Fireside Chats: Come, Gather, Have a Seat by the Fire

Thursdays, June 27, July 18 & August 15
6-7:30pm, Free
Inn Town Campground
9 Kidder Court, Nevada City, CA
Free, but space is limited and pre-registration is encouraged. Sign up here.

Join Bear Yuba Land Trust and Inn Town Campground around the campfire this summer for the popular community series – Fireside Chats.  Set against a beautiful backdrop of towering ponderosa pines at the Inn Town Campground, the series explores current conservation issues – trail access, land use, and wildlife biodiversity – in a unique outdoor round table storytelling and conversational format, with the goal to entertain, increase a deeper knowledge of the Sierra Nevada foothills and mountains, and foster collaboration.

Adventure, storytelling, outdoors, nature, community – this series has it all.

June 27 – Trail Building as Community Building
Fireside Chats kicks off with special guest speaker John Wentworth, Mayor of Mammoth Lakes and founder of Mammoth Lakes Trails and Public Access (MLTPA). In 2005, Wentworth founded the MLTPA, whose initial aims were resolving trail access issues. MLTPA has since played a role in more than sixty successful multi-partnered efforts on behalf of the Mammoth Lakes Trail System. These efforts include: establishing a Trail System Master Plan, the successful passage of two ballot measures to raise funds for local trails, the launch of Mammothtrails.org website, and much more. In 2012, the Town of Mammoth Lakes, the United States Forest Service, and MLTPA celebrated the grand opening of the Mammoth Lakes Trail System and the completion of projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Close to $20,000,000 has been invested in the Mammoth Lakes Trail System by the federal government, the state of California, the Town, and the community of Mammoth Lakes.

July 18 – Wildflowers of the High Sierra with Julie Carville
It’s finally wildflower season! That wondrous time of year when lush green meadows in the High Sierra burst into bloom and awaken the hearts and minds of nature lovers young and old. Join author, photographer, and recognized botanist Julie Carville for this month’s Fireside Chat to hear stories about high elevation wildflowers and learn when and where to find the best wildflower displays.In Carville’s latest book, Tahoe’s Spectacular Wildflower Trails, she covers 21 of Tahoe’s best scenic wildflower hikes in the Tahoe basin and surrounding National Forest. More than 900 color photos, including a tree and wildflower photo guide, make plant identification user friendly. Native American earth wisdom and plant uses, along with birds and other animals and pollinators feature the richness and diversity of Tahoe’s plant communities. It also includes hikes for all abilities and interests, from day hikers to backpackers. Stories about the plants and animals make botany more fun and help to deepen the reader’s natural love for the amazing beauty and sacredness of Nature.

August 15 – Historic Trails, Hikes and Paths

Three years ago Jesse Locks of Folk Trails Hiking Club and Erin Thiem of Inn Town Campground teamed up to offer locals and visitors a series of free monthly history hikes in historical downtown Nevada City and its outlying neighborhoods. From architecture and cemeteries to Deer Creek and the Tribute Trail, they have led hundreds of hikers along historic routes and shared the stories and tales of this place. For this final Fireside Chat of the season, Jesse and Erin will share their favorite stories from these hikes and offer tips on how you can make your daily walk into an adventure that reveals the secrets of the past.

Fireside Chats are open to the public, but space is limited and pre-registration is required.  Attendees will need to park off site on New Mohawk Road and walk across the street to the campground.

Located on a historic 15 acre site, just under two miles from downtown Nevada City, the Inn Town Campground embodies a new, vibrant camping experience. The campground offers camping, glamping and rv sites, plus a pool, community kitchen, and more.