Patrick grew up in the Bay Area and studied public policy and economics at Pomona College. He is passionate about responses to the climate crisis that are socially just, ecologically regenerative, and meet our economic needs. He serves as the Climate Action Coordinator for the City of Alameda.

Building Climate Resilience with Carbon Farming in Alameda
A low-lying island city on the San Francisco Bay, the City of Alameda is one of the cities most vulnerable to climate change in the East Bay. The City is making carbon sequestration an integral part of their effort to increase climate resilience in their updates to the Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP), Zero Waste Implementation Plan (ZWIP), Urban Forestry Plan, and other policies. Strategies include working with urban farms and gardens, committing to using a minimum amount of compost every year, supporting Climate Victory Gardens, and supporting habitat enhancement along its coastline. Patrick Pelegri-O'Day, the city's Climate Action Coordinator will discuss the role carbon farming plays in these plans, the city's strategies for and status of implementation.

Kelly works on compost and mulch education to public agency staff and landscape professionals, monitors organics-related regulations, and manages StopWaste's rangeland property. Kelly is also an ecologist turned landscape architect turned compost enthusiast, and uses her power for good by overseeing carbon farming on the property as well as a conservation easement.

Working with Cities and Partners to Expand Carbon Farming
StopWaste will present an overview of how cities can participate in the growing carbon farming movement, and provide examples of how cities have incorporated carbon farming and other organics based practices into climate resilience planning, urban forestry plans, design standards, purchasing, landscape management, and staff education. Attendees will also learn about opportunities to reach beyond their boundaries through collaboration with other public agencies, utilities, and special districts. Also discussed will be the effort to add to the carbon farming knowledge base by providing data points from the urban landscape.

Ian Howell has supported voluntary restoration and enhancement projects at the Alameda County Resource Conservation District for over five years as a resource conservationist. He has managed several grant-funded programs including Alameda Creek Healthy Watersheds, Rangeland Resilience, and Carbon Farming. Ian also coordinates the Alameda Creek Watershed Forum and collaborates with public agency partners and private agricultural producers on land management topics. He received a master's degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania in 2012.

California's Resource Conservation Districts: Partners in Carbon Farming
California's Resource Conservation Districts (RCD's) are charged with implementing carbon farming throughout the state, and almost every county has its own RCD. RCDs have produced more than 30 Carbon Farm Plans working with farmers and ranchers across the state covering over 34,000 acres, and are actively exploring the next steps of implementation. Over the last few years, the Alameda County RCD (ACRCD) has partnered with StopWaste to develop and implement a carbon farm plan for the agency's property in the Altamont Hills. The Alameda County RCD (ACRCD) will be here to talk about this project, other public and private partnerships, and the carbon farming process.ÊAttendees will also learn about opportunities and mechanisms for funding and the ACRCD's collaboration beyond Alameda County via the Greater Bay Area Regional Carbon Farming Hub (GBACH).