A Tiered Approach to IPM: Beneficial Birds and Gopher Trapping

Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) and UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) invites you to a free, in-person event with Il Fiorello Olive Oil Company in Fairfield, CA. At this Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) field day, we will discuss key integrated pest management practices for organic and sustainable farms, including demos on how to set up songbird nest boxes and effectively use gopher traps.

Farmer and owner, Ann Fiorello Sievers, will share how Il Fiorello grows and mills olives for oil production, in addition to fruits and veggies that go into their value-added products and their bistro. They are dedicated to growing everything organically and sustainably. They compost food waste from the bistro, have many owl and bird boxes, intercrop in the orchard middles, and practice many other sustainable methods on the farm.

Dr. Roger Baldwin will cover some control techniques for burrowing rodents, including gophers and voles, such as using biological control, habitat modification, cultural practices, exclusion, and trapping. Dr. Breanna Martinico will discuss beneficial birds to control burrowing rodents as well as other pests, and how to promote more bird diversity on your farm. Dr. Baldwin will then demonstrate how to set up gopher traps, and Tom Clark will demonstrate how to install a songbird nest box. We will wrap up with a discussion of how to practically implement practices like these in order to transition to organic.

Speakers:

Ann Fiorello Sievers, Il Fiorello Olive Oil Company

Dr. Breanna Martinico, Human-Wildlife Interactions Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension

Dr. Roger Baldwin, Human-Wildlife Conflict Resolution Specialist, UC Cooperative Extension

Tom Clark, Consultant, Clark’s Sustainable Systems

Details:

1.5 hours of DPR CEUs applied for.

The address for the event is 2625 Mankas Corner Rd, Fairfield, CA 94534. Here is the Google Maps link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/o94FCXaNWNCLfbsG9

Make sure to bring comfortable walking shoes and a hat as we will be walking in the field to see the demos.

Coffee, water, and snacks will be provided.

Lunch will not be provided, however you are welcome to stay after the event and have lunch at Il Fiorello’s bistro. Please make a reservation beforehand by calling (707)-864-1529.