quality for the health of our communities.

Fortifying California’s Water Resilience

Sustainable Conservation’s Director of Resource Stewardship and leader of our water team, Daniel Mountjoy, sat down with our expert panel to discuss the best practices for groundwater recharge, and the importance of taking a multibenefit approach.

More resources about water supply and management

• A Watershed Moment: Scaling Integrated Water Management
• Grower Guidance: Protecting Groundwater Quality While Practicing On-Farm Recharge
• Thrive California: Water Quality, Impacts to California’s People and Environment, and What We’re Doing to Help

Sustainable Food for People and Planet

Sustainable Conservation CEO Ashley Boren set the stage for our Spring 2021 webinar series by discussing our global food system, the unique role California plays, and the key factors of a sustainable and climate-friendly food system.

More videos in this series

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In Conversation with Karen Ross and Mark Arax

Sustainable Conservation CEO Ashley Boren moderated a conversation on water, agriculture, and climate change in California between Karen Ross, Secretary of the CA Department of Food and Agriculture, and Mark Arax, author of The Dreamt Land.

Fighting Food Waste

We dove deeper into some of the systemic issues of our consumption. Sustainable Conservation Advisory Board member and Co-Founder and Chair of the Center for Good Food Purchasing, Paula Daniels, moderated an excellent panel of experts to discuss food waste, sustainable diets, and a circular economy approach that could both reduce food waste and boost more climate-friendly food choices.

Can Dairies be Environmentally Sustainable?

Watch as we shed light on the complex world of dairying. Our panel of experts discussed the controversy over dairies’ contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, other important environmental considerations, and what California dairies are doing to address these challenges.

Solutions in our Soil

To wrap up our Feeding the Future webinar series, we got down to the foundation of our food system – the soil. It’s no secret that healthy soils are vital to healthy food, but we dug deeper to explore the climate and drought solutions living beneath our feet.

More resources about food waste, dairies and soil health

• Doubling Down on Soil Health: Healthy Soils Week 2021
• Thrive California: The Art and Science of Collaboration
• Science Brief: Solutions in our Soil

California Water 101

During this webinar, Ashley Boren discusses California’s historic and increasingly variable weather, what we are learning from the latest climate research, and how we can adapt for extremes to create a sustainable water future for agriculture, communities, and the environment.

More videos in this series

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Ensuring Safe and Affordable Drinking Water for All Californians

While residents of California’s metropolitan areas rarely have to worry about having access to clean drinking water, it is a daily concern for over one million Californians. As California experiences more frequent and intense droughts, these concerns will become more urgent. Thankfully, addressing them has finally been recognized as critical, and serious efforts are being made to find both short- and long-term solutions. We learned what the state, water agencies, and non-profits are doing to solve this issue and ensure all Californians have access to safe and affordable drinking water. Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email and login instructions.

Cutting the Green Tape

Following the release of the California Secretary of Natural Resources’ Cutting the Green Tape Initiative’s recommendations, we heard from restoration experts about what this initiative is, why it’s needed, and how it will help accelerate restoration and protect our natural resources and ecological systems.

More resources about California Water

• Protecting Water Quality While Recharging Groundwater
• Thrive California: Water for the Future
• Securing California’s Water Future: A Decade of Groundwater Recharge