Local Community Taking Action to Enhance the Napa River Ecological Reserve for Wildlife Habitat and Recreational Open Space

Local Community Taking Action to Enhance the Napa River Ecological Reserve for Wildlife Habitat and Recreational Open Space

The proposed project is a partnership between the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District (District), Napa County Resource Conservation District (RCD), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), and Acorn Soupe, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) that provides environmental education programs to elementary school children. Intensive habitat mapping, planning, and restoration will occur over a 3.7-acre section of the property on the west side of the Napa River, outside of the existing river levee, that is most accessible to the public and is in most need of restoration. In addition to the habitat enhancement work, the project will improve a portion of an existing trail crossing the same 3.7-acre site to make it accessible for Americans with disabilities. The project will also explore the feasibility of replacing a stream crossing over the Napa River with a seasonal bridge without permanent footings to improve and expand pedestrian access to a 3/4-loop trail on the east side of the Napa River. An existing out-of-date and dilapidated interpretive kiosk at the site will be redesigned and signs explaining site rules and regulations will be replaced. The group will explore alternative interpretive opportunities which may include but are not limited to development of a brochure for self-guided hikes, on-site markings, remote interpretive information (e.g., on-line, via cell phone), a native plant interpretive area, etc.

Yountville

Napa