On December 17, 2025, the Eastern Sierra Water Alliance (ESWA) filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). The plaintiffs are the three official member organizations of ESWA: the Owens Valley Indian Water Commission, the Sierra Club Range of Light Group, and Friends of the Inyo. This lawsuit aims to bring LADWP into compliance with its legally required obligations for damage reduction and native plant restoration in the Laws area near Bishop. 

As part of a 2003 project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), LADWP committed to revegetate abandoned pastures in the Laws area, in exchange for creating new pastures in other nearby areas. This effort would have created a biodiverse upland desert scrub community in the previously abandoned pastures by 2013. LADWP agreed to a legally binding CEQA document and revegetation plan. However, LADWP then disregarded its revegetation plan in many ways. It cultivated near monocultures of common plants and grew weeds while missing deadlines and communicating only sparsely with the public and Inyo County. This revegetation project in the Laws area is just one of many examples of LADWP evading accountability for meeting their mitigation requirements under CEQA. We will be asking the court to enforce LADWP’s mitigation requirements at Laws, creating the biodiversity it promised. 

What happens when we sue? We win! In 2023, Friends of the Inyo filed a lawsuit alongside the Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, and the Western Watersheds Project to stop a gold mine from being built in the cherished Hot Creek area near Mammoth Lakes. The trucks were lined up outside the hot springs when a stay came down from the Appellate court just days before the drilling was scheduled to begin, stopping this destruction.

We hope this pressure helps hold LADWP accountable for the impacts of water extraction on our ecosystems. Get more information at EasternSierraWater.org

On Friday, November 28th, 2025 the Bureau of Land Management released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the expanded mining exploration drilling project at Conglomerate Mesa, located on traditional homelands of the Paiute-Shoshone and Timbisha Shoshone.

In this next phase of destructive gold mining exploration, Canadian company K2 Gold, through its subsidiary Mojave Precious Metals, had proposed 5 miles of new road construction and 120 drill holes at 30 different sites on Conglomerate Mesa. After receiving over 14,000 public comments, mostly in opposition to the project, the BLM and the mining company decided to adopt a new preferred alternative that limits exploration to 76 drill holes at 22 sites, with no road construction and access via “helicopter only”. This is the second time in 7 years that the BLM has considered mining exploration on Conglomerate Mesa and has allowed only helicopter access, a tacit acknowledgement of the destructive effect new roads would have on the area. The Record of Decision has not yet been released.

While the new preferred alternative will still allow some exploitation, this is a huge win for Conglomerate Mesa. Friends of the Inyo will continue to fight this exploitation and any future projects while continuing to work with the Tribes to permanently protect Conglomerate Mesa from these destructive projects.

In 2026, Friends of the Inyo will continue to work towards the protection of, and advocacy for, the lands and water in the Bodie Hills. This includes serving in the Bodie Hills Conservation Partnership and providing support to the 4 Tribes Alliance, consisting of the Bridgeport Indian Colony, Mono Lake Kootzaduka’a, Yerington Paiute Tribe, and Walker River Paiute Tribe, in their efforts to protect their ancestral homelands with historical and cultural designations. We cannot protect these lands without working in collaboration and community: the Bodie Hills remain under serious threat from exploratory drilling and gold mining. In 2026, we will not be able to protect this naturally and culturally rich area from widespread destruction without the help of engaged community members who say “no” to the “drill, baby, drill” rhetoric. 

Sign up for the newsletter to get ready for action alerts and events to stand up for these lands as we face SIX different mining projects, deforestation of culturally and ecologically important pinyon woodlands, and the degradation of habitat and cultural history. Get your Bodie Hills stickers, slap them on your car, water bottle, laptop, and get ready to speak out. 

This summer, Friends of the Inyo and the Inyo National Forest are launching a new pilot stewardship program: the Mount Whitney Volunteer Corps. We’re recruiting a small group of experienced hikers to help keep Mt. Whitney cleaner and to share on-the-ground updates with USFS rangers during peak season.

What volunteers will do:

- Commit to 4 hikes during peak season, June - September. No summit required - the goal is ideally to reach Trail Camp on each visit.

- Enjoy the hike on the way up!

- On the descent, pack out trash (only what you can reasonably and safely carry)

- Share a brief conditions report after each trip with USFS rangers 

KEY PERK: Volunteers will be registered as official USFS volunteers, which means you won’t need a permit to hike the mountain as part of this program. Volunteer trips are pre-planned and scheduled with the USFS.

Who we’re looking for:

- You’ve hiked Mt. Whitney before

- You have experience with independent travel and sound backcountry judgment

- You’re reliable, safety-minded, and excited to support stewardship in the Whitney Zone

- Desired but not required: Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder 

Interested in applying? Email stewardship@friendsoftheinyo.org with:

- Your relevant experience

- A short note on why you’re interested in joining the Mount Whitney Volunteer Corps

A new culvert installed on the existing road east of the McIver Ditch restored safe vehicle access to the Pat Keyes Trailhead, allowing restoration work to move forward.

With the help of 8 volunteers, 2 BLM Park Rangers, and 1 Friends of the Inyo staff member, the team restored 6,000 square feet of user-created route using vertical mulching, native planting, and strategic rock placement.

Restoration included planting 40 native winterfat and burrobrush to help discourage off-route travel and support long-term success of the naturalization efforts.

Thank you to all the participants for making quick work of this restoration project!

Water is life, and the well-being of all depends on protecting and stewarding our watershed. Join us as we explore ‘what happened to the water’ and work towards a shared vision of the future of Payahuunadü.

This course is broken down into 4 modules. Each module will contain lessons and questions that you may complete at your own pace. We recommend keeping notes and reflections in a journal or Word document throughout the course.

If you have any questions, please contact our Water Empowerment Organizers - Charlene & Emily.

The 21st Annual Backcountry Film Festival (BCFF) returns to Mammoth on January 31st, 2026, at Mammoth Mountain’s Main Lodge, bringing a celebration of human-powered adventure, winter storytelling, and public lands advocacy to our community.

Film Festival tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Register early to ensure your seat. Raffle tickets for sale at the door! You could win Rocky Talkies, DPS Pagoda skis, a stay at Limelight, a relaxing spa day, a guided day in the backcountry, and SO MUCH MORE! You must be present during the raffle to win. 

Doors open at 5:00 and the show starts at 6:00. Show up early to check out the raffle prizes and info booths! Check out the lineup of films this year here!

What could you win in the raffle? DPS Pagoda Tour skis, Rocky Talkies, OVDC spirits, Patagonia gear, hotel stays, spa and sauna days, local art, local classes, and so much more! 

The Mammoth Lakes screening is one stop on BCFF’s global tour, which supports grassroots conservation organizations across the world. This event is being hosted by Friends of the Inyo and Sierra Forever as the only fundraiser for Eastern Sierra SnowSchool. SnowSchool benefits 300 students from Lee Vining to Big Pine, is offered completely free for all students, and for many students is their first ever opportunity to play in the snow!

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. 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 mobilise existing resources and strengthen regional relationships.

We are proud to announce our first presentation in 2026, in which we will hear from Friends of the Inyo’s very own Water Empowerment Organizers. 

Date: January 14th, 2026

Time: 5:30-7:30 PM

"Revealing Payahuunadü: Building Community Understanding of the Impacts of Water Extraction" with Friends of the Inyo.

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.

SEE PAST PRESENTATIONS BELOW:

December 10th, 2025 

"What Happens on the Colorado River Doesn't Stay There: How its Scarcity Affects Great Basin Communities." with Great Basin Water Network 

November 19th, 2025

"Collaborating in Payahuunadu: Creating Pathways for a Healthy Homeland” with the Owens Valley Indian Water Commission

The premiere of the virtual series, moderated by Friends of the Inyo’s own Forest and Water Policy Director, Allison Weber, and Water Justice Organizer, Lauren Rose, was a wonderful and intimate opportunity to hear from the leadership of the Owens Valley Indian Water Commission, including Teri Red Owl, Executive Director, and Kyndall Noah, Communication Specialist. The conversational setting also allowed us to highlight board members and on-the-ground staff from their land back property, Three Creeks. 

On April 17-19, 2026, Friends of the Inyo will host its annual Owens Lake Bird Festival in the "Little Town with Lots of Charm" that is Lone Pine in Southern Inyo County. 

We are working to secure this year’s trips so we will provide more details in next month’s Juniper and on our social media channels. 

Tickets for this popular event will go on sale next month. As is customary, "early bird" tickets will be made available to Friends of the Inyo members before opening up sales to the general public. What does this mean? FOI supporters with active membership (those who donated $35 or more to Friends of the Inyo within the last year) will have the first opportunity to get tickets and sign up for tours. Stay tuned to your inbox for our exclusive members-only e-mail announcement when ticket sales and sign-ups go live in February. Please e-mail any questions about the Owens Lake Bird Festival to kayla@friendsoftheinyo.org.

Want to make sure your membership is current and in good standing? Donate a minimum of $35 today by going to FriendsoftheInyo.org/Donate. Thank you!  

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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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FriendsoftheInyo.org

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info@friendsoftheinyo.org