Public Notice: Renewal of National Accreditation

The land trust accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. Shasta Land Trust is pleased to announce it is applying for renewal of accreditation. A public comment period is now open.
 
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, conducts an extensive review of each applicant’s policies and programs. Shasta Land Trust was first awarded accreditation in 2011. The accreditation program has helped shape Shasta Land Trust into a strong, professional organization. The seal of accreditation ensures our landowners, partners, and supporters know that we uphold the highest standards in our efforts to conserve significant lands in far northern California.
 
The Commission invites public input and accepts signed, written comments on pending applications. Comments must relate to how Shasta Land Trust complies with national quality standards. These standards address the ethical and technical operation of a land trust. For the full list of standards, click here.
 
To learn more about the accreditation program and to submit a comment, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org, or email your comment to the Commission. Comments may also be faxed or mailed to the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, Attn: Public Comments: (fax) 518-587-3183; (mail) 112 Spring Street, Suite 204, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
 
Comments on Shasta Land Trust’s application will be most useful by November 1, 2015. 

Great Sierra River Cleanup - September 19th

Calling all volunteers! We need YOUR help in the 2015 Great Sierra River Cleanup (GSRC) restoring the heart of Redding!

This year we will be cleaning up and enhancing the Sulphur Creek basin, including Sulphur Creek and Little Sulphur Creek. We will also be restoring the area around the Old 99 Trail, a trail that Shasta Land Trust has adopted through the City of Redding Adopt-A-Park/Adopt-A-Trail program.

The 2015 GSRC will take place Saturday, September 19th and is scheduled from 9am-noon. The Cleanup location is directly off of N Market Street at the entrance to the Old 99 Trail. We will have juice and breakfast pastries ready for everyone before the cleanup, so make sure you show up at 8:30am to get your fill before the fun and rewarding work begins!

Please bring the following on the day of the GSRC:

• closed-toe shoes
• work gloves
• sunscreen
•  a filled water bottle

Sulphur Creek has been a hot area for local stream restoration over the years, most notably by John McCullah and the Sacramento Watersheds Action Group (SWAG).

Sulphur Creek flows through the heart of Redding and is tributary to the Sacramento River. When water is present, Sulphur Creek historically has supports runs of trout and salmon. However, since it’s dredging from the old mining days, coupled with its recent channel redirection, fish passage and spawning has been in this areas has been a concern. This is where SWAG steps in!

“In collaboration with Turtle Bay, Shasta College, and the McConnell Foundation, from 1996 to 2007, SWAG designed and implemented almost 2 miles of stream restoration [through the Turtle Bay area], completed the Old Highway 99 Road to Trail conversion, and “daylighted” [Little Sulphur Creek], once buried by the Shasta Dam Conveyor Belt. …On a normally wet year it is now possible to observe dozens of salmon and hundreds of steelhead and rainbow trout spawning, rearing and escaping through this reach.”

— John McCullah

In that time, project phases 1, 2, and 3 have been completed. These phases helped to restore over 3 miles of stream from the Sacramento River up to the Union Pacific Railway. In addition to the stream restoration, over 10 acres of riparian habitat was restored by removing unbelievably dense areas of blackberries, poison oak, and star thistle.

With future plans by SWAG to restore fish passage from the railroad crossing and further up Sulphur Creek, it is imperative that we do our part to ensure this area is free of debris for the enjoyment and use of humans and wildlife alike as well as protecting the water quality of our area.

Click here to sign up for the 2015 Great Sierra River Cleanup today!

See you all on the 19th!

AmeriCorps Corner with Jake

Is It The End Already!?

Can any of you believe that it has been 10 months since I started this journey here in California and at Shasta Land Trust? I sure can’t! My time with SLT has gone way too fast, but has been filled with new and great experiences, exhilarating adventures, and amazing people and memories. Here’s a little perspective and review on my time here.

Jake, Anne, and Angela on a hike

After college, I was looking for new adventures and experiences away from what I was used to in Wisconsin, and the SNAP program fit that bill. I was excited to spend my year of AmeriCorps service living in a new area and learning a lot about the land trust world, especially the new and exciting happing’s at SLT. Within that first few months, I knew that this was going to be a great learning and professional experience and a fun and enjoyable time with the staff and all of SLT’s volunteers and supporters. They are truly great people!

One great experience was the enjoyable time I had working with all the volunteers at the Wildways Kickoff and seeing many of our incredible supporters in one place, enjoying themselves and having a great time. While a lot of time and preparation went into that event, it was great getting to know so many of those dedicating their time to making it a successful evening. I also had a huge blast coordinating the 2nd annual Whole Earth Hustle as well as spending the day with the Environmental Education committee at the Whole Earth and Watershed Festival, shooting the breeze and meeting some neat people!

Jake coordinating with Butte County RCD

One of my favorite tasks as the Conservation Associate was conservation easement monitoring. We have some amazing photos of the properties we’ve protected, but one almost has to see them first hand to really appreciate their beauty and importance. It was a lot of fun taking our volunteer monitors out to these properties, most of which were seeing them for the first time as well. Do be warned though, wasps do make nests in old gates. Nests you can’t even see until you’re already stung. I will never look at a gate the same way again.

Is it the end already?

Jake and his friends

I have had countless memorable adventures here in northern California with both family and friends. From hiking around the snows of Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen, kayaking the beautiful Butte Lake, exploring the Redwoods, hiking some great Whiskeytown trials at the recommendation of some long-time SLT supporters, to swimming the frigid waters of numerous waterfalls, it was all mind-blowingly awesome! There are so many opportunities to experience the outdoors here that one can’t even begin to scratch the surface in only a year. I will definitely be back in the future to explore some more! 

Jake's dogs

“What’s next?” some of you may say. Well, I don’t know! I will be going back home to Wisco with a primary focus on spending time with my family’s two dogs and getting my fill of home cooked food. Also, I will be eating copious amounts of cheese curds. There’s just something about eating a squeaky, warm chunk of cheese that you can’t get anywhere else… 

While I don’t know what’s in store for me next, I do know that I will miss working with the staff and supporters of the Shasta Land Trust as well as being in the company of some great friends I have made.

Thank you to everyone that has made my time at SLT an unforgettable experience filled with great memories!

A Step Back in Time at the McArthur Fair

Visit the InterMountain Fair in McArthur for a special taste of rural living in the high country of Shasta County.

Sunday, September 6th, Cattlemen’s Day, at the InterMountain Fair in McArthur

This is more than just a visit to one of the state’s most beautiful country fairs. Enjoy a day with friends for this well-coordinated trip that offers you a chance to bring out your inner cowboy and participate in and learn about the Cattlemen’s Day activities.

The Intermountain Fair is a true community fair and one of the oldest in the state. Located 70 miles east of Redding on the edge of the Modoc Plateau, the mountainous region is home to numerous farms and ranches that give the fair a truly rural flavor. The area is beautiful at this time of year with wide-open vistas and cool, crystal clear air. The fairgrounds are in the center of the community and the parade goes through the small town of McArthur. The hometown and friendly atmosphere make the Inter-Mountain Fair a perfect outing for families.

This Wildways event offers you many special features:

• Round-trip transportation in a luxurious motor coach, accompanied by your Shasta College Ag student ambassadors!
• A catered picnic lunch with Marlene and Craig McArthur at their beautiful turn of the century original McArthur Family home. Food will be provided by the local grocer and restaurant, Adin Supply (in business since 1906!). Learn about efforts local agriculture leaders are making to assure water is used responsibly.
• Opportunity to participate in the Cattlemen’s Day activities that include:

o   Watch a demonstration to learn how ultra sound is used to determine beef quality.
o   Watch the ranch branding contest where teams of three local cattlemen compete to apply a paint brand on two calves. You can also participate in the calcutta where you can “bid to purchase” the team you think will be the first to catch their two calves and apply the paint brand the quickest.
o   Enjoy the commercial cattle pen show where local cattlemen enter their best animals to be judged.
o   Talk with local cattlemen at their end of the day social over drinks and snacks.
o   Witness a sense of community as they present their local scholarship winners.

• You will receive entrance to the Fair and can tour the fair at your leisure—view the local art displays that include photography and paintings, as well as locally made quilts and, of course, trophy vegetables and fruits. The livestock area has pens for prize pigs, poultry, cattle, and sheep.
• You will also have an opportunity to enjoy the parade.

This Wildways event is $60. 100% of your ticket price goes to support Shasta Land Trust…..See you September 6th!

More information about the fair:  inter-mountainfair.com

For tickets, call Shasta Land Trust at 530.241.7886.