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October 23, 2014

Sierra Happenings

Events and Activities

South Yuba River Citizens League Salmon Raft Tours

Saturdays October 25th and November 1st – 9 am to 4 pm – Join SYRCL naturalists and raft guides from Environmental Traveling Companions for a float trip down the lower Yuba River to see spawning salmon. This fun day on a raft includes learning about the Yuba River ecosystem, the impacts of mining, and SYRCL’s work to protect endangered salmon. We’ll view one of SYRCL’s major restoration projects at Hammon Bar and witness wild Chinook salmon as they make their way from the ocean to their ancestral spawning grounds. Ages 8 and up.

6th Annual State of the Sacramento River Watershed Forum

October 30, 2014, Sheraton Grand Hotel, 1230 J Street, Sacramento, CA. Morning reception starts at 7:30 AM.
The aim of this year's Forum is to provide an opportunity for a more interactive and responsive conversation focused on current issues affecting the Sacramento River watershed.


Job Announcements

Sierra Institute for Community and Environment is hiring for Natural Resource Social Science Program Lead

Description: Sierra Institute for Community and Environment seeks a full-time employee to support effective social science in natural resource management.


Resources

2015 Salmonid Restoration Conference

The deadline to submit an abstract for the 2015 Salmonid Restoration Conference in Santa Rosa is October 31. The theme of the upcoming conference is Fisheries Restoration: Planning for Resilience. Instructions for submitting your abstract can be found at this link.

RFP: South Yuba Citizens League RFP for Educational and Interpretive Sign Design for Loney Meadow

SYRCL will be replacing and updating the signs along the interpretive trail at Loney Meadow in the Tahoe National Forest. SYRCL is looking for a talented graphic designer to create 9 beautiful panels that describe the history and natural beauty of Loney Meadow. Please see the RFP for a full description of the project. You are invited to submit a proposal or to forward this along to anyone in your contact list who may be interested in working on this project. Proposals will be accepted through November 14th, 2014.

Highlights

The Alliance Welcomes New Board Members

On Sunday, September 7, the Sierra Nevada Alliance held its Annual Meeting in South Lake Tahoe. Fifty two of our current Member Groups voted, in person or by proxy, easily meeting our requirement to have over 50% of our voting members elect new members of our Board of Directors. Besides electing new Board Members, a handful of Member Groups presented their past year’s work and future plans to the entire Board and select Alliance staff. It is always inspiring to hear success stories and motivating to know that there are so many great groups working on such important conservation and sustainability issues in the Sierra.

Thank you to all of our Member Groups and everything you do. To see a list and map of our Member Groups, visit the Alliance website.

Please join us in welcome to our new and re-elected Board Members:


The Alliance would not be the organization it is without the selfless support and countless hours the Board donates to the cause!




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The policy of the Resource is to include articles that appear in local or major media outlets relevant to Sierra conservation. We also include news releases, event notices, funding opportunities and job announcements sent to us from our Member Groups and friends. If you as a reader disagree with the content of a submission we encourage you to submit a letter to the editor of the issuing publication to reach the broader audience who read the article. You are welcome to forward your letter to the editor to the Alliance for inclusion in our new "Letters to the Resource" section. We also invite Letters to the Resource to be directly submitted on any article with which you're concerned.

Newsletter contents prepared by Kelly Miller.
If you have articles, events or announcements that you would like included in this newsletter or if you have feedback, please email kelly@sierranevadaalliance.org.

Recent News

Climate Change

Pentagon Signals Security Risks of Climate Change
New York Times, Coral Davenport, 10/13/14

Sierra Link: With global changes in the climate occurring, the Sierra and California will continue to be affected by drought conditions which the Pentagon is recognizing needs national attention.

Forestry

Vast landscape charred by King fire will receive emergency treatment
The Sacramento Bee, Hudson Sangree, 10/15/14

Sierra Link: Experts now worry that the devastation and the extreme temperatures of the fire, which scorched much of the soil and reduced its ability to hold together and absorb runoff, could lead to floods and mudslides when winter storms arrive in the Sierra.

It’s time to get the incentives right on wildfires
The Sacramento Bee, Ray Rasker, 10/18/2014

Sierra Link: In the Sierra, living with fire is becoming more common and costing the Forest Service more money, leaving less money for campgrounds and public trails for the public to enjoy.

Recreation

Trail Talk: The WILD Effect
Pacific Crest Trail Association, Liz Bergeron, October 2014

Sierra Link: How will the Pacific Crest Trail, part of which is located in the Sierra, change with upcoming publicity from a Hollywood film and book?

Obama declares new national monument in the mountains above Los Angeles
High Country News, Judith Lewis Mernit, 10/13/14

Sierra Link: With this new designation near such a metropolis, the Sierra could be directly affected with increased use and understanding by those who live nearby in Southern California.

Yosemite wants to increase entrance and campground fees
LA Times, Mary Forgione, 10/21/14

Sierra Link: The fee increase would be used in part to increase resource protection as well as repair facilities. In addition to Yosemite, the surrounding Sierra communities would directly benefit from a better-maintained park.

Water

The Risks of Cheap Water
New York Times, Eduardo Porter, 10/14/14

Sierra Link: Cheap water prices aren’t helping conservation efforts of water in California. With two-thirds of California’s developed water coming from the Sierra, this article highlights that “’Without prices or trade,…we will just get more diversion of rivers, more dams and more wells.’ And nothing will be fixed.”

Could desalination solve California’s water problem?
The Sacramento Bee, Matt Weiser, 10/18/14

Sierra Link: Water in the Sierra and throughout California is scarce. Could relying on desalination in some coastal towns reduce the demand for Sierra water?

Tahoe level at 5-year low; no Truckee River flows
Tahoe Daily Tribune, Scott Sonner, 10/21/14

Sierra Link: Drought in the Sierra is pushing Tahoe’s water level to below its natural rim for the first time in five years, which could spell disaster for a number of reasons.

Wildlife

California drought prompting extraordinary measures to protect salmon
The Sacramento Bee, Matt Weiser, 10/10/14

Sierra Link: This year’s drought is affecting Sierra rivers that need cold, flowing water in order for the Chinook salmon to repopulate.

Settlement Will Speed Recovery of Endangered California Frogs
YubaNet, Center for Biological Diversity, 10/15/14

Sierra Link: With the northern Sierra Nevada populations of the yellow-legged frog gaining protection in April 2014, this designation in Southern California may mean a quicker designation for the rest of the Sierra

Other Articles

Nevada wins the Tesla battery factory giga-race
High Country News, Jonathan Thompson, 9/8/14

Sierra Link: With close proximity to the Sierra, the giga-factory could have a direct affect on the local economy.


Sierra Nevada Alliance

P.O. Box 7989
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96158

phone: 530. 542. 4546
fax:530. 542. 4570

www.sierranevadaalliance.org

Since 1993 the Sierra Nevada Alliance has been protecting and restoring Sierra lands, water, wildlife and communities. The regional climate change program shapes and implements county and regional resource plans that promote smart land use, incorporate sustainable water management practices, aggressively reduce greenhouse gases and adapt to climate change.