By Kathryn Reed

INCLINE VILLAGE — Photographs of sub-Alpine conifers, fields of lupine and the boulder lined East Shore of Lake Tahoe are more than just pretty pictures to scientists. They can represent what climate change is doing to the local and surrounding environment.

“Changing Range of Light: Climate Change in the Sierra Nevada” is part landscape photography coffee-table book, part educational resource, part poetry.

“I feel it is important to educate the public about the threats to these landscapes,” photographer Elizabeth Carmel told the approximately 70 people who chose not to watch Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

She found inspiration for her second book from John Muir, who coined the phrase “Range of Light” and whose writings helped preserve the Sierra Nevada; as well as photographer Ansel Adams, who captured in a different way much of what Muir had done with words.

The idea was to delve into what is going on environmentally in the Sierra Nevada in the 21st century. Carmel’s pictures are complemented by easy to read text from two scientists as well as poems from well-known writers.

The Squaw Valley Institute and UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) brought Carmel, and scientists Geoff Schladow and Bob Coats together at Sierra Nevada College on June 17 for a presentation about the book the three collaborated on. This was the first time the trio had given a talk together.

Carmel has been a professional photographer for the last decade. She has a studio on Truckee. Schladow is the founding director of TERC. He has a doctorate in civil and environmental engineering. Coats has a consulting firm called Hydroikos Ltd. He has a doctorate in wildland resource science.

Schladow touched on how as the Earth warms, trees in one region will vanish and appear in another to stick with the climate they are used to thriving in.

As droughts become longer and more sustained, it’s possible the level of Lake Tahoe will consistently remain below its natural rim. This could turn lush meadows into muddy or dry fields.

“Imagery can be used to quantify climate change, though that is not the purpose of this particular book,” Schladow said.

Schladow shared an editorial from November 1957 from a paper in Indiana that first mentioned global warming.

Climate change is not a new phenomenon, the scientists said. What they said is different now is that in the last 200 years there has been a dramatic spike in climate change because of carbon dioxide in the environment from humans.

Coats said the level of CO2 in the atmosphere is the highest it’s been in thousands of years.

He said if the temperature changes by 5 degrees Celsius by the end the century, Lake Tahoe at 6,200 feet would be similar to what life currently is like at 4,500 feet.

Coats also said as the lake warms the level of phosphorous will dramatically change, which in turn will have a profound negative affect on lake clarity.

For more information about the book, call (530) 582.0558 or click here.

By Kathryn Reed

The United States is a world leader in many areas. One area that often goes unrecognized is the contribution to the preservation of open space.

It was March 1, 1872, that the first national park in the world was created. President Ulysses S Grant created Yellowstone National Park that day.

Now there are nearly 400 parks in the United States.

Other countries soon followed in setting aside undeveloped land for the preservation for generations to come.

The history of the U.S. park system, the struggles, the evolution and the people who made it all a reality come to life in “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.” The six-part film by Ken Burns first aired on PBS last fall. Now the series is available for rent on DVD.

Even though I learned a ton from the hours of video, I have to admit I fell asleep through parts of the first four discs. I don’t know if it was the music, scenery, soft voices or just my state of mind.

Of course it could have been the editing and redundancy. I love Yosemite, and would say it’s my favorite national park, but I was ready to move on from this granite splendor long before the filmmakers were.

With that negativity said, without hesitation I recommend watching the first, fifth and sixth DVDs. Yes, you will be missing a tremendous amount if you skip half of the videos, but you’ll still learn a ton.

With so many national parks and monuments in California and Nevada, it makes me want to get off the computer and into the Jeep to start exploring and rediscovering places I haven’t visited in years.

The photography is incredible – and not just because the subject matter is stunning to begin with. The cinematography is exquisite. The research is superb. The message is incredible.

The history can be a bit much to take at times, just because there is so much of it. I would suggest watching the first few videos in more than one sitting. This will ward off the sleepiness as well as help you grasp everything.

With only a fraction of the parks mentioned throughout the series, I have to admit it makes me curious about the hundreds of others in the system.

Road trip?

For more information about the series, click here.

The El Dorado County School Boards Association and the El Dorado County Office of Education will conduct a workshop for prospective school board members on June 30 at the El Dorado County Office of Education. Registration is at 4:30pm, with the workshop taking place from 5-6:30pm.

The purpose of this workshop is to inform prospective school board members of the duties and responsibilities of school board members.

According to Vicki Barber, El Dorado County superintendent of schools, local board members and superintendents from various school districts will discuss topics such as time commitment, the Brown Act, policy development, budget responsibilities, and the general role that school boards have in public education today.

The election filing dates are between July 12 and Aug. 6.

There is no charge to attend this workshop. Contact Janet Maruniak at (530)295.2217 or email jmaruniak@edcoe.org, by June 25 to register for the workshop.

Bob Dylan will perform on Aug. 22 at Harveys Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena for the 2010 Lake Tahoe Summer Concert Series.

Tickets will go on sale June 28 at 10am via Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and apeconcerts.com.

With more than 50 original albums and collections to his credit, beginning with 1962’s landmark debut LP, Bob Dylan, Dylan stands alone as the most prolific and influential singer/songwriter in the small pantheon of artists who can rightfully be recognized as “living legends.”

Tickets are $59.50, $69.50, $89.50 and $125. Show time is 6:30pm.

By Martha Bellisle, Reno Gazette-Journal

A new survey of volunteering in the United States ranked Nevada at the bottom, but local organizations who rely on volunteers say they’ve never had trouble finding people willing to offer their services.

While most of the country had big jumps in volunteer rates over the past year, Nevada ranked 50th of 51 states and Washington D.C., according to a survey by the Corporation for National & Community Service, a federal agency that runs AmeriCorps.

Christi Cakiroglu, executive director of Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, said her group consistently has about 2,000 people come out to plant trees and pick up trash.

Read the whole story

Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course & Restaurant has chosen four local high school seniors to receive $2,500 scholarships in support of their college educations. Each has demonstrated exceptional academic and athletic abilities, maintaining their honor roll statuses while participating in educational, sports and community-oriented activities.

Edgewood Tahoe partnered with Whittell and Douglas high schools in Douglas County to select the students from among 50 applicants. The scholarship recipients are:

Anthony “Dino” Elias, Whittell High School: Elias plans to attend Oklahoma University in the fall, majoring in performing arts and business. He has competed in national and international dance competitions, currently holding the title of Mr. Spotlight Dance Nationals 2009, and teaches classes at All About Dance and Forever Dance. Even with his demanding dance schedule, Elias has completed several Advanced Placement courses and is a National Honor Society inductee.

Michael Koskin, Whittell High School: Koskin plans to attend Arizona State University in this fall to study economics. e has participated in the school’s academic team, science bowl team and student council, as well as playing in three sports seasons each year. Koskin is passionate about playing golf. He led Whittell’s team to the league and state championship last year and has worked as a caddy at the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship.

Rachel Davis, Douglas High School: Davis has been accepted to Southern Oregon University for fall 2010, with plans to study biology and forensic science. A lifelong dancer, she has been a member of the school’s Dance Line for three years, as well as a Girl Scout and Big Sister in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program. Davis is on the honor roll and received three Principal’s Awards for Academic Excellence.

David Present, Douglas High School: Present will be attending UC Santa Barbara in fall 2010. He has balanced academics with football and swim team throughout his high school career, receiving a National Honors Society Certification Award and an Outstanding Student-Athlete Award, as well as being recognized on the honor roll each year. Present also volunteers weekly on campus and at Temple Bat Yam.

By Dixie Reid, Sacramento Bee

Charles E. Davis was a one-time sea captain who, in the early 1900s, ran a dance hall and boat landing on the Salton Sea.

He was obsessed with the Donner Party, the California-bound pioneers trapped in the Sierra during the brutal winter of 1846-47. Davis believed there was more to their story than horrifying tales of survival by cannibalism.

“He thought they were mis-understood,” said Nancy Jenner, curator at Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park in Sacramento. “He felt strongly that the Donner Party symbolized the heroism of the early pioneers.”

In 1927, Davis contacted the fort’s then-curator, Harry C. Peterson, and asked for support in retracing the Donner Party route. Davis hoped to find things abandoned 80 years earlier by the Donners, Reeds, Breens and other families.

Read the whole story

By Carla Roccapriore, Reno Gazette-Journal

STATELINE — The Doobie Brothers, followed by Chicago, took the stage late Saturday in front of fans at the Harvey’s Outdoor Arena and concluded the 3-hour performance singing six songs together.

The groups performed in front of at least a 90-percent capacity crowd, who showed up despite the chilling temperatures. The concert was one of several being held as part of the Lake Tahoe Summer Concert Series.

The Doobie Brothers opened with “Take Me in Your Arms” and “Jesus is Just Alright.”

The group then took a pause from playing its hits of the past and discussed its future. It played three songs from the upcoming “Doobie Brothers” studio album due out later this year: “Nobody,” “World Gone Crazy” and “The Chateau,” which seemed to excite the crowd as much as the nostalgic tunes.

Read the whole story

The Nevada Historical Society will take viewers behind the scenes at the stunning, historic Lake Tahoe retreat built by the legendary George Whittell when they present the documentary “Thunderbird Lodge” June 23 at noon as part of the High Noon series.

The Thunderbird Lodge is one of the last and best examples of a great residential estate on Lake Tahoe from the period in which prominent San Francisco society built homes on the lake.

Following the video is a presentation and question and answer period hosted by Bill Watson, executive director of the Thunderbird Lodge.

The Nevada Historical Society is at 1650 North Virginia St., Reno on the UNR Campus.

For for more information, call (775) 688.1190 or go to www.NevadaCulture.org.

The Carson Valley Arts Council & Nevada Arts Council’s Circuit Rider Program will present the Cultural Heritage Summit 2 at Genoa Lakes Golf Club Supper Club on June 23 from 8:30am-2pm.

The registration fee is $30 preregistration, $40 at the door and covers workshop resources and lunch.

Circuit Rider and nationally known facilitator, Kendall Hardin, will facilitate the event.

Carson Valley’s ongoing summit explores ways to capture “cultural caravans” for those who know you can’t live life through a flat-screen television.

Leaders of arts, cultural, historical, natural history and environmental organizations; community leaders with chambers of commerce and redevelopment agencies; government officials; leaders in the hospitality/tourism industry; artists and engaged citizen are likely to benefit from the summit.

This intensive and entertaining community workshop will cover such topics as: How audience and consumer behavior has radically shifted; Who the experience seekers are and what they want; 10 tips for enticing experience seekers; How to turn your cultural and tourism products into experience; How to maximize your location; How to create successful “bundles” and “hooks” for your community; How to turn your competitors into allies; The critical importance of the “wow factor” and “remarkable” experiences; What are Carson Valley’s best hooks and bundles; How to create experiential marketing and bring your brand to life; and best practices and models for bundling from other hot spots.

For registration information, visit www.cvartscouncil.com or call (775) 781.0150, (775) 782.8207.