The Sierra Nevada Alliance Weekly

Not displaying correctly? Click to view this email in your browser

Weekly
Articles

November 5, 2014

Sierra Happenings

Events and Activities | Job Announcements | Resources

Events and Activities

The U.S. Forest Service announces a series of public meetings for Forest Plan Revision for the Sierra, Sequoia and Inyo National Forests

The meetings are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
6:00-8:00pm - Monday, November 17, Sierra National Forest, Holiday Inn, 5090 East Clinton Way, Fresno, CA
6:00-8:00pm - Tuesday, November 18, Sequoia National Forest, Supervisor’s Office, 1839 South Newcomb Street, Porterville, CA
6:00-8:00pm - Thursday, November 20, Inyo National Forest, Tri-County Fairgrounds, Tallman Pavilion, Sierra Street & Fair Drive, Bishop, CA
These “open house” styled meetings are primarily informational to share the issues and concerns the agency heard during the recently completed scoping phase. The meetings are an opportunity for the public to hear discussion how those issues and concerns are being used to frame a preliminary range of alternatives. There is no formal comment period associated with these meetings. As always, the Forest Service welcomes opportunities for thoughtful dialogue.

Federal and State Agencies Announce Public Meetings for Draft Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan

Public meetings will be held throughout the DRECP planning area and surrounding population centers between Oct. 20 and Nov. 13. The meetings are designed to help the public understand the draft DRECP EIR/EIS and to facilitate public comments. Meetings will include a presentation, information stations and an opportunity to submit recorded verbal and written comments.

Mono Lake at 20: Past, Present and Future
November 17, 2014, Sacramento, CA
To mark the 20th anniversary of a landmark decision, Berkeley Law is holding a symposium looking at the past, present, and future of Mono Lake. In 1994, the State Water Resources Control Board amended the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s right to water from Mono Lake and its tributary creeks.

Job Announcements

Check back for job announcements in the next Sierra Resource!

Resources

BLM Extends Nomination Deadline for Northern Calif. Advisory Council

The U. S. Bureau of Land Management has extended until Monday, Nov. 10, the nomination deadline for membership on the Northern California Advisory Council, a citizen group that advises the agency on management of public lands. There are 15 vacancies for terms of one, two and three years.

California Water Plan Update 2013

DWR will post the final version of California Water Plan Update 2013, tomorrow, Oct. 30. Update 2013 is designed to work in tandem, and help implement, the Governor’s Water Action Plan. The online release will include the Highlights booklet which outlines California’s strategic water roadmap.

Highlights

The Sierra Nevada Alliance's 9th Year of the Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Program begins in Yosemite!

Please join us in welcoming our new SNAP Members.

The Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership (SNAP) places twenty-seven AmeriCorps members at different conservation agencies and organizations throughout the Sierra Nevada to conduct watershed restoration and monitoring, watershed education, and volunteer recruitment and support. Members serve for 11 months with different conservation organizations and agencies across the Sierra to complete watershed restoration and monitoring, watershed education, and volunteer recruitment and support.

Below, SNAP members in a Yosemite Meadow getting acquainted with the Sierra. Photo by Lynn Baumgartner.

Comic

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

Ice loss sends Alaskan temperatures soaring
YubaNet, Alex Kirby, 10/17/14

Sierra Link: The temperature rise in the northern most US settlement may give us a glimpse of what’s to come for the Sierra Nevada but as the article points out, understanding and predicting climate systems is a complicated science.

Warning in climate change report is loudest yet by scientists
The Sacramento Bee, Neela Banerjee, 11/2/14

Sierra Link: The IPCC is issuing their strongest statement so far on climate change and it’s affects on the environment. With drought looming, the Sierra, which provides a majority of California’s water, is directly affected by climate change and actions to halt it.

Forestry

Forest Service, conservation groups reach agreement on management of the Sierras
Feather Publishing, 11/3/14

Sierra Link: After a decade long battle, a settlement agreement on the 2004 Sierra Nevada Framework Forest Plan Amendment has been reached. This amendment affects the management of the Sierra Nevada national forests in California.

Recreation

Defuse the West
High Country News, Ray Ring and Marshall Swearinger, 10/27/14

Sierra Link: With National Parks and BLM dotting the Sierra, this is an inside look at life for those who work on the front lines of public-lands everyday.

Debate: Is PCT winter hike 'asking for a death sentence'?
Reno Gazette-Journal, Benjamin Spillman, 10/27/14

Sierra Link: Two hikers are pushing the limits of what’s possible on the very popular Pacific Crest Trail, part of which is located in the Sierra.

Park Rangers Are Having to Tell People to Stop Taking Selfies With Bears
Takepart, Liz Dwyer, 10/27/14

Sierra Link: Stemming from an incident in South Lake Tahoe, the US Forest Service has issued a warning for visitors wanting to take selfies with bears -- it’s dangerous.

Water

A First: Drought Tops List of Californians’ Worries
KQED San Francisco, Craig Miller, 10/22/14

Sierra Link: Concerns from Californians over the drought and water situation in California is gaining momentum and could be driving support for Proposition 1 which would fund water projects around the state.

A surprise from Folsom Lake: Conservation is helping
KCRA.com, Tom DuHain, 10/23/14

Sierra Link: Water conservation efforts have the potential to reduce the demand for the dismal Sierra water supply that provides California with 60% of their water.

Wildlife

Reversing Course on Beavers
NY Times, Jim Robbins, 10/27/14

Sierra Link: Beavers are now gaining a positive reputation in the ecological community as beneficial to rivers and streams. Many ranches and landscapes in the West, including California and the Sierra Nevada have been encouraging beavers to move in and build dams.

New Report IDs 350,000 Square Miles of Additional Habitat for Wolves in Lower 48
YubaNet, Center for Biological Diversity, 11/3/14

Sierra Link: Researchers have identified areas in California and the West that could be excellent habitat for the Federally Protected gray wolf and has the potential for increasing populations of the wolves. Will we start to see wolves in the Sierra?