Volume 40, Fall/Winter 2011
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TRUCKEE DONNER LAND TRUST The Truckee Donner Land Trust preserves and protects scenic, historic Fall/Winter Newsletter and recreational lands with high Volume 40 ❖ November, 2011 natural resource values in the Truckee Donner region. ProtectingProtecting thethe headwaters,headwaters, pagepage fourfour DonnerDonner SummitSummit CanyonCanyon nownow openopen toto thethe public,public, pagepage sixsix Fall/Winter 2011 Newsletter Page 2 AN OPPORTUNITY ON DONNER SUMMIT Dear Friends, Royal Gorge, comprising 3,000 acres on Donner Summit, and recently slated for the development of 950 new residential units, is now in default of a $16.7 million loan. While Royal Gorge, LLC, still owns the property, it has relinquished control of Royal Gorge to a court appointed receiver. By the time you read this the receiver will be marketing the property. The Land Trust’s Board has directed staff to work in partnership with The Trust for Public Land and other stakeholders to pursue a fee title acquisition of the property. For the Land Trust, this is our Number 1 priority. For more than 20 years, the Land Trust has tried to protect all or parts of the Royal Gorge property, especially Devil’s Peak at the western edge of the property. Photo by Anne Chadwick. Van Norden Meadow. We now have our best shot in a generation to protect its remarkable meadows, peaks, forests, In the meantime, we continue to work on closing the streams, and lakes. gap in funding another 3,000-acre project: Webber Lake and Lacey Meadows in the Little Truckee River watershed. Much of our work — by luck or design — is focused on the precious headwaters of the South Yuba, the North Fork of the American River, and the Little Truckee River. See the article on page 4 to learn why this work is so important for conservation. And, as always, thank you for your support. Perry Norris Royal Gorge is not just the largest Nordic ski area in North Executive Director America, it is also an important part of the local economy. The Land Trust is committed to seeing the ski area thrive. Photo by Anne Chadwick. Royal Gorge is by no means a for-sure deal, and we have a long way to go to reach a transaction. The property’s listing price is likely to be significantly higher than what we think it’s worth and, more importantly, what we can raise in a relatively short time. Given the current governmental fiscal crisis, the majority of the funding we anticipate will have to come from the private sector, requiring an unprecedented fundraising effort in our region. But as you know, the Land Trust has faced and surmounted similar challenges in the past. We will keep you posted. Van Norden Meadow on a frosty morning. Photo by Anne Chadwick. Fall/Winter 2011 Newsletter Page 3 ENJOYING THE MARINA AT INDEPENDENCE LAKE – Our First Year By Dave Mandrella, Marina Manager Many of the visitors to brings a dazzling display Independence Lake enthusiastically of wildflowers, birds, and refer to it as “A hidden gem among butterflies. A bit further off the Sierra.” There is something the beaten path, visitors special about this lake. have been lucky enough To many, the charm of to witness red-tail hawks, To prevent the possible introduction of aquatic invasive species, Independence Lake lies in the coyotes, nighthawks, black an assortment of boats are available at no charge. solitude so easily found along the bears, bobcats, and blue shoreline picnic areas and countless heron in their natural habitats. problem of Aquatic Invasive Species Independence infestation went into action on Lake’s waters are Independence Lake early this year. home to one of the To minimize the possibility of last two remaining “aquatic hitchhikers” making their self-sustaining way into Independence Lake (some lake populations of which can be microscopic spores of genetically that could easily sneak past check pure Lahontan stations), outside watercraft are Cutthroat Trout prohibited on the lake. Instead, in the world, and a fleet of boats is available to the it is the only lake public, free-of-charge. that has an entire The fleet at Independence assemblage of Lake offers a number of options to fish native to the get out and enjoy the lake. There It is best to get an early start at Independence Lake; windless Truckee basin. are 12 kayaks, both doubles and afternoons are rare. Photo by Janet Zipser Zipkin. Great efforts are singles, available. The kayaks are being made to excellent for spin-fishing along the other hidden beaches around the preserve the pristine quality of this shoreline and trolling the deeper lake. The lake is home to a plethora lake and through the joint efforts waters of the lake. They are also of wildlife. Eagles and osprey circle of The Nature Conservancy and the the best way to get out on the lake overhead as mule deer sneak along Land Trust a unique (and potentially and enjoy a serene trip along the on the lakeside trails. The springtime more effective) solution to the shoreline. Motorboats, equipped with an ultra-quiet, 4-stroke motor, are also available. To offer users a non- motorized experience at the lake, motorboats are only available every other week. The number of visitors to Independence Lake increased ten fold while under The Nature Conservancy and Land Trust’s management. Independence Lake Preserve Manager, Dave Mandrella, with a brown trout; “the catch of a lifetime.” Fall/Winter 2011 Newsletter Page 4 PROTECTING THE A number of the Truckee Donner Land Trust’s conservation efforts have focused on protecting the headwaters or the upper reaches of a watershed. important role in water filtration, providing naturally low-gradient areas for sediment to settle, as well as containing thriving wetland vegetation for nutrient uptake. Sierra meadows provide habitat for native grasses, willows, and of course beautiful wildflowers. They also provide habitat for endangered species such as the mountain yellow-legged frog and the willow flycatcher, as well as many other amphibians, birds, and mammals. In addition, many Sierra riparian habitats are dependent By John Svahn, Stewardship Director on upstream meadows to deliver cold, clean water throughout the Next to mountaintops and it slowly over the summer, much dry summer. These waters sustain lakes, meadows are a favorite like a dry kitchen sponge placed native fish populations and the a destination for exploring the in a bowl of water; first it will macroinvertebrates (bugs) that Sierra Nevada. Meadows are swell, absorbing the water, then the fish like to eat. prominent in iconic photographs slowly the water will be released Many Sierra waterways by Galen Rowell, Ansel Adams back into the bowl. In the Sierra, experience late summer and Truckee’s own Olof and almost all precipitation occurs temperatures on the high-end of Elizabeth Carmel. Moreover, in the winter months. As spring what is tolerable to the fishery. the alpine, sub-alpine, and runoff arrives, the snow melts Meadows impaired by human use montane meadows of the Sierra quickly, and if the watercourses are often named as the culprit in provide habitat for wildlife while do not contain meadows, this driving up the water temperatures providing essential hydrologic snowmelt makes its way out of and lowering the amount of water and ecosystem functions. the mountains just as quickly. during the summer making the A basic understanding of Watercourses containing fishery less productive. how meadows work in the Sierra meadows attenuate spring runoff, Humans need meadows too. is key to understanding why they storing water, keeping mountain In addition to the recreation, need to be protected and restored. water stocks colder, and meadows reduce stress on our Meadows act as giant sponges, extending higher stream flows water storage and delivery rapidly absorbing water in the into the dry Sierra summers. infrastructure. Meadows spring run-off and then releasing Meadows also perform a very are effective in attenuating floodwaters and trap sediments Fall/Winter 2011 Newsletter Page 5 H E ad W A TER S that would be deposited behind Protecting and restoring the necessary restorations. Often dams, reducing over time, the meadows is of paramount meadow restorations can be done capacity of a reservoir. Also, importance to the Land Trust with volunteers by de-compacting meadows at the headwaters of the and other conservation groups old roads, adding structures system are in essence a natural working in the Sierra. Acquiring to watercourses, and planting reservoir above the manmade the land or protecting the willows. However, sometimes reservoirs, increasing the seasonal resources via a conservation restorations require extensive water storage capacity in a given easement is often the first step. work and heavy machinery to river system. From here, the Land Trust can temporarily dam the watercourse As Sierra watercourses slow future degradation through and flood the meadows. This have been modified in the management practices such as method, called “plug and pond” past century to transport large relocating trails and roads out of can be seen in action on Merrill volumes of water more quickly meadows, and installing erosion- Creek, and on the Little Truckee for downstream use and to dry reducing dips on roads and trails River at Perazzo Meadows. meadows for grazing, meadows upstream from the meadows. If The Land Trust has acquired have become degraded over time. grazing is an existing use on the numerous meadows in the area Now, fine sediments that have property, scientists evaluate if it is including Lake Ella and East settled for millennia in meadows a compatible use with managing Martis Creek Meadows at Waddle are picked up by the modified the property’s natural resources. Ranch Preserve, Cold Stream watercourses, transported Certain meadows in meadow along the Mt.