California public lands update

By Dave Lass and Jessica Strickland

TU wins national award for Little Truckee River Project

In the fall of 2015, TU completed a major habitat improvement on the famed Little Truckee River. Dave Lass, TU’s California Field Director, managed this project in partnership with the Tahoe National Forest, while the Truckee River TU Chapter provided volunteer labor and other support over the three years it required to complete.

The Little Truckee, or LT, was already one of the finest wild trout streams in the West—now, thanks to the vision and persistence of Lass and the “Tahoe Trout Bums,” the 3.5 miles of stream between Stampede and Boca reservoirs should have more fish, in a lot more places.

Anglers weren’t the only ones to take notice. This February, the Department of Agriculture honored Lass and Deborah Urich of the Tahoe NF with a national award: the 2015 Rise to the Future Award for Aquatic Recreation Accomplishment. The award recognizes the project’s success in achieving its primary goals—habitat restoration, improved recreational access, and engagement with local partners. Lass will accept the award on behalf of TU from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in Washington D.C. this May.

Meadows restoration

Higher elevation meadows are a critical component of California's ecosystem—and water supply. Sadly, the majority of meadows in the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade mountain ranges are now degraded, by land use practices, drought, and other factors. Because meadows are historic coldwater refuge for most of California's native trout species, TU's Public Lands program works to advance projects that will restore large meadow systems, improve late summer base flows, and help trout better adapt to the impacts of climate change.

TU got a big boost for this effort recently, receiving grants from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, the California Department of Fish an

d Wildlife, the California Wildlife Conservation Board, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation that will benefit three native trout species: the California golden trout, the Kern River rainbow, trout, and the Eagle Lake rainbow trout.

These grants will underwrite the planning required to “move dirt” in major meadow restoration projects on the Sequoia and Lassen National Forests. Ultimately, these projects will improve the ecological function of the Dry Meadow system and on a large meadow in the Pine Creek drainage (primary tributary to Eagle Lake and historic spawning habitat for the Eagle Lake rainbow), as well as remove an obsolete structure that will help keep more water in Pine Creek. TU applauds the Lassen and Sequoia National Forests for their commitment to meadow restoration and for making these projects top priorities.

Dave Lass is TU's California Field Director and Jessica Strickland is California Field Coordinator. They lead TU's public lands work in California.