region during the ninth annual Great Sierra River Cleanup. This event, coordinated by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy in partnership with dozens of local organizations, focuses on keeping Sierra rivers clean and promoting community stewardship.The Cleanup kicks off Sierra Nevada Watershed Protection Week, established in 2015 (ACR 22, Dahle) to highlight the importance of the Sierra Nevada region to the entire state. More than 60 percent of California’s developed water supply originates in the Sierra Nevada and millions of visitors travel to the Sierra to hike, camp, and sightsee. Whether one thinks of Tahoe, Yosemite, Mammoth, or the Giant Sequoias — the Sierra connects us all.
“The rivers and lakes of the Sierra Nevada Region provide so many benefits to California residents and visitors,” says Jim Branham, Executive Officer for the Sierra Nevada Conservancy. “Getting out and cleaning up for just a few hours on Saturday, September 16, will help to keep those benefits flowing for the future.”
Over the last eight years, volunteers have pulled over 815 tons of trash and recyclables from more than 2,600 river miles in the Sierra Nevada watersheds. The effort, in partnership with the California Coastal Cleanup Day, serves to promote good stewardship throughout the state’s watersheds, from the source to the sea.
The Great Sierra River Cleanup would not be possible without the hard work of thousands of volunteers, dozens of local community groups, and our supporters at the California Coastal Commission.
To sign up, visit www.sierranevada.ca.gov and find a local Cleanup site. For more information, visit the Great Sierra River Cleanup Facebook page.
About the Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Created in 2004, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) is a state agency whose mission is to improve the environmental, economic, and social well-being of the Sierra Nevada Region. The SNC has awarded nearly $60 million in grants for projects that protect and enhance the health of California’s primary watersheds by improving forest health, remediating mercury contamination from abandoned mines, protecting critical natural resources, and reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Funding for these projects came from Proposition 84 passed by voters in 2006 and Proposition 1 passed by voters in 2014. The Sierra Nevada Region spans 25 million acres, encompasses all or part of 22 counties, and runs from the Oregon border on the north to Kern County on the south. The Region is the origin of more than 60 percent of California’s developed water supply.
Source: Sierra Nevada Conservancy