About the event:

On April 19, the mountains are coming to Sacramento. Sierra Day at the Capitol is an event coordinated by Sierra Nevada Alliance, Sierra Business Council, The Sierra Fund, and League to Save Lake Tahoe to advocate for resource investments and specific budget asks to support our collective conservation and restoration goals benefiting the Sierra Nevada and the state’s water supply, air quality, carbon-storing forests, and premier recreation.

Members of the conservation community and the interested public are invited to attend. Together, we will advocate for critical actions to bring more protection, support, and funding to the vastly underfunded Sierra Nevada region.

Participants will hear from key state and regional leaders, network with like-minded individuals and organizations, receive training about how to share messaging with legislators, and conduct advocacy at the Capitol.

Register today to support the Sierra Nevada region and California’s water, biodiversity, recreation, and air quality. Registration is required and closes at 5 pm, on Friday Apri 14.

If you have questions, please contact Jennifer@sierranevadaalliance.org or call (530) 542-4546.

Our policy priorities:

This year, our priorities for legislative support will center on restoring funding to effective state programs that use nature-based solutions and conservation to build climate, wildfire, water, and community resilience.

Event speakers: 

California Natural Resources Agency Deputy Secretary for Forestry and Wildland Resilience Jessica Morse: Jessica is a leader of California Natural Resources Agency‘s efforts to increase the pace and scale of science-based forest management to restore healthy forests, improve watershed health, protect California’s unique ecosystems, and make Californians wildfire resilient.

California Department of Conservation Director David Shabazian: David directs the California Department of Conservation to deliver more integrated outcomes for carbon management, watershed management, hazards management, and sustainable economic development. From working the soil with his hands to leading policies for working lands, David is a lifelong champion for natural resource stewardship.

Sierra Nevada Conservancy Executive Officer Angela Avery: Angela leads the Sierra Nevada Conservancy by providing strategic direction and oversight to the Agency’s region-wide staff. As Executive Officer, she is committed to restoring the health and resilience of California’s Sierra Nevada-Cascade region.

California Tahoe Conservancy Executive Director Jason Vasques: Jason leads the California Tahoe Conservancy with a mission to lead California’s efforts to restore and enhance the extraordinary natural and recreational resources of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

More speakers coming soon.

Event agenda (times have changed slightly): 

9 – 10 am: Protect California Rally at the Capitol (Optional)

10 -10:30 am: Sierra Day at the Capitol Registration

10:30 – 10:45 am: Welcome and introductions

10:45 – 11 am: Legislative and budget process overview

11 am – 12 pm: Event speakers

12 – 1:30 pm: Working lunch (lunch will be provided + legislative meeting training)

1:30 – 4:30 pm: Legislative meetings

4:30 – 6 pm: Debrief at Fox & Goose (non-hosted food and drinks)

Location:

The morning briefing is in a conference room on the second floor of the Natural Resources Building. Participants DO NOT need to go through security. Look for signs and the building’s “grand staircase” outside the ground-floor auditorium.

Dress code:

Business or business casual. Wear comfortable walking shoes.

Why is this event so important?

Covering nearly 27 million acres, the Sierra Nevada and Cascade region is home to:

• 60% of the state’s water supply
• 50% of the state’s forest carbon
• 60% of the state’s animal species
• 50% of the state’s plant species
• Over 50 million annual visitors
• Numerous rural towns, communities, and Native American tribes.

Unfortunately, most people are unaware that the watersheds and communities in the region face unprecedented risks. Wildfires are moving faster, burning larger areas and at far higher severity than in previous times. Sierra forests are overgrown due to forest management choices in the last century and suffer from drought and higher temperatures. At the same time, many Sierra Nevada meadows and streams are degraded and need restoration and protection. All this threatens the Sierra Nevada’s ability to sequester carbon in its forests, protect the state’s water supply, provide wildlife habitat, offer ongoing quality recreation, and support the vibrant rural communities of the region. 

Despite its significance, the Sierra Nevada is historically under-represented in legislative and agency decisions about allocating state and federal funding for natural resource protection and management, including climate adaptation and mitigation, and associated emergency management issues. This year, the Governor proposed budget cuts to programs that have traditionally funded important forest and watershed restoration work – such as significantly cutting the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and Tahoe Conservancy budgets. 

We host Sierra Day at the Capitol to raise public recognition of the Sierra Nevada’s critical benefits and address key investment issues that can help restore Sierra’s forests, watersheds, and communities to a healthy and resilient state. By joining us, you will help amplify our message and push for funding critical for the region and the state’s water supply, air quality, carbon-storing forests, and premier recreation. Sierra Day at the Capitol is also an excellent opportunity to meet other inspiring people and organizations working to build thriving communities and ecosystems.

Check this page frequently for more updates as the date approaches.

Registering for this event will add you to Sierra Nevada Alliance’s email audience. You may unsubscribe at any time.