Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 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 (65) Contact Geoffrey
The big earthmovers are rolling again at Lee Vining Airport this week, even though the runway is newly flattened and paved and new lighting is nearly complete. Their goal now is to remedy one of the major unexpected consequences of the runway rehabilitation project: an obtrusive 10-acre material stockpile located beyond the north end of the runway.
Material is being relocated to the oversized drainage ditch on the west side of the runway. Photo by Geoff McQuilkin.
The height and size of the stockpile raised substantial concerns from local residents, visitors, and the Mono Lake Committee due to the impacts on (more…)
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010 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 (39) Contact Arya
Saturday, September 11th is the High Sierra Fall Century, and Sunday, September 12th is the Tioga Pass Run … why do I have this sneaking suspicion we’ll be seeing some Mono Lake enthusiasts out for both events?
What better way to celebrate Mono Lake than to enjoy its beauty while doing what you love? Well, that’s why. (more…)
Friday, August 20th, 2010 by Nick, Birding InterncloseAuthor: Nick, Birding InternName: Nick Neely Title: Birding Intern About: Nick is back for a second summer as the Committee’s Birding Intern. A recent graduate of the Literature and Environment program at the University of Nevada, Reno, he’s an aspiring writer and runner, as well as the editor of a creative writing journal with an avian focus, The LBJ (literarybirdjournal.org). He’s also the proud new owner of a used yellow kayak!See All Posts by Nick (3) Contact Nick
Researcher Sacha Heath looks for insects on a "control" cottonwood.
Last week, I followed Sacha Heath down the Lee Vining Creek trail (and across the frigid stream, in my sneakers) to help count Lilliputians that live in trees. Sacha directed the Point Reyes Bird Observatory research in the MonoBasin for many years, but this season, for her Master’s thesis at Humboldt State University, she’s studying the impact foraging birds have on populations of herbivorous arthropods—i.e. plant-munching bugs—in cottonwoods. Bugs affect the growth of trees, of course, and Sacha picked the Mono Basin as her research location not only because she has an unparalleled knowledge of its riparian communities, but also because it’s a restoration setting—here, new growth is at a premium. The goal of the study is to assess ‘”the ecological service” birds likely provide. (more…)
