The MOUNT SHASTA BIOREGIONAL ECOLOGY CENTER is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the outstanding natural environment and cultural values of Mount Shasta, one of the sacred mountains of the world, and of its surrounding bioregion, recognizing this region is of great importance locally, nationally and internationally in providing pure waters to the Sacramento Valley, rich biodiversity, numerous pristine natural sanctuaries, and sacred areas of high significance to Native American cultures near and far.

Based in Mount Shasta, California, approximately 60 miles south of the Oregon/California border, at the headwaters of the Sacramento River, the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center was founded in 1988 and formally incorporated in 1990 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit grassroots citizens' organization to which donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

VISION and PURPOSE

Our vision can be summed up in a few words-holding sacred place. To us this means a healthy bioregion surrounding a Mountain shining in its white robe of snow, mantled by the ancient Shasta red fir forest and other lavish flora and wildlife encompassing five life zones (from arctic alpine down to sonoran), waters running crystal pure and unpolluted skies, with responsible stewardship and enjoyment by human beings. This is not hard to imagine because much of the area is pristine and beautiful, though some of it has suffered from logging and overuse and needs to be restored, and its natural values are continually threatened by misplaced ambitions for inappropriate commercial development and resource extraction.

Through our protection projects - Save Mount Shasta, Save Medicine Lake Highlands, Watershed Watch, Wildlife Recovery, Native American Coalition Support, and Other Issues - we aspire to be the voice of those who value nature, spirit and culture. We bring our common visions of a culture in harmony with nature to creative solutions, concrete actions, and into the legal, political and administrative forums where outcomes are being decided. Our efforts give citizens a voice, focussing the issues, organizing participation in the process, and showing up when it counts.

We also actively promote community stewardship, education and restoration projects on the Mountain and surroundings through H.O.M.E. (Honor Our Mountain Environment Stewardship) Project, and through Native Coalition Support are committed to working in close cooperation with the Native American Coalition for Cultural Restoration of Mount Shasta and Medicine Lake Highlands Defense.

Our work includes advocating our mission with public officials-locally and in Washington DC, through involvement in appeals and other administrative processes, as well as in litigation-in order to hold agencies accountable to their obligations under the laws and policies designed to protect the natural and cultural environment. These include National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and other laws and policies. We also research and generate dependable information, build coalitions with Native Americans, environmental groups and civic organizations, work with government agencies to educate officials about decisions and policies, cooperate in the creation of cultural and ecological management plans, and conduct publicity and public education events.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS