Just Announced: BIG NEWS for local conservation!

Eastern Sierra Land Trust ◊ January 2017 E-Newsletter

Here in the Eastern Sierra, 2017 has kicked off with lots (and lots) of snow, plus some great news that we're excited to share with you.


	The snow is piling up in my backyard in Round Valley!

We've been asking for snow for five years now, and we're thankful that we finally have it... But maybe it would have been OK if it had come down over a month or two, rather than all at once!

Snowpack in the Sierra is at about 200% of normal for this time of year. This will help our "summer water savings account" be more robust, and I can't wait to see the wildflowers later this spring. Our hearts go out to all those who have been impacted by recent road closures, accidents, and delays - please drive slowly and carefully.

As for our BIG NEWS, we are thrilled to be the lead partner in a project that will bring $8 million to landowners in our area to help conserve the Bi-State sage grouse and improve ranch water quality.

This money won't be going to Eastern Sierra Land Trust or any of our conservation partners. Instead, it will go directly to landowners and ranchers who want to complete on-the-ground work to improve habitat, reduce pollution, and more. You can read more about this exciting new funding source below. And if you see ESLT Land Conservation Program Director Sus Danner around town, please make sure to give her a big CONGRATS for spearheading this important effort on behalf of our community.

Happy New Year,

Kay Ogden, Executive Director

[email protected]

UPCOMING EVENTS

Click Here for our Events Page

Martin Luther King Jr. Community Volunteer Day (rescheduled event)

Saturday, January 28 from 9:00 am - 12:30 pm

Meet at the Bishop Paiute Cultural Center (2300 W. Line St. in Bishop) at 8:45am

To honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., come together with our community to clean up and care for a priceless cultural resource: Rattlesnake Village, a prehistoric occupation site on the Volcanic Tablelands. Learn more and sign up by contacting Indigo at [email protected].

$8 MILLION to Support Local Conservation

New fund will help Eastern Sierra landowners protect sage-grouse and improve water quality

In a landmark victory for local conservation and the long-term health of the Eastern Sierra, the USDA's Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) has created a new, $8 million fund to help landowners in our area protect greater sage-grouse and improve ranch water quality.

This is BIG news for the future of Eastern Sierra conservation! This new RCPP fund will ensure that sage-grouse - along with other wildlife species like pronghorn, golden eagle, and mule deer - will continue to exist harmoniously on ranchlands for many years to come.

Ending 2016 On a High Note

Thanks to supporters like you, 2016 was a great year for Eastern Sierra conservation

Thank you - we're so grateful to have your support. In the final weeks of 2016, your generosity helped us meet our financial needs and close our funding gap for the year.

This means that Eastern Sierra Land Trust is now better prepared to take on new challenges and conservation opportunities in 2017 - and that's thanks to members like you.

With your support, you protect more of the homes for wildlife, family ranches, and incredible open views that make the Eastern Sierra extraordinary. And thanks to you, kids from all walks of life will have the chance to connect with our lands and waters, developing lasting bonds with this special place.

With your support, you're shaping a better future for the Eastern Sierra lands you love. Thank you for caring.

Honoring the Legacy of MLK Jr.

Volunteer January 28 to help protect a cherished cultural resource on the Volcanic Tablelands

To honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., join us THIS SATURDAY as we team up with local Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership Members, friends from the Bishop Paiute Tribe, and the BLM for a volunteer day at Rattlesnake Village: a prehistoric occupation site on the Volcanic Tablelands. To sign up, email Indigo at [email protected].

Note: originally scheduled for 1/14, this event was postponed due to flooding. We are on track to hold this event on Saturday, but are keeping an eye on the roads after all this recent snow!)