SBI HISTORYEstablishment
Early Sierra Conservation Biology Research
'Adopt A Forest' Old-growth Mapping and Legislation Development
First Petition to List the Pacific Fisher as Endangered
Sierra Nevada GIS and Old-growth Forest Mapping
First Landscape Scale Old-growth/Biodiversity Conservation Plan
Eastside Forest Scientific Society Panel
Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project Establishment
Peter Morrison joins SBI Team
Campaign for Sierra Ancient Forests and Roadless Areas
Siberian Ecoforestry Project
Sierra Nevada Biodiversity: The California Academy of Sciences Symposium
Aquatic Diversity Maintenance Areas for Montana
Establishment of the Sierra Nevada Forest Protection Campaign
Conservation GIS Consortium and the Conservation Technology Support Program
Peter Morrison founds Pacific Biodiversity Institute
Establishment
Sierra Biodiversity Institute (SBI) was established in the summer of 1987 by Eric and Steve Beckwitt. The Institute was founded to build upon two years of success by the founders using scientific research, public programs and the media to change the management of federal lands in the Sierra Nevada. Steve and Eric Beckwitt had used these techniques to reduce clearcutting and herbicide application, and protect critical habitats, ancient forests and low elevation roadless areas. The Institute was established as an independent, non-profit, public interest, scientific research center to plan for and provide information essential to landscape level protection of biological diversity within the Sierra Nevada. The Institute was also established to support the implementation of sustainable forestry, natural-resource based economies and settlement patterns in the Sierra.
Early Research
The initial goals of SBI focused on compiling research and map based biological information necessary for biological conservation planning on federal lands in the Sierra. The first research paper summarizing this information was published and distributed to state and federal agencies managing the Sierra in August 1988. The paper argued, using the principles of conservation biology and the life history of the Pacific Fisher (Martes pennanti) that all known surviving regions of closed canopy ancient forest in the Sierra Nevada must be immediately protected under federal law. The paper was well received by the US Forest Service, and immediately used by Sierran environmentalists to stop logging in key regions in the Sierra Nevada using the administrative appeals system.
'Adopt A Forest' Mapping
In fall 1988, National Audubon Society contracted with SBI to map ancient forests on the Tahoe and Sequoia National Forests of the Sierra Nevada. This work was undertaken as part of Audubon's highly successful "Adopt A Forest" program, funded by the W. Alton Jones Foundation. In December, Save the Redwoods League (San Francisco, CA) contracted with SBI to map the boundaries of the Giant Sequoia Groves of the Southern Sierra Nevada as part of the Audubon mapping. All of this work was completed by April 1989. At that time, SBI was contacted by Brock Evans, Vice President of National Audubon Society. Mr. Evans requested that SBI draft the definition of old-growth or ancient forests for California in the upcoming federal bill to protect Pacific Coast Ancient Forests. The SBI language was used in the House and Senate versions of federal ancient forest protection legislation in 1990 and 1991.
Petition to List the Pacific Fisher as Endangered
In winter 1988, SBI wrote a detailed, peer reviewed, science-based petition to list the Pacific Fisher as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act in Washington, Oregon and California. The petition was supported by the National Audubon Society, Oregon Natural Resources Council and others. Reviewers with the US Fish and Wildlife Service commented that it was among the most well referenced, well written and detailed petitions they had ever received. In March 1989 USFWS made a final decision on the petition: they elevated the Pacific Fisher to category 2 (the list of species to be carefully monitored for signs of endangerment) west of the High Plains States. USFWS told SBI and co-signers that the fisher was probably endangered throughout the Pacific Coast States, but that additional study of habitat preference and population demographics must be completed before the animal could be listed as endangered.
Sierra Nevada GIS and Old-Growth Forest Mapping
In fall/winter 1989 and spring 1990, SBI requested and received over $113,000 in computer hardware and software to establish a geographic information system (GIS) for the Sierra Nevada. A GIS is a system of computerized maps linked to databases. GIS was necessary to store and analyze the large body of map and biological data SBI had assembled for the Sierra Nevada. GIS was also necessary for the rapid and objective creation of biologically sound alternatives for the management of Sierra Nevada forests, watersheds and critical habitats.
In September 1990, SBI staff traveled to Irkutsk and the Lake Baikal Region of Siberia in association with a delegation from the State of California. Following return to California in October 1990, SBI signed a contract with the State and National Audubon Society to purchase $30,000 worth of NASA satellite imagery. The contract and satellite imagery was necessary to complete a comprehensive assessment of the distribution of ancient forests on public and private land in the Sierra. This work was completed in fall/winter 1991.
First Landscape Plan for Old-growth Forests and Biodiversity Protection
In summer 1991, SBI was requested by the Sierra Club, National Audubon Society and The Wilderness Society to prepare an initial ancient forest biological reserve network for the Sierra Nevada. The reserve network was part of the Ancient Forest Protection Act, introduced in the US House of Representatives in 1990 and 1991. By 1991, the Act and Sierra Nevada proposal had 120 sponsors in the House. The reserve network was completed and presented to House Members and staff in two computerized briefing sessions in the House office buildings in Washington, DC in fall 1991. In addition, Eric Beckwitt presented a one-day briefing on the Sierran proposal to House Interior Committee staff with Louis Blumberg of The Wilderness Society. The proposal was well received, but leaders in the House requested scientific review of the proposal before moving the legislation.
Eastside Forests Scientific Society
In April 1992, House leaders of five key natural resource related committees sent out a request to The Wildlife Society, American Fisheries Society and other professional organizations to prepare reports to Congress on interim recommendations for the protection of ancient forests, wildlife and fisheries in the Sierra Nevada and Eastside National Forests of Oregon and Washington. The Wildlife Society's DC office contacted SBI at the recommendation of House Interior Committee staff. SBI and the Society jointly drafted proposals to complete the requested Sierra and Eastside studies. In September 1992, the Eastside study was funded with a $46,000 grant from W. Alton Jones and $10,000 from the Pew Memorial Trusts. SBI, the American Ornithologists Union, Society for Conservation Biology, Wildlife Society, Ecological Society of America and the American Fisheries Society submitted the executive summary of the Eastside Report to Congress and the Office of the President in briefings in September 1993. The full study, 245 pages with maps, graphics and statistics by SBI, was published by The Wildlife Society following peer review in August 1994.
In June 1992, SBI became a project of the Tides Foundation of San Francisco. As a legal entity within the Tides Foundation, SBI became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization under Federal law.
Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project Establishment
In October 1992, the House/Senate Conference Committee on the FY 1993 Appropriations Bill allocated $150,000 for a scientific review of old-growth forest maps in the Sierra Nevada, and the creation of an independent scientific report to Congress on the protection of old-growth forests, wildlife and fisheries there. In winter 1992/spring 1993, SBI worked with Congressman Leon Panetta's staff to get additional direction from Congress to the US Forest Service regarding the Sierra study. In January 1993, Panetta and 8 other key committee chairmen recommended the creation of an independent (non-US Forest Service) panel of scientists and the production of a range of alternatives for Congress regarding Sierra Nevada management. Shortly after receiving this information, the US Forest Service turned over the Sierra study to the University of California. In fall 1993, the US Forest Service administratively increased the Sierra study (now called the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project, SNEP) budget to $6.3 million. In spring 1994 the SNEP Science Team contracted with SBI to train, supervise and assist SNEP GIS staff in compiling and analyzing map information on forests, soils, human demography, wildlife and other themes.
Peter Morrison joins SBI
In summer 1993, Peter Morrison joined SBI as Research Director. Peter came to SBI from The Wilderness Society, where he directed the Northwest Office GIS and Remote Sensing Project. Peter was responsible, between 1990 and 1992, for using GIS and satellite imagery to map ancient forests throughout the federal forestlands of Northwest California, the Pacific Northwest west of the Cascade Crest, and Vancouver Island in British Columbia. For this work, Peter received the 1992 ComputerWorld-Smithsonian Award for innovation in information technology applied to the environment. Immediately following Peter's arrival at SBI, The Bullitt Foundation of Seattle, WA, awarded SBI a $30,000 grant to provide GIS support to conservation NGO's throughout the Pacific Northwest. The grant was designed to assure that northwest NGO's gain full access, for the purpose of monitoring and legal intervention, to the flood of new digital information being created by federal agencies and part of the creation of Clinton's Forest Plan, otherwise known as FEMAT or Option 9.
Campaign for Ancient Forest and Roadless Area Protection
Between September 1993 and April 1994, SBI received $39,592 to work on generating public support for the protection of ancient forests, roadless areas and critical habitats in the Sierra Nevada. In fall 1993 and spring 1994 work began on a new book, Ancient Forest Wilderness of the Sierra Nevada. On May 24, 1994 SBI and Patagonia Inc. sponsored a celebration, Ancient Forest Wilderness of the Sierra Nevada, at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. The celebration, featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning poet (and interim SBI board member) Gary Snyder, actor Peter Coyote, and musicians David Grisman and Maria Muldaur, drew several hundred people from San Francisco, including foundation directors, press, and corporate supporters.
In fall 1994, SBI presented an educational multi-media program/lecture at 17 universities, colleges and civic centers throughout Northern California. The program was designed to gather support for legislative protection for Sierra Nevada roadless lands, ancient forests and biodiversity. The program reached hundreds of inspired students, retired people, educators and activists.
The Marbled Murrelet Case
In spring 1994, Macon Cowles, Esq. contracted with SBI to provided technical support and expert testimony in important legal cases involving threatened and endangered species. In Marbled Murrelet vs. Pacific Lumber, SBI provided extensive analytical and research services as well as expert testimony in Federal District Court to aid Environmental Protection and Information Center (EPIC) in an Endangered Species Act suit to protect some of the last remaining habitat of the marbled murrelet in northern California. The marbled murrelet is an endangered sea bird which nests in old growth forests. SBI used GIS and satellite image analysis techniques to create maps that illustrate the original extent of old growth redwood forests in comparison to their current extent. SBI used a California Department of Fish and Game database of marbled murrelet occupied habitat sightings to investigate the use of old growth redwood forests by marbled murrelets in northern California. SBI demonstrated that only about 8% of the original old growth redwood forests in Humboldt and Del Norte counties still remain today. These forests are extremely critical to the remaining marbled murrelet population. Over 95% of the marbled murrelet observations lie within 400 meters of remaining old growth redwood patches. SBI's evidence was presented in Federal Court in early September 1994. SBI presented maps as well as a two hour live computer presentation of GIS methodologies and results to Judge Bechtel. SBI was able to show Judge Bechtel the disappearance of the redwoods and the dependency of the marbled murrelet for this habitat through a historical sequence of GIS maps and satellite images. The testimony was very well received. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time this type of data has been presented in this fashion in the courts of law. Judge Bechtel ruled in favor of the murrelet.
Siberian Ecoforestry Project
In September 1994, Dr. Andrei Laletin, director of the Krasnoyarsk, Russia based Friends of Siberia Forests (FSF), approached SBI regarding the establishment of cooperative program to implement ecologically sustainable forestry in Central Siberia. At the request of the Institute for Soviet Relations/US Agency for International Development (ISAR/US-AID) Russian/US NGO cooperative program, Dr. Laletin submitted a proposal for an FSF/SBI cooperative project in 1995. In March 1995, ISAR/US-AID awarded SBI (as the American fiscal agent) $20,000 for the project, which involves training FSF staff in GIS technology and the creation of a model ecological forestry plan for the Predivinsk District, 700,000 acres of Russian federal forestland north of Krasnoyarsk in Central Siberia. In cooperation with the Pacific Environment and Resources Center (Sausalito, CA), Dr. Laletin and his colleague Dr. Rosa Babintseva completed the Predivinsk plan in spring 1995.
Sierra Biodiversity Symposium
On April 29 and 30, 1995, SBI organized a special symposium, Sierra Nevada Biodiversity: Exploring the Richness and Functional Role of Wild Species, at the Morrison Auditorium, California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. The symposium, which brought together an international scientific team to focus national attention on the outstanding biological richness of the Sierra Nevada, was cosponsored by the California Academy of Sciences and the National Biological Service. The keynote speaker was Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt's Senior Counsel, Mr. James Pipkin (Secretary Babbitt was forced to cancel as keynote speaker in the last week before the symposium).
Aquatic Diversity Maintenance Area Design
In September 1995, SBI signed two contracts with the Pacific Rivers Council (Eugene, OR) to identify Aquatic Diversity Maintenance Areas (ADMAs) in California and Western Montana. As in the Eastside Forests Project (see above) ADMAs are being identified for conservation by state and federal agencies and private landowners. ADMAs represent the most important watersheds for biological conservation in each State. In Montana, SBI collaborated with Dr. Chris Frissel of the Flathead Biological Station. The project was completed in December 1995.
Sierra Nevada Forest Protection Campaign
In fall 1994/spring 1995, the Pew Memorial Trusts approached NGOs in the Sierra Nevada regarding their interest in establishing a multi-year, centrally coordinated campaign for Sierra forest protection. In response, the California Ancient Forest Alliance (CAFA) granted to SBI and Western Ancient Forest Board Member Erin Noel full responsibility for assembling the campaign members, and writing the campaign proposal and strategy. This work was completed over two months in the spring of 1995, and submitted to the Pew Trust in April. In September, the Trusts awarded CAFA member Friends of the River (FOR) a planning grant to create the full proposal for the Sierra Campaign. SBI worked with FOR and others to hire a campaign consultant and oversee creation of a democratic structure for the campaign. A full proposal from the campaign was then submitted to Pew. It was funded with a generous grant in spring 1996. After the campaign hired Executive Director Scott Hoffman-Black, California Foundations contributed an additional several hundred thousand dollars, and the campaign commenced..
Conservation GIS Consortium and the Conservation Technology Support Program
The Conservation GIS Consortium (CGISC) was set up in fall 1994. CGISC is an association of NGOs which provide technology training and management support services to nonprofit environmental organizations using geographic information systems (GIS) in North America. The Consortium was established to enhance the ability of its members to provide GIS support services to its constituents, promote collaboration among its members to extend the frontiers of conservation GIS applications, and encourage the formation of new organizations and programs which further the Consortium's mission in unserved or under served areas. CGISC was established with a generous grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
In 1996, CGISC was given responsibility for managing the Conservation Technology Support Program. (See our current programs page for details.)
Peter Morrison founds Pacific Biodiversity Institute
In fall 1997 Peter Morrison transformed the Methow Research Station of Sierra Biodiversity into the Pacific Biodiversity Institute. This separation into two institutes allowed for separate management of the numerous and overlapping project's SBI was engaged in at the time. Pacific and Sierra Biodiversity Institute continue to collaborate closely on work with the Conservation Technology Support Program, and other joint research.
