Another successful National Public Lands Day under our belt here at FOI! We got good work done blocking off motorized paths into new wilderness areas by Mammoth Mountain, painted lots of tables, and cleaned up the Glass Creek Meadow trailhead. A phenomenal Member Rendezvous Party at the Obsidian Flat Group campground followed the workday, thanks everyone for coming out; it was a nice relaxing evening with some great music by our talented members.
My group for the workday obliterated something like 7 campfire rings (one of which was the size of a bathtub!), and brought in and delineated the trailhead parking area a good 200 square feet or so. This will give a chance for some new Jeffrey or Lodgepole pines, or red firs to grow, and provide for just a little bit more biodiversity at that spot. It’s so good to see our volunteer base come out from southern California to the Bay Area to give back to our lands; they really need it. I hope that in coming years, we continue to provide good and meaningful projects for our wonderful volunteers to participate in, to come out and get dirty doing some real work to improve, protect, and restore the lands we all have stake in.
It’s also rewarding to work with our agency partners and other NGOs, as well as to have the support of local groups and businesses. It helps to have these partnerships to build a stronger volunteer base, as well as having the knowledge that we’re all in this together, and that we all care about these places in our own ways. I’ve had the privilege over the last three years to develop stronger relationships with all these groups, and obtain a broad perspective on just what it is that people love about the Eastern Sierra. Although California has a tremendous abundance of great places to visit, recreate, and appreciate, the Eastern Sierra holds a deep and special place for me that is truly unlike any other place in the world. Thanks for coming out and helping this place out with me!