Our days in the Illilouette Creek Basin began in early twilight, crawling out of a sleeping bag to start bird surveys. Mornings involved 3 to 4 miles of route-finding off trail through a gauntlet of fallen logs, thorny shrubs, steep slopes, and the otherwise unpredictable.
Science Tags: forest health
Hope is Green and Soggy in the Sierra Nevada
It was July 28, 2021, I was sitting in my living room overlooking Lake Almanor in the Northern Sierra Nevada, having spent the morning raking fir needles and covering attic vents, I was hunched over the air purifier sucking in as much fresh air as I could get. It was 3 weeks into the Dixie Fire, and the sky, much like what the San Francisco Bay Area experienced in the fall of 2020, had looked an eerie orange for weeks from wildfire smoke with little relief. I was alone, having sent my family out of harm’s way the week before.
Science News: Major advance in whale protection and much more…
Encouraging News for Whales We’re thrilled to report a major advance in our collaboration to protect whales. For over a decade, reducing deadly collisions between cargo ships and whales has been a priority for the Point Blue Oceans team. In 2017, we published a seminal paper showing that the actual number of whale deaths from
Point Blue Expands Work in Fire Ecology
We’re pleased to announce Point Blue’s first ever Fire Stewardship Ecologist position which has been filled (and co-created to a large extent) by former Sonoma-Marin Partner Biologist Taj Hittenberger. This is an exciting step for both Taj and Point Blue in the direction of further incorporating fire into our conservation efforts.
Sierra Meadows Partnership Poised to Meet 2030 Goal
Sierra meadows are a critically important component of the Sierra Nevada landscape. They provide multiple benefits. They contribute to carbon sequestration, groundwater recharge, flood attenuation, water quality improvements, and stream flow, improving the quality of life for downstream ecosystems and human communities. Meadows are also biodiversity hotspots that provide important habitat for birds, fish, amphibians,
Rethinking Forest Habitat
A new study shows more diversity of Sierra forest habitat is needed around spotted owl reserves
Bringing Back Sierra Aspen
Most of the aspen stands that dotted the Sierra Nevada less than a century ago are gone or in poor health. It may take aggressive mechanical treatment to restore them.
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