• Moderator is Douglas P. Carstens, a partner at Chatten-Brown & Carstens. The firm represents environmental and community groups in administrative process and litigation involving CEQA, NEPA, endangered species laws, the Clean Water Act, and other state and federal laws. It also represents public agencies in challenges to projects proposed by other agencies.
  
  
  
  • Tom Lippe, partner in the firm of Lippe Gaffney Wagner LLP. The firm specializes in environmental litigation, including land use, forest practices, water rights, water pollution, endangered species, vineyard conversions and toxics, by enforcing a variety of laws, including CEQA, NEPAm ESA, the California Coastal Act, the California Water Code, California Planning and Zoning Law, and others. The firm also advises clients regarding environmental policy and legislation. Tom has litigated numerous CEQA cases, including dozens of cases challenging timber harvest projects.
    
  • Winter King, an associate at Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP. Winter's practice areas include CEQA litigation and compliance, Indian law, and general plan and zoning law.
    
  • Jan Chatten-Brown is the founder of Chatten-Brown & Carstens. Jan is also a Board member and past President of the Sierra Nevada Alliance, and serves as a Vice President of the Planning & Conservation League.
    

3:30-3:40 Break

3:40-5:00: Attorney Meet & Greet: This is an opportunity for activists to fill out a new intake form, meet attorneys who may be able to help them, and/or ask further questions/advice.

Saturday, August 28

Title Sponsor for Saturday: Sierra Nevada Conservancy

9:00-9:15: Welcome by Alliance President Betsy Reifsnider

9:15-10:00: Keynote speaker

10:00-Noon: Member Group Reports and Sierra Nevada Alliance Annual Meeting.
Get a quick update from the Alliance and briefly elect board members. Then hear quick and inspiring reports from Sierra Nevada Alliance member groups on what they have accomplished and what they’re doing next to protect and restore Sierra lands, water, wildlife and communities.

Noon-1:30: BBQ Lunch & Silent Auction.
Enjoy Tahoe in the summer with new and old friends. Meat options are available for the non-vegetarians. Make silent bids on art, recreational equipment, trips, and other desirable and sometimes wacky items. Auction proceeds help cover conference costs.

1:30-3:20: Saturday Session Workshops

• Social and Economic Indicators: New Tools to Demonstrate Watershed Conservation Success and Benefits As Sierra communities continue to grow resource managers, planners and community members are constantly challenged by the need to demonstrate the success and long-term benefits of watershed projects. One aspect of this challenge is deciding how much and what types of new development the community can accommodate without compromising watersheds, wildlife and the day-to-day quality of life for residents. Recently, a pilot project in Mariposa County has worked to develop social and economic indicators to demonstrate how watershed projects balance environmental, economic, fiscal, cultural and social goals. Measuring socioeconomic indicators can assist communities in making decisions that promote long-term sustainability, healthy environments and communities, economic prosperity and social well-being. Come hear about the project in Mariposa County and how the new indicators for watershed work may be used to increase state investment in Sierra watersheds.
  
• Reality Grantmaking
  Come be a fly-on-the-wall at an actual grantmaking decision with a panel of veteran funders who will deliberate on a pool of applications and award $1,000 to the wining applicant at the end of the session. After hearing the grantmakers discuss the pros & cons of the proposals, there will be a lively Q & A with the audience about what makes a compelling and fundable proposal. The workshop is open to everyone with an operating budget of $100,000 or less per year. Applications must be submitted beforehand to have a chance at the grant award. Stay tuned for instructions on how to submit your application to have a shot at the $1,000 grant award!
  
  • Tim Little, Rose Foundation
  
  
  • Pam Allen, Goldman Foundation

• Sierra Water Trust: Identifying Instream Flow Needs. The focus of this workshop is to get participants to broaden their understanding of watershed health beyond traditional parameters of water quality to include in-stream flow. The quantity and timing of stream flow has been called “the master variable” -- the one which controls all other aspects of river health. Come learn how to monitor stream flow and assess in-stream flow needs in your watershed, and how this information relates to riverine ecology and watershed health.
  The workshop will consist of both a classroom and a field component. In the classroom, we will introduce you to the Sierra Water Trust Project, which is aimed at facilitating the use of river science in managing and monitoring water rights acquisitions, as well as introduce concepts relating to: 1) collection and interpretation of stream flow data, interpretation of hydrographs, development of rating curves, and also 2) methodologies for assessing instream flow needs in river systems using hydrological data. In the field, you will learn practical skills like building solid cross sections and measuring flow with a manual flow meter – skills that you can use to monitor flow in your watershed.
  
  • NOTE: This is a 3 hour workshop from 1:30 to 4:30.