Contra Costa Resource Conservation District provides free of charge, grant-funded technical assistance to farmers and ranchers that manage over 11,000 acres of row crops and 160,000 of rangeland.
Highlighting the Healthy Soils Program are nine short videos funded by a Technical Assistance Grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture's Healthy Soils Program, in partnership with the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District. The nine videos cover the following subjects:
The CCRCD has provided free technical assistance to row crop producers for over 70 years with the goal of conserving natural resources and building a strong farming community in Contra Costa county.
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In partnership with the USDA NRCS and other public and private landowners throughout Contra Costa county, the CCRCD works with landowners to improve rangeland conditions to meet ranching, conservation, and fire prevention goals.
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The CCRCD is proud to work with farmers that want to develop carbon farm plans and maximize carbon sequestration within their farm or ranch to promote soil health and enhance agricultural conservation.
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Skills: Permitting, conservation on agricultural land, illegal dumping prevention.
Fun Fact: Eagle Scout, former member of the University of California Marching Band, aspiring birder, and a Contra Costa native raised in Southern California.
Ben started working with Contra Costa RCD in January 2017 after receiving two Masters degrees from Indiana University in Natural Resource Management and Environmental Policy following undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley. Ben manages the Voluntary Local Program, the EcoStewards Program, and other conservation programs focused on agricultural lands.
Skills: Water conservation, Irrigation Audits, Data interpretation/analysis, Soil conservation.
Fun Fact: As a toddler Ishai lived on a cut flower farm. His first word was tractor. While working as a gardener, Ishai learned to backcountry ski, because being in the snow is much better than being in the rain.
Ishai has over 20 years’ experience in the landscape field, with 8 of those as an irrigation specialist. He is also a licensed landscape contractor. In 2016, Ishai returned to school as a returning adult student, first earning a Certificate of Achievement in Nursery Management at Diablo Valley College, and then transferring and graduating from UC Berkeley in 2022 with a BS in Conservation and Resource Studies, earning the departmental citation.
After graduating from Cal, Ishai worked as a Scientific Aid in the Groundwater Permitting Unit at the Regional Water Quality Control Board, reviewing groundwater discharge monitoring and reporting data.
Ishai has a deep interest in all things grass, soil and irrigation and has focused his studies on those fields.
Skills: Critical Thinking, Environmental Education, Community Engagement, Qualitative Data Analysis
Fun Fact: I consider myself a “micro-hiker”, or someone who notices and admires the tiny details and mini ecosystems all around (leaves, bugs, the interesting pattern on a rock, wildlife, fungi, moss, etc.).
With a B.S. in Society and Environment from UC Berkeley and a minor in Food Systems, Nat is a critical thinker; a passionate believer in collective liberation; and dedicated environmental steward. In the Berkeley community, they have been involved in many projects toward food justice and agroecology such as Pour Out Pepsi, the Berkeley Student Food Collective, the UC Gill Tract, and Berkeley Student Farms. From these spaces/efforts, their passion for sustainable food systems grew. They are excited to be part of the Urban Agriculture Team and help actualize sustainability goals that CCRCD and partners are striving toward!
2001 Clayton Road, Ste. 200
Concord, CA 94520
The Mission of the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District is to Facilitate Conservation and Stewardship of the Natural Resources in Contra Costa County.
