3 stories of rural America where unlikely allies have found common ground in dealing with urban development pressures
Co-produced by award-winning media makers jesikah maria ross & Catherine Stifter. Engineering by Robin Wise. Story Consultant Claire Schoen. Original music composed and performed by Ludi Hinrichs.
Saving The Sierra was funded by the California Council for Humanities as part of the California Stories initiative. Online listener toolkit produced in collaboration with the Sierra Business Council.
TIMINGS AND CUES: Billboard 1:00 IN Piano music starts... OUT Saving The Sierra. After this.
Segment A 13:00 IN "You're listening to Saving The Sierra...OUT next on Saving The Sierra."
Music Break 1:00
Segment B 18:00 IN Trombone music starts... OUT next on Saving The Sierra.
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Segment C 20:00 IN Piano music starts...OUT what's at stake in rural America.
FULL DESCRIPTION: Urban development threatens rural communities across America. People who live and work in these beautiful landscapes face some tough decisions about the future. Saving The Sierra's producers Catherine Stifter and jesikah maria ross traveled California's Sierra Nevada mountain range to explore communities in the midst of struggle against the development pressures closing in on them. In each place, they met unlikely allies who came together to find grassroots solutions for sustaining both the environment and their ways of life.
Roger Adams, Program Director of Wyoming Public Media notes, "The issues examined in Saving the Sierra, while located in the Sierra Mountains of California could as easily be along Wyoming's Wind River Mountain range, in Florida's Everglades, on the shores of the Great Lakes or in any stretch of former farmland now lined with rows of condos."
Steve Baker, Program Director of KVMR-FM in Nevada City, CA writes, "Saving The Sierra offers an exceptional hands-on approach to complex environmental, growth and resource issues. It's a symbol of radio that seeks solutions, making Saving The Sierra a national example of how we can -- and will -- be smarter in sustaining community, ecology and economy."
Most rural communities within driving distance of sprawling cities and suburbs face these issues. And most urban dwellers have been to a place just like the communities in these three stories:
In a remote mountain valley, both ranchers and environmentalists have begun to use conservation easements to save open space and preserve the largest wetlands in the mountain range.
In a small town north of Lake Tahoe, resort development will blanket the mountain with million-dollar luxury homes. But after a long legal battle, a deal was struck that will provide permanent, on-going funding for affordable housing, public transit, and habitat restoration.
The city of Los Angeles was forced to become a leader in water conservation because of a landmark legal ruling that kept them from draining an entire watershed in pursuit of drinking water.
This beautifully designed documentary was produced by 2-time Peabody award winner Catherine Stifter and award-winning community media maker jesikah maria ross. It's available for Earth Day broadcast, but the topic will resonate with listeners any time of year. Saving The Sierra's Dottie award-winning companion website provides photos, podcasts, and a blog. For listeners interested in more information about public participation in conservation, land use, and watershed issues, there's an online toolkit produced by the Sierra Business Council.
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