Friday, January 18th, 2013 by Angie, Project SpecialistcloseAuthor: Angie, Project SpecialistName: Angie Glaser Title: Project Specialist About: Originally from coastal Southern California, Angie answered the call of the mountains and has spent the past three summers in the Sierra, including one as the Mono Lake Committee's Canoe Coordinator. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara she worked in outdoor education and interned for the National Park Service. When she’s not paddling through swarms of brine shrimp, you can find her backpacking, climbing, or cooking really spicy Thai curry.See All Posts by Angie (18) Contact Angie
Last weekend, Mono Lake Committee staff members traveled to Nevada City for a weekend of film, art, music, activism, and inspiration. For the eleventh consecutive year, the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) brought together engaging environmental and adventure films for the four-day, ten-venue Wild & Scenic Film Festival. Communications Director Arya Degenhardt, Education Director Bartshe Miller, Communications Coordinator Elin Ljung, and I road tripped through cities and over snowy mountain passes to attend the festival in preparation for our upcoming Wild & Scenic Film Festival in Los Angeles, which we host. (more…)
Thursday, January 17th, 2013 by Lynette, Project SpecialistcloseAuthor: Lynette, Project SpecialistName: Lynette Villagomez Title: Project Specialist About: A native of the Coachella Valley, Lynette attended Humboldt State University and graduated in June of 2012 with a major in Environmental Science and a minor in Natural Resources Planning. She enjoys traveling, knitting, baking, collecting agates, hiking, and exploring new places. She brings her interest in water politics and environmental justice to the Mono Lake Committee, where she manages social media and assists with membership. Lynette likes to paddle board on Mono Lake and has plans to someday build her own yurt.See All Posts by Lynette (8) Contact Lynette
It’s always exciting to deliver good news to people, and this month I had the pleasure of doing just that! With a little help from my ladybug friend (see photo) and a handful of cheery and encouraging fellow Mono Lake Committee staff, on January 3, 29 tickets, out of thousands, were drawn for the 2012 Free Drawing for Mono Lake.
The 2013 Free Drawing drawing. Photo by Arya Degenhardt.
After names were drawn congratulations were in order—I called each winner to notify them they had won a (more…)
Wednesday, January 16th, 2013 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
KQED has posted on their website an excellent primer on how water and power use in California are connected. Engaging cartoons convey how Water Needs Power, and how producing Power Needs Water. These short cartoons are the most effective communication tools I’ve ever seen on this subject.
For those who like to consume their information on California water in a more-voluminous, less-artistic, more-policy-oriented way, in December the Pacific Institute released its California Water Footprint report. Full of graphs and detailed information about water use, in this report you can learn things such as: meat and dairy products account for 47% of California’s water footprint, or 93% of California’s water (that is used to produce goods and services) is used to produce agricultural goods and services.
Tuesday, January 15th, 2013 by Rosanne, Office DirectorcloseAuthor: Rosanne, Office DirectorName: Rosanne Catron Title: Office Manager About: Originally from Bishop, Rose's easy-going, friendly personality make her perfectly suited for her role as Office Director. Rose creates the complicated bookstore schedule, oversees the intern and volunteer programs, and keeps office relations smooth and happy.See All Posts by Rosanne (34) Contact Rosanne
The Information Center & Bookstore will be closed today, Tuesday, January 15 for our annual inventory. We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause. We will be open all other days this week from 9:00am to 5:00pm, so come on by!
Monday, January 14th, 2013 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
It’s official! Peak 12,240 on the border between Yosemite National Park and the Inyo National Forest is now named Mt. Andrea Lawrence, thanks to legislation signed into law last week by President Obama.
The newly named Mt. Andrea Lawrence, center, on the boundary of Yosemite National Park, January 2013. Photo by Geoffrey McQuilkin.
The prominent but previously unnamed peak, which has been visited by several Mono Lake Committee staff members since the naming effort began, has sweeping views across Yosemite, the upper San Joaquin River drainage, and the Rush Creek–Mono (more…)
Friday, January 11th, 2013 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
David Gaines, 1947 -- January 11, 1988
Mono Lake Committee founder David Gaines was killed in a tragic wintertime car accident 25 years ago. His inspirational vision of protecting Mono Lake
for people, birds, and wildlife is being realized today.
Wednesday, January 9th, 2013 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
After an average fall, precipitation-wise, we recorded double the average December precipitation in Lee Vining. Between October 1st and the end of December, we have measured more snow (34.5″) and precipitation (6.5″) than during all of last winter! This represents about 50% of the average annual total.
Snow blankets the Mono Lake Committee's storefront on December 26, 2012. Photo by Bartshe Miller.
For years with similar wet Decembers (1992, 1996, 2002, 2005, 2010), the following runoff year had close-to-average or (more…)
Tuesday, January 8th, 2013 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
If you haven’t experienced poconip, or ice fog, at Mono Lake, I recommend it. It usually happens when it’s sunny in most other parts of the Eastern Sierra, and the ground is frozen or snow-covered.
Rime ice in the Lee Vining Creek riparian area.
The fog can be quite thick, and it is very chilly inside the fog layer—keeping temperatures below freezing all day. The poconip creates rime ice on (more…)
Monday, January 7th, 2013 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
We are sad to relay the news that longtime supporter and friend to Mono Lake, Huell Howser has passed away. Huell introduced countless people to Mono Lake through his first visit with “California’s Gold” in 1992 and then again in 2008 when he returned to film another episode, “Mono Lake Today,” about the exciting restoration progress.
Huell Howser paddling at South Tufa with Mono Lake Committee Executive Director Geoffrey McQuilkin in 2008. Photo by Arya Degenhardt.
It’s not uncommon for us to hear visitors say, “I first learned about Mono Lake from Huell Howser (more…)
Tuesday, January 1st, 2013 by Rosanne, Office DirectorcloseAuthor: Rosanne, Office DirectorName: Rosanne Catron Title: Office Manager About: Originally from Bishop, Rose's easy-going, friendly personality make her perfectly suited for her role as Office Director. Rose creates the complicated bookstore schedule, oversees the intern and volunteer programs, and keeps office relations smooth and happy.See All Posts by Rosanne (34) Contact Rosanne
Are you interested in learning the ropes of a successful non-profit? Do you know someone who might want to live and work in the beautiful Eastern Sierra? We are now accepting applications for summer 2013 seasonal jobs. Hiring begins in late January and positions are open until filled.
Summer 2012 seasonal staff enjoying a day out in the Mono Basin. Photo by Arya Degenhardt.
Last weekend, Mono Lake Committee staff members traveled to Nevada City for a weekend of film, art, music, activism, and inspiration. For the eleventh consecutive year, the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) brought together engaging environmental and adventure films for the four-day, ten-venue Wild & Scenic Film Festival. Communications Director Arya Degenhardt, Education Director Bartshe Miller, Communications Coordinator Elin Ljung, and I road tripped through cities and over snowy mountain passes to attend the festival in preparation for our upcoming Wild & Scenic Film Festival in Los Angeles, which we host. (more…)
