Sierra Business Council
Website: http://www.sbcouncil.org/
 The
Sierra Business Council is the only business organization serving the
entire Sierra Nevada--a unique alliance of business owners, professionals,
property owners, ranchers and residents dedicated to the social,
natural, and financial health of this magnificent mountain region.
SBC has received local and national acclaim for providing efficient,
responsive, and innovative services to help the Sierra plan for prosperity.
SBC's vision is a Sierra Nevada in balance--a prosperous economy
and quality of life that respects our vital natural resources.
Region Served: The Sierra ranges from the southern tip of Lassen
County all the way down to Kern County, encompassing parts of twenty
California counties and three Nevada counties.
Population: Approximately 750,000
Size of Region: 20 million acres
Strategic Partners: Wide array of public and private partners ranging
from the ski industry and building industry to the California Cattlemen's
Association and the Sierra Cascade Land Trust Council. We also work
intensively with numerous local governments, planning agencies and
economic development agencies.
Established: 1994
Overview
The Sierra Business Council has published two editions of the Sierra
Nevada Wealth Index, and is currently developing the third edition.
The Council has also produced Planning for Prosperity, an award-winning
guide to rural land use; Investing for Prosperity, a new guide
to rural economic development in the 21st century; and the
Sierra Nevada Resource Investment Needs Assessment. Forthcoming
publications are to include Sierra Town Patterns, a visual guide
to traditional town patterns in the Sierra, and development of
a regional Tahoe Wealth Index, with a major public participation
component.
In order to improve water quality and boost profits at local ski
resorts - one of the region's most prominent industries - the Council
is facilitating a collaborative project with ski resorts and public
agencies--the Ski Area Erosion Control Project.
The Council is currently helping to craft community visioning projects
in the south central and southern Sierra foothills. SBC has also
played a major role in designing new community plans, in places such
as Minden, NV, and June Lake, CA. The Council's Placer Legacy Open
Space and Working Landscape Protection Program was the winner of
Governor's Award for Economic and Environmental Excellence in 2002.
The Sierra Valley Working Landscapes Initiative provides a special
focus on preserving the ranching culture and economy for the region.
Preparation of a new toolkit to help build more vibrant community
centers is also underway. A collaborative effort is being headed
by the Council to create a Sierra Nevada Conservancy to steer state
investment into local conservation, historic preservation and economic
development projects.
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