From left to right:Randy Moore (Regional Forester, Region 5), Tahoe NF Supervisor Tom Quinn, NSP President Lucy Blake, David Sutton (Northern California and Nevada Director Trust for Public Land), Eli Elano (Dpty Forest Supervisor, Tahoe NF)
December 6, 2011 - The U.S.D.A. Forest Service honored the Northern Sierra Partnership (NSP) on Wednesday, November 30th, with the Region 5 Regional Forester's Honor Award at an awards ceremony in Sacramento. This award is presented to individuals or groups of individuals who "demonstrated outstanding professionalism, excellent customer service, and exemplary leadership in advancing the Forest Service mission".
In presenting the "Partnership of the Year" award to NSP, the Forest Service acknowledged "NSP's innovative, collaborative approach with resource agencies, philanthropic organizations, business interests, other local land trusts and local individuals to ensure sustainable, healthy forest ecosystems and to expand opportunities for public enjoyment of these areas. "This unique partnership … has been extremely effective at raising state and private funds and working with landowners and public agencies to conserve lands across the Northern Sierra", said Regional Forester Randy Moore. "The Tahoe [NF] is honored and privileged to have the NSP partners to work with to achieve a more sustainable future with greater habitat connectivity, better public access to recreation, more effective and efficient fuels and watershed management, and greater capacity to adapt to climate. The leadership demonstrated by NSP in protecting important ecosystem and recreation lands will deliver benefits to our children and our children's children for decades to come." Included in NSP's notable acquisitions are:
- Perrazzo Meadows, which supports one of California's largest populations of willow fly catcher.
- Independence Lake, a pristine glacial lake that supports Lahontan Cutthroat trout.
- Webber Falls, which NSP helped the Tahoe NF acquire through a matching donation.
- Snow Mountain, in the North Fork of American Wild & Scenic River watershed.
- Conservation Easements, acquired from Sierra Pacific Industries, which extinguish development rights so the land will remain as private working forest—contributing to the local economy and county tax base—and be open for public recreation.
"The Forest Service has been a great partner, over many, many years. On behalf of all of the individuals and organizations that sustain our Partnership, thank you for this important honor", said NSP President Lucy Blake. "Here's to all of the work ahead!"
The Northern Sierra Partnership (NSP) is a collaborative initiative to conserve, restore, and enhance the magnificent natural landscape of the northern Sierra Nevada, and build the foundation for sustainable rural prosperity. We work with private landowners, public agencies, nonprofit groups, and local communities to: conserve the sweeping natural landscapes that define us as a region; restore the ecological vitality of our forests, meadows and rivers, and the landscape's resilience to natural disturbance like fire and flood; expand opportunities to enjoy our region's extraordinary natural assets through investments in recreation, environmental education, and sustainable tourism; support the growth of vibrant rural communities that sustain—and are sustained by—the healthy landscapes that surround them. NSP's five partners are the Feather River Land Trust, the Sierra Business Council, The Nature Conservancy, the Truckee Donner Land Trust, and the Trust for Public Land. For more information please visit www.northernsierrapartnership.org.
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