|
|
Conservation Headlines
3/22/2001
Third-Graders Go to School in the Vineyards Hands-On Planting Project Teaches Stewardship and how Sustainable Practices
Can Fight a Troublesome Problem
ST. HELENA, Calif., March 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Penelope Butterfield's third
grade class will have a chance to make the connection between what they've
learned in class about the environment and the real-life issues facing their
hometown industry. On Friday, March 23, 2001, the third grade class of
St. Helena Elementary School in Napa Valley will take a trip to the Zinfandel
Ranch Vineyard of Trinchero Family Estates for a first-hand chance to
participate in a Riparian Restoration Project along the vineyard's Napa River
frontage. Trinchero Family Estates Vineyard Manager Todd Berg created the
Riparian Restoration Project for the winery as part of an ongoing effort to
find sustainable solutions to the threat of Pierce's Disease. Hugh Slesinger,
project coordinator for Acorn Soupe, a Napa-Sonoma non-profit environmental
education organization, will also participate, guiding the children through a
field study of the riparian ecosystem and its relationship to the vineyard.
The restoration work will continue along the river adjacent to the vineyard
throughout the remainder of the year as a comprehensive replanting plan
developed in cooperation with the California Department of Fish and Game.
"Trinchero Family Estates is a member of the Riparian Restoration Habitat
Workshop, a local cooperative group dedicated to finding
environmentally-friendly ways to deal with the problem of Pierce's Disease,
which is particularly prevalent along the riparian corridors bordering the
Napa River," explains Berg. "Removing host plants which harbor the bacteria,
and replanting with resistant native species is one way of reducing PD."
Vector insects ingest PD bacteria when they feed on host plants such as
mugwort, blackberry, and wild grape, then transmit the bacteria to cultivated
grapevines nearby. Pierce's Disease, a plant disease which quickly kills
grapevines by destroying the plant's water transport ability, is the most
serious natural threat to the wine industry since phylloxera, which destroyed
thousands of grapevines in the early 1990's. The blue-green sharpshooter has
been an issue in vineyards bordering riparian corridors for many years; the
new concern is that the bigger, stronger glassy-winged sharpshooter will be an
even bigger problem. Although the glassy-winged sharpshooter has not been
spotted in Napa yet, concerned vintners are looking at a number of sustainable
solutions to manage the potential problem.
Pam Smithers, mother of a third grade student in Ms. Butterfield's class,
and wife of Trinchero Family Estates Chief Financial Officer Mark Smithers,
heard about the project. She saw a great opportunity to incorporate a
hands-on experience for the children, who were studying natural science in the
classroom with Butterfield, a teacher with extensive background in
environmental education. "For many families in Napa Valley, our livelihood
depends on preserving our natural vineyard resources. It's important that our
children make that connection and understand that environment and economics
can go hand in hand." Todd Berg and his vineyard team worked with Smithers to
prepare a site next to the river for the class project. Host plants were
removed and flags where placed where the resistant species should be planted.
The children will receive instruction from Berg on how to dig the holes, and
install new Snowberry and California Rose plants to replace the non-native
ones. The planting session will be followed by additional instruction by
Acorn Soupe as Slesinger discusses the river habitat and how to keep it
healthy with the children.
Roger Trinchero, President and CEO of Trinchero Family Estates, is an
enthusiastic supporter of both the classroom project and sustainable
agriculture. "We are fortunate to have people like Todd Berg in our
organization who are passionate about the environment and have taken a lead in
putting principle into practice in our vineyards." says Trinchero. "The
result will be better wine and healthy vineyards. Who can argue with that?"
Trinchero Family Estates is owned and operated by the Trinchero family,
Napa Valley vintners since 1948. The company produces the fine wines of
M. Trinchero, Trinity Oaks, Sutter Home, Montevina, the alcohol-free wine Fre,
Soleo, and specialty food products under the Sutter Home label. For more
information about Trinchero Family Estates, visit www.tfewines.com.
|
|
|
Displaying 1 thru 10 out of 14 total
conservation headlines.
|
>
|
>>
|
|
|
|
Next
|
Last
|
|
|
