In this month’s issue of the Juniper, read Alex’s August Stewardship Updates in his blog Post below. We are also happy to officially announce that we are recipients of the 2020 Wild and Scenic Rivers Stewardship Partnership Funding Award enabling us to do lots of great work in the Owens River watershed. I’m also excited to share “Birds & Blossoms in the Bodie Hills,” a virtual outing led by FOI’s own Jora Fogg, and Nora Livingston from the Mono Lake Committee. And we are hosting another virtual event “Sport Fishing in the Eastern Sierra,” presented by our Trail Ambassador, Lindsay…
Kyle Hamada
Additional Trail Ambassador for the Owens River Headwaters Wild & Scenic River Area Friends of the Inyo has received a grant to do some great work around the Owens River Headwaters Wild & Scenic River Area. Our grant entails doing restoration work to aid in ecosystem, riparian habitat, and stream quality, as well as sharing the area with a wider audience, particularly in the local schools. FOI has had an exciting hand in the history of this area, protecting it from development and promoting its designation as wilderness. Our Trail Ambassador, Julia Tawney, will be putting together a series of videos…
The fight for Conglomerate Mesa ramps up as K2 Gold takes over,and a proposed trail in Solitude Canyon threatens the health of the last remaining roadless canyons of the area. You will also find news of the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area draft plan Environmental Assessment and virtual meetings later this month. Finally, this month’s “Meet the Staff,” features Desert Lands Organizer, Bryan Hatchell, and FOI Trail Ambassador, Lindsay Butcher.
Read about what our 2020 Stewardship program will look like during this pandemic, updates on a few campaigns, get to know our Stewardship Director, Alex Ertaud, and so much more. We also plan to share many important updates on several campaigns very soon, so keep your eyes open for those as well. We are committed to being a part of the solution to racism. Our first steps are beginning justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) training for our staff and board, as well as working to integrate JEDI goals and policies into our organization’s strategic plan.
We Stand In Solidarity With The Black Community In recent months and weeks we’ve witnessed the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Nina Pop, Tony McDade, and David McAtee by law enforcement. These tragic and horrific events are only the most recent in a long history of acts of racism and violence committed against the African American community. We at Friends of the Inyo stand in solidarity with the Black community and support their fight for justice and for the end of the racism that exists throughout our society. We are listening. We hear you. We support you….
We stand in solidarity with the Black community and will continue our work to create equitable, safe, and inclusive outdoor spaces in the Eastern Sierra. We will not ignore the intersection of environmentalism and social justice because ALL people have the right to experience, enjoy, and feel safe in the outdoors.
In this issue of The Juniper, you can celebrate Endangered Species Day from home, participate in a virtual outings to Conglomerate Mesa, and make your voice heard concerning the use of e-bikes on non-motorized trails. We hope you enjoy this month’s issue of the Juniper. Thank you for your continued support, especially to those of you who have made or plan to make a donation for #GivingTuesdayNow. And if you haven’t given already, all donations will still be doubled by our Board of Directors, up to a total of $16,000. We are grateful for members like you, allowing us to…
We need your help. With some grant funding unavailable due to the pandemic, funding our Trail Ambassador program in 2020 will be more challenging than in past years. At the same time, we expect unusually high visitation to our region once travel restrictions are lifted and public lands reopened. As GivingTuesdayNow approaches, we are reaching out to ask for your support. Please consider making a donation this giving Tuesday. Double your donation! Our Board of Directors has committed to match all the donations we receive, up to $16,000. So when you make a donation of $100, our Board matches your donation,…
In this issue of The Juniper, we update you on the Haiwee pumped storage project, Keep Long Valley Green campaign, and status of the Bi-State sage grouse federal listing. We are also glad to provide some materials from Leave No Trace on indoor activities for kids and how to recreate responsibly outside during this period of social distancing, if you choose to do so. And finally, we provide resources to learn more about the closures of developed recreation sites by the BLM and Forest Service here in California.
In this Juniper, you will find updates on the Keep Long Valley Campaign, Panamint Valley lithium mining exploration, and Conglomerate Mesa gold mining exploration. You will also find several opportunities to attend events in March and April. Come explore the snow-covered Bodie Hills, gaze up at the dark desert sky with telescopes, explore Owens Lake and the thousands of migratory birds, or volunteer surveying plants in the remote parts of Eureka Dunes in Death Valley National Park!