Amador County – The Sierra Nevada Conservancy last week announced a series of workshops to help develop its new “Strategic Plan” and take input on how it will give out grants in the future.

Joan Keegan, Assistant Executive Officer, in a Jan. 19 letter asked “stakeholders” for input, saying the Conservancy is “in the process of developing a new Strategic Plan to guide our work over the next three years.”

“With input from many stakeholders,” she said, the SNC has refined its “future direction into four main areas of focus that cut across existing programs.” The areas of focus for the Sierra Nevada Conservancy’s new Strategic Plan are healthy forests; watershed protection and restoration; agricultural lands; and tourism and recreation.

Keegan said the Conservancy needs stakeholder help to develop the goals and “determine the specific actions we’ll undertake for each area of focus.”

She said it is “extremely important to us that we get as much stakeholder input as possible.” A series of workshops around the region will gather thoughts and ideas, and the Conservancy also will “be sharing ideas we are considering for how to structure our future grant program.”

The meetings will be held Feb. 7 in Auburn, Susanville and Sonora, and Feb. 10 in Oroville, Bishop and Visalia. If people cannot attend the meetings, the Conservancy will be broadcasting the 30-minute workshop introduction over the Internet, during both workshops. She said interested parties will be able to submit suggestions and ideas electronically.

Participants must register for the webcast on the corresponding day. More information will be available closer to the date of the meetings.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.