Friends of the Inyo and the Conglomerate Mesa Coalition to Host an Oct. 4 FREE Online Screening of : “Island in the Sky,” a Film About the Fragile and Threatened Landscape of Conglomerate Mesa, with Panel Discussion Following

Lone Pine, CA — Friends of the Inyo, in collaboration with the Conglomerate Mesa Coalition, invites the public to a thought-provoking and informative evening Wednesday, Oct. 4, as they host a FREE virtual screening of the documentary “Island in the Sky.”

The 20-minute short documentary, produced with funding from Patagonia, examines the potentially destructive impacts of gold mining on Conglomerate Mesa and the Southern Inyo desert lands surrounding it, which are considered sacred by Paiute, Shoshone, and Timbisha Shoshone people. “Island in the Sky” pays special attention to the most recent proposal for mining in the region by Canadian company K2 Gold.

The 7 to 8:30 p.m. virtual event will begin with a showing of the film, to be followed by a panel discussion with local experts, all of whom also appear in “Island in the Sky”:

– Kathy Jefferson Bancroft: Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe

– Kris Hohag: Indigenous Activist/Senior Field Organizer, Sierra Club.

– Mike Prather: Lone Pine resident, Sierra Club desert activist, Audubon Owens Lake wildlife advocate

– Tom Budlong: Activist

– Wendy Schneider: Executive Director, Friends of the Inyo

“Our beautiful southern Inyo County lands are under attack,” Schneider said. “We encourage everyone to come out and learn about this threat and how you can help.”

This event provides an excellent opportunity for concerned citizens, community members, and environmental advocates to engage in a meaningful dialogue about the future of this iconic landscape, she said.

Attendees must  register for this free virtual event by visiting

friendsoftheinyo.org/events/, as only those who RSVP will be provided with a Zoom link to attend.

For media inquiries, interview requests, or additional information about the event, please contact: Friends of the Inyo’s Desert Lands Organizer Jaime Lopez Wolters at [email protected].

About Friends of the Inyo:

Friends of the Inyo is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of the Eastern Sierra’s land and water. With a strong commitment to advocacy, education, and stewardship, Friends of the Inyo works tirelessly to ensure the conservation of irreplaceable local natural resources for generations to come.

About the Conglomerate Mesa Coalition:

The Conglomerate Mesa Coalition is a collaborative effort of Tribal  members, private citizens, environmental organizations, local business leaders and conservationists dedicated to preserving the unique and ecologically important Conglomerate Mesa in California’s Eastern Sierra region. The coalition strives to protect the area from harmful mining activities while promoting responsible land stewardship and community engagement.


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