Occidential Arts and Ecology Center

Filing Period

Jan 1, 2012 to Dec 31, 2012

Signed

Nov 15, 2013

Return Version

2012v2.0

Gross Receipts

$2,436,732

Mission

Major Activities

Activity 2

Exempt Purpose Achievements in 2012: OAECs California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN) is a statewide network of sustainable agriculture organizations, including: Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, California Certified Organic Farmers, Center for Food Safety, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, and Ecological Farming Association. In 2012 the CalCAN program:1. Began researching and writing a white paper analyzing and making policy recommendations around the State of Californias assignment of AB 32 Cap and Trade revenue toward the conservation of farmland, and the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from California farms and ranches through the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. CalCAN convened an advisory group of current and former officials with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, several regional Resource Conservation Districts; farmers and ranchers; and members of other NGOs working in the area of climate change and agriculture. The paper will be written and distributed in 2014.2. Convened a policy analysis working group of ranchers, scientists and advocates to analyze the farmland mitigation requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act, and make policy recommendations to state and local policy makers toward more effective protection of farmland.3. Launched the Food and Farming Project, a group of organizations, businesses and individuals committed to securing a climate-friendly food and farm system for all Californians. We and our farmer members advocate for sustainable and organic food production methods that protect the environment. The goals of the Project are:a. Ensure that healthy food is available, accessible, and affordable as climate pressures mount.b. Support the economic viability of Californias food producers in the face of extreme weather patterns and a changing climate.c. Provide food producers and processors with resources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon using climate-friendly practices that also offer other health and environmental co-benefits.4. Collaborated with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) on national efforts to address sustainable agriculture and climate change and led a coalition of California-based NSAC members on a coordinated strategy to educate members of Congress about the importance of the conservation, organic and beginning farmer programs of the farm bill.5. Gave many presentations at conferences, and at farms and ranches, for farmers, researchers and policymakers on topics such as on-farm renewable energy generation, the climate benefits of farmland protection, the role of organic agriculture in climate protection, and agricultural adaptation to climate change.

Activity 3

OAECs Mother Garden Biodiversity Programs exempt purpose achievements in 2012 included: 1. The OAEC Mother Garden stewards a large and rare collection of ornamental plants and food crops, while serving as an open-air classroom to demonstrate organic horticultural diversity. To ensure that all future horticultural operations at the site are free of synthetic chemicals, and in participating in the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) certification program, a permanent agricultural easement has been placed on OAECs organic gardens by the Sonoma Land Trust in 1994. 2. OAEC's primary horticultural research work is in the area of bio-intensive gardening. We aim to cultivate healthy diverse soil and garden ecosystems that are highly productive and less susceptible to harmful insects, viruses, fungi and bacteria. OAEC has shown that the fertility of marginally productive soil can be enlivened and enriched without mechanized farm equipment and chemical inputs, and with a minimum of organic inputs from outside the system. The site demonstrates, for students and the visiting public, an array of horticultural methodologies that are sustainable and enhance the vitality of the land where they are implemented.3. Over many years, we have gathered some 3,000 varieties of annual ornamental plants and food crops, and maintain a diverse collection of 1,000 edible, medicinal and ornamental perennials including hundreds of heirloom and unusual fruits. The seed saving efforts of the OAEC gardens have focused on preserving the genetic heritage of ornamentals and cultivars through trailing and growing out for seed and vegetative propagation varieties that are well suited to the temperate conditions of coastal Northern California. 4. OAEC's research is shared with others through our public education efforts. Throughout the year, the Center teaches numerous day long to 2-week long workshops in which participants learn practical skills on how to grow and save seed, garden design, bio-intensive techniques, plant selection, soil fertility management, and composting. OAEC instructors also provide presentations and workshops at major conferences, colleges and to horticultural groups around California. We are frequently invited to participate on radio shows and have been featured in many articles about horticulture and gardens.5. OAECs Horticultural Biodiversity Program disseminates extensive selections from our collection to thousands of gardeners at our dozen Biodiversity Plant Sales hosted annually at OAEC, and at seed exchanges that we sponsor for hundreds more gardeners and farmers at annual national conferences (such as the Ecological Farming Conference and the Bioneers Conference). We also provide tens of thousands of plants from our collection to more than 150 school gardens throughout Northern California, more than 50 community gardens in the urban centers of the Bay Area, and several dozen special gardens established at food banks, youth centers, womens shelters, and county jails.

Filer

EIN

68-0359676