From the headwaters along Donner Summit to the confluence of the Yuba and Feather Rivers, hundreds of people turned out for the South Yuba River Citizens League’s (SYRCL’s) 24th annual Yuba River Cleanup that took place from September 11-18, 2021.
Keeping Current
We are well into another year of a drought here in Nevada County and the threatened Chinook salmon are in danger. This piece explores the current state of affairs as well as the consequences of inaction.
Seven years ago, SYRCL began the first project in the Lower Yuba River to restore salmon habitat.
In 2011 and 2012 SYRCL planted nearly 6,500 willow and cottonwood cuttings across 5 acres to improve the floodplain habitat that fish use during high flow periods as refuge from swift moving water in the main river channel.
One goal of this project was to increase riparian vegetation which would provide improved fish habitat through the increase in shading, cover, food availability, and creating geomorphic and hydraulic complexity on the floodplain.
SYRCL launched a survey in March of this year to learn more about both community attitudes toward cannabis cultivation as well as opportunities and challenges cannabis cultivators face regarding the compliance process. Find out what what people had to say as well as our findings and recommendations.
The annual Yuba River Cleanup relies on our generous sponsors. Without them, coordinating this week-long event would not be possible.
The Nevada County Cannabis Alliance would like to thank SYRCL for the important work of assembling the cannabis impact study which has provided valuable policy recommendations for the community to consider. An important theme that we continue to hear is the significant impact from egregious unpermitted farms. The majority of survey respondents would like to see greater enforcement on these sites and our organization agrees. These large unpermitted egregious farms have a significant environmental impact that may be dangerously affecting our Yuba and Bear River Watersheds.
Widespread cannabis cultivation can lead to numerous environmental impacts, including groundwater and surface water depletion, soil erosion, habitat loss and fragmentation, and pesticide pollution. In this article, we focus on a secondary impact of cannabis cultivation—the poisoning of endangered and threatened species.
This summer, we hosted a total of 17 students across two Earthwatch groups in June and late July. This immersive, overnight, 12-day field science expedition focused on teaching meadow ecology, monitoring, and restoration practices at Loney Meadow and Van Norden Meadow within the Tahoe National Forest.
Recently we were able to catch up with one of our River Captains, Damon Plant, about his experiences chatting with river-goers on the weekends this summer. Read his letter to visitors recreating at the Yuba.
Are trails safer than pavement? Can my dog really get burned on my car seats? How long does it take for damage to occur on hot surfaces? Can my dog get a sunburn? Read more to hear answers from Officers Geckler and Giovanetti.