Producer's Journal: Sierra stories everywhere!

Posted by Catherine Stifter

September 4, 2007

It's a great time to listen to stories from the Sierra. Through new partnerships with Weekend America and Stories from the Heart of the Land, we've have been able to find wider audiences for rural voices from our magnificent mountain range.

This past Labor Day Weekend (and online and via podcast) a story told to us by former Sequoia National Park ranger, Richard Perrelli appeared on Weekend America in their Summer Chills and Season Changes segment .

This longer, expanded version of his Storybooth comes complete with sound effects and music. Take a listen and let us know what you think!

And coming to a public radio station near you (wherever you may be in the United States) is producer jesikah maria ross's wonderful portrait of local hero, 6th generation Sierra Valley rancher, Attilio Genasci. Her long-play version of Attilio's Storybooth was chosen as the closing segment in the first hour of a new public radio series, Stories From the Heart of the Land. Check the broadcast listings for the series . Attilio's heartfelt sentiments never fail to inspire. We've seen quite a few tough folk shed a tear upon hearing Attilio speak eloquently of his love for the land.

But that's not all!

We are deep in the throes of producing our own national documentary that will air next year for Earth Day 2008. That may seem like a long time away, but we picked the date to provide added incentive for public radio stations around the country to air the piece, even if they don't have any special connection to the Sierra (I can't imagine it, but I guess some folks do not yet love this particular spot on the planet!).

Stories from Saving The Sierra have also recently been heard by journalists attending the Society of Environmental Journalists training at Stanford University, and at 10 meetings on the State of the Sierra sponsored by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and the Sierra Business Council.

And we have another 50 or so stories (yet to be published in our Storybooth) from folks up and down the Sierra who sat down with us last summer to tell us about their favorite places, deepest concerns, and best hopes for the environment, economy and culture of the Sierra. We're working with student and community media volunteers to craft the interviews into webstories.

If you'd like to be involved in getting our stories to more people via Internet, public radio, or in person, contact us by email at info (at) savingthesierra (dot) org.