This year, CHCF decided to revamp our granting program, taking a more proactive approach to soliciting grant proposals.  The quality and amount of applications we received pleasantly surprised us. We realize how much need exists for small pots of money. Over the next few years, we hope to address this need and continue granting small grants to local organizations and volunteers.

This year we are proud and excited to fund the following four projects:

Land Trust of Santa Cruz County for the project titled "Stewardship Toolkit." The purpose is to purchase tools and supplies needed to implement best management practices on the lands owned and managed by the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County (LTSCC).

Life Lab Science Program for the project titled "Rainwater and Water Conservation Educational Display." The purpose is to plan, purchase and install a simple water catchment system for the roof run-off of the Outdoor Kitchen and Office Trailer located at the Life Lab Garden Classroom on the UCSC Farm and six interpretive signs.

Santa Rita/Bolsa Knolls Neighborhood Improvement Committee for the project titled "Santa Rita Creek Fair." The purpose is to hold the second annual Santa Rita Creek Fair in August, 2010 (exact date to be determined).

We truly appreciate all the hard work each of these groups, as well as all the other applicants who applied for a grant.  We wish we could have funded them all and look forward to funding our next round of grants in 2011!

Scrumptious details and historical photos below.

Jan Shriner, Bruce Delgado, Keith Krone, and Chris Hauser, met at Rio Rd. at 105pm and arrived at Soberanes Creek approx. 120pm where they were joined by Andy Miller at Ryan Ranch Rd. .

Today we saw the official world's largest Gowen cypress!! Thanks to Monterey Bay Calif. Native Plant Society member Al Washburn for documenting this phenomenon!

Jan served hot soup and homemade buckwheat bread, oranges, and chocolate kisses up for volunteer snacks. All bellies were happy.

French broom seedlings and saplings were removed by hand on both sides of the entrance path from leading south from the Quarry parking area and on south facing slopes near Gibson Creek upstream from the former road bed south of the D'Amaryl Homestead.

Panic veldt grass (Ehrharta erecta) was removed by hand along the upstream (east) edge of the lower portion of the old road leading down to Gibson Creek south of the D'Amaryl homestead. Other patches of panic veldt grass were treated with herbicide on the south facing slopes downstream of this old roadbed. This grass could infest this area if not treated.

No capy ivy was seen where it was growing several years ago on the west side of the entrance road leading south from the Quarry parking area and where white ribbon flagging mark this former location of Cape ivy. This occurrence of Cape ivy appears eradicated since none of this weed has been observed at this location for about one year. We should continue to monitor this site because we visit it often anyway to remove French broom.

Cape ivy is abundant and dominant along the north facing slopes of Gibson Creek, primarily on private property below the homes overlooking these north facing slopes.

Approx. a dozen Yadon's reinorchids (Piperia yadonii) were observed in basal leaf stage along the old road between the pygmy forest and Gibson Creek east of the D'Amaral homestead.

4 jugs of Roundup were applied to south facing slopes near Gibson Creek on French broom seedlings. About 2/3 of the slopes downstream of the old road access were treated. The other 1/3 of this side of the old road and the slopes upstream of this road need to be treated next month.

Total volunteer hours = 15