In partnership with California State Parks and the Nevada County Library, the monthly Sierra Speaker Series connects folks to the rich cultural and natural history of the area. Join us at Donner Memorial State Park Visitor Center to learn and engage! The presentation is to follow at 4 pm. Admission is a suggested $5 donation. Light refreshments and wine sponsored by Highway 12 Winery will be available. No registration required.

Similar to the grizzly bear, the gray wolf was removed from California over 100 years ago; however, howls of wolves can be heard today in both the northern and southern Sierras. Axel Hunnicutt, the State Gray Wolf Coordinator for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife presents the story of the gray wolf’s return to California, the conservation and management efforts needed to support them, and the social complexities they have returned to.

Axel is a wildlife ecologist and wildlife manager who has worked across countries and continents with various large carnivores. As the State Gray Wolf Coordinator for the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, he leads the state’s efforts in gray wolf conservation management, recovery, and research.