Sierra Nevada Alliance

1991 Tom Knudson’s Pulitzer Prize winning series of articles entitled “Sierra in Peril” prompts statewide attention to the oft forgotten Sierra. 1992 First Board Meeting of the Sierra Nevada Alliance and the Alliance is incorporated in 1993 as a charitable organization. 1993 Laurel Ames is hired as the first Executive Director and 10-12 member groups join! 1994 First Annual Conference at Mammoth Lakes. Alliance conference grows over the years to over 200 participants and keynotes from renowned authors, state leaders, and national conservation directors. 1995 Engages public participation in the congressionally funded Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project. 1996 Sierra Nevada Alliance receives first private foundation grant. 1997 Sierra Futures Fund begins and over next 5 years $30,000 mini-grants are given to 25 groups. 1999 Alliance Co-Sponsored Range Rides with California Cattleman’s Association and California Rangeland Trust and supports the West Point Renewal Project with Foothill Conservancy. Alliance releases first major publication, Watershed Council Toolkit . 2000 The Watershed Principles created by the Alliance and Regional Council of Rural Counties are adopted by the State. Sierra Nevada Alliance begins convening the first meetings of land trusts in the region that spawns the Sierra- Cascade Land Trust Council 2001 The first Watershed Director is hired. The Sierra Land-Use Handbook is released. 2002 Alliance completes 8 regional meetings in one year. Sierra Nevada Alliance joins Ski Area Citizens Coalition and releases First Ski Area Citizens Coalition Report Card in Sierra and California garnering statewide media attention. This goes on to become an Annual Event, garnering national attention and over 500 articles on ski area environmental performance over the years. 2003 Alliance produces and releases at news conferences throughout California Troubled Waters of the Sierra showcasing how all Sierra rivers are impaired and polluted and calling for increased state investment in watershed restoration and protection in the region. The Alliance established a new electronic alert system, issuing alerts to hundreds of individuals and groups on cutting edge conservation issues from our network of activists around the range. This continues through FY 12- 13, providing over 200 alerts since it began. 2004 After three years of legislative effort, The Sierra Nevada Conservancy legislation passes thanks to Alliance, The Sierra Fund, Sierra Business Council, Sierra Cascade Land Trust and other allies! The Alliance receives award from The Sierra Fund for helping create the new Conservancy. 2005 Completes training of over 150 water quality monitors on 7 watersheds in the Sierra with the assistance of SYRCL. This goes on over the years, creating over 9 ongoing watershed monitoring programs throughout the Sierra. First Sierra Climate Change Toolkit released. Over the years three editions are released and over 2000 copies distributed. Publication recognized by state and United Nations as cutting edge resource on climate adaptation. Over 20 groups take the pledge to champion GHG reductions and climate change adaptation. Sierra Nevada Alliance releases report Planning for the Future, chronicling growth and development threatening our rural way of life and ecosystems. News conferences held throughout the State, with stories appearing in over 80 newspapers including: San Francisco Chronicle, LA Times, and Washington Post. 2006 Celebrates Mariposa General Plan adoption that helps save 37,000 acres of open space and includes model elements. The plan was helped to pass thanks to the teamwork of the Mariposans for the Environment and Responsible Government (MERG), the Alliance, Laurie Oberholtzer and Tom Infusino. 2006 Releases State of Sierra Waters: A Sierra Nevada Watersheds Index . Simultaneous press conferences were held in San Francisco, Sacramento and Reno and a total of fourteen televisions stations, seven radio stations, and sixteen newspapers carried the story (including a front-page, above-the- fold article in the Reno Gazette-Journal). The following is a brief timeline of some key highlights of our 25 years: Celebrating 25 Years of Accomplishments 16