Protecting the Hub of the Mule Deer Herd’s...

Mule Deer populations in the Eastern Sierra have declined in recent decades. Work is being done to permanently protect the critical winter range of this iconic species. With spring soon approaching, mule deer will follow their instinct and migrate to the upper summer ranges. Wildlife biologists’ research has documented that migration patterns are learned behavior; a doe teaches her fawns, and that leads them to the places they can find food and …continue reading

Byron Roos-Collins2022-03-16T16:01:25-07:00March 14th, 2022|Blog|

395 Wildlife Crossing Project with Beth Pratt

Beth Pratt, a world-renowned conservationist with National Wildlife Federation, will share her work on wildlife crossings followed by the Eastern Sierra Wildlife Stewardship Team who will highlight the new Highway 395 wildlife crossing in Mono County and fundraising opportunities. In this multi-agency presentation, we'll hear from ESIA, CA Dept of Fish & Wildlife, Caltrans, ESLT's Kay Ogden, and Mono County Supervisor, Stacy Corless on the team effort helping our wildlife safely cross the highway at a hazardous location.

Heather Freeman2021-02-10T15:00:22-08:00January 28th, 2021|395 Wildlife Crossing|

You Can Save Eastern Sierra Land and Wildlife

Spend time enjoying the Eastern Sierra, and you'll watch the landscape come alive. Here, golden desert mesas and sagebrush steppe teem with species like pronghorn, pygmy rabbit, and bobcat. The rare Bi-State sage-grouse meanwhile raises their chicks on the green irrigated meadows in places like Bridgeport Valley. These valley ecosystems rise suddenly to towering peaks, creating homes for species like black bear, the endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, and Sierra Nevada red …continue reading

Kristen Stipanov2021-08-12T14:00:30-07:00November 11th, 2020|Blog, Featured, Membership, On the Wild Side, Press Releases, Success Stories, What's New|

History and Habitat: The New Hunewill Ranch Conservation...

Garnering the support of local, state, and federal agencies over the course of years, we have now secured a conservation easement in perpetuity for the historic Hunewill Ranch (est. 1861). This working ranch is located in the heart of beautiful, expansive Bridgeport Valley, and is framed by the mountain peaks that border Yosemite National Park. It is now preserved forever for wildlife and sustainable ranching. This historic agreement marks our largest conservation …continue reading

Kristen Stipanov2021-08-12T14:02:04-07:00October 27th, 2020|Blog, Featured, On the Wild Side, Press Releases, Success Stories, What's New|

Making Highway 395 Safer for Mule Deer

A mule deer doe dashes across a road. © Joe Riis Stand by Highway 395 today, and two minutes may go by without the roar and burst of breeze from a passing car. California issued stay-at-home orders to stop the spread of coronavirus this spring, during what happened to be peak mule deer migration season. That means that for the first time in decades, the Round Valley mule deer herd …continue reading

Kristen Stipanov2020-05-28T14:26:07-07:00May 27th, 2020|Blog, Featured, On the Wild Side|

Journeying with the Round Valley Mule Deer

© Bill Dunlap It's the time of year when many animals that call the Eastern Sierra their home are preparing for a long journey. When food and shelter become scarce in the winter, most migrate to warmer areas often at lower elevations. The local Round Valley mule deer herd is no exception. Twice each year, the Round Valley mule deer herd embarks on a particularly risky migration journey. These deer …continue reading

Kristen Stipanov2020-02-26T17:27:32-08:00February 20th, 2020|Blog, Featured, On the Wild Side, Press Releases|

Mule Deer Migration Corridor Field Trip

Join us for an informative field trip to the Round Valley mule deer herds migration corridor. Biologist Tim Taylor with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife will share updates on some of the challenges the deer are facing as we explore the beautiful Round Valley migration area. ~~ This is a free family-friendly event. Please leave your canine friends at home. Binoculars are recommended but not required, and please remember to …continue reading

Kristen Stipanov2020-02-27T15:57:06-08:00January 17th, 2020|

A Wild and Working Mosaic, by Kay Ogden

The Hunewill family is one of many in the Eastern Sierra who have been ranching for multiple generations. Families like these keep our region wide open so mule deer, pronghorn, and sage-grouse thrive. Photo by Dwayne Leonard, Ranch Memories Photography. by Kay Ogden, ESLT Executive Director I just couldn't believe the majestic and crazy landscape that was unfolding before me as I rode my bike from Los Angeles to Mono …continue reading

Kristen Stipanov2019-12-11T09:20:25-08:00December 10th, 2019|Blog, Featured, Membership, On the Wild Side, What's New|

Hot Creek Stewardship Day

Come join Eastern Sierra Land Trust and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for a post-wildfire wildlife habitat restoration volunteer day! We'll be planting native seedlings to help jump start nature's recovery in crucial sage-grouse and mule deer wintering areas in the Long Valley area. We'll meet either at the Green Church on Benton Crossing Road in Long Valley at 9:30 a.m., or at the BLM Field Office on Pacu Lane at 9:00 …continue reading

Kristen Stipanov2019-10-10T19:23:39-07:00October 10th, 2019|Volunteer Events|

Helping the Herd

A treacherous corridor. A missing puzzle piece. A shared solution. Mule deer migrate through the Swall Meadows Wildlife Area twice every year. Imagine that the year is 1999, and you just moved to a new home in Swall Meadows. Every day out your window, you begin to see the same thing. Mule deer! A lot of mule deer. This experience led community members to the discovery that homes lay in …continue reading

Kristen Stipanov2019-05-23T16:38:57-07:00May 23rd, 2019|Blog, On the Wild Side, Press Releases, Success Stories, What's New|