Conservation/Media Panel at Sierra College Identifies Key Issues to Sierra Future

Posted by Catherine Stifter

May 21, 2008

Earlier this month, Saving The Sierra was invited to address "The Future of the Sierra Nevada" at the spring lecture series on this magnificent mountain range held annually at Sierra College in Rocklin. Additional speakers for the panel discussion included Jim Branham, Executive Director of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy , Jeff Darlington, Executive Director of the Placer Land Trust , Dan Macon, farmer, rancher and Director of Conservation Programs at the Nevada County Land Trust , and Terry Davis, Director of the Motherlode Chapter of the Sierra Club . I applaud and thank series hosts, Joe Medeiros and Gary Noy, for inviting me to represent our regional media project on this panel.

I pondered, how does an independent regional media project fit in with these conservation organizations? Then as I looked around the room at the 50-some student and public members of the audience, I saw more than half a dozen folks whose stories can be heard on our Storybooth. And I realized that I had the perfect opening act. From a media maker's perspective, the future of the Sierra Nevada begins with people who can articulate their love for and connection with the land and show how this connection translates into grassroots action at "dirt level" to preserve the economy, environment, and culture of our region.

I began my presentation by sharing the story of Attilio Genasci, a conservation pioneer, who spent his life ranching in the Sierra Valley. Genasci inspired others to use conservation easements to preserve open space, wildlife habitat, and the ranching way of life. He passed away this year just before his 99th birthday. Just a few minutes listening to Attilio brought tears to many eyes in the room. Storytellers who are intimately and genuinely connected to their places truly can open hearts and change minds.

Unlike the other organizations on the Sierra College panel, STS hasn't saved one square inch of forest, nor restored any creeks or rivers nor crafted one word of a General Plan. But our radio programs and Web site tell the stories of people who have rolled up their sleeves and done the tough work of creating solutions for sustaining rural communities. Our hour-long documentary has already been heard on 129 public radio stations around the country. And, in collaboration with the Sierra Business Council, we've created an online Toolkit for listeners who want to learn more or get involved locally. Our project makes the stories available to thousands of people through broadcasts and podcasts and provides an online gathering place for people to share comments and tell their own stories.

Saving The Sierra's co-producers see our stories as tools that can be used by individuals, conservation organizations, and educational institutions to introduce the concept of conservation in action, to broaden the definition of who is a conservationist. And to help rural, urban, and suburban folks more clearly see how effective and collaborative conservation action can only come from recognition of the deep connections between people and nature. These stories can help us remember our roots and rebuild sustainable communities.

The other four speakers brought out a remarkably consistent set of top issues shaping the future of the Sierra Nevada.

Jim Branham of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy spoke from his position as Executive Director of the second largest conservancy in California, charged with funding initiatives across the mountain range to address key conservation issues. After a brief history of how the 25-million acre Conservancy came into being through bi-partisan legislative cooperation, Branham cited working landscapes, catastrophic fire, climate change , and the disconnect between youth and the environment as overarching concerns range-wide.

Dan Macon spoke from his dual experience as a farmer and Director of Conservation Programs at the Nevada County Land Trust. He says the foothill landscape lends itself to farms. There are more farms now than 10 years ago, including his own Flying Mule Farm , run without petroleum, by mule power. His major concerns include the fact that all agricultural lands in Nevada County will change hands due to inheritance within the next decade, but that young people in general, do not choosing farming as a way of life. Macon points out the success stories of the NCLT: managing some 2600 acres in conservation easements . But he says farmers and ranchers face significant regulatory barriers to local food production.

Jeff Darlington, Director of the Placer County Land Trust says his organization manages more than 4600 acres of conservation easements. He further defined easements as a voluntary arrangement whereby ranchers sell development rights to a land trust in perpetuity, but retain ownership of the land while gaining the funds they need to continue ranching. Darlington urged the audience to get involved by finding an issue that matters most to them and then making sure that their representatives are dealing with that issue.

Terry Davis of the Sierra Club said climate change is the biggest issue facing the people and environment in the Sierra Nevada. His organization is concentrating their work in three key areas: resource extraction, targeting California's largest land holder, Sierra Pacific Industries in a campaign to get the public to stop buying products from the company; forest health and fuels management, and growth and development across the range.

Questions coming from the audience zeroed in almost exclusively on land use planning issues: how do conservation easements work? how are they regulated? what is the governments role in land use planning? how can individuals really make a difference? And my co-presenters deftly fielded even the most detailed questions.

Click on any of the links in this Blog to dig deeper into these issues and connect with local and regional organizations that are helping to shape the future of the Sierra Nevada.