Sustainability Conference Day Three
This was the conference's busiest day, and my best day overall, in terms of sessions attended and inspiring conversations.
What We Need to Sustain: I attended a morning session lead by Shirley Innecken, a wetlands biologist and amateur photographer. She presented a powerpoint slide show of images highlighting the natural world of Butte County with a focus on our blue oak, valley oak, and vernal pool ecosystems. I was reminded yet again of the numerous pieces of the sustainability puzzle--and that knowing and understanding the intricacies of our local wildlands is just as integral to holistic living as bringing your own mug to a coffee shop.
More Puzzle Pieces: The other workshop I attended had presenters from 5 of Chico's local non-profits giving overviews of their organizations, including the Sierra Club Yahi Group, Chico Avenues Neighborhood Association, Friends of Bidwell Park, and the Sierra Forest Legacy Group. The more I reflect on the overlap of these groups' missions, as well as the missions of so many other positive entities in Chico (which are too numerous to name here), the more I wonder if a greater element of collaboration and coordination might be in order. There are many folks who are members of multiple groups only to realize that the these entities have overlapping, and in some cases redundant missions/activities. I am aware that each group may feel that it has its particular niche, but still. . .
Maps: From Thursday though Saturday, Chuck Nelson of the CSU Chico GIS Lab had generously posted in the BMU auditorium two huge, computer generated images of the state of California. The more coloful of the two was an Agricultural Map, with every major crop categorized and color-coded on the map, such that the viewer could easily identify where grapes are produced (purple), citrus (orange), and nuts (tan) are produced, to name a few. The Central Valley was a rainbow of color. It was fascinating and telling--the source of much of our food, and a good part of the nation's food as well, depicted on a single sheet of paper. The other map was less colorful, but no less informative, with extra emphasis given to shaded relief to show the locations of hills and mountain ranges, and a bold blue network of lakes and rivers. The detail was such that I was able to pick out the routes of individual hikes I had done in remote Sierra wildernesses. Side by side, two maps linked the natural world with the human, as all of the Sierra's streams and rivers fed into the fertile valley. Both maps served to inspire amazement and conversation, especially considering that 37 million people also live within our state's boundaries.