Sierra Happenings

Events and Activities

Hike-A-Thon

Bear Yuba Land Trust (BYLT) invites the community to help raise $10,000 for local trails during the 1st Annual Celebration of Trails Hike-A-Thon Saturday June, 2 along the future Pines-to-Mines Trail in Nevada County.

Date: Saturday, June 2

Please click here for more details.

Geology Walk at South Yuba State Park

Like a surgeon, the South Yuba River has cut an incision across the Sierra Foothills topographic surface to expose the inner anatomy of the Sierra Nevada. The 20-mile long scenic river canyon within the park provides a cross-section of the ancient oceanic- continental tectonic plate boundaries of the area during Jurassic and older times. A new program in the park this year is a guided walk along the Buttermilk Bend trail that points out the interesting geology of the South Yuba River State Park.

Date: Sunday, June 3

Please click here for more details and to register.

GO VOTE! Satewide Primary Elections

We mentioned Prop 68 previously in the resource and all the reasons we feel so passionately about it.
In addition to Prop 68, we will vote on candidates and other measures that are important to Californians. Voting is action, so please don't forget to show up!

Date: Tuesday, June 5

Please click here for more details and to register.

California Invasive Species Action Week

The goals of the California Invasive Species Action Week (CISAW) are to increase public awareness of invasive species issues and promote public participation in the fight against California's invasive species and their impacts on our natural resources.

Date: Saturday, June 2 - Sunday, June 10

Please click here for more details.

Bat Talk and Walks

Did you know that colonies of migratory bats live under the Yolo Causeway during the summer? Join the Yolo Basin Foundation for a summertime Bat Talk and Walk event and learn all about these amazing and beneficial mammals.

Date: Weekly Through Summer

Please click here for more details and to register.

Job Announcements & Volunteer Opportunities

Wild & Scenic Film Festival Producer

SYRCL is hiring for a WSFF Producer to lead a team in the production of the largest festival of its kind in the US, taking place each January in Nevada City, CA. Under the supervision of the Executive Director, the Festival Producer is responsible for maintaining a sustainable and financially successful Wild & Scenic Film Festival that educates and inspires our watershed community and beyond. The Festival Producer is responsible for the oversight and management of the event overall and will directly manage logistics and fundraising

For more info, click here.

Administrative Assistant - El Dorado Community Foundation

The El Dorado Community Foundation is looking to hire an Administrative Assistant to increase efficiency at the Foundation.

For more info, click here.

Naturalists -Great Basin Outdoor School

Are you passionate about the outdoors, ecology, conservation, and working with kids? Great Basin Outdoor School is looking for candidates with a background in the natural sciences, experience working with kids, and a contagious enthusiasm for the outdoors.

For more info, click here.

Project Director - Compass Point

Project Directors lead (or co-lead) leadership development and capacity building offerings for CompassPoint’s clients, including cohort leadership programs, consulting engagements, and public workshops. They also play key program design, project management, and facilitation roles as part of highly collaborative teams.

For more info, click here.

Watercraft Inspector - Tahoe Resource Conservation District

Watercraft Inspectors will be responsible for inspecting watercraft for aquatic invasive species, watercraft decontamination services, documentation, reporting, on-site surveys, customer service and interaction with the general public and partners of the Tahoe RCD. Inspector positions will be for the Lake Tahoe Basin and Truckee region.

For more info, click here.

Resources

Save The Blue Heart of Europe

The world needs healthy rivers and lower impact energy options exist beyond hydropower. Tell the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), European Investment Bank (EIB), and the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) they must halt their Balkan hydropower investments before the last wild rivers in Europe are irreversibly destroyed.

Sign Patagonia's Petition Today.

Get more information here.

New Take Care Website

It only takes one click to get closer to Lake Tahoe’s unique natural environment thanks to more than 20 environmental organizations in the Tahoe Region. Take Care is a group of organizations that loves Lake Tahoe and strives to make it easier for people to find fun and interesting ways to learn more about Tahoe. Working together, the group launched the newly redesigned and easy-to-use site – a single information source for all environmental education activities.

For more info, click here.

California Black Bears Are On The Move

California’s black bears are active and hungry after a period of hunkering down through the winter. As a reminder, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) encourages people to help reduce unwanted encounters with this large mammal by being “bear aware.” People who visit or live in bear country can take actions that promote responsible behavior and safe co-existence with bears.

Learn how to be "Bear Aware", here.

Fund the Movie to Keep Squaw True

Sierra Watch, a nonprofit dedicated to securing lasting conservation for our favorite mountain places, is excited to be collaborating with the acclaimed Gaffney Brothers, to produce The Movie to Keep Squaw True. It's a love story about our connection to one of the most special places in the Sierra Nevada.

For more info, click here.

Become a 2018 Member Group of the Sierra Nevada Alliance!

Our goal at the Sierra Nevada Alliance is to protect and restore the Sierra Nevada by strengthening individual efforts and joining together as a region-wide force. The most integral component of the Alliance is our strong network of Member Groups. The goal of the Alliance Member Group program is to increase the value of this network as a resource to all involved through expanding our base of Member Groups. We work to actively facilitate collaboration amongst Member Groups to broaden our collective impact on behalf of the Sierra. Contact Sara Monson here

For more info, click here.

Highlights

#SnapTheSierra Photo Contest

Our contest is L I V E until June 15th!
Go vote for the most stunning "Sierra Snap" today!



Help us celebrate our 25th Anniversary by entering an image in our first-ever nature photography contest, Snap the Sierra. You could win some awesome prizes and have your photo recognized in official SNA publications.

Every dollar raised helps us strengthen our network and outreach on behalf of the Sierra.

Click here for more information and click here to enter the contest today! It's not too late to enter, so please share with the photographers in your life!

Click here to vote for the most stunning photo today!

Sierra Nevada Alliance's Sierra Keeper's Summer Event

Join us in celebrating our 25th anniversary! We have teamed up with Tahoe Tastings to offer exclusive cruise rides to our Sierra Keeper donors.

Purchase your mid-day cruise tickets here!

Purchase your sunset cruise tickets here!

SNAP Spotlight: Taylor Faye Benedict & Parker Flickinger

Taylor Faye and Parker, 2018 SNAP Members

Taylor Faye Benedict majored in Environmental Science with a focus on ecological restoration from Humboldt State University in May of 2017. After graduation, she was looking to gain experience in the field and make lasting professional references and resources when she was referred to ARC by a retired watershed council director. She reached out to the American River Conservancy to gather more information about the restoration work they do locally and ended up getting hired. Rather than the usual path of becoming an AmeriCorps member, being accepted into the SNAP program and then vying for a spot at the host site, she knew she wanted to work for ARC and then got involved with SNAP. Since joining the program, Taylor Faye has been very excited to be a part of this partnership and being able to take part in making a difference throughout California. She loves the opportunity to work with so many people that share a love of protecting natural resources and the great outdoors.

Parker Flickinger graduated from Southern Oregon University with a degree in Environmental Science and Policy. Parker was introduced to the SNAP program by his department chair. Hoping to continue his professional development, he eagerly applied. In school, Parker learned his passions lay not only in experiencing and studying nature, but also teaching other people about nature and science. As ARC’s Education Coordinator, Parker is constantly using both of these skills. He enjoys all the tasks assigned to him and how his job offers him the freedom to try different approaches to his assignments.

Major projects for the stewardship branch at ARC include continually working on our Giving Garden and native plant demonstration garden out at Wakamatsu Farm, sowing seasonally appropriate produce to donate to our local soup kitchen and food bank and tending to the variety of native grasses, shrubs and trees. For the past few months, Taylor Faye and volunteers have been working on restoring the riparian corridor off of the emergency spillway and the ~1 mile-long trail that circles the lake at Wakamatsu with native tree plantings and native wildflowers. Near Pollock Pines, we work on continual habitat improvement for red-legged frogs with volunteers helping in removing stubborn Himalayan blackberry bushes and planting natives to help control erosion on the steep banks and to keep invasive spread to a minimum. ARC has also been in the process of creating a multi-use public trail near Salmon Falls Ranch which included planting 70 oak trees and preparing and maintaining a ~mile long trail that we are calling the Acorn Creek Trailhead. American River Conservancy is hosting a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the public trail on May 4th.

Wakamatsu Farm host many different resources, from its history as North America’s first Japanese Colony to the migrating birds at its pond. In addition to its giving garden, Wakamatsu is leased to two farmers. Children of all ages come take field trips to Wakamatsu. These field trips are tailored to the needs and desires of each age group. For example, younger students may have a field trip focused more on the wild animals while older students may learn more about the Japanese immigrant history. Parker has been helping manage the Wakamatsu field trip program.

So far for her term, Taylor Faye’s favorite contribution to ARC is helping write a management plan for one of the local ranches which includes a botanical survey of native plants growing on the property. She eagerly looks forward to its completion. During the early spring, SNAP members Taylor Faye and Parker worked alongside American River Conservancy’s Stewardship Director Elena DeLacy to teach a naturalist certification course to better acquaint the community with local varieties of plants and wildlife. ARC hosted the semi-final for Nature Bowl, a California state-wide student natural science competition in late April. Parker prepared for this event by registering teams from the local schools. American River Conservancy also runs nature camp, a 4-week program during the summer where children get exposed to the natural world and are introduced to basic aquatic ecology and wildlife biology. Parker and Taylor Faye also plan to take part in the Great Sierra River Cleanup, along with several smaller river clean ups with community members to clean out old debris and junk left in the American River.

Having SNAP members hosted at American River Conservancy has allowed this small non-profit organization to accomplish more within the community both in the education and stewardship realms. With a full-time staff of only 6 people, having two more competent full time people to be extra hands, voices and bodies can make a world of difference. Both Parker and Taylor Faye help diversify ARC with their own individual passions they bring to the organization. Parker is currently the education coordinator and without his help our involvement with school programs and public education for children would be much less than American River Conservancy strives for. Taylor Faye loves to work with plants and has many goals for the future Wakamatsu Giving garden, including an interpretive plant map that would aid visitors in a self-guided naturalist walk around the lake at Wakamatsu. The motto of AmeriCorps is ‘Get things done’ and that’s exactly what Taylor Faye and Parker plan on doing this term!

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