Our Interest Groups

Our Interest Groups

Ackerson Meadow Water Interest Group Trip to view restoration work

Living with Fire Poster

We hope you were able to attend at least one day of our series. If you missed it, below are links to the films we showed over the three days; all of them are worth watching. Thank you to all those who made the time to attend!

Stay tuned, we filmed most of our speakers and plan to have videos available soon. You can see photos of the event in the Fire Interest Group Section of this website, under the "Get Involved" Tab.

"Tending the Wild" about Native American use of fire historically and today.   https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/tending-the-wild/clip/cultural-burning

"The West is Burning" explains how we got to the forest conditions that exist today, that are leading to large catastrophic fires across the West. https://www.pbs.org/video/the-west-is-burning-P2u7ow/

"Fireforest: When Forest Fire met Forest Restoration" The Cameron Peak Fire was racing uncontrollably towards communities in northern Colorado. As it reached the footprint of a past U.S. Forest Service prescribed burn and the Drala Mountain Center, the fire behavior rapidly changed. The prescribed burn, combined with forest restoration treatments at Drala, gave firefighters a foothold to halt a portion of the fire and avert disaster for the communities downslope. https://www.fireforestphoto.com/film

"Weathered: Inside the LA Firestorm" The 2025 LA Wildfires set a record as one of the most expensive and destructive in US history. As environmental shifts accelerate extreme fire conditions and communities expand into fire-prone landscapes, these devastating wildfires are becoming more common. But are they inevitable? https://www.pbs.org/video/weathered-inside-the-la-firestorm-l31r0b/

"Your Home Can Survive a Wildfire" What you can do to help your home become more likely to survive a wildfire. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL_syp1ZScM&list=PLeS8_hWUTtIooIJQCNaDl4b7k9aSTCMPw&index=5

 

Living with Fire Panel Discussion on March 7th at Columbia College

Living with Fire March 7th Audience at Columbia College

Over time, members of our League have expressed interest or concern about various issues in our community. In 2021, our League members voted to investigate rural homelessness as our first study and area of interest. Since then, we have added three additional groups on Water, Fire, and Democracy in Action.

Water Interest Group

Purpose: After our first TUD Candidates Forum, we recognized how significant and complex water is in Tuolumne County. The Water Interest Group was formed to study water in Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties. We appreciated that water is neither a red state nor a blue state issue. It is universal. We are learning about the water districts, watersheds, and local, regional, and state water issues. It is a fascinating, complex topic!
Lead: Jane Braga
Meeting Date/Time: Monthly, 4th Wednesday, 11:30 at Schnoogs.
 
What we do:
  • We study the local water districts, watersheds, and water projects. We follow the actions of local water districts.
  • We follow how the counties balance water availability and growth.
  • We have taken field trips to water treatment plants, a wastewater treatment plant, a meadow restoration project, and a dam rehabilitation project.
  • We follow California state water issues and projects with two of our members on the LWVC Water Interest Group.
  • We are learning about the history of water and water rights in our two counties as well as in California. Water rights continue to be a topic of interest in our county and in the state.
  • We share what we are learning with the General membership with a monthly report in the Voter.
  • We present water issues at one or more General Membership meetings.

 

Fire Interest Group

Purpose: The League of Women Voters has several positions on fire, so our group has moved directly into action. Public education is our primary focus, and the area where we think the League can add the most to this important issue. Fire is a broad topic, but the group is most interested in education around Fire-adapted communities. We are partnering with other groups, such as the Tuolumne Fire Safe Council, who are experts and/or interested in fire and fuels. We live in an area where fire is a part of the landscape, and we all need to do our part to protect ourselves and each other.
Lead:  Maria Benech
Meeting Date/Time: Monthly, 2nd Tuesday at 4 pm at a private home.
 
What We Do
  • We are currently partnering with the Tuolumne Fire Safe Council to put on a 3 day public workshop in March 2026. It will be the first three Saturdays of March and include films, speakers, interactive games, and discussion panels.
  • We do presentations at our League General Meetings on topics ranging from "Fire Go Bags" to "Firewise Communities".
  • We share what we are learning with the General membership with a monthly report in the Voter.

 

Democracy Interest Group

Purpose: To identify, study, and share issues of concern regarding the democratic process. This group is focused on taking action and disseminating information about critical issues to our members and communities.
Lead:  Martha Rubin
Meeting Date/Time: TBD, we are just getting started.
 
What We Do
  • Compile facts (with references) and information on issues of interest.
  • Share information with our membership and partner groups to promote action and change.
  • Provide templates, language, and other supportive information to make it easy for people to get involved and make a difference.
  • Current needs are: The SAVE Act and a Glossary of Terms in Democracy. The glossary will be an ongoing project.

 

Homelessness Interest Group

Purpose: This is a follow-up on our League’s two-year study on homelessness in Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties. We are studying the progress that each county has made in reducing homelessness.
Lead:  Leonides Russell
Meeting Date/Time: Monthly, 2nd Tuesday at 4:30 pm at a private home.
 
What We Do
  • We completed a two-year study on Rural Homelessness (which is quite different from urban homelessness but is often ignored by those in Sacramento and Washington). PDF icon LWVML Rural Homelessness Study
  • Group members attend public meetings that address ways to help the unhoused obtain permanent housing.
  • We are looking into the different groups, such as senior citizens, students, mothers with children, and veterans, and how each group may be helped through county services.
  • We as individuals speak out at public meetings in favor of homelessness support efforts.
  • We encourage our League to write editorials and other articles to support this critical issue.