Annual Events
SYRCL’s 2013 Annual Event Calendar
The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) is commemorating our 30th anniversary of uniting the community to protect and restore the Yuba River with a terrific year of celebratory events. We invite you to experience the Yuba River watershed with us from mountain top passes with stellar views of the surrounding peaks to trails removing invasive weeds or trees to breathe life back into the aspen forests. Come taste delicious wines and beer with your friends while bidding competitively on auction items to help raise funds to continue our efforts. Mark your calendars and invite your friends and family too!
Join us this year to
~Celebrate the Yuba
~ Explore the Yuba
~ Learn about the Yuba
and
~Restore the Yuba while creating friendships along the way!
March 16: Snowshoe Excursion with SYRCL Staff, Miriam Limov- Adventure on an all-day delightful snowshoe trek from Donner Summit up to Castle Pass in the South Yuba
Volunteers removing trash from the Middle Fork of the Yuba River at Foote's Crossing, 2012
River’s watershed! No experience necessary with basic lessons available on the trail. During lunch while overlooking Donner Summit, you will learn about the water and land issues of the headwaters of the South Yuba River. For more information or to register today contact Miriam Limov at Miriam@syrcl.org or (530) 265-5961 ext. 201 (minimal fee)
Snowshoe excursion on Donner Summit, March 2011
April 20: 3rd Annual Wild for the Yuba - An evening of wine and beer tastings from two dozen wineries and breweries. Enjoy beverages, fine food, live music and mingle with your friends at the Grass Valley Veterans Memorial Hall. ($35/$40 with a discounted rate for designated drivers) Click here for this past year’s post-event press release.
April 24: SYRCL’s Growing Restoration Program in the Yuba Watershed- 7:30 pm Madelyn Helling Library Community Room, Nevada city, presented by Redbud Chapter CNPS and the South Yuba River Citizens League.
The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) has been steadily growing their restoration program over the past few years. In SYRCL’s new strategic plan, they have identified three goals: rehabilitating the lower Yuba River with an emphasis on salmon habitat, restoring the health of mountain meadows, and protecting the river corridors from invasive species. These goals have manifested in several projects including the Hammon Bar Riparian Enhancement project on the lower Yuba River, several aspen regeneration projects in meadows and a newly developed invasive weed removal program. Adele Rife, SYRCL’s AmeriCorps Restoration Coordinator, will be joining the Redbud Chapter of the California Native Plant Society to present these up-and-coming restoration initiatives in the Yuba Watershed.
April 27: Scotch Broom Challenge - (Several dates to be determined) Although admired for its yellow blossoms, the Scotch broom shrub is a fierce invasive species quickly out-competing our precious native plants. Help us remove this non-native plant as SYRCL adopted site on the South Yuba River. Contact Adele Rife, SYRCL’s AmeriCorps Restoration Coordinator to register or for more information at adele@syrcl.org or (530) 265-5961 ext. 218 (no fee)
May 15: Wild & Scenic Arts & Lectures Presents Doug Ammons - An evening of adventure and fun – “Ammons is one of the top ten game-changers in adventure since 1900. What Reinhold Messner did for alpinism, Ammons did for kayaking.” — Outside Magazine
Doug Ammons is a Montana native and has been a world class kayaker for the last 25+ years, doing dozens of expedition first descents of rivers around the world. He is particularly known for his outrageous solo descents of wilderness Class V+ and VI runs. His solo run of the Grand Canyon of the Stikine River was equated by Outside Magazine to Himalayan climber Reinhold Messner’s epic solo of Mt. Everest, earning him a place in Outside’s “top ten game-changers in adventure since 1900”.
June 8: 30th Anniversary Auction, Party & Picnic: What a Wild & Scenic Trip It’s Been –The famous silent and live auction returns for SYRCL’s 30th Anniversary at a new location – the North Star House Mine. Browse and bid on hundreds of donated items to help support SYRCL’s programs, while feasting on fabulous food and grooving to live music. If you are interested in donating items or to learn more contact Shana Maziarz at auction@syrcl.org or (530)265-5961 x215.
June 18: Learn About Meadows and More - Meadows are fascinating and vital ecosystems – come and learn about them and help us restore them! Speakers and information about SYRCL’s Aspen Regeneration Program will be shared.
June 22: River Ambassador Kick-Off Party-Come celebrate the River Ambassador’s first day on the river with fun and games for the whole family. Come play fish pong, paint river flags, guess Yuba River trivia and visit with SYRCL’s mascot Flo. Share in the fun of building community while caring for the River.
June 29: Photography Class on the Yuba River with John Daly - If you are an aspiring photographer, learn from local expert photographer, John Daly, about the tricks and secrets of how to take quality river photos. A $10 to $20 sliding-scale donation is requested to attend with space for 12 participants – Register today with Andrew Collins-Anderson at (530) 265-5961 ext. 209 or andrew@syrcl.org. Bring your own camera and tripod and enjoy a pleasant evening on the River.
July 13 & 27, August 10 & 24: Meadow Aspen Restoration – Restoration of mountain meadows is a strategic priority for SYRCL’s work to make our watershed healthier and more resilient to climate change. Our focus this year is the restoration of Sierra Aspen which are in extreme decline from conifer encroachment and changes in natural fire and hydrology regimes. But you can help! Come out with us to learn about meadow ecosystems and help restore aspen tree habitat, one of the Sierra Nevada’s biodiversity hotspots! (no fee)
September 21st : The 16th Annual Greater Yuba CleanUp and Restoration Day - Join SYRCL to restore the Yuba River watershed at over 35 sites along 90 miles of shoreline along with several restoration projects.
Salmon Tour on the lower Yuba River
October and November: Salmon Rafting Expeditions- Join SYRCL staff and Environmental Traveling Companions on a tour of the Lower Yuba and view the wild salmon of the Yuba River watershed.
November 14: Wild & Scenic Arts & Lectures Presents Dan Flores – Dan Flores has held the A. B. Hammond Chair in Western History at the University of Montana since 1992. His specialty is the environmental and cultural history of the American West. He is the author of eight books, most recently Visions of the Big Sky (2010).
January 10-12, 2014: The 12th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival - The film festival is held here in Nevada City – Considered one of the nation’s premiere environmental and adventure film festival’s, the films combine stellar filmmaking, beautiful cinematography and first-rate storytelling to inform, inspire and ignite solutions and possibilities to restore the earth and human communities while creating a positive future for the next generation. Festival-goers can expect to see Award winning films about nature, community activism, adventure, conservation, water, energy and climate change, wildlife, environmental justice, agriculture, Native American and indigenous cultures.check out www.wildandscenicfilmfestival.org for all the details.
