Join SYRCL’s Youth Outdoor Leadership Opportunity this Summer

Youth Outdoor Leadership Opportunity (YOLO):
Discover the connection between a healthy meadow and a healthy community

SYRCL is excited to announce a week-long summer science program for local high school students to learn about meadow ecosystems and assess montane meadow health.

SYRCL’s River Education Program engages students of all ages to learn about watershed health and aims to educate people to be informed, passionate stewards and lifelong advocates of the Yuba River watershed.

The Youth Outdoor Leadership Opportunity (YOLO) involves students in understanding how meadows function, collecting scientific data, and determining how people can most effectively manage and restore a headwater meadow ecosystem.

APPLY TODAY– Submissions due April 30

Participants will work alongside SYRCL River Science staff to study the impacts of human activity on meadow health and discover how meadows can be restored. Students will conduct biological surveys to assess meadow species richness and diversity, hydrologic regime, and meadow restoration success.

Sierra Nevada mountain meadows have been disturbed by historic land use activities such as forestry practices, mining, over-grazing, climate change and fire suppression. Because of their unique features, mountain meadows are areas of high species diversity, serving as a haven for many plants and animals. These meadows serve as carbon sinks, making them an important resource for carbon sequestration. Meadows collect precipitation and store it underground; filtering water and slowly releasing it to lower elevations – in our case, the greater Yuba watershed and Sacramento River basin.

Throughout the program, participants will work alongside experts who will serve as mentors to help develop real-world scientific skills. Working with such individuals allows students to cultivate an invaluable network of skills, experience and contacts in the scientific community. Building a strong network will be a tremendous help in future aspirations, such as applying to colleges and employment opportunities.

Many thanks to National Forest Foundation for making this opportunity possible.

PROGRAM FLYER

Program Details:

• Week-long opportunity to learn about meadow ecosystems, scientific monitoring, and ecosystem restoration.
• Lunch and snacks will be provided.
• Most of the time will be spent outdoors at Loney Meadow in the Tahoe National Forest. Physical work and hiking are expected.
• Choose from one of three, 1-week sessions:
  • July 9-13, 2018
  • July 16-20, 2018
  • July 23-27, 2018
• Participants will meet at the SYRCL office at 8 AM and return at 5 PM. Transportation to and from Loney Meadow will be provided by SYRCL.
• A mandatory orientation will be held from 9 PM – 3 PM on June 2^nd and 3^rd.
• Preference given to students who will be sophomores, juniors and seniors for the 2018-19 school year.
• Application deadline is April 30, 2018.