The Sierra Spotlight, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy’s (SNC) new digital newsroom, draws upon the regional knowledge and expertise of SNC staff to highlight the most important restoration, scientific, and policy events in the Sierra Nevada.
The Spotlight will cover as much ground as our 25-million-acre region demands. We will feature science-and-experience based perspectives on topics that range from how to protect California’s Sierra Nevada communities and natural resources from wildfire to the role that forests and working lands can play addressing the climate crisis. It’s also where we will post updates about our Sierra Nevada Watershed Improvement Program projects and all the work that we, and our local, state, and federal partners are doing to protect and restore the Sierra Nevada.
While the stories we share here are most likely to feature people, organizations, and events that take place in the Sierra Nevada, they will often have important implications for all of California, the United States, and, occasionally, the world.
That is because the Sierra Nevada’s forested landscapes are essential components of California’s natural infrastructure and economy (an economy that, if California were a nation, would rank as 5th largest worldwide). It provides more than 60% of California’s developed water supply and stores half of our state’s forest carbon. Its beauty and nearly limitless opportunities for outdoor recreation bring visitors from around the world to visit California landmarks like Yosemite National Park.
And many of the issues the Sierra Nevada is grappling with—wildfire, drought, climate change, economic opportunity—are no less urgent issues near San Francisco and Los Angeles, than they are near Mammoth Lakes or Lake Tahoe.
Navigating the Sierra Spotlight content can happen in several ways. First is a search bar. Next are Featured Entries where we will highlight a small collection of the most important, relevant, and timely stories.
Last is an option to sort Spotlight entries into three categories based on broad topics. These include SNC Announcements, for articles about all kinds of SNC activities, Project Highlights, focusing exclusively on our on-the-ground implementation efforts, and Sierra Nevada Updates, where we will discuss important regional events and topics that may or may not directly involve the SNC.
As more content is added to the Spotlight, we will add additional functionality, like the ability to sort entries by the key issues like wildfire, climate change, or biodiversity, that drive the SNC’s work.
There is a lot vying for our attention in 2020, but at the SNC we remain focused on our mission to initiate, encourage, and support efforts that improve the environmental, economic, and social well-being of the Sierra Nevada region, its communities, and the citizens of California. These are the topics the Sierra Spotlight will illuminate.