James Haufler

Categories

Non-Profit Organization

About

Growing up in a family of avid hunters and anglers, Jim learned to respect and protect the natural environment while roaming the mountains and valleys of northern California.

He attended UC Irvine, then joined Teacher Corps which sent him to Norfolk, VA.  There he worked as a Student Teacher at inner-city schools while attending classes at Norfolk State University. During those years, he volunteered as a youth counselor, which led to a job as a Juvenile Probation Officer after graduation.

After returning to California, Jim joined the Bell System/AT&T where he progressed through various assignments to become a National Account Manager. Later in his career, as a Director of Global Project Management, his AT&T team managed large/complex network deployments including capital projects for Royal Dutch Shell.

Jim and his wife, Marlene moved to Lincon in 2009.  They took time to explore the local area and quickly learned to appreciate the open spaces and hiking trails along Auburn Ravine. It was Marlene who spotted their first salmon there in 2010. Later that year, she also caught a glimpse of a rare Pacific Lamprey.

After doing volunteer work for other organizations concerned with the preservation of wildlife, and coordinating a Citizen Science Program along Auburn Ravine, Jim is now a Board Member and President of Friends of Auburn Ravine which was formed in 2016.

Friends of Auburn Ravine was established in 2016 to advocate for and implement a cooperative and collaborative approach to enhancing the diversity of wildlife in our local watersheds based on scientific studies and reliable documented observations. Using the concepts of reconciliation ecology, we work to maintain and improve the diversity of wildlife in such a way that human uses of the landscape can continue, and sustainable solutions can be developed for the benefit of all.

Our work includes:

  • Advocating for cost-effective modifications to water diversion systems to maintain efficient water delivery to agriculture and improve fish migration.
  • Identifying floodplain reconnection opportunities to reduce flood risk and increase rainy-season habitat for juvenile salmon, steelhead, and other wildlife.
  • Operation of a video system to provide a scientific basis for habitat improvement proposals by counting salmon and steelhead each season as they migrate up Auburn Ravine to spawn.
  • Surveying the extent of migration/emigration of adult and juvenile salmon and steelhead so habitat improvement resources can be focused on cost-effective projects.

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