| The systematic assault on America’s public lands just keeps coming! The latest attempt to privatize our public lands comes in the form of rescinding the Public Lands Rule.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has proposed rescinding the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule (Public Lands Rule), a landmark policy finalized in 2024 that gave conservation equal footing with other uses on 245 million acres of public lands nationwide. Conservation has always been an essential part of the BLM’s mandate. The Public Lands Rule just clarified that conservation, access to nature, protection of cultural resources, wildlife habitat, and action on climate change are just as much of a consideration as drilling, mining, and other industrial uses in the “multiple use and sustained yield” mandate.
For more information and how to comment, click the button below. |
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On behalf of the Owens Valley Indian Water Commission, the Great Basin Water Network, and Friends of the Inyo, we would like to invite you to join the 4th Annual Great Basin Water Justice Summit - with a twist. In order to best include the depth and breadth of the conversations we want to have, connecting voices and stories across the great basin, we are evolving the Summit into a monthly virtual series for the 2025-2026 year.
The summit aims to foster an open dialogue about environmental advocacy that spans the Great Basin, and with this new format we will be able to ensure these conversations are ongoing, providing opportunities for us to share knowledge, connect, and consider new futures together throughout the year. We will showcase successful initiatives to address challenges facing the Great Basin tribes, environmentalists, and other community members. Through this community time together, we will create actionable strategies to mobilize existing resources and strengthen regional relationships.
We are proud to announce our first three presentations that will bring us through the end of 2025 and into 2026, in which we will hear from water protectors and have the opportunity to ask questions, consider futures, and identify new opportunities for collaboration: |
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November 19th 5:30-7:30 PM "Collaborating in Payahuunadu: Creating Pathways for a Healthy Homeland” with the Owens Valley Indian Water Commission |
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December 10th 5:30-7:30 PM "What Happens on the Colorado River Doesn't Stay There: How its Scarcity Affects Great Basin Communities." with Great Basin Water Network |
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January 14th 5:30-7:30 PM "Revealing Payahuunadü: Building Community Understanding of the Impacts of Water Extraction" with Friends of the Inyo. |
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The summit will continue to be an opportunity for tribal leaders, community members, and allies from across the Great Basin to share knowledge and work together to envision plans for collaborative water justice across this region. We look forward to being able to share more diverse perspectives and stories: if you have a topic you would like to present or are interested in learning more about in the 2026 series, please let us know! This series seeks to serve and highlight all those working to create a more just and equitable water future in the Great Basin.
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| The next Community Organizer Training is coming up on November 15th, with gatherings in Modesto, Bishop, and El Dorado Hills.
This training will bring together new and experienced organizers to strengthen power-building skills, share strategies, and connect local leaders across the Sierra. Speakers will convene in Modesto at the North Valley Labor Federation, while participants in Bishop and El Dorado Hills will join for plenary sessions and to complete hands-on exercises in person with local organizers. Training goals of these events: |
- To learn the basic principles and process of strategic organizing
- To build a sense of activism and political community across the Sierra
- To increase attendees' understanding of power & how to build real power to advance and build movement in the district
- To help attendees understand that political and issue organizing work are not mutually exclusive and clearly define 501(c)(3) do’s and don’ts
- To leave as an inspired and connected force for social and political change with a focus on embracing diversity in a welcoming and inclusive community
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Leave with clear action items and connections to organizations to participate in on the ground action
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Questions? Contact Chris Bubser: Chris@CGOVpartnership.org |
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| The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation need volunteers to count Western Monarch Butterflies as they migrate to Saline Valley in the months of October-January! Dates (as many or few monitoring days as you want): October 18 - November 2, 2025 (early-season) November 15 - December 1,2025 (mid-season) December 27, 2025 - January 11, 2026 (late-season) |
For more info email: salinemonarchcount@gmail.com |
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FOI is organizing attendance at upcoming meetings about water management in the Eastern Sierra. Please join us at these meetings to demand that the public has a more impactful role in decisions about our water. Here are the three upcoming meetings: Inyo County Water Commission: Monday, November 3 at 6pm 135 S. Jackson St., Independence, CA Inyo County/LADWP Technical Group: Tuesday, November 4th at 9am
300 Mandich St., Bishop, CA Inyo County/LADWP Standing Committee: Monday, November 10th, likely at 10am 111 N Hope St, Los Angeles, CA Watch your inbox for specifics in the coming days! |
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Friends of the Inyo continues to engage with our Congressional Representative Kevin Kiley to push back on the myriad ways the current administration is attacking the health, well-being and very existence of our public lands. Our work continues to include opposing sell-off, the streamlining or elimination of laws and regulations that protect species and ecosystems, and the slashing of staff and budgets necessary to maintain our beloved parks, forests and deserts. The success of our efforts is clearly visible: Rep. Kiley publicly opposed the sell-off of public lands earlier this summer, and is openly criticizing Republican leadership regarding the shutdown.
Please pass along an invitation to join our mailing list to at least one friend so we can continue to pressure Rep. Kiley to take action to protect our public lands. And click the button below to check out our instagram reel showing the effects of the government shutdown in Yosemite NP. |
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Over the last year, groups of FOI staff, Range of Light Group (ROLG) members, and dedicated volunteers have spent numerous weekends on Conglomerate Mesa surveying and documenting Joshua trees. These amazing folks walked the entire length of K2 Gold’s (Mojave Precious Metal) proposed gold exploration roads, and the California Dept of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act recommended buffer zone. Following the Act’s survey guidelines, all Joshua trees in the impact zone were measured, described, photographed, and georeferenced. K2 Gold claimed that only 57 Joshua trees would be impacted by the project. We counted 1,122! This survey has been shared with CDFW and the Bureau of Land Management.
The BLM is anticipated to release the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision before the end of 2025. Follow Friends of the Inyo and the Protect Conglomerate Mesa Coalition for announcements of those releases and ways you can get involved.
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Revealing Payahuunadü will be sharing information on various topics to help you become a water protector. Offerings will include events, online course, and more. Stay up to date with our website ourwaterstory.org and Every Last Drop newsletter for more details.
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Friends of the Inyo publishes a beautiful full-color magazine twice a year, the Jeffrey Pine Journal. Join or renew your membership today to receive the next two issues in your mailbox, or read online for free! We welcome volunteered submissions of articles, interviews, photography, and art to feature in the Jeffrey Pine Journal. Review the guidelines and share your love for the Eastern Sierra with your fellow Friends of the Inyo!
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Visit the User Center to self-manage or cancel your recurring donations, newsletter subscriptions, see events you’ve registered for, download donation receipts, or update contact info.
To access the User Center for the first time, do not click Create new account. Click Forgot Your Password. Enter the email address associated with your most recent donation as the username to receive a link to set your own password. Alternatively, email info@friendsoftheinyo.org to receive your username and a temporary password you can reset. Please reach out if you have any questions.
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Your support enables our year-round work advocating for and stewarding the land and water of the Eastern Sierra. Thank you! |
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Want to support Friends of the Inyo? Consider making a donation online today!
Click on the button below to help us Grow Our Circle of Friends...of the Inyo!
Thank you for your generous support. |
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Friends of the Inyo appreciates the following organizations and local businesses for their generous sponsorship of our programs: |
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Main Office: 621 W. Line St., Suite 201 Bishop, CA 93514 |
| Satellite Office: 142 E. Bush St. Lone Pine, CA 93545 |
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Call us: (760) 873-6500
Like and follow us on social media: |
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