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| Alpine Watershed Group protects, conserves, and restores the watersheds of Alpine County by promoting sustainable community and science-based collaborative solutions.
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| Forest Health Community Working Group Events
Thank you to everyone who attended the presentation on Tamarack Fire monitoring data on June 5 by Ali Paulson, PhD, forest ecologist for the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The slides are available here. Thank you to Ali for sharing her vast knowledge and insights regarding the Forest Service’s approach to post-fire restoration, fuel treatment effectiveness, and post-fire monitoring. One thing we took away was the importance of returning fire to the landscape to increase the resilience to wildfire. Ali shared a study from another area that showed that if you do treatments like thinning and mastication, but it isn’t followed up by prescribed fire, the resiliency of the landscape was much lower. In other words, untreated areas and areas with mechanical treatment only were similar as far as tree mortality following a fire. We look forward to learning more about the Forest Service’s research as the years pass.
The next FHCWG event is a prescribed fire field workshop on Friday, July 26, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Click here for more information and to register. If the bus is full, there will be a waitlist created, so please sign up, and we will do our best to get you on the bus!
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Woollystar Festival is Here!
There are still tickets available for the Woollystar Music Festival this coming weekend, June 21 and 22. Festival organizers have again generously offered for Alpine Watershed Group and Alpine Trails Association to host a bar as a fundraiser. We welcome your patronage … and your tips! Thank you to the companies who have generously donated their products to support our fundraiser: Moonlight Brewing Company, Zaddy’s, and Guayakí.
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Forest Health Coordinator Job Announcement
AWG is still looking to hire our next Forest Health Coordinator. We are reissuing the job announcement asking for applications by July 20, but we will continue to accept applications until the position is filled. Please share the job announcement with your networks and encourage interested folks to apply as soon as possible. Thank you!
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| Apply Today to be a California Climate Action Corps Fellow for AWG
AWG is recruiting two fellows to join our team this fall! Please help us spread the word. Fellows will be part of the California Climate Action Corps, focusing on effects of climate change and forest health in the area. The program is currently accepting applications to serve as California Climate Action Corps Fellows for 11 months to mobilize communities through climate volunteer engagement, climate action, and wildfire resiliency throughout the state.
California Climate Action Corps Fellows earn up to $33,000 in living stipends and are awarded a Segal Education Award upon successful completion of 1,700 hours of service between September 16, 2024, and August 14, 2025.
Fellow applications are open until August 16, but applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until full.
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Back in the Classroom … and out into the Field
AWG is thrilled to announce the return of our Environmental Education Program, funded by the California Coastal Commission’s WHALE TAIL® Grants Program. Earlier this month Headwaters Coordinator Rachel Kieffer, with California Climate Action Corps (CCAC) Fellows Kaitlyn Garber and Bella Kurtz, visited Bear Valley and Diamond Valley Schools to deliver lessons on the water cycle and the concept of adaptations. Climate change was an integral part of the lessons, as the CCAC program focuses on taking climate actions. Third and fourth grade students from Diamond Valley School also joined staff from AWG, Alpine County Library, and Bureau of Land Management at Curtz Lake at the end of May to plant trees and test out binoculars and viewfinders to take a closer look at nature and critters in the area. We look forward to spending more time in the classroom in the fall of 2024 and in 2025. Thank you to Bear Valley School and Diamond Valley School for welcoming us.
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Photo Credit: Lishka Arata, Point Blue
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Climate Corner
Meandering through Sequoia National Park’s Meadows: Sierra Meadows Partnership Annual Gathering
By Wildfire Restoration and Forest Resiliency Fellow, Bella Kurtz
Between May 29 and May 31, Bella attended the Sierra Meadows Partnership (SMP) Annual Gathering which was held at Sequoia National Park. This was the first SMP Annual Gathering since 2019, after which COVID-19 put a hold on the event. During the conference portions of the gathering, Bella was very inspired to hear about all of the work that numerous organizations are contributing to in order to restore meadows within the Sierra Nevada. After being awarded a block grant from the Wildlife Conservation Board, Point Blue has been able to fund 42 projects, implementing 3,743 acres of restoration work, and they have work planned for an additional 2,343 acres of meadow! Bella was thrilled to hear Rhiana Jones with the Washoe Environmental Protection Department present about the Máyala Water Restoration Planning Project for Meeks Meadow. The goal of this project is to restore 300 acres of meadow to its pre-colonial state, and it also serves as a template for increased tribal involvement in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
Although Bella really enjoyed hearing about everyone’s projects and success stories, she was even more excited to explore the meadows and see the restoration work for herself.
On May 29, Terri Rust with Plumas Corp led a tour through Big Meadows where she discussed the pond-and-plug meadow restoration technique that was implemented in this meadow in 2007. The project utilized 14 borrow sites (areas where fill material is excavated) to create 19 plugs. The project was inspired by a fly fisherman's group who used Big Meadow as an introductory/teaching spot for fly fishing due to the minimal shrubbery in the surrounding area that fly lines could get snagged on. This project was able to improve water quality, increase the groundwater table, and extend flows.
On May 31, Evan Wolf with Ecohydro led tours in two different meadows. The first meadow was called Log Meadow, and the main restoration technique used for this site was partial channel fill. Scythes were used to harvest tall grasses that were growing within the meadow to create hay bales which were then staked into the channel. This did not work, so more hay was harvested from the meadow, and a fill mix was created with the hay and soil. Since this is a non-riparian system, a fill surface that could be revegetated was desired. The restoration technique utilized for the second meadow, Halstead Meadow, was a full channel fill. Wood chips were used in the fill so that the material would be less compactable, as well as a product called wetland sod to help jump-start the revegetation process.
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| All Things Watersheds
- Turtle Rock Park Rehabilitation Master Plan Meeting – Attend a community workshop to help redesign and rebuild Turtle Rock Park on Monday, June 24, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Turtle Rock Park Community Center.
- Charity Valley Trail Guided Hike – Alpine Trails Association in partnership with Parks Rx is leading a hike for all ages and abilities on Tuesday, June 25, 10:00 a.m. to noon. See flyer for details.
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Upcoming AWG Events Wednesday, June 26, 5:00 p.m. – AWG Board Meeting at Markleeville Library
Saturday, September 21 – Creek Day 2024
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We are grateful for the financial support of all who love Alpine County. We are able to lead volunteer workdays and field trips, support community science data collection, and host California Climate Action Corps Fellows because of your generosity. Thank you!
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AWG has earned a 2023 Gold Seal of Transparency with Candid! Check out our Nonprofit Profile here.
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Ways to Connect or HelpWe always love to hear from our watershed community! Below are email links to reach AWG's staff, or reach us at AWG's office at (530) 694-2327. Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Bella Kurtz, Wildfire Restoration and Forest Resiliency Fellow
Contact Us!
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| A quick note for Gmail users:
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click and drag the email over to your "Primary" tab.
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