In November, as CSERC’s most recent hire, I attended my first collaborative stakeholder group, the Amador-Calaveras Consensus Group (ACCG), as a representative of our organization. The group consists of members with diverse and often conflicting interests, including environmentalists, loggers, business owners, and residents, alongside federal, state, and local officials. Our mission is to promote fire […]
Scat (animal droppings) is an often overlooked sign of which animals are using your backyard or favorite trail. Not only does scat tell you what animals have been in the area, it can also offer clues to what they have been eating. Scientists studying scat can actually determine the health of individual animals by analyzing […]
Since its inception, a federal government agency has sparked frequent outrage due to its program that focuses on killing wild animals that are considered to be pests or threats, or perhaps may be competitors with a commercial enterprise. Over the years, due to criticism and public outcry, the federal agency has strategically reduced its transparency. […]
Although they can easily go unnoticed, fungi occupy an important role in the ecosystem. Most fungi are decomposers, breaking down complex organic molecules into smaller molecules that can be reused by other plants and animals– from the mold that breaks down your old sandwich, to the mushrooms you see in the forest that decompose leaf […]
Most people who live in the Sierra Nevada region or who visit regularly are probably familiar with colorful, energetic, and aerially impressive hummingbirds. Ranging across the foothills and mountains, the Anna’s, black-chinned, calliope, Costa’s, and rufous are various species of hummingbirds that dazzle and delight. But even casual birders who may not be paying close […]
Every year during CSERC’s Wildlife Photo Contest, there are so many high-quality and captivating photos submitted that it is truly a challenge to choose which photograph stands out as the clear winner. So, after we carefully selected our winners (view our winners by clicking here!), we turned the top 50 photos (minus the winners) over […]
We’re greatly appreciative of the people who took the time to enter our photo contest. We received many fantastic submissions, and narrowing down our favorite photos was extremely challenging. After sorting through the many high-quality photo entries submitted in the past month, CSERC staff […]
Looking for easy day hikes in the central Sierra region? CSERC has officially finished our new hiking guide — 10 Easy Sierra Day Hikes! You can access it being clicking here, although you may also see printed versions distributed for free at local businesses in the Central Sierra area. We picked […]