September 27, 2000
Restoration in the Mono Basin:
Part Science, Part Art
Press
Contact:
Lisa Cutting, Environmental Resource Coordinator
Mono Lake Committee
(760) 647-6595
www.monolake.org
For Immediate Release
Jeffrey pines are growing in the floodplains, willows line the stream banks, and Mono Lake is slowly rising. All of these are sure signs that restoration is occurring in the Mono Basin and confirms that nature can and will heal itself if given the chance. To keep up with this change, the Committee is launching the Photopoint Project—a documentary endeavor designed to keep track of restoration changes over time.
Restoration began in the 1980s with successful stream flow litigation and was formalized in 1994 with the State Water Resource Control Board’s decision to protect Mono Lake. Throughout the entire restoration process the philosophy has been to reinstate natural processes so that the land can heal itself. This “holistic” approach has incorporated techniques such as raising the level of Mono Lake, providing stream flows that mimic natural flow patterns, planting areas not responding to natural reseeding, and reopening channels when channel complexity will not otherwise be achieved. Adaptive management—adjusting plans as the landscape responds to restoration measures—continues to be a key component in agency discussions and the decision-making process. And what is most inspiring about the work being done in the Mono Basin is that it is recognized nationally as a model for successful restoration.
To date, the restoration of Mono Lake has focused on science—formulating plans, collecting data, opening channels, monitoring flows, and evaluating progress. But there is another part of the equation: people. How do we feel about what we are seeing? What emotions does it evoke in us? How can we involve ourselves in this recovery process that we are a witness to? And how can we share this story with others so that they too can experience the wonders of restoration at Mono Lake?
The Mono Basin Photopoint Project is one way that we can begin to answer these questions. The project itself is simple: participants choose a specific site in the Mono Basin that is coming back to life and photograph it each year. These photos will be collected and organized by the Mono Lake Committee and posted together on at www.monobasinresearch.org for everyone to view. As time goes on, we will accumulate a collection of photos that will show the actual effects of restoration as seen through the eyes of the non-scientific community—our own eyes.
The Photopoint Project will supplement the vast amount of scientific information with photos that actually show the changes in the shoreline coupled with lake level measurements; photos of the increased vegetation in the floodplains paired with revegetation transect studies. What a wonderful way to connect ourselves to restoration and really understand what is going on and how it all fits together.
The Photopoint Project was kicked off last month during the Committee's Restoration Days. Professional photographers, locals from Lee Vining, and loyal Mono Lake visitors have all expressed their enthusiasm for the project. Because the project will span decades, you can become involved at any time. For more information, please contact Lisa Cutting (760) 647-6595.
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The text of this press release is also posted at www.monolake.org/press
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