MEASURE U SPOTLIGHT: VESR
This month we are focusing our Measure U Spotlight on the folks over at the Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserves (VESR).
Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserves (VESR) comprise two separate reserves, Valentine Camp and the Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory (SNARL), located about eight miles apart in Mono County, on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada near Mammoth Lakes, CA. Administered by the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), VESR became part of the University of California Natural Reserve System (UCNRS) in 1973. VESR offers protected wildlands, experimental facilities, and support for studying natural systems across central, eastern California, and western Nevada. Researchers and instructors can apply to access the Reserve. We invite your interest and inquiries.
Check out the full interview below to learn more about the work VESR is doing within our community and how the Measure U Grant has made it possible for them to expand the work they do and engage with local youths around the amazing natural world that we live in.
Tell us a little about your program/organization.
The Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve’s (VESR) Outdoor Science Education Program provides nature-based outdoor education for thousands of children each year. Our programs focus on getting kids outside, where they learn about nature, art, Indigenous culture and how to responsibly recreate and become stewards of the land and waters around them. The Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserves are part of the University of California’s Natural Reserve System and operated by the University of California, Santa Barbara. The programs are place-based at the two University of California Reserves in Mammoth Lakes - SNARL (Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Lab) and Valentine Camp - encompassing montane forests and Great Basin ecosystems. All learning takes place outdoors and activities for different grade levels focus on nature-based knowledge and awareness through the lenses of art, traditional ecological knowledge and exploration. Our program aims to deepen the public understanding and appreciation of the Eastern Sierra and foster continued environmental stewardship of this ecologically and economically important region.
How does your program/organization impact the lives of people in Mammoth Lakes?
All students in Mammoth Lakes come to the Valentine/SNARL reserves 2 times per year from Kinder to 5th grade. We hope we make a positive impact on those students and give them an adventure and learning experience in nature. Our hope and mission is to inspire local students to have curiosity and caring about our beautiful local environment. We also hope to show them how they can have a future in science and ecology and make a positive impact on the future of Mammoth Lakes
Your program/organization is a Measure U grant recipient, can you tell us what you use that funding for in your program/organization?
We have mainly used the money we received to reach out to students who haven’t had an opportunity to participate in our summer camps. We have used the funds for scholarships to get more kids involved in the summer programs. We have also used the funds to buy supplies for our field trips and summer camps to make them more interactive and exciting. We have also used the funds to help support more teachers for the programs, including bi-lingual teachers that participate in teaching Spanish-English summer programs for our bi-lingual Mammoth students.
Did the Measure U grant funding make it possible for you to offer programming that would not have been available otherwise?
Absolutely, we have been able to reach out to so many more students whose families are struggling financially and give them some help so they can attend. We have been able to diversify our student and staff population due to the Measure U funds. We have also have been able to have more supplies so each kid gets the tools they need to participate in the field trip activities; such as magnifying glasses for each student, new thermometers to measure water temps, new hula-hoops for our pollinator game. Since all our our field trip programs are free, we rely on support from donors and grants and these Measure U funds have allowed us to provide a high quality interactive experience for all the students and that is wonderful.
How did the Measure U grant funding help your program/organization to provide opportunities for locals to engage with arts/culture/mobility/recreation?
All of our programs focus on appreciation and understanding of nature. Art, including painting, photography, music and other forms of creative expression are central to many of our programs. Others focus on outdoor skills including hiking, navigation, and map reading providing readiness for children to engage in a lifetime of outdoor recreation.
What is the next big thing happening with your organization/program?
We are excited to say that we are in the process of getting a van which will allow us to offer transportation to students who can’t get to summer camps. We also are looking forward to starting after school science programs at SNARL to continue to enhance science and nature-based education in the Eastern Sierra.
Do you have any words of advice for other programs/organizations that might be looking at applying for Measure U funding?
The Measure U funds provide a fantastic source of support to enhance programs in Mammoth that focus on providing opportunities for our local community to engage in activities ranging from arts to recreation. The staff who work with the Measure U program are incredibly helpful and supportive and it is worth reaching out to them with any questions or ideas early in the process.
About Mammoth Lakes Recreation
Formed in 2014, Mammoth Lakes Recreation’s mission is to deliver cutting edge sustainable recreation, mobility, and arts & culture opportunities and infrastructure for the benefit of the community and natural environment of Mammoth Lakes. For more information, go to www.mammothlakesrecreation.org.