Program areas at ESLT
Established in 2001, and recognized as a nationally-accredited land trust in 2011,underwent our first successful renewal accreditation in 2016, with a recent renewal of accreditation in 2022, we hold ourselves to rigorous standards of excellence in order to uphold your trust and ensure that our conservation efforts are permanent.Eastern Sierra Land Trust (ESLT) works to permanently safeguard the Eastern Sierras treasured landscapes for generations to come. Through conservation partnerships with willing landowners, we protect Eastern Sierra lands for their scenic, agricultural, natural, recreational, historic, and watershed values. In our 22 years of service to our community, ESLT has protected nearly 22,000 acres of critically-important wildlife habitat, scenic marvels, and agricultural resources against the threat of poorly-planned development and sprawl through our working farms and ranches, critical habitats, and stewardship programs. Through our Community Connections Program, we offer people of all ages the opportunity to connect with the land, encouraging a spirit of stewardship in residents and visitors alike. The program pivoted from a hybrid format back to in-person, helping to bring the hope of being in nature and land ethic conservation concepts to a broad community. The sunflower garden project (local third-graders learn about pollinators, native plants, and gardening) and Earth Day Youth Art Contest both continued in 2022, and a fourth grade class from Big Pine had the opportunity to attend a new grant-supported Native Plants and Art Field Trip. Our Eastside Pollinator Garden Project (a certification process to create pollinator-friendly gardens with native plants) certified 17 new gardens in 2022. ESLT held events in the spring and summer including the Mule Deer Migration Corridor Field Trip, a Bi-State Sage-Grouse field trip, the Deep Roots Pollinator Garden Workshop, GardenFest, and World Migratory Bird Day. We organized several Highway Cleanups in addition to the Great Sierra River Cleanup, and held a Lands & Legacy Bioblitz.Our Land Conservation Program (working farms and ranches, critical habitats and stewardship), worked with federal, state, and local conservation partners to help protect private lands containing agricultural, ecological, historical, and cultural value. In 2022, ESLT completed the Centennial Point conservation easement, protecting 1,741 acres of working lands and Bi-State sage grouse habitat utilizing funding from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP-ALE) and Californias Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB). Additionally, ESLT worked to progress another conservation easement on a 1,228-acre cattle ranch in Nevada, protecting working lands and Bi-State sage-grouse habitat utilizing funding from the NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). Finally, ESLT carried out annual easement monitoring efforts on nearly 22,000 acres of land in our service area, and completed stewardship activities on lands our organization owns in fee title.
In October 2020, Californias Governor Newsom signed the Nature Based Solutions Executive Order which committed California to combat climate change and protect biodiversity by conserving 30% of lands and waters by 2030.By conserving large areas of Californias land and waters, the goal is to stabilize our states climate and protect both rural and urban areas from climate impacts, insuring a more resilient future.The Sierra Nevada is a critical area to protect, and ESLT is a strong supporter of the initiative. Our Executive Director/CEO Kay Ogden has been actively working alongside a large network of environmental protectors including California Council of Land Trusts, the Sierra Cascade Land Trust Council, The Sierra Consortium to gain statewide support for funding and implementation of 30x30s strategies. She has recently been appointed to Californias Natural Resource Services (CRNA) 30x30 Partnership Coordinating Committee for a one-year term.Over the next eight years, efforts will be led by CRNA through the 30x30 Partnership. Inclusive collaborative and voluntary actions among communities, landowners, Californias Native American tribes, non-profits like ESLT, scientists and government agencies must translate its goals into action. Key are the protection of Californias unique biodiversity, expansion of equitable access to nature and its benefits to all and conservation of places that help California achieve carbon neutrality.Regionally-led conservation is a 30x30 goal. At this pivotal time in history, there is urgency to meet global conservation targets. Together, we can build upon state-wide and national policy advocacy and capacity building programs to leverage increased funding for conservation so that our efforts to safeguard Californias unique biodiversity and lands in the midst of emerging climate challenges are collaborative and compelling. To be able to work on conservation at such a large scale, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we need to grab ahold of, Kay Ogden, ESLT Executive Director/CEO, emphasizes.