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Sometimes folks overlook the role farmers play in providing habitat for wildlife, not realizing efforts that some make to protect birds and other critters.

There was a reminder recently when Audubon California announced it reached an agreement with a farmer in Tulare County to safeguard a single colony of about 80,000 tricolored blackbirds -- nearly one-third of the world's population of this declining songbird.

The farmer, in this instance, declined to be identified, said Garrison Frost, a spokesman for Audubon. "He wants to remain anonymous," Frost said.

Through an agreement with Audubon California, the farmer will delay the harvest of 160 acres where the birds established a nesting colony. This delay will provide enough time for the young to leave the nest. Because the delay in harvesting will reduce the market value of the crop, Audubon California has agreed to compensate the farmer for any lost value.

Valley farmers' efforts to protect tricolored blackbirds are far from unprecedented.

Joseph Gallo Farms in Atwater, home to huge dairies, put thousands of acres of its land into a conservation easement that borders the Grassland Ecological Area, which includes the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge. The company also takes steps to delay harvesting in areas where the birds are nesting.

And Jerry Gragnani, who farms outside Helm on Fresno County's west side, maintains a wetlands restoration easement that brings birds that range from shore birds like the black-necked stilt to egrets and blue herons.

The estimated global population of tricolored blackbirds is about 250,000 to 300,000 birds, with at least 95% of them in California, according to Audubon.

Graham Chisholm, director of conservation for Audubon California, called the actions of the Tulare County farmer "a great victory for conservation, and an example of how conservation and agricultural interests can work together to find real solutions.

"We've found that the more we talk about these issues, the more we understand that we don't necessarily have to choose between the protection of important species and the economic interests of farming communities."

Dave Hardt and Scott Frazer, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Kern National Wildlife Refuge, had alerted Audubon California about the need to conserve the colony, and then helped to negotiate a voluntary agreement with the farmer.

Funding for the Tulare County agreement came from private funds and a grant from the California Department of Fish and Game through the Landowner Incentive Program.

Time to hit the trail

Opening ceremonies for the Fresno County Fruit Trail are scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday at Kingsburg's Swedish Village.

After the ceremony, attendees can enjoy the Kingsburg Farmer's Market on Draper Street. The Fresh Fruit Trail, which runs from May through September, features a drive through rural areas with stops along the way to purchase local produce direct from the farm. The trail already has 20 strawberry stands selling fresh-picked berries.

The trail goes through nine cities and has 50 places where people can stop, including farmers markets, heritage and cultural attractions, hometown festivals and special events.

Fresno County Fruit Trail maps are available at www.gofresnocounty.com and at visitor centers throughout eastern Fresno County. Maps also can be requested at (559) 262-4271.

Moth concerns

The light brown apple moth, a pest plaguing 11 California counties, has not been found in the Central Valley, but concern clearly abounds.

On Wednesday, the city of Reedley, along with the Fresno and Tulare county farm bureaus, will hold an informational forum on the pest, which has stirred considerable controversy on the issue of treatment with aerial spraying of a pheromone.

The meeting, which starts at 10 a.m. at the Reedley Community Center, is closed to the media.

Reedley City Council Member Scott Brockett said the closure was "the preference of" A.G. Kawamura, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, who will speak along with John Connell, CDFA's director of plant health and pest prevention services. "It was their preference, but ultimately our decision because it's an event we're putting on," Brockett said.

A news conference will follow the event.

Brockett said if the moth is found in the central San Joaquin Valley, the effects could hurt the region's economy and damage smaller cities such as his, which is in the heart of the tree fruit industry.

'Wind-proofing' almond trees

As the popularity of almonds leads farmers to plant more orchards, they're confronting a long-standing problem: how to prevent their valuable trees from blowing down during windstorms.

Because of their shallow root systems, almond trees are vulnerable to strong wind, and thousands blew down during windstorms in January.

University researchers are developing rootstocks that go deeper into the ground and studying pruning methods and other ways to help trees resist wind.