We serve as a steward for environmental and economic sustainability of Clear Lake, its neighboring lands and waters, local communities, and beyond.
December 2024 Newsletter
A Year of Growth
As the year comes to a close, we take time to reflect on our accomplishments. With so many projects and moving parts, it’s important to pause, review what we’ve achieved, and celebrate those successes. Recognizing even small wins gives us the stamina to keep moving forward. We encourage you, our readers, to do the same—reflect on the past year, celebrate your victories, and take pride in all you’ve accomplished. Congratulations!
At CLERC, 2024 has been a year of incredible growth. Our team has doubled in size, prompting a move to a new office at 125 Park Street in Lakeport, CA. This expansion has allowed us to better serve our community while balancing team development, business growth, and getting the work done. This year, we released our first-ever 2023 Impact Report and are already gearing up to create the 2024 edition. Additionally, we’ve begun planning the transformation of the historic Lakeport Carnegie Library into an Environmental Education Center, a space dedicated to fostering learning and stewardship.
If you’d like to dive deeper into the work we’ve accomplished this year, check out our 2024 Year-End Review Blog for all the highlights!
Among one of our major accomplishments this past year was creating and publishing our first Impact Report. Impact reports are essential for nonprofits, showcasing accountability, transparency, and a commitment to meaningful change. They provide a clear picture of how the organization is driving progress by highlighting key accomplishments, measurable outcomes, and stories of impact. For supporters, they build trust by showing how resources are used and celebrating the collaboration that fuels success. For nonprofits, they demonstrate professionalism, reflect on challenges, and serve as a tool to engage and retain supporters. Ultimately, an impact report shows that the organization is serious about creating lasting change and has the results to prove it.
So we are very proud to have put in the time and effort it takes to present our 2023 Impact Report to our colleagues, friends and supporters.
CLERC's Team Member Updates
We’re excited to introduce the newest members of the CLERC team! In October, Brent Kallander joined us as our new Forester, bringing valuable expertise to the organization. We also welcomed our longtime colleague, David Adam, as Research Director. David is a wealth of knowledge about Clear Lake and its history, and we’re thrilled to have him in this role. Below you will find a Blog Post about some of the work David has contributed to our understanding of Clear Lake.
Additionally, Tracy Cline has accepted a new role as Stewardship Director and will oversee all of our environmental stewardship programs, and Cindy Jassar has been promoted to Fire and Forestry Program Manager. Congrats to them both!
Our continued growth allows us to expand our impact and provide professional opportunities within our community, and we couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead!
Unlocking the Secrets of Clear Lake's Past
At CLERC, we are committed to preserving and understanding the natural history of Clear Lake, one of North America’s oldest lakes. A key tool in this effort is sediment core analysis, which provides a time capsule of the lake’s environmental history. Led by renowned researcher David Adam, whose decades of work have advanced our understanding of Clear Lake’s sediment core science, this project examines layers of sediment deposited over thousands of years. These layers reveal insights into past climate patterns, fire activity, biodiversity changes, volcanic eruptions, and human impacts on the ecosystem.
David Adam’s extensive expertise has been instrumental in uncovering how Clear Lake has responded to environmental shifts over millennia, helping us prepare for future challenges like droughts, wildfires, and land-use changes. Through collaboration and research, CLERC proudly supports this work to protect and sustain Clear Lake and its watershed for generations to come.
