THE MONO LAKE FOUNDATION

THE MONO LAKE FOUNDATION (KNOWN AS THE MONO LAKE COMMITTEE) WORKS IN THE AREAS OF WATER AND LAND MANAGEMENT POLICY, ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. THE MONO LAKE COMMITTEE'S LANDMARK SUCCESS-SAVING MONO LAKE FROM DESTRUCTION DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE DIVERSION OF WATER TO LOS ANGELES-IS INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN. THE MONO LAKE COMMITTEE REVITALIZED CALIFORNIA'S PUBLIC TRUST DOCTRINE THROUGH A PRECEDENT-SETTING STATE SUPREME COURT DECISION, LAUNCHED PROGRAMS TO MEET LOS ANGELES' REAL WATER NEEDS THROUGH WATER CONSERVATION AND RECLAMATION, AND ACHIEVED AN EXTRAORDINARY REVISION OF WATER RIGHTS IN THE MONO BASIN THAT ENSURES MONO LAKE WILL THRIVE.PROTECTION & RESTORATION: THE MONO LAKE COMMITTEE PROTECTS THE ECOLOGICAL HEALTH AND SCENIC QUALITIES OF MONO LAKE, ITS TRIBUTARY STREAMS, AND SURROUNDING LANDS. THE COMMITTEE ADVOCATES AND IMPLEMENTS RESTORATION PROGRAMS THAT HEAL THE DAMAGE DONE BY EXCESSIVE WATER DIVERSIONS TO LOS ANGELES IN PAST DECADES INCLUDING RAISING MONO LAKE TO THE STATE-MANDATED ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE LEVEL AND RESTORING THE HEALTH OF MONO'S TRIBUTARY STREAMS AND WATERFOWL HABITAT. WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND STATE, FEDERAL, AND REGIONAL GROUPS, THE MONO LAKE COMMITTEE SEEKS TO DEMONSTRATE THE INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN A HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM AND A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY. THE MONO LAKE COMMITTEE'S STATEWIDE WATER POLICY WORK FOCUSES ON USING THE LESSONS LEARNED AT MONO LAKE AS A TOOL TO ADVOCATE FOR CONSERVATION, RECLAMATION, AND WISE WATER USE. THE MONO LAKE COMMITTEE ALSO MAINTAINS AN ACTIVE PRESENCE IN LOS ANGELES, REFLECTING THE LONG-TERM INTERTWINED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND MONO LAKE.

EDUCATION: THE MONO LAKE COMMITTEE SEEKS TO SHARE THE MONO LAKE STORY WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND A DIVERSE RANGE OF SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS. EDUCATION PROGRAMS INCLUDE INTERPRETIVE WALKS AND CANOE TOURS AT MONO LAKE, BIRD WALKS, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOR SCHOOL GROUPS, WEEKEND FIELD SEMINARS, A PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTER WITH EXHIBITS AND A FILM, AND THE OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER THAT CONNECTS LOS ANGELES YOUTH TO THE SOURCE OF THEIR WATER. THESE PROGRAMS, WHICH REACH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ANNUALLY, EMPHASIZE PERSONAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH UNDERSTANDING THE BALANCE BETWEEN MONO LAKE'S UNIQUE ECOSYSTEM AND HUMANS' NEED FOR WATER.MONO LAKE COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS PROVIDE VALUABLE EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC. THE QUARTERLY MONO LAKE NEWSLETTER CONTAINS DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT PUBLIC POLICY, NATURAL HISTORY, AND OTHER ITEMS RELEVANT TO MONO LAKE AND IS MAILED TO THE MONO LAKE COMMITTEE'S 16,000 MEMBERS AND GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR FREE. THE MONO LAKE COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE, MONOLAKE.ORG PROVIDES A WIDE RANGE OF CURRENT NEWS AND INFORMATION ABOUT MONO LAKE.