The hearing, titled “Coho Salmon On The Brink: Understanding the Depth of the Crisis and Recovery Strategies,” is scheduled for 10 a.m. in Room 4202.

“At one time Coho salmon in California were abundant across their entire range from, Santa Cruz to the Oregon border,” Chesbro said. “Today they are in danger of disappearing, particularly from their southern range, and are listed under state and federal endangered species acts. This hearing will examine the status of the Coho in California and identify strategies to bring back this important fishery. The Committee will hear testimony from fisheries experts, commercial and recreational fisherman, tribal representatives and other concerned Californians.”

Featured presenters include John McCamman, director of Department of Fish and Game, Catherine Kuhlman, executive director of North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, and Rod McInnis, regional administrator of National Marine Fisheries Service.

Additional presenters will address regional updates, population dynamics, fishery impacts, in-stream flow problems and solutions, off-channel habitat rearing requirements, forest practices, watershed restoration, large woody debris enhancement, captive rearing, and more.

The hearing is open to the public. It is scheduled to be cablecast and webcast live by the California Channel: http://www.calchannel.com/.

An extensive research resource on the plight of Coho salmon in California that can be used to prepare for hearing is posted to Chesbro's Web site at http://asmdc.org/members/a01/.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Do consumers have a right to know if the foods they buy at the grocery store contain genetically modified organisms?

Pamm Larry, founder of www.labelGMOs.org, will be speaking on a proposed grassroots initiative to require mandatory labeling of genetically modified organisms in our foods.

The event will take place on Friday, Aug. 12, 7 p.m., at the Lakeport Lagoon Clubhouse, 1800 S. Main Street, Lakeport, and is being sponsored by The Committee for a GE Free Lake County (http://www.gefreelake.org).

Larry is the organizer of “Label GMOs: It's Our Right to Know,” a California ballot initiative for 2012. Visit http://www.labelgmos.org to find out more.

“On or around Aug. 15, contractors working with the East Lake Resource Conservation District will begin spraying ravenna grass, an invasive weed, on Cache Creek from a quarter mile below the Clear Lake Dam to the Yolo County line,” said Pardee Bardwell, BLM Cache Creek Natural Area manager.

White Water Rafting and the Back Country Horsemen will help move materials around in the Cache Creek Wilderness Area.

The ravenna grass will be sprayed with AquaMaster, a herbicide similar to Round-Up. AquaMaster may be used in all bodies of water including streams and rivers. No aerial spraying will be done and no spraying will be done on weekends.

“The purpose of this project is to remove ravenna grass, similar to pampas grass, from the target areas before they become a serious threat to the aquatic habitat of Cache Creek, including the north fork and the Yolo County portion,” Bardwell said. Ravenna grass, a non-native invasive weed, occurs in about 225 sites along upper Cache Creek and has spread downstream into Yolo County.

Field observations indicate that ravenna grass is having a pronounced effect on the Cache Creek native plant ecosystem.

Large stands of these large plants are altering successional processes and riparian community structure.

Individual plants produce thousands of seeds that disperse by both wind and water and the plants are moving downstream into Yolo County.

The eradication project is one of several in the Cache Creek watershed. Due to seed dispersal, plant monitoring and eradication is not limited by ownership boundaries.

Federal, state and local agencies; conservation and environmental organizations; and private landowners are cooperating in this large-scale project to remove non-native invasive weed species from the entire watershed including ravenna grass, tamarisk and arundo, Bardwell said.

Eradication of additional plants located on intervening private lands within the project area will be coordinated with the resource conservation districts in Lake, Yolo and Colusa counties and will complement BLM’s efforts.

For more information, contact Bardwell at 707-468-4055.

The Boggs Lake Preserve is home to the Western Pond Turtle, a species of special concern. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Lake County Land Trust is presenting a fundraiser for the Boggs Lake Preserve on Sunday evening, Aug. 28, at the Moore Family Winery on Bottle Rock Road, Kelseyville.

The event will feature wine and appetizers and a fascinating presentation by Sonoma State biologist Nicholas Geist on his study of the Western Pond Turtle at the preserve, which is located off of Harrington Flat Road.

A social hour will start at 5 p.m., followed by the lecture and power point presentation at 6 p.m.

The public is cordially invited to this event and reservations are requested in advance.

Tickets for this fundraiser are $30 each with payment taken at the door.

Please make reservations by calling the Lake County Land Trust office at 707-262-0707 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Funds raised at this event will be used to improve the Boggs Lake Preserve, including replacement of signage and trail maintenance.

The Boggs Lake Preserve has been owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy for many years.

Currently, The Lake County Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy have agreed to jointly manage the Boggs Lake Preserve on a short-term basis, with a view to eventual transfer of ownership of the Preserve to the Lake County Land Trust.

The 151 acres Boggs Lake Preserve, off of Harrington Flat Road on Boggs Mt. in one of Lake County’s gems of natural beauty.

Formed by a volcanic eruption more than one million years ago, the Boggs Lake Preserve lies in a lush forest of Douglas fir, Ponderosa pine, oaks and madrone trees.

This local treasure protects a large vernal pool which thrives with life when winter rains awaken it from its annual seasonal dry stage.

The preserve is home to numerous endangered and threatened plant species including the Boggs Lake hedge-hyssop, first discovered in 1923 in Lake County, and a rare sub-species of the annual wildflower genus Navarretia, first collected near Lower Lake in 1945.

Also in residence at the preserve is the Western Pond Turtle, listed by the Department of Fish and Game as a “species of special concern.”

Nicholas Geist, a professor of biology at Sonoma State University, who has studied the turtles at Boggs Lake for several years, will be the guest speaker at the Aug. 28 event.

Dr. Geist, who holds a Ph.D in Zoology from Oregon State University, has a research program at Boggs Lake. His research focuses on the fundamental aspects of Western Pond Turtle biology, including population dynamics and he is also concerned with conservation of the species.

The Moore Family Winery is located at 11990 Bottle Rock Road.

Please join the Lake County Land Trust in this effort to support one of Lake County’s most unique areas.

The Lake County Land Trust is a private, nonprofit organization that has been preserving valuable open space and natural habitats in the county since 1993.

The trust owns and operates the Rodman Preserve near Upper Lake and the Rabbit Hill Park in Middletown.

For information about the Lake County Land Trust go to www.lakecountylandtrust.org or call 707-262-0707.

This event is held at the Middletown Methodist Church Social Hall, 15833 Armstrong at Washington, Middletown, starting at noon.

The 4-H presentations are always delightful and interesting. And the food will be delicious. Lunch costs only $5 per person and goes to 4-H to offset expenses.

Lunch reservations are not required. Just show up and enjoy yourself.

The Middletown Luncheon Club meets every third Wednesday of the month from January through November, providing informative speakers and presentations to the community.

Different local nonprofit organizations provide lunch each month and receive a donation.

For more information about the Middletown Luncheon Club, or to be a speaker, contact Helen Whitney, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; or Linda Darms at 707-987-3494.

Karan Mackey, proprietor of the Inn, has invited Clarke to meet guests attending the annual event in downtown Lakeport.

Tasting of fine Lake County wines and delicious hors d’oeuvres from local restaurants is featured from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with dancing to the LC Diamonds in Museum Park from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Clarke, a Lake County resident and C.R.N.A. (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist), creates a new watercolor-on-silk painting each year and donates it to the Wine Alliance to be auctioned off during the annual charity event.

He has done more than 400 paintings in his specialty medium, many of which are in Lake County collections and public facilities.

His original painting, “Thankful in Lake County,” is on display at the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro in Kelseyville.

The Wine Alliance has reproduced the original art and proceeds from the poster sales, at $20 each, will benefit the nonprofit organizations and programs that have been selected as this year’s beneficiaries. The painting will be among special items up for bid during the live auction.

The 12th annual Lake County Wine Auction will be on Saturday, Sept. 17, at Ceago Vinegarden in Nice, which is serving as the host venue for the second year.

Two ticket prices will be offered this year. The Grand Tasting ticket will include an afternoon of wine and food tasting in the Ceago courtyard, a commemorative wineglass and tasting plate, and participation in the silent auction for $75 per person. This portion of the event will begin at 3 p.m. and conclude at 6 p.m.

The Grand Tasting and Auction Reserve ticket will include all of the items for the Grand Tasting ticket as well as a gift tote, reserved seating for the served, three-course dinner, the live auction, and dancing for $150 per person. This portion of the event will start at 3 p.m. and end at 9 p.m.

The attire for this year’s charity event is Wine Country chic. Attendees must be 21 years and older. Music in the afternoon will be provided by David Neft on the keyboard.

During the evening, entertainers Twice as Good will play for dancing. Lake County businessman Bill Brunetti is the honorary chair; Shaun Hornby and Stephanie Green are the auctioneers.

The Lake County Wine Alliance, a nonprofit organization of Lake County wineries, winegrape growers, and allied businesses whose mission is to foster the arts, benefit health services, and support the community while promoting Lake County as a premier grape growing and fine wine region, has contributed over $831,000 to local nonprofit organizations and agencies in the past 11 years.

Beneficiaries for this year are, by category: in the arts, the fine arts programs at five high schools; in health services, Any Positive Change, Catholic Charities-Rural Food Program, and Meals on Wheels programs at five senior centers; and in the community, Lake County Council of Church Women United, Lake County Literacy Coalition, Military Funeral Honors Team, Northshore Fire Protection District, Operation Tango Mike and People Services Inc.

Tickets are available through the Wine Alliance Web site, www.winealliance.org, or by calling 866-279-WINE to make reservations.

Mailed requests for tickets and reservations may be sent to P.O. Box 530, Kelseyville, CA 95451.