acorns

Abundant Autumn Acorns!

This year California black oaks (Quercus kelloggii) have been producing a bountiful crop of acorns – referred to as a mast.  We often think of acorns as only being the food source for birds and small critters such as chipmunks and squirrels, but animals such as black bears and deer also rely on these nutritional […]

California Wildfires Have Become Bigger and More Severe – Computer Modeling Predicts that Future Fires Will Be Even Worse

Well-known climate scientist Dr. Leroy Westerling – from U.C. Merced – recently presented at the October meeting of the Amador Calaveras Consensus Group (ACCG) with grim predictions based on the latest fire research data and long-term modeling simulations. This year’s extreme wildfires have been a strong match with Dr. Westerling’s past scientific modeling predictions for […]

Setting ‘good fires’ to reduce the West’s wildfire risk

CSERC has been a strong voice in supporting the increased pace and scale of fire managed on our National Forests. We need to increase prescribed fire and cultural burning to public lands in order to mitigate the intensity and size of mega wildfires. Low to moderate severity fires can bring widespread ecological benefits to the […]

Wildfires Collectively Affect The Local Region

WILDFIRES COLLECTIVELY AFFECT THE LOCAL REGION Some with “good” effects and some causing “heartbreaking” impacts CSERC strongly supports getting low-to-moderate-severity fire back into the forest ecosystem of the central region of the Sierra Nevada. The region’s forests evolved naturally with fire. When agencies do carefully managed prescribed burns or they allow well-managed low-intensity wildfires to […]

Toxic Smoke Plumes Spread Across the World

As large wildfires spread across the West, smoke plumes often rise high into the atmosphere, sending toxic air far from the fire’s origin. As you look out your window you may still be seeing the thick blanket of smoke that has covered California from coastal cities to the Sierra Nevada; but the smoke doesn’t stop […]

CSERC Welcomes New Environmental Associate, Caitlyn Rich

The Sierra Nevada has always been home to me, as I was born and raised here. Growing up here I was introduced to the outdoors at a very young age. Since I can remember, my dad would take me out into the forest on what I would at times refer to as “death marches”. As […]

What turned California forests into a tinderbox? Fire suppression, paradoxically

Valerie Trouet — THE GUARDIAN – US EDITION It’s time to embrace ‘good fires’ and end the misguided policy of total suppression of all wildfires ‘We have a lot to learn from indigenous people, who have centuries of “good fire” expertise.’ Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images Mon 14 Sep 2020 12.50 EDT Last modified on Tuesday 15 […]

CSERC’s 2020 Fall Newsletter is Here!

In this newsletter, we highlight some plans or project proposals that have potential to affect key areas or broad portions of the region. Learn more about why CSERC supports the SERAL Project, and read about local regional updates. CSERC continues to work on a wide range of conservation issues – prioritizing protection for water, wildlife, […]

Introducing CSERC’s New Program Director, Sara Husby

I am a total city girl at heart, as I was born and raised in Chicago.  Growing up in the city, my outdoor experiences are very different than those who grew up surrounded by the beautiful landscapes that I now protect. The closest thing to mountains were the downtown skyscrapers. To see a cactus, I […]