News - CSERC - Page 10

Agricultural water districts and San Francisco sue the State Water Board for approving a plan to keep more water in local rivers

For years river advocacy and fishing groups, CSERC, and other environmental interests have all strongly supported state and federal scientists who have called for higher minimum flows in the Merced, Tuolumne, and Stanislaus rivers. Those three rivers flow into the San Joaquin River and on into the Bay Delta – providing essential aquatic habitat for migrating salmon and other […]

CSERC staff member talks to students about the power of advocacy

As a biologist at CSERC, I (Heidi) sometimes have the opportunity to talk to the community about the important work that we do. On January 9th, I attended the meeting of a local youth coalition called EPIC – “Empower Peers, Inspire Community” – to talk to high schoolers about environmental advocacy. The students, who come […]

Long-awaited Bay-Delta Plan approved by State Water Board

Despite contentious debate, the California State Water board approved a plan that would increase water flows in the Lower San Joaquin River and its three tributaries, the Tuolumne, Merced, and Stanislaus Rivers. The increased flows will improve the habitat quality for salmon and other species that depend on this water system – many of […]

The Environment’s Right to Water: A PPIC Water Policy Center Article

In this very polarized political climate, any mention of leaving water in rivers, streams and reservoirs for the environment stirs up debate. The fight over water rights is nothing new in California. But in our region in particular, the debate is coming to a head. The State Water Resources Control Board is in the process […]

CSERC Volunteers did good in 2018

2018 was another successful year of organizing and carrying out volunteer stewardship and restoration projects for CSERC staff and volunteers. 11 workdays with 690 hours of service and 92 participants! Liz Gregg, CSERC’s associate director is the coordinator for our Center’s volunteer projects. She shared “I think the reason that I love organizing these projects is […]

They’re here! Chinook salmon arrive in our local rivers

Chinook salmon have made the long, arduous journey from the Pacific Ocean to our local rivers to spawn. Chinook salmon are an anadromous fish species. They are born in freshwater, move downstream to the ocean to live and grow for most of their life, and then return to freshwater to spawn (usually to the same […]

BOBCATS SURPRISE BY SHOWING UP AT CSERC’S HIGH ELEVATION WILDLIFE CAMERA SITES

When CSERC staff sets up photo-detection cameras at 9,000’ and higher in our local mountains, our priority goal is to detect the rare Sierra Nevada red fox. If no foxes get drawn to the cameras, then our second priority goal is to get pictures of the elusive American marten. During recent photo surveys with four […]

CSERC CONTINUED TO FIND LIVESTOCK DAMAGE TO MEADOWS AND STREAMSIDE AREAS IN THE LOCAL NATIONAL FOREST THIS SEASON

When visiting national forest lands during the summer/fall grazing season, many CSERC members have observed the negative impacts of damage caused by livestock. Over the past two decades CSERC biologists have monitored selected meadows to take photos and measure grass heights prior to cows being brought onto the Stanislaus Forest by local grazing permittees. Then […]

DIRECTORS REPORT – OCTOBER 2018

THE SOUTH GROVE OF BIG TREES PARK – A GREAT FALL DESTINATION! On Friday, a volunteer and I spent a good portion of the day retrieving four of CSERC’s wildlife photo-detection stations from scattered sites far out in a roadless area in the Stanislaus Forest. During our 8 miles of hiking for the day, we […]

Turkeys, Turkeys, Turkeys…. their population is growing

Back between 1900 and 1950, thousands of farm-raised turkeys were introduced into California wildlands by the State Fish and Game Commission with a goal to provide sport for hunters. The turkeys only managed to survive at marginal levels in most areas. So between 1959 and 1999, the California State Department of Fish and Game paid […]