Mark your calendars! The Sierra Fund is pleased to announce our fifth biennial conference, Reclaiming the Sierra 2019: Headwaters Mercury Source Reduction, to be held in Grass Valley on October 17-18 at the Gold Miners Inn
The source and transport of mercury in Sierra Nevada watersheds, from hydraulic mine sites to foothill reservoirs and beyond, has detrimental implications for ecosystem resiliency and community health. The key focus of The Sierra Fund’s fifth biennial Reclaiming the Sierra conference is our newly crafted strategy to address mercury in the headwaters.
Four strategic targets for addressing headwater sources of mercury will be explored at the two-day event: (1) Hydraulic Mines and Mine Features, (2) Mercury-Contaminated Sediment in Reservoirs, (3) Mercury in Forest and Land Management, and (4) Mercury Exposure through Fish Consumption.
The first day of the conference will feature technical presentations that encourage robust discussion of each specific strategic target. The second day will include a tour designed to provide participants with a tangible, on-the-ground opportunity to discuss mercury abatement.
Reclaiming the Sierra 2019 builds on over a decade of research to understand the legacy of historic mining and to catalyze action for headwater management that reduces impacts from mine-scarred lands while promoting the resiliency of natural and human resources from the Sierra to the sea. This has been distilled into a specific and detailed strategy document that outlines actions and projects to reduce mercury discharge. The strategy is supported by a wide range of conservation, government, and academic organizations.
Visit the Reclaiming the Sierra website for more information and don’t forget to sign up for conference updates.