(July 2007)

Tuleyome is working on a proposal to designate the Blue Ridge Berryessa National Conservation Area (BRB NCA). The Sierra Club Yolano Group is strongly supportive of that effort. The boundaries would be approximately those of the Blue Ridge Berryessa Natural Area (BRBNA) region, but the exact size and area are yet to be determined. However, the vision encompasses potentially as much as 800,000 acres: a largely undeveloped and diverse mosaic of public and private land.
This proposal is really about the future. What is our vision for the future and what will our region look like in another 150 years? We hope that it will remain much as it is today with important ecosystems protected, enhanced recreation consistent with that goal, and a thriving and sustainable working landscape. Tuleyome feels that a National Conservation Area designation is our best opportunity to realize this vision for the future.

The goals of the Blue Ridge Berryessa NCA are:
- Protect the conservation resources of the region
- Enhance public recreation consistent with protecting the conservation resources
- Sustain a thriving working landscape and its economic viability
- Help local economies

An NCA designation would result in:
- Congress stating that these lands are important
- Require development of a multi-agency comprehensive regional management plan,
- Establish a public advisory committee
- Focus conservation and management dollars for the region

Tuleyome is working closely with the BRBNA Conservation Partnership. More information on the Partnership, a regional stakeholder consensus-based organization, can be found at www.brbna.org. They have done much over the past ten years to gather important scientific and cultural information on the region. They have also worked with a three part commitment to conservation, recreation and sustainable working ranches and local economies.
More information on this proposal can be found at www.tuleyome.org. For more information or if you would like to help call Bob Schneider at 530-304-6215 or email him at verve2006@comcast.net.