Much of California’s water supply originates in the Sierra Nevada, making it dependent on the health of forests. But those forests are suffering from widespread tree mortality and other ecosystem degradation resulting mostly from the growing frequency and severity of droughts and wildfires.

On our Headwaters Tour June 21-22, we will visit Eldorado and Tahoe national forests to learn about new forest management practices, including efforts to prevent wildfires and recover from them.

Among the tour highlights:

• A stop at UC Berkeley’s Blodgett Forest Research Station in the American River watershed, where experts are studying tree growth, forest succession, harvesting costs, water yield, forest insect and disease dynamics, forest ecology and wildlife population dynamics, among other timely topics.
• Experts with the U.S. Forest Service and several state and local agencies will explain their work, their challenges and what the future holds for forest management. 
• We’ll get a glimpse of that future when we visit a pilot project in the Yuba River watershed where Blue Forest Conservation is managing a collaborative effort to invest in restoration and apply the latest research on management practices.

The 2-day, 1-night tour with an overnight in Lake Tahoe travels up the Sierra and around Lake Tahoe to learn about upper watersheds and the critical role they play in water supply and quality across California. We will discuss meadow restoration, climate change, wildfire impacts and water quality.

We will also explore the effects of this year’s historically large snowpack, including how it’s measured and translated into forecasts of California’s water supply for the year, with experts such as Sean de Guzman, manager of the California Department of Water Resources Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit.

You can experience firsthand one of the best whitewater seasons ever as that snowpack melts into California’s rivers. We’re offering registered tour participants an optional rafting trip on the South Fork of the American River on June 20! Only a handful of seats remain so grab your ticket here while they last!