O U R | T O P | S T O R Y
SRT earns $300k youth grant from state
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Resources will expand youth outdoor access
(VISALIA, CA) - Cal Resources has awarded major funding to Sequoia Riverlands Trust's education program, the state agency recently announced. A $300 thousand grant will be distributed over three years for the purpose of supporting youth access to ...
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sequoiariverlands.org
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ABOVE: Students participate in SRT's summer outdoor programming at Lake Sequoia, summer 2021. (IMAGE: Aaron Collins)
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F R O M | T H E | E. D.
Mapping the future
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ABOVE: Logan Robertson Huecker, PhD, SRT Executive Director.
(IMAGE: SRT)
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Dear Friends of SRT:
I’m looking at an 1884 map of Tulare County, squinting over my own glasses to read the tiny printed names of 19th century farmers, ranchers, and rural school districts. So much of the Valley as we know it today is already there: the grid of country roads, the main streets and neighborhoods that today are the heart of our towns and cities.
I can also trace the historic flows of the Kaweah and Tule Rivers from their headwaters in the Sierra through the foothills to the Valley floor, where they fan out across the land to gather downstream as Tulare Lake - the way that water shapes land and people displayed in exquisite hand-drawn detail.
So much has changed in our region since the creation of this map, and yet I find myself returning to it for a sense of what was - perhaps with a hope that understanding what is behind us will help us create a better map of what lies ahead.
This past month, SRT Board and staff engaged together in an intensive process of strategic planning, developing the outlines of the map that will guide our work for the coming years. Protecting productive agricultural lands, conserving habitats, and improving habitat connectivity through conservation and land repurposing, together with related public policy advocacy, have never been more important.
We will continue to steward, improve, and sustain our critically strategic agricultural and natural landscapes. With a consideration for how our work impacts diverse stakeholders, we will engage with various communities to identify how we can support their goals, including goals related to groundwater sustainability. As SRT moves into 2022 and beyond, we are also thinking about organizational sustainability: the staff, volunteer, and financial capacity needed to carry our work forward and preserve the natural and agricultural legacy of this region.
The map in front of me is a reminder of the lives and work that have come before our own: the native people within whose traditional homelands we work, and who continue to live on and share these lands; the farmers and ranchers with names writ small and large; and the staff, Board members, and volunteers who have helped SRT become the accredited regional land trust for the Southern Sierra Nevada and San Joaquin Valley. We are dedicated to this important work as new partners join the effort for the benefit of our communities, economy, and region - and we hope you will continue to join us as we build upon this amazing history and chart a path forward for Sequoia Riverlands Trust.
Sincerely Yours,
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Logan Robertson Huecker, PhD
Executive Director, Sequoia Riverlands Trust
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S R T | G O V E R N A N C E |
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Former Schwarzennegger official Chrisman elected Board Chair
(VISALIA, CA) - Prominent conservationist and former Schwarzennegger cabinet member Mike Chrisman of Visalia was elected Chair of the SRT Board of Directors after joining the Board in 2020. A fourth-generation Californian, Chrisman is...
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sequoiariverlands.org
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S R T | P R O T E C T E D | L A N D S |
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Artificial burrows offset burrowing owl habitat loss
By Ben Munger, SRT Director of Mitigation and Land Management These Californians can relate to a bad housing crisis. The burrowing owls of California, that is, who have found their natural habitat dwindling over the decades...
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sequoiariverlands.org
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O N | T H E | P R E S E R V E S |
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Rare wildflowers make annual appearance at Lewis Hill
By Jonathan Vaughn, SRT Land Steward
(PORTERVILLE, CA) - Dotted by cattle and small farms, the land around SRT’s Lewis Hill Preserve near Porterville rises to offer amazing views and something even more rare: Unusual wildflowers found only in our ..
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sequoiariverlands.org
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S R T | and | A M E R I C O R P S |
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Meet Our AmeriCorps Member: Dimitri Katsiouleris |
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(VISALIA, CA) - SRT's mission is fulfilled with key collaboration from AmeriCorps Members who come to us each year from around the United States to work alongside SRT staff.
This year is no exception, with three new AmeriCorps Members.
Dimitri Katsiouleris, AmeriCorps Member, is a recent UCSB graduate in Aquatic biology, but it is his interest in environmental restoration that led him to work with Sequoia Riverlands Trust. He believes that restoration activities are crucial for diverse, and resilient ecosystems that we all enjoy and rely upon.
If you see Dimitri out on the SRT preserves battling non-native species and conducting other important conservation work, be sure and say hello!
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SRT '2020 Mission Advances' highlights year's impacts
(VISALIA) - If you haven't already, get your copy of "2020 SRT Mission Advances," our most recent annual impact report. Contact silvia@sequoiariverlands.org if you would like to receive your copy.
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sequoiariverlands.org
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ABOVE: Wild mustard blankets the hillside at SRT Lewis Hill Preserve's annual Wildflower Walk. IMAGE: Courtesy of Michael Alvarez, Alvarez Photography Studio
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S R T | A D V A N C E M E N T |
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By Nadia Omar
SRT Advancement Officer
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Thank YOU!
As we advance further into 2022 I think more about gratitude. To you, our donors, visitors, volunteers, students, and overall contributors to SRT's important mission of inspiring love and lasting protection for Central California’s important lands.
You are part of a strong community that has conserved over 44,000 acres, educated students in soil health, and built a lasting legacy for our community to enjoy for many years to come. This barely scratches the surface of all that has been accomplished. We are grateful for your hard work and ongoing dedication.
Thank you for continuing to give in all the ways that you do. Our land and people need you now more than ever.
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PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING SRT! |
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Your contribution can make a BIG difference! |
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