Sierra Nevada Conservancy to Hold First of Six Public Forums

Sacramento – The Sierra Nevada Conservancy will hold its first public forum on Tues. June 28 at 6 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Bishop.

This will be the first of six regional forums held to solicit local public comment critical to the Conservancy’s mission. Similar events will be scheduled during the summer in different locations within the Sierra-Cascade region to gain local insight, identify local needs, and address local concerns within all of the Conservancy’s 22 counties.

“A perfect balance has been struck with the establishment of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy between resource conservation and economic benefit,” said California Resources Agency Secretary Mike Chrisman. “People living within the borders of the Sierra Nevada will be able to protect the environment in which they live while influencing the prosperous future of their communities. The tremendous gain for those within the region and beyond is immeasurable.”

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy will establish funding for community improvement and economic sustainability across 25 million acres from the Oregon border to Kern County. As California's largest conservancy, the agency will provide grants to local governments, tribal organizations, and non-profits for recreational opportunities, economic growth, resource conservation and environmental protection.

“The forums are a great opportunity to learn about the Conservancy and the opportunities it will create for enhancing the Sierra-Cascade region,” said Linda Arcularius, Sierra Nevada Conservancy board member for the eastern Sierra region.

The Conservancy will provide technical assistance to local governments and organizations and aid in the preservation of working farms, forests, and ranches. Larger than any of the state’s other eight conservancies, the sub-regions of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy are unique and different. The process of attracting public input and incorporating local perspective will strengthen the political voice of Sierra communities and recognize the Sierra-Cascade region for all the assets it provides to the rest of the state.

These outreach efforts will be inclusive, open to the public, and receptive to constructive ideas for how the Sierra Nevada Conservancy can best benefit, protect, and enhance the social, natural, and financial wealth of the Sierra-Cascade region. The forums will provide information on what the Conservancy is and is not, what it can and cannot do, and how the strategic planning process will work. All are invited to come, participate and identify community needs.

This first forum will be Tues. June 28 at 6 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 205 North Fowler in Bishop, CA.

For more information, contact: Steve Frisch (530) 277-3763

For online information, go to www.sierranevadaconservancy.ca.gov