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Upper Valley Recycling
In March 1999, the CIWMB awarded contracts to two partnerships in the Napa/Sonoma area
to demonstrate the effectiveness of mulch on hillside erosion control in vineyards. Both
groups spread mulch made from yard trimmings on hillside vineyards in the winter of 2000
and will monitor erosion after each major storm event until May 2001. The partnership
headed by Upper Valley Recycling, a Napa Valley composting facility, received $80,000 in
project funding. This team will apply mulch on hillside vineyards between the vine rows to
reduce erosion. Members of this partnership provided matching funds in excess of the
contract funding.
An article from the August 1999 issue of Wine Business
Monthly discusses the studies and the importance of erosion control in hillside
vineyards.
Goals
- Develop markets for mulch made from municipal yard trimmings.
- Increase the use of mulch in agriculture.
- Create public/private partnerships that will produce meaningful and credible study
results.
Partnership Organization Upper Valley Recycling.
Contract Manager: Bob Pestoni, Upper Valley Recycling.
Key Partners: Upper Valley Recycling, Terra Spase, University of California
Cooperative Extension, Edgar & Associates, Inc., Upper Valley Waste Management Agency,
Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group, Napa Valley Grape Growers Association, California
Refuse Removal Council, Napa County, and Lake County.
Participating Vineyards: David Abreu Vineyard Management, Renteria Vineyard
Management, Michael Wolf Vineyard Services, Ron Wicker Management, and Domaine Chandon.
Project Components
- Partnership Development and Implementation of Work Plan.
The partnership team will
meet periodically and develop a detailed work plan for evaluating the use of mulch for
erosion control in vineyards. Erosion control will be monitored through the spring of
2001.
Development and Dissemination of Information. During the course of the contract, the
partnership team will develop and disseminate news releases, fact sheets, and other
outreach materials.
Coordination of Field Days and Workshops. The partnership will conduct at least two
field days or workshops while work is in progress and at least one workshop for wine grape
growers at the conclusion of the demonstration.
Project Evaluation. Throughout the project, the team will evaluate soil loss and
changes in the physical properties of the soil.
Submission of Quarterly and Final Reports. Quarterly reports will convey project
progress while the final report will summarize project protocol and findings.
Purpose
- Demonstrate the value of mulch for hillside erosion control in vineyards.
- Disseminate the results of the demonstration project to wine grape growers in the Napa
Valley and throughout California’s wine grape growing regions.
Contact:
Brian Larimore |
