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Saving The Sierra: Grassroots Solutions for Sustaining Rural Communities is a 54-minute radio documentary that took more than 2 years to create. And yet, on the eve of our national broadcast premier, it's clear that we are just beginning a new phase of this regional media project. We are ready to connect these stories to a wider audience, to make sure that real rural voices are heard on the mountain tops, down in the valleys and the prairies, and all the way to the coasts.
Give our documentary a listen here online.
We're interested to hear what you think about the show. Because listeners are a large part of the ongoing conversation. The one that needs to take place between rural folks and city dwellers, environmentalists and ranchers, conservationists and developers and old timers and new comers to this place we all love.
Even though it took a few years to meet, mingle with and get to know these voices (who are our sources) in the Sierra, that relationship building is what helped us to find stories that resonate with listeners around the country. Not only the stories of conflict among us. That's pretty easy to find. But we intentionally sought to focus on the collaborative processes that, over that years, can move communities forward.
Along the way, we heard from more than a few editors that, basically (and to paraphrase), collaboration is just not as sexy as conflict. All that relationship building, all that talking, all the haggling over how to work it out just isn't news. It's not headlines. It's not hot.
Yeah, OK. I might agree. It's not news. But it is a story. And it seems to be a pretty big story here in the Sierra. From what I've been hearing and reading, it seems to be one of the possible ways forward for communities around the country.
We'd love to hear about how collaboration and this conversation is going in your community, whether in or outside of the Sierra.
Please comment right here on our Blog.
Great Work
Catherine and jessika have put together a remarkable piece of radio drama. The sounds of our home, the sense of the place, its meaning in people's lives, all beautifully captured.
The quality of the program is a testament to jessika and Catherine's ability to actively listen to the voices of the region and tell the story from the perspective of the people who live here, those who have decided to make the Sierra Nevada the place where they can make a difference.
The story of the Sierra is the story of rural America--rural and urban America bound together in a dance of environmental and economic systems, a balance between the never ending pressure of urban demand for resources, recreation and escape and the rural ethic that feels a tremendous closeness to the land. This dichotomy has shaped American history and culture.
I hope this documentary spurs a vigorous discussion within our community about what's next. How do we adapt and change to meet the challenges of the future? Can we redefine development in the Sierra Nevada to reduce environmental impacts, create more equity, and care for our citizens? Can we manage landscapes to improve ecosystems and maintain a sense of place? Can we do what we need to do to help the Sierra Nevada become a leader in adaption to and mitigating climate change?
Thanks to Catherine and jessika for egging us on!
Steve Frisch
Sierra Business Council
Saving the Sierra Broadcast
Excellent job on your one-hour radio special on Saving the Sierra. This is an important subject. I am very pleased to see someone take the lead on discussing the environment situation in the Sierras. I live in the Carson Valley on the east side of the mountains and have been involved in a number of issues from co-recreational use, such as snowmobiling versus cross-country skiing, to watershed restoration. People must become aware land use issues before they become irreversible. Good land use planning is a reasonable approach to many crucial issues facing the west today. Thank you for producing this piece for public broadcast.
Judy Larquier
Minden, Nevada
Powerful Piece
I grew up my entire life in the Sierra Nevadas. This documentary really hit a powerful chord with me. I work in politics in Sacramento now, but I cannot wait for the day that I can move back to Tuolumne County, where I grew up.
As a lifelong Republican and activist, I also consider myself an environmentalist. I think we all are to a certain degree. We need to realize as a party that environmental conservation is inherently conservative.
Thank you for bringing this to us!
Mason Harrison
Immediate Past Chairman, California College Republicans
Excellent Show, fabulous people!
It has been my honor to be a partner in the "Saving the Sierra" project from the beginning. And it is very exciting to hear the final product of the enormous amount of work that Catherine and jesikah have put into this very important effort. I am very proud of them and I congratulate them on their excellent show. Excellence breeds excellence and these two extraordinary artists have collaborated on a fabulous presentation that serves the cause of "Saving the Sierra" extremely well. I urge everyone to listen and to consider their roles in preserving this extraordinary landscape that we all love -- the majestic Sierra Nevada. Congratulations!
Gary Noy
Director
Sierra College Center for Sierra Nevada Studies.
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