A Fascination with Mammals
by Dr. Heather Roberts
From echidna to platypus to kangaroo and tiger, mammals are extremely important to humans. Providers of major goods and services to us, they are also keystone species of Earth’s ecosystems—both on land and at sea. From the tiniest shrews to the largest whales, mammals provide us with immeasurable value and pleasure.
Heather Roberts, anatomy professor at Sierra College, has devoted her career to studying mammals. She will discuss mammal significance (ecologic and economic) while providing photos and stories of her research with these fascinating vertebrates.
A brilliant signature of Fall in the High Sierra, the Quaking Aspen dazzles us with yellow, red, and gold leaves, shimmering in the wind. By providing important habitat, aspens form ecological communities rich in biodiversity. Myriad bird and mammal species depend upon them for their survival. Human watersheds are protected and purified by them. Most westerners recognize these beautiful trees by their tall slender trunks of smooth white bark, but few know of their current plight. Today, human activities have reduced Quaking Aspen by more than half its historical range. 
A slide-illustrated lecture on the making of The High Sierra of California, in collaboration with poet Gary Snyder. Mr. Killion will discuss the production of the book and the techniques of multi-block color printmaking. 
Back by popular demand is this lively reenactment of the famous 1903 meeting of President Theodore Roosevelt and California naturalist, John Muir.
Returning to Sierra College for his annual "Muir visit" during Earth Day week, Lee will bring Teddy (Alan Sutterfield) along and perform this popular historical play (written and directed by Lee Stetson).
Naturalist-artist John (Jack) Muir Laws has created an illustrated field guide to more than 1,700 species of plants and animals of the Sierra Nevada. Currently at press, this comprehensive and easy to use guide will assist all Sierra enthusiasts in the identification of trees, shrubs, flowers, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects—even mushrooms and lichens! A tireless field naturalist and teacher, Jack will discuss this enormous project, his life in the field, and his passion for the Sierra Nevada.
We live within "reach" of three important volcanic regions—Clear Lake, Mt. Lassen, and Long Valley—all identified by experts as "High Threat" or "Very High Threat" regions. Highly active in North America's turbulent past, these three "sleeping giants" are constantly monitored for potential renewed activity.
Randy Oliver is a commercial beekeeper from Grass Valley, and a bee researcher and writer. His focus is on digesting scientific research from various fields and applying it to practical beekeeping. His articles cover managing the Varroa mite without chemicals, bee nutrition, and the pollination of California's agricultural crops. His presentation will discuss the natural history of one of the world’s most important insects and current concerns for its welfare. 
Costa Rica, a tiny Central American country situated between Nicaragua and Panama is only 51,000 square miles, about the size of Virginia, but it hosts a diversity of species that is unrivaled in the North America. Some say it houses nearly a third of all the Earth's species! It boasts 878 species of birds (57 are hummingbirds), at least 228 species of mammals (mostly bats), 1250 species of butterflies, over 10,000 plants, and more than 400,000 species of insects. 
Not all plants are benign! More than 600 species around the world kill for their sustenance, and approximately a dozen of these murderers live in the western states of the USA. Dr. Barry Rice has been studying (and growing) these carnivorous plants for more than 20 years, and has travelled widely through the USA to see them. Let him lead you on a tour of the plants that eat meat, and learn how they are actually spectacular and beautiful. You can find out how they capture and digest animals, where you can see them (if you dare!), and even how to grow them. Plants will be on hand for viewing.
Award-winning cinematographer Paul Goldsmith joined Sierra College's field studies program to film and produce an original production he named High Rock Canyon. Featuring paleontologists Dick Hilton and George Bromm, Volcanologist Brian Hausback and many others, Goldsmith documents one of many such earth science trips venturing into northwest Nevada in search of clues to Earth's past. Weaving scenes of this unique desert region with the methods of paleontology used to explore and explain, Goldsmith deftly creates a documentary of this tedious but fruitful effort under the leadership of museum director, Dick Hilton. A Miocene mammal, the Chalicothere (pebble-beast), related to horses and tapirs, is one of a host of ancient mammals that capture their attention.