Sunday, December 25th, 2011 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
Best wishes for a joyous and peaceful holiday season….
….and a happy New Year from the Mono Lake Committee.
Sunday, December 25th, 2011 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
You simply must read the fun and heartwarming post by Birding Intern Oliver James, who captures the spirit of the intrepid bird lovers responsible for this feat perfectly. Even if you’re not a birder this is a great story. As it turns out, the crew was so enthusiastic that just days later they did a second Big Day and beat the 150 species with 153, so that’s the new number to beat….
Justin, Chris, and Oliver celebrate a Big Day well done! Photo courtesy of Nora Livingston.
For this and more interesting bird sightings in the Mono Basin:
Saturday, December 24th, 2011 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
Number 8 of the top 11 of 2011 is actually recognition of three major celebrations—the Andrea Lawrence Award Dinner, the Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua, and the Defender of the Trust Award ceremony. Yee-haw! (more…)
Monday, December 19th, 2011 by Carolyn, Former Project SpecialistcloseAuthor: Carolyn, Former Project SpecialistName: Carolyn Weddle Title: Project Specialist About: Graduated from Humboldt State University with a degree in Environmental Policy, Carolyn loves the outdoors and the Eastern Sierra and is known to make forays in the Nevada hills for further exploration. After spending summer 2011 as a Retail Assistant in the Information Center & Bookstore, Carolyn stayed through winter 2012 as a Project Specialist.See All Posts by Carolyn (22) Contact Carolyn
The time has come to pick the lucky winners of the 2011 Free Drawing! Last Wednesday, December 14, Mono Lake Committee staff plunged through a box full of thousands of free drawing tickets to pick the 24 winners of a variety of prizes. Prizes included an iPad 2, Canon digital camera, brand new snowboard, and many more exciting items! Check the full list of 2011 prizes here.
Office Director Rose Catron shows off the ticket she pulled from the box.
I will be calling each individual winner in the next week to congratulate them on their winnings, so check your phone, it just might be me calling you with good news! (more…)
Sunday, December 18th, 2011 by Jessica, Information Center & Bookstore ManagercloseAuthor: Jessica, Information Center & Bookstore ManagerName: Jessica Ashley Title: Information Center & Bookstore Manager About: Jess stocks the store with educational, handmade, local, and ecologically friendly merchandise and keeps operations functioning efficiently. After working for a summer in the Committee bookstore, Jess joined the staff full-time in May of 2011. Jess' extensive retail experience and love of the Eastern Sierra make her perfectly suited for her role as Information Center & Bookstore Manager.See All Posts by Jessica (22) Contact Jessica
Happy holidays from everyone at the Mono Lake Committee!
The Information Center & Bookstore will be closed Christmas day, December 25, 2011 as well as New Year’s day, January 1, 2012.
For Mono Lake weather information, click here. Click here for road closures and conditions.
Thursday, December 15th, 2011 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
A Varied Thrush spotted in Lee Vining in December 2009. Photo by Justin Hite.
As the holiday season approaches it’s nearly time for a wonderful winter tradition—Audubon Christmas Bird Counts. Join in on one of these local counts:
Mono Basin—Tuesday, December 27. Contact: Kristie Nelson
Yosemite National Park—Sunday, December 18. Contact: Sarah Stock
Bishop—Saturday, December 17. Contact: Chris Howard
Christmas Bird Counts are one of the oldest and largest citizen sicence events in the world; this year the 112th annual counts will take place. The results (more…)
Tuesday, December 6th, 2011 by Morgan, Policy CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Morgan, Policy CoordinatorName: Morgan Lindsay Title: Project Specialist About: Morgan works to support the protection and restoration of Mono Lake and its tributary streams in the office and out in the field. She loves doing something different every day, from monitoring the lake's rise and groundwater patterns along the creek's bottomlands to researching policy issues. But after three summers sharing Mono Lake with visitors by canoe, Morgan's favorite job will always be making new friends for the lake. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College with an Environmental Studies degree in Water Science & Policy, there is nowhere Morgan would rather be than the Mono Basin. If she's not out hiking, skiing, or digging in the dirt with the Sierra Bounty CSA, Morgan's probably at rehearsal for the next Eastern Sierra theatrical adventure—eager for any socially acceptable excuse to sport a goatee.See All Posts by Morgan (33) Contact Morgan
A cheery group of Mono Lake friends braved the December cold at Old Marina to celebrate the removal of Mono Lake’s state park from the closure list.
Mono Lake friends celebrated with cake and many toasts to the next 30 years for the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve.
State Park staff, Bodie Foundation board members, Mono Lake Committee staff and board members, hardworking volunteers, (more…)
Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 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
On Thursday, December 1, California State Parks announced that the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve is off the closure list—wonderful and long-awaited news!
Smartphones are key to working during a power outage: Arya found the State Parks' press release on her phone as Bartshe and Geoff work on theirs in the background.
In a strange twist of fate, we got the call via cell phone since we had lost power along with much of the Eastern Sierra a few hours before. Relying on the few smartphones in the office, (more…)
Friday, December 2nd, 2011 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
On December 1, 2011 (the same day that the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve was taken off the closure list), a new bird for Mono County was discovered by Jean Dillingham in June Lake. A Common Redpoll hit Jean’s window in the morning. She collected the dazed bird outside and brought it in to see if it could be saved. To her amazement, the bird was unlike any she had ever seen in the Eastern Sierra. She quickly figured it was (more…)
Friday, December 2nd, 2011 by Morgan, Policy CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Morgan, Policy CoordinatorName: Morgan Lindsay Title: Project Specialist About: Morgan works to support the protection and restoration of Mono Lake and its tributary streams in the office and out in the field. She loves doing something different every day, from monitoring the lake's rise and groundwater patterns along the creek's bottomlands to researching policy issues. But after three summers sharing Mono Lake with visitors by canoe, Morgan's favorite job will always be making new friends for the lake. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College with an Environmental Studies degree in Water Science & Policy, there is nowhere Morgan would rather be than the Mono Basin. If she's not out hiking, skiing, or digging in the dirt with the Sierra Bounty CSA, Morgan's probably at rehearsal for the next Eastern Sierra theatrical adventure—eager for any socially acceptable excuse to sport a goatee.See All Posts by Morgan (33) Contact Morgan
Yesterday California State Parks announced in a press release that the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve has been removed from the closure list—exciting and long-awaited news! Major and local news outlets are covering the story:
Yesterday California State Parks announced in a press release that the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve has been removed from the closure list—exciting and long-awaited news! Major and local news outlets are covering the story:
