Peregrine closures at Donner Summit

[Paul Minault]

-------- Forwarded Message --------

Subject:	Truckee Donner Land Trust - Spring News
Date:	Sat, 07 May 2016 02:25:07 +1000
From:	Truckee Donner Land Trust <k...@tdlandtrust.org>
Reply-To:	k...@tdlandtrust.org
To:	pmin...@earthlink.net <pmin...@earthlink.net>

Web Version  |  Update preferences  |  Unsubscribe Like Tweet Forward Donate securely online. Join us on Facebook Have you renewed your Membership for 2016? Tahoe Donner Moves to Purchase Crabtree Canyon Tahoe Donner Association has finalized an agreement with the Land Trust to move forward with the acquisition of a 640-acre parcel of land containing a portion of Carpenter Valley and the ridge adjacent to Tahoe Donner’s existing 7,000-plus acres. Tahoe Donner will own and manage the southern-most portion of the property, which includes Crabtree Canyon and provides a gateway between Euer Valley and Carpenter Valley. The Truckee Donner Land Trust will hold a permanent conservation easement to protect the property from development. The Land Trust is under contract to buy and protect an additional 600 acres of Carpenter Valley next year. This spectacular valley, which has remained in private hands since the mid-19th century, offers stunning views, rich habitat, and tremendous recreation opportunities. “This is a critical open space that is of great value to our community, and we are pleased to work with Tahoe Donner Association to help protect it", says Perry Norris, the Land Trust's Executive Director. “Tahoe Donner’s vision as a desirable mountain community includes providing attractive and well-maintained facilities and amenities while maintaining accessible and healthy natural surroundings,” says Steve Miller, President of the board of Tahoe Donner Association. “The acquisition of the Crabtree Canyon parcel will also protect Tahoe Donner’s borders from future development.” A corn lily in bloom next to one of Carpenter Valley's many springs. Photo by Tony Mendoza. Sesonal Climbing Closure in effect on Donner Summit To protect nesting peregrine falcons, certain climbing routes on Donner Summit’s Black Wall are closed until mid-summer. Each year, volunteers with the Truckee Donner Land Trust and Access Fund monitor Donner Summit climbing areas for nesting raptors. A peregrine falcon nest with chicks has been located at the recently conserved Black Wall climbing area. Raptors are well known to nest in the area, and this year's nest at Black Wall is in the grotto at the base of Rambo Crack in Cannibal Gully. The Land Trust, Access Fund and the Save Donner Climbing group are asking climbers and hikers to please respect a seasonal closure. Volunteers will monitor the nest and lift the closure when nesting activities have ceased for the year. The nest has two eggs, and the female was incubating, thus they may fledge by mid-July. The female appeared more high-strung than birds in recent years, and is possibly a new individual, so we are asking climbers and hikers to stay out of that gully or line of sight. While hiking or climbing outside this closure buffer nearby, please avoid disturbance, keep noise to a minimum, and use best judgment to gauge and mitigate your impact. The following routes are closed until further notice: Touch and Go, Hungover Hangover, Rat's Tooth, Empty Sky, Rhythm Killer, Pinball Junkie, Inner Recess, Rambo Crack, Space Invaders, and Bourbon Street.  Fortunately, climbers can choose from plenty of other routes at Black Wall and elsewhere on Donner Summit. The 10-acre property features some of the most dramatic terrain in the Truckee-Tahoe region, with stunning vistas and world-class climbing on finely textured granite. The climbing routes were established more than 50 years ago and range from deep chimneys and low-angle slabs for beginners, to overhanging test pieces for experts, and splitter cracks and sport routes for all skill levels. The Land Trust and the Access Fund raised over $300,000 toward the acquisition, stewardship, and additional trailhead improvements on the 10-acre property and adjacent Land Trust land late last year, protecting the climbing region in perpetuity. Learn more about the Access Fund at www.accessfund.org. Photo: Closure signs are strategically placed at the approach trails as well as at the base of the routes. Celebrating Earth Day at Waddle Ranch Preserve It was a cold, rainy morning but that didn't stop volunteers from the Truckee Tahoe Airport District and students from Sierra Expeditionary Learning School from planting sugar pine seedlings at Waddle Ranch Preserve in Martis Valley. Partnering with The Sugar Pine Foundation, the group worked to reintroduce sugar pines to Waddle Ranch Preserve in an effort to help bring diversity into the forest. "Diversity can improve forest health, drought tolerance, and fire resistance," said Maria Mircheva, Executive Director of the Sugar Pine Foundation, whose organization will monitor the trees’ health once they’ve been planted. Above: Maria Mircheva, Rachel Ford, and Hugh Denno from The Sugar Pine Foundation quiz students on white pine tree identification​. ​Photo by: Frances McAninch We Need a Truck! The Land Trust is in need of a truck for Carpenter Valley stewardship. If you are interested in donating a truck to us, please contact John at jo...@tdlandtrust.org, 530-582-4711 ext. 102. Edit your subscription | Unsubscribe Truckee Donner Land Trust P.O. Box 8816 Truckee, CA 96162