Wednesday, February 25th, 2009 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
The newest issue of the Mono Lake Newsletter is now online for Mono Lake Committee members! Members get the Newsletter in the mail and get it online one month before it becomes public.
This issue features the new and improved Mono Lake Website, along with articles on stream restoration, the 10th anniversary of the international Living Lakes Network, an interview with the Inyo National Forest Supervisor, a complete list of this summer’s field seminars, and more!
The Newsletter will be available online to non-members at the end of March.
Wednesday, February 18th, 2009 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
Snow storms during the first two weeks of February have caused Mono Lake to finally rise–an event that almost always occurs before the end of January. Yesterday evening as the light faded on the wind-ruffled waters of Mono Lake surrounded by a blanket of white snow and the grey-hued clearing storm clouds, I read the lake level gauge: 6382.28 feet above sea level.
Mono Lake had been at this level for about a week, but when (more…)
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 by Arya, Communications DirectorcloseAuthor: Arya, Communications DirectorName: Arya Degenhardt Title: Communications Director About: Arya oversees the Committee's communications program, which includes the Mono Lake Newsletter. She loves her job because she gets to share the inspiring work of the Mono Lake Committee with members and visitors alike. When she's not in the office you might find her running with her dogs Dublin and Poco, volunteering with the Lee Vining Fire Department, listening to any music with a banjo in it, or willing the plants in her garden to grow. Her favorite things to do in the Mono Basin include ice skating on nearby lakes, skiing the Mono Craters, and getting to smell the sagebrush when it rains.See All Posts by Arya (91) Contact Arya
Recent storms in California brought a visceral sense of relief to areas looking straight down the barrel of drought. For those who have been planning ahead, it also brought water security in the form of captured rain, in cisterns.
In Los Angeles, where embracing water conservation is an everyday reality, rainwater capture is a critical piece (more…)
Monday, February 16th, 2009 by Elin, Communications CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Elin, Communications CoordinatorName: Elin Ljung Title: Communications Coordinator About: Elin's job consists of some of her favorite things: finding typos, experimenting with layouts, and figuring out how best to communicate the Committee's work to the world. She also oversees the Field Seminar program. Elin is an EMT on the Lee Vining Fire Department, loves sitting at Latte Da Coffee Cafe immersed in a good book, and watches English Premier League football (soccer) at any opportunity.See All Posts by Elin (133) Contact Elin
My dad, a diehard webcam fan, just emailed me from the California coast to say that the webcam reveals what looks like a whiteout in Lee Vining. That’s pretty much true! The snow began falling in earnest this morning around 8:00 am, and I walked to work in the silent, muted atmosphere that heavy snow creates. Since we measured the overnight accumulation at opening time, another (more…)
Friday, February 13th, 2009 by Geoff, Executive DirectorcloseAuthor: Geoff, Executive DirectorName: Geoffrey McQuilkin Title: Executive Director About: Geoff's goals for the Committee are: assuring Mono Lake's continuing protection, restoring Mono Lake's tributary streams, developing a permanent education program, and assuring that the strong tradition of scientific research at Mono Lake continues. A graduate of Harvard in the history of science, Geoff has worked for the Committee since 1992 and was an intern and volunteer before that. He's happy to live close to the lake with his wife Sarah and their daughters Caelen and Ellery.See All Posts by Geoffrey (105) Contact Geoffrey
Earlier reports suggested that the Omnibus Public Lands Act was headed for a vote on February 11. However other business apparently intervened, so the vote didn’t take place. Watch for further scheduling news when Congress returns from the President’s Day recess. All the details on the Act’s importance at Mono Lake are in our Action Alert.
Thursday, February 5th, 2009 by Erika, Office DirectorcloseAuthor: Erika, Office DirectorName: Erika Obedzinski Title: Office Director About: Erika's main task as Office Director is to keep balance in the office for the Committee's many staff and priorities. She is the puzzlemaster for the office schedule--which involves over 20 staff in the summertime--and she also oversees the summer intern and volunteer programs. Before her current role, Erika spent three years as the Committee's Membership Coordinator and her first summer in the Basin as an intern. After studying music composition at Bennington College, Erika received a degree in Culture, Ecology, and Sustainable Community from New College of California.See All Posts by Erika (11) Contact Erika
One afternoon several weeks ago Elin and I were in the main Mono Lake Committee office when the phone rang. Elin answered and soon passed the call on to me letting me know it was someone working on a film in Los Angeles who had a question for us. Assuming it would be a permit question I would need to pass on to State Parks, it was a fun surprise when I got on the line and James Burkhammer told me he was working on a film with actor and director Mark Ruffalo
Mark Ruffalo with his Mono Lake Committee water bottle on the set of Sympathy for Delicious. Photo courtesy of popsugar.com.
and actor Orlando Bloom–he wanted to know if we would send them our stainless steel logo water bottles for the cast and crew! They would (more…)
Thursday, February 5th, 2009 by Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistcloseAuthor: Greg, Information & Restoration SpecialistName: Greg Reis Title: Information & Restoration Specialist About: Since his Committee internship in 1995, Greg has been involved with Mono Basin stream restoration and with maintaining the Committee's computers, Websites, and Research Library, and researching and compiling information for our programs. His B.S. degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Forestry and Natural Resources with a concentration in Environmental Management and a Senior Project in Hydrology reflects his interest in natural resources management, administration, planning, environmental analysis, and restoration. He is a member of the California Association of Environmental Professionals and the California Society for Ecological Restoration.See All Posts by Greg (134) Contact Greg
WEATHER
The weather has been cool and brilliant since a few stormy days cleared around January 26th. Lows are around 20 and highs are around 50 F. Mid-day hikes in the sun can be done in a t-shirt–and there is plenty of snow-free hiking below 7,000′. Snow is expected to return Thursday through Saturday with more chances of stormy weather the following Tuesday.
ROADS
The storm a week and a half ago dropped some rain and finished with a dusting of snow. (more…)
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 by Geoff, Executive DirectorcloseAuthor: Geoff, Executive DirectorName: Geoffrey McQuilkin Title: Executive Director About: Geoff's goals for the Committee are: assuring Mono Lake's continuing protection, restoring Mono Lake's tributary streams, developing a permanent education program, and assuring that the strong tradition of scientific research at Mono Lake continues. A graduate of Harvard in the history of science, Geoff has worked for the Committee since 1992 and was an intern and volunteer before that. He's happy to live close to the lake with his wife Sarah and their daughters Caelen and Ellery.See All Posts by Geoffrey (105) Contact Geoffrey
Mono Lake needs your help!
Congress is preparing to act on historic wilderness and wild rivers legislation that will protect public lands near Mono Lake and in the Eastern Sierra.
Please phone your Congressional representative and express your support! (more…)
