Friday, May 29th, 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
Friday, May 22nd, 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
If you’ve poked around our new-and-improved Mono Lake Website, you probably already know that, but now we have it “in writing.” Last month we entered our website into the Adobe-TechSoup Show Your Impact design contest, and we came in as a runner-up in our category!
Many thanks to all of you who visited the contest site to vote for the Mono Lake Website. Your votes paid off! We will get a free (more…)
Wednesday, May 20th, 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
Since the first week in May, cold and windy weather has been replaced by warm and calmer weather. This sudden change caused trees to leaf out, flowers to bloom, bugs and birds to come out, and snowmelt to dramatically increase. Sonora Pass opened last week and Tioga Pass opened yesterday. The last two weeks have been a burst of springtime activity! (more…)
Wednesday, May 20th, 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
Instructor Mark Bagley leads the 2008 wildflower seminar through fields of desert blooms. Photo by Elin Ljung.
There’s still room in the Great Basin Wildflowers, Plants, & Habitats field seminar (June 12-14)—reserve your space today!
I recently walked along the Lee Vining Creek Trail and saw a beautiful preview of budding flowers: fragrant desert peach, yellow bitterbrush blossoms, a few bright paintbrush, and (more…)
Tuesday, May 19th, 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
Tioga Pass on May 9, 2009. Photo by Elin Ljung.
According to the National Park Service, Tioga Pass will open May 20, 2009 at 10:00 am, conditions permitting!
EDITOR’s NOTE: THE PASS OPENED TUESDAY EVENING MAY 19TH. (more…)
Monday, May 18th, 2009 by Mono Lake Committee StaffcloseAuthor: Mono Lake Committee StaffName: Mono Lake Committee Staff Title: About: The Mono Lake Committee is a 16,000 member non-profit citizens' group dedicated to protecting and restoring the Mono Basin ecosystem, educating the public about Mono Lake and the impacts on the environment of excessive water use, and promoting cooperative solutions that protect Mono Lake and meet real water needs without transferring environmental problems to other areas.See All Posts by Mono Lake Committee (29) Contact Mono Lake Committee
A bird walk at Mono Lake County Park. Photo by Arya Degenhardt.
The weather is warming up, and the birds are singing and building their nests. Do you wonder what that black-and-orange bird you see on your feeder is? Do you keep hearing a bird singing that you want to learn more about? Or maybe you just want to get out and see what you can find on a beautiful day. Walk with us and we’ll guide you through the various habitats of Mono Lake’s north shore.
Join us at County Park on Sundays and Fridays at 8:00am through September 6. Yesterday on the first bird walk we saw over 25 different species and had a great time!
The naturalist-led walks are 1 ½–2 hours at the County Park / State Reserve boardwalk. Meet at the Mono Lake County Park, five miles north of Lee Vining, just off Hwy 395. Bring binoculars, hat, and sunscreen. No reservations necessary—we’ll see you there!
Monday, May 18th, 2009 by Bartshé, Education DirectorcloseAuthor: Bartshé, Education DirectorName: Bartshé Miller Title: Education Director About: Bartshé directs the Committee's Outdoor Experiences Program, Canoe Program, and Interpretive Programs, and manages the Mono Basin Field Station. He has been an Eastern Sierra resident since 1993.See All Posts by Bartshé (30) Contact Bartshé
South Tufa tours are a great way to learn about Mono Lake! Photo by Greg Reis.
South Tufa tours
Weekend tours are currently happening on Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 pm; meet at the South Tufa kiosk/parking lot. Daily tours begin on May 23 at 1:00 pm at the same location.
Bird walks
Sundays and Fridays; now through September 6. Meet at the Mono Lake County Park parking lot at 8:00 am.
See the Calendar of Events for details. The Mono Lake Committee operates under a permits from the Inyo National Forest and the California Department of Parks & Recreation.
Sunday, May 17th, 2009 by Bartshé, Education DirectorcloseAuthor: Bartshé, Education DirectorName: Bartshé Miller Title: Education Director About: Bartshé directs the Committee's Outdoor Experiences Program, Canoe Program, and Interpretive Programs, and manages the Mono Basin Field Station. He has been an Eastern Sierra resident since 1993.See All Posts by Bartshé (30) Contact Bartshé
If you’re an adult male Columbia silk moth, it’s all about pheromones. Male Hyalaphora columbia gloveri spend their precious few evenings of adult life (more…)
Friday, May 15th, 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
The operator of one of Mono Lake’s natural history boat tours recently decided to withdraw from his concession agreement with California State Parks. This means that the lake will be without a motorized wildlife tour opportunity this summer. Canoeing and kayaking tour programs, however, remain in operation.
The operator, known as Mono Lake Boat Tours, has been offering seasonal tours since 2003. The program has typically involved a two-hour-long tour focused on wildlife and natural history and participants have reported the tours are informative and enjoyable.
Mono Lake is a part of the California State Park system, and all commercial ventures on the lake operate under state regulations that protect the lake’s many unique values including tufa, nesting and migratory birds, and water quality. Canoe and kayak programs run by the Mono Lake Committee and Caldera Kayaks, for example, both operate under concession agreements that include (more…)
Monday, May 11th, 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
National Public Radio ran a story this morning titled “Drought, Politics Trouble Farmers In California“. The water situation in the San Francisco Bay Delta and Central Valley is complicated enough for many a report, but what had Mono Lake veterans talking was the interview quote from Tom Birmingham, current Executive Director of the Westlands Water District and previously the lead attorney fighting against Mono Lake’s protection.
Now we get along fine with Tom but we have to assume he was talking about us when (more…)
If you’ve poked around our new-and-improved 
