What’s inside:
- Nature Unites Us
- Healthy Land, Healthy Ecosystems – We Saved Land
- Healthy Land, Healthy Community – We Built Trails
- Healthy Land, Healthy You – We Went Outdoors & Encountered Nature
- President’s Message
- Financial Reports
Message from Executive Director Marty Coleman-Hunt
Nature Unites Us
Our 2,500 square mile watershed is an enormously diverse landscape, spanning 9,000 feet in elevation at the Sierra crest dropping to the Sacramento Valley floor 80 miles west.
Biodiversity here is more complex and more numerous than almost any other place on the planet. It’s no secret that our community is also very diverse, with a range of interests, preferences, and politics. Yet we all seem to have common ground when it comes to wanting to preserve the rural character and environmental quality of this place. After all, nature is essential to everyone.
Our dozens of headwaters reservoirs and glacial lakes, major rivers and many streams are regionally critical in providing water to a thirsty state. Our rich forests provide clean air, animal habitat and economic resources. Our soils and grasslands provide some the healthiest livestock and vegetables essential for local food security. Our open space provides exceptional view corridors and access to nature.
Your ongoing support of BYLT ensures that our work with private land conservation will continue.
2016 was a record-breaking year for growing our conservation footprint. We added 40 percent more land under conservation – that’s 3,500 in the high elevation headwaters and urban Deer Creek corridor. We completed three new trails on our preserves and took thousands of people out into nature for a wide variety of experiences.
During 2017 our plans are as ambitious as ever. We anticipate closing several more conservation easements and will continue our wetlands restoration work and progressive grazing practices at Garden Bar Preserve.
We’re adding seven miles of trails plus public amenities at Rice’s Crossing Preserve and launching a campaign to restore Independence Trail. This spring, look for a new youth-oriented citizen science program called a Community BioBlitz that gets families outside to learn about nature and track the impacts of climate change.
We have refreshed our treks program to take people onto thousands of acres of protected preserves with knowledgeable environmental experts. And we’ve joined a nationwide movement called the 52 Hike Challenge with our local friends at Folk Trails Hiking Club.
In the coming months, you will hear from us often on social media (please SHARE!), in the news, and through mailings like this Annual Report. This is our way of being transparent and accountable to you for the work we are doing. BYTL is honored to have your support, and we hope you’ll continue to make supporting land conservation a priority. See you on the trail!
~ Marty Coleman-Hunt, Executive Director