Alex Cousins,
New TCRCD Employee
It would be hard to imagine Alex Cousins ever getting bored with his new job at the District with all the hats he gets to wear. Alex, who joined the RCD in April, has quickly garnered new responsibilities as the need has arisen, kind of like a snowball rolling downhill in a blizzard, with a tailwind.
Some of his current roles include being the Trinity River Watershed Coordinator, a grants writer, Biomass Utilization Coordinator, and serving as the District’s CEQA coordinator for a Trinity River Restoration Program project. Alex has dived into each of these jobs with enthusiasm and surfaced with a grin.
As watershed coordinator he helps bring together local, state and federal natural resources agencies doing work in the Trinity River watershed. The purpose is to help improve communication, prioritize projects and create a synergy of efforts to achieve and maintain watershed health. As biomass utilization coordinator Alex works with the Northwest California Resource Conservation and Development Council to find and promote innovative applications for forest materials too small to be processed into boards. This woody biomass is often residue like tree limbs, tops, or undersize trees from fuels reduction projects or timber harvests and typically has no commercial value. The goal is to find applications that add economic value to this underutilized material that ordinarily is disposed of by burning. Applications include manufacture of specialty products, generation of electricity, production of pellets for heat, and other products such as garden mulch. As CEQA coordinator, Alex ensures the District complies with the California Environmental Quality Act and that the public receives ample opportunities to comment on proposed projects.
Alex is a Trinity County native. His parents moved to Hyampom in the early 1970s, and he was raised in that community until his parents moved to Weaverville in the mid-80s. He attended Trinity High School, got his Bachelor’s degree in anthropology and Latin American studies before heading to San Diego State University to earn his Master’s degree in Latin American Studies with emphasis in economics and politics. He enjoys traveling and has traveled extensively in Central and South America. When he finds time to play, Alex is out of doors, cycling, kayaking, hiking and exploring all the great places and activities Trinity County is known for.
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District Manager's Corner
by Pat Frost
Fall is a time of transition. If you garden or have fruit trees it is the time to harvest and then get things ready for winter. Pages of the autumn issue of Conservation Almanac always highlight transitions as well. The Trinity River Restoration Program’s Indian Creek Rehabilitation sites are done and it is easy to see how they have changed the river to take advantage of next year’s spring flows. Drive along the river and you can see these changes first hand. The banks of the river just outside Douglas City have been reshaped and exposed to the natural forces of flowing water – forces that will create a wide range of conditions necessary for fish.
The District is experiencing changes, too. Alex Cousins has joined us and I am excited about what he brings to the RCD family – not only his skills and experience, but also his enthusiasm for conservation and living in Trinity County. It is a transitional season for our AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards members, too. Christy Wagner will complete her term with us in December. Christy has been a wonderful asset to the District – and affected a lot of you through her work with children in the schools, at our summer day camp and at the Salmon Festival. Christy is poised for new adventures and all of us wish her great success in the coming year. The baton is being passed on to Tom Dey and Erica Spohn – our newest Watershed Stewards members, who will join us in January.
I’d like to take a moment to highlight another change. The District’s Board of Directors has established the Trinity County RCD Fund through the Trinity Trust and Humboldt Area Foundation. If you have ever wondered how you could help us meet the conservation needs in Trinity County for you, your children and grandchildren, this is one way. Please look at the article and then give us a call.
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Agritourism & Nature
Tourism Workshop
Save the Date!
Wednesday January 9, 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
at the McConnell Foundation in Redding
Featuring speakers on market trends, risk assessment, regulatory considerations and business planning. Local operators of vineyards, pumpkin patches, ranch B&Bs and U-pick farms will share their real-life lessons. Registration includes continental breakfast, lunch and a reference manual. Call (530) 628-5495 or visit http://cetrinity.ucdavis.edu
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