Pinyon Pine Health- Blitz

Sunday, September 8th  from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Calling all citizen scientists! Perhaps you have heard of a bio-blitz, but this September 8th we are having a health-blitz,  a morning of surveying the health of an often overlooked, but nonetheless critical, ecosystem, pinyon pine woodlands. Friends of the Inyo and researchers with the PiCCA project will be hosting a survey day in the Glass Mountains outside Mammoth Lakes to help inform their research on Pinyon Pines and get Eastern Sierra residents involved in the study of, and advocacy for, our local woodlands. 

In Honor of National Public Lands Day on the 28th, join us

September 21st  for the Great Sierra River Cleanup

Saturday, September 21st @ 9am, Eastern Sierra Land Trust and Friends of the Inyo, in collaboration with the Sierra Nevada Alliance and the California Coastal Commission, are hosting a local site for the
Great Sierra River Cleanup. Join us for a day of trash grabbin' and garbage gettin' at the Bishop Artesian Wells.

All Season Long, Solitude Monitoring

Help Friends of the Inyo conduct visitor data collection for the Forest Service in various designated Wildernesses on the Inyo National Forest. It’s easy: You can do it while you’re out enjoying nature by hiking target trails in research areas and recording how many other people you encounter. That’s it! It is called Solitude Monitoring, and it helps inform the Forest Service on trail quotas, usage, and how well the “Wilderness Character” of a place is being managed. We need a wide variety of data: various days (weekdays vs. weekends vs. holidays) and usage over various months (April-November). 

Questions? If you have any questions about any of our volunteering opportunities please contact Friends of the Inyo's Stewardship Director, Lindsay Butcher, at Lindsay@friendsoftheinyo.org. 

From art and yoga, to learning about snakes, foraging, or the geological forces that created the Sierra Nevada and beyond—Friends of the Inyo offers a variety of engagement opportunities for everyone. Don't miss these opportunities, and the wonderful people who lead them, before we say goodbye to our 2024 season of summer naturalist programs. Scroll below to learn more about our September offerings... 

reserve your spot by emailing lindsay@friendsoftheinyo.org

Join us for the LAST Nature-Based Yoga of the summer! This fan favorite (and FREE) interpretive  event is led by Friends of the Inyo's Lead Trail Ambassador Jean on the deck of Pokonobe marina on Lake Mary. 

No registration/RSVP is required. Bring your own yoga mat, refreshments, layers, and anything else you might need for a lovely morning of yoga on the lake.

Questions? Reach out to jean@friendsoftheinyo.org

Sierra Foraging: Plant Medicine and Wild Edibles of the Eastern Sierra  Interpretive Hike

Saturday August 31st, from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, come join White Mountain District Trail Ambassador, Jean on a hike up East Fork of Rock Creek where you’ll learn about, and potentially find, some medicinal-edible flora.

Stories Set in Stone: Geology of the Sierra Nevada, Bennettville Interpretive Hike

Saturday September 7th,  from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, come join Trail Ambassador Ellie for a hike back in time. Explore the historic Bennettville mine and get an up-close and personal view into the geology of the Eastern Sierra. This hike will begin at an elevation of 9,500, and we will gain about 300 feet as we go up to the old mine and townsite. 

The Misunderstood Danger Noodle: a Sssiera Snake Walk- Bridgeport Interpretive Hike

Saturday September 14th from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, come join our Bridgeport Ranger District Trail Ambassador Jordan for an exploration of all things slithery… explore the reptilian world, and the perfect habitat of the scrub brush-y Eastern Sierra. 

 Mt. Whitney Stroll and Sketch: An Artsy Interpretive Morning Hike

Saturday September 21st from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Bring your curiosity and creativity and join Mt. Whitney District Trail Ambassador,   Bella on a guided walk alongside Lone Pine River. We will be learning about the natural wonders around us and making stops to create art along the way. Friends of the Inyo will provide mini sketchbooks and pencils but feel free to bring your own if you’d like.

Mammoth Lakes Basin Interpretive Hike and Cyanotype Creation

Saturday September 28th from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, come join Mammoth Lakes Ranger District Trail Ambassador Brian on a gathering hike to Heart Lake to make a Cyanotype! Heart Lake trail is a perfect ~1.5 mile stroll to collect leaves, rocks, flowers and other decorations to use in making a Cyanotype or “Sun-Print”.

In August 2024, Friends of the Inyo finished replacing a section of boardwalk on the Upper Rock Creek Lake trail in the Inyo National Forest: It took 13 people ALL day on August 10th to dismantle the old rotten section, haul in the new material and get it assembled. (Our team would like to give a huge shout out to the volunteers that took the day to help!) This 80ft section alone cost over $14,000 in materials... suffice to say, quality timber that can last for years to come is not cheap! Now, we need to raise $15,000 to tackle the remaining sections of the Upper Rock Creek Trail that were damaged and left in dangerous condition by the extraordinary runoff in recent years.

Please help us reach our goal so we can tackle additional sections of the Rock Creek boardwalk and restore this beloved trail to a safe and pleasant condition. Your contributions are tax-deductible as allowable by law. Thank you for helping to steward this beautiful land!

September 26th,  6:30-8:30 PM at the White Mountain Research Center, Andy Zdon, professional geologist & certified hydrologist, will talk about desert hydrogeology concepts with an emphasis on some of the complications associated with investigating and managing desert springs. Beyond the scientific methods, Andy will discuss how understanding the cultural history of an area can inform those water investigations. This will be followed by a virtual tour of Springs in Inyo County and east of Owens Valley.

This presentation is free and open to the public. It will be hosted in-person at White Mountain Research Center (3000 East Line St., Bishop, CA 93514). A Zoom option will be made available closer to the event. 

Questions? Contact Betsy McDonald at betsymcdonald19@gmail.com

The Eastern Sierra Land & Community Survey is a community-led research effort to understand local perspectives on land use and management in our region. The Survey will be conducting interviews, holding focus groups, and administering household surveys through summer 2024 to improve understanding of landscape values and stewardship priorities that support vibrant and resilient communities and landscapes across the Eastern Sierra region.

The Survey is a collaborative project to increase the resilience of Eastern Sierra landscapes to environmental change. Its organizers are hoping to understand how community members value and use the land, with the goal of uplifting community voices to inform future stewardship and land management practices.

The Survey is looking for folks who live in Inyo, Mono, and Alpine counties to interview; interviews last about an hour, and participants can receive a $50.00 gift card for their time. In-person, Zoom, and phone calls are all options for being interviewed - and surveyors are able to drive to meet you anywhere that works best for you. 

If you’re interested in participating in an interview, focus group, or survey, contact them via the button below: 

Questions? Email emmsage@stanford.edu.

August was a busy month for getting outside with our partners. Desert and Renewable Energy Policy Director Kayla Browne camped out and spoke at two events this month. The first was at the annual White Mountain meeting of the Sierra Club’s Desert Committee. This open-to-the-public event hosted a mix of federal land managers, experts from other nonprofit organizations, and all manner of people passionate about the desert. Here Kayla gave an update on the status of K2 Gold’s draft Environmental Impact Statement and what Friends of the Inyo and the Protect Conglomerate Mesa Coalition has been doing to prepare for the release. At the second, she was a guest speaker for the Great Old Broads for Wilderness Eastern Sierra Broadwalk. This event brought in people from all over the US, to whom Kayla was able to not only highlight the stewardship and advocacy work Friends of the Inyo is doing, but also tell her own story of how she became involved in conservation. Thank you to our partner organizations and friends for hosting these events! 

Want to support Friends of the Inyo? Consider making a donation online today!
Or help us Grow Our Circle of Friends...of the Inyo! by purchasing a membership for a friend or loved one. 
Thank you for your generous support.