Join us at SYRCL’s big birthday bash!  For those of you over 30, you probably vividly remember your 30th birthday.  Perhaps you felt like now you were really an adult – a bit more settled into yourself, a bit more self-assured.  Well, that’s sort of how it is for SYRCL as we turn 30 years old.  Over the past three decades SYRCL has become the go to organization when it comes to defending and restoring the Yuba River watershed.  We remain devoted to the river we all love and have gained an increasingly important role in the complicated politics that govern water in California.  SYRCL’s list of accomplishments on behalf of the Yuba is long and growing, and we’re excited to celebrate our birthday on Saturday, June 8th at the North Star House.  Whether you’re a member, donor, volunteer or supporter, SYRCL exists because of you, the community, and we hope you’ll come raise a glass to our shared success.

We’re bringing back the beloved SYRCL auction for the occasion, with tons of great items from donors throughout the community.  We’ll have everything from gift certificates to local restaurants and shops to fabulous lodging retreats to a river trip on the Futaleufu River.  We’ll even have a small herd of cashmere goats to auction!   You can preview all the auction items by clicking here.  Dance to live music with three local favorite bands Beaucoup Chapeaux, Ghost Pines and Achilles Wheel.  There will also be a bar, food available from Smiley Guys Smokehouse, a dessert bar, and even a dunk tank where you can dunk former SYRCL Executive Directors and Board Members who are still making a splash for SYRCL after all of these years.  Volunteer positions are still available – contact Miriam Limov at  miriam@syrcl.org for a list of fun volunteer jobs to sign up for.

Join us at SYRCL’s biggest party of the year.  You can purchase tickets online here, at Briar Patch Co-op or at the SYRCL office. 

Join the Wild & Scenic Team!  The Associate Director leads and manages the Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour (WSFF On Tour) program.  Now in its 7^th year, WSFF On Tour provides a turn-key fundraiser, membership drive, and awareness-building event to other organizations by offering a turn-key event featuring a selection of films from SYRCL’s annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival held in Nevada City, CA each January.  The WSFF On Tour program is a major source of funding for the South Yuba River Citizens League’s (SYRCL) river conservation work. SYRCL seeks an Associate Director with proven sales and marketing experience to lead this growing program.  This individual must take initiative, enjoy the challenge of sales, be passionate for the environment, work hard, enjoy a fast-paced work day and like working as part of, and leading, a team. The Associate Director will supervise one to two On Tour managers.

If this position sounds right for you, please read the full job description and consider submitting an application.

Aspen trees at Rucker Lake, Grouse Ridge

Do you know the importance of aspen trees for biodiversity in our watershed? Did you know that Aspen stands are currently threatened? Are you curious about the relationship between aspen and meadows? Please join SYRCL for a FREE educational evening with David Burton, Director of the Aspen Delineation Project and recipient of Bureau of Land Management’s 2007 “Making a Difference” National Volunteer Award.

• When: Tuesday, June 18^th. 5:30-6:30pm
• Where: SYRCL Office. 216 Main St. Nevada City, CA 95959
• RSVP: Please contact Adele Rife, SYRCL Restoration Coordinator at adele@syrcl.org or (530) 265-5961 ext. 218.

David Burton will be joining us to speak about aspen stands and meadows. SYRCL staff will also speak about our growing restoration program and upcoming volunteer opportunities at Loney Meadow in Tahoe National Forest.  SYRCL’s work to promote the regeneration of aspen in Loney Meadow is funded by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy.

Volunteers after small conifer removal allowing more light to the aspen grove

Aspen groves are in extreme decline conifer encroachment resulting from changes in natural fire and hydrology regimes. But you can help! Come out with us on July 13^th, July 27^th, August 10^th and 24^th to learn about and help restore aspen tree habitat, one of the Sierra Nevada’s biodiversity hotspots.

The restoration days will include carpooling to Loney Meadow, learning about the importance of aspen and meadow ecology, and a few hours of conifer removal.  Training and natural interpretation will be provided Kathy Van Zuuk of Tahoe National Forest.  Aspen regeneration has been identified as a  priority action that supports broader efforts to restore the health of mountain meadows in the Yuba Watershed, important natural sources of clean water for the Yuba River.

Meadows are fascinating and vital ecosystems – come learn about them and help us restore them!

Ori Chafe, SSI's Restoration Ecologist, welcomes Patagonia Employees

SYRCL partnered with Sierra Streams Institute (SSI) to host a day dedicated to restoration in the Yuba Watershed with 16 employees of the Patagonia Service Center in Reno, Nevada on May 16. Adele Rife, SYRCL’s Restoration Coordinator, worked with Ori Chafe, SSI’s Restoration Ecologist to organize the restoration day. The morning consisted of restoration work on Deer Creek at the confluence with Squirrel Creek. This restoration site is located on a rare floodplain meadow, which makes the land important to protect and restore. The group of volunteers pulled invasive Himalayan Blackberry, a noxious weed that chokes out the native vegetation. Dense blackberry thickets can block access of larger wildlife to water and other resources, as well as cause problems for people trying to enjoy parks and natural areas.

After 3 hours of hard work, the volunteers enjoyed a nice break at the South Yuba River Highway 49 Crossing with a few brave souls jumping in for a brisk cold swim! The group then hiked to Hoyt’s Crossing, the site of SYRCL’s ongoing Scotch Broom removal effort. Adele spoke about SYRCL’s three restoration goals:  invasive weed removal, restoring mountain meadows, and rehabilitating salmon habitat. Finally, the crew ended the day at Hoyt’s Crossing swimming hole.

Lunch at the South Yuba River at Hwy 49 Crossing

SYRCL and SSI would like to give an enormous thank you to Patagonia for their participation in Yuba River restoration efforts; everyone worked hard and had a great attitude. Not only does Patagonia provide opportunities for employees to participate in service projects like this one, but they are long-time supporters of SYRCL as a Wild & Scenic Film Festival National Partner. SYRCL would also like to thank SSI for partnering with us to make this day possible.

To learn more about SYRCL’s growing restoration program, please visit our restoration page. Also, join us at our upcoming educational event, “Learn How You Can Help Save Our Aspens,” on June 18^th at the SYRCL office from 6:30-8 pm to listen to David Burton, Director of the Aspen Delineation Project speak about the importance of Aspen groves. If getting your hands dirty sounds fun, then sign up for our upcoming Aspen Regeneration work in Loney Meadow, happening July 13^th and 27^th, and August 10^th and 24^rd where we’ll be removing small conifer trees to allow more sunlight for the Aspen groves.  Contact Adele Rife at adele@syrcl.org TODAY to help restore the Yuba River watershed.

Patagonia Employees gather after removing blackberry on Deer Creek

Naturalists in the field

Become a certified naturalist this summer and apply your skills to help benefit the Yuba Watershed!

UC Berkeley-Sagehen Creek Field Station in Truckee is offering California Naturalist courses this summer for anyone who would like to become a Citizen Scientist in their community.  The course offers hands-on exposure to real-world environmental projects, preparing you to be an effective volunteer for SYRCL and other California agencies and non-profit organizations.

Two formats will be offered, including:

–10-Week course on Friday evenings and three Saturdays from June 7 to August 10. Lodging for overnight stays is available.

–One-Week intensive course will also be offered from July 8-14. Room and board are included for this session.

For more information and to register for either course, go to the Sagehen website or contact Coordinator, Leslie Smith.  Become a certified Citizen Scientist and help SYRCL with many of our programs and projects to help keep the Yuba Watershed clean and healthy.

Click here to view all the articles and radio interviews for SYRCL.

Like us on Facebook too and keep informed on a daily basis with photos and stories from our events and programs too!

River Ambassadors in action at the Highway 49 bridge.

SYRCL is looking to hire four people to become River Captains and get paid to be on the river educating the public about stewardship, and managing volunteers.  Resumes will be accepted for the River Captain positions until May 18^th.  River Captains commit to at least 11 weekend days throughout the summer.  Visit our job posting page to learn more (http://yubariver.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/RA-Job-Announcement.pdf).  This is your last chance to put your passion into action and get paid!

SYRCL also seeks Yuba lovers to serve as volunteer River Ambassadors to reach out to both local residents and out-of-towners about how they can help keep the river clean, safe and healthy.  River Ambassadors walk beaches and trails, and staff an informational booth to educate river visitors about stewardship.  This summer, SYRCL plans to double the River Ambassadors’ impact by fielding volunteers at all four major river crossings (Highway 49, Bridgeport, Edwards and Purdon Crossings) every weekend from June 22^nd through September 21^st.

If you support SYRCL’s hands-on approach to river stewardship, please consider making a financial contribution to fund River Ambassadors and ensure this innovative program thrives.  So far we have raised only 25% of the funds needed  for a successful season.  We are grateful to the California State Parks Foundation for their generous support, but we need your help, too.  Your donation will directly support the dedicated community members who have committed their skills, passion, and summer-time weekends to serve as SYRCL’s River Captains.

Last summer, SYRCL’s volunteer River Ambassadors spent 642 hours at two major river crossings and spoke one-on-one with nearly 3,000 visitors to inspire them to take personal responsibility for preventing wildfires, garbage dumping, and water pollution due to unsanitary practices.

SYRCL has a long history mobilizing volunteers to care for the river. Over 650 volunteers removed over 7,700 pounds of garbage during last fall’s Annual Greater Yuba River Cleanup and Restoration Day. In addition, SYRCL will continue to pay for the placement of much needed porta-potties at Purdon Crossing.

Even though River Ambassadors focus on education, we still pack out trash and dog waste when we see it!

SYRCL envisions a day when there will no longer be a need for an annual cleanup day as everyone who visits the river will be good stewards, which means if you “pack it in, please pack it out.”  Join SYRCL in making that vision a reality.

For more information about volunteering to be a River Ambassador, applying for a paid River Captain position, or making a donation, contact Andrew Collins-Anderson, SYRCL’s Stewardship Coordinator, at andrew@syrcl.org or 530-265-5961 x209.  The River Ambassadors Program is made possible in part by generous funding from the California State Parks Foundation.

Join Us!  Riverscapes: May 15, 2013.  Expedition kayaker and PhD psychologist Dr. Doug Ammons shares a multi-media presentation “Riverscapes,” exploring how rivers shape both the land and the human cultures that live along them. “All the experiences we have in nature, no matter how subtle, lead to some form of inner change. The most dramatic experiences may be through the adventure sports, but every other experience does this as well. Whether hiking, bird-watching, or simply sitting quietly on the side of a river, all are ways we extend ourselves out into her sweep and uncover some part of her being. In return, through those experiences she shapes what we think and feel – and even who we are,” said Dr. Ammons. In 2010, Ammons was named by Outside Magazine as “one of the top ten game changers in adventure since 1900” for his pioneering whitewater kayaking expeditions. He weaves together his knowledge of adventure and psychology for an evening of inspirational ideas about how cultural beliefs reflect the physical world. Join us in a talk about the science and psychology of striking landscapes shaped into a sacred universe.

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.  He writes regularly for adventure publications and has published The Laugh of the Water Nymph and a second book Whitewater Philosophy, named by the Wall Street Journal as “one of the five best all-time outdoor adventure books”.

Doug has done documentaries for National Geographic, ESPN, and the Outdoor Life Network, four of which won Emmy Awards for their cinematography. He wrote scripts, played guitar on the soundtracks, and won an Emmy as a cameraman for Action Cinematography.

Details:

Wednesday May 15, 2013; 7pm
Nevada Theatre, 401 Broad Street Nevada City, CA.
$17 general  |  $15 SYRCL Members  |  $10 student
Tickets available online or at the SYRCL office, 216 Main Street Nevada City, CA.  Call or email Melinda Booth for more information: (530) 265-5961 x202

A SYRCL volunteer holds a large Scotch Broom freshly removed!

SYRCL’s 22 volunteers removed 1 acre of  Scotch Broom at Hoyt’s Crossing on the South Yuba River on April 27th. With such an excellent turn out of dedicated volunteers, we covered more ground than expected. SYRCL has adopted Hoyts Crossing as a site for annual removal efforts and eventual eradication.  This work helps to reduce fire danger and allow native plants and wildlife to thrive.

Volunteers pulled the Scotch Broom with weed wrenches, and then mulched the plant with loppers right where the plant was pulled. This method is meant to stabilize the soil where the plant was removed, and also inhibit new Scotch Broom plants from sprouting the next season. After hiking a mile to the work site with heavy tools, working hard to pull and mulch the Scotch Broom, and meeting fellow river lovers, everyone enjoyed a celebratory break along the lovely South Yuba River.

A SYRCL volunteer mulches pulled Scotch Broom

“What motivates me to come back to remove to Scotch Broom is to see the change from year to year. We have a great time getting to know each other and working hard to remove Scotch Broom from our river’s corridor!” states Claire Ellwanger, SYRCL volunteer.

SYRCL’s restoration program is continuing to grow and we need YOU to join our restoration team. We have exciting opportunities for you to get involved, help aspen trees thrive and restore mountain meadows.

• June 18^th – Learn about Meadows and More with David Burton
• David Burton, Director of Aspen Delineation Project and recipient of Bureau of Land Management’s 2007 “Making a Difference” National Volunteer Award will be joining SYRCL to speak about aspen stands and meadows. Meadows are fascinating and vital ecosystems – come and learn about them and help us restore them! (no fee)
• July 13^th & 27^th, August 10^th & 24^th – Aspen Regeneration in Mountain Meadows
• 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. 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).  Contact Adele Rife to register to participate in any of these service days.
• September 21^st – The 16^th Annual Greater Yuba Clean Up 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. (no fee)
• More dates to come for invasive weed removal in the South Yuba River State Park

Enormous thank you to all the devoted and enthusiastic volunteers that came out to remove Scotch Broom on April 27^th; we removed 1 acre of Scotch Broom because of your hard work, which helps reduce fire danger and allow native plants and wildlife to return to the site. SYRCL thanks the Bureau of Land Management for partnering with us at Hoyt’s Crossing on the South Yuba River. We also thank the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County for hosting the Scotch Broom Challenge each year throughout Nevada County.

Please stay tuned for a short video of our recent Scotch Broom Challenge to learn more about this invasive weed and how we can work to control it.

Volunteers gather at the end of the day

Join Cycle the Sierra from June 22-26, 2013 on a fully-supported, five day cycling event that takes place in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Northern California.  Each leg of the ride benefits a different nonprofit organization and the Sierraville to Nevada City leg is in support of SYRCL.  There is still space available if you want to join in on the fun.  Online registration is at www.cyclethesierra.com.

This journey takes riders on a 300-mile loop through breathtaking country, beneath granite peaks, through evergreen forests and to alpine hot springs. You’ll ride through iconic locations like Lake Tahoe and the area where gold was discovered starting the California Gold Rush, over the 4th highest bridge in the US, and through numerous unique and historical communities along the way.

Each day cyclists will travel roughly 60 miles. At night, you’ll camp together under the stars. Camps will feature delicious food, live music, a beer and wine garden, massage therapists, bike mechanics and other cyclists letting loose on vacation from all over the United States.

If you like being a part of truly beautiful mountain scenery, good food and live music, relaxing with a cold beer after a great ride, spending time with old friends and meeting new, CYCLE THE SIERRA is an event you don’t want to miss!

DAY 0: Check in and pick up rider packet (3-9 pm), overnight at Nevada Union High School

DAY 1: Nevada City to Chili Bar ­– 61 miles (4600.0 ft. of climbing)

DAY 2: Chili Bar to Kirkwood Resort ­– 62 miles (8162.0 ft .of climbing)

DAY 3: Kirkwood Resort to Lake Tahoe ­– 34 miles (2146.0 ft. of climbing)

DAY 4: Lake Tahoe to Sierraville ­– 65 miles (3190.0 ft. of climbing)

DAY 5: Sierraville to Nevada City ­– 82 miles (6109.0 ft. of climbing) RIDE IN SUPPORT OF SYRCL THIS LEG!

TOTAL MILES: 304