Three Sierra Foothill land stewards bring their unique perspectives to conservation of the land and restoration of the spirit.
Walking the Fringe explores the ecotone of the Sierra Foothills through the senses of three land stewards. In California, 90% of the open space is made up of natural and working landscapes, tended mostly by farmers and ranchers. Influencing how those lands are conserved and restored can have a huge impact. Can blending Western and Indigenous knowledges be the answer?
Meet the Characters
Tara Fouch-Moore
Tara is an enrolled member of the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation (SSMN), first people of the region now encompassing Yosemite National Park and Mariposa County, California. Her mother’s lineage is descended from the Ahwahneechee of Yosemite Valley and their last great chief, Tenaya. Tara currently serves as elected Secretary for the SSMN Tribal Council and its 501(c)3 non-profit American Indian Council of Mariposa County (AICMC). She also directs the Tribe’s burgeoning Land Stewardship department.
Having been raised in the small rural community of Mariposa County, nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, Tara grew up with a deeply engrained connection to her homelands and community. After many years away she was compelled to return home to raise her family and reconnect with her people and homelands. In doing so, she was inspired to turn her focus to landscape stewardship in an effort to honor her people’s ancestral lifeways, heal her homelands in the Sierras, and help restore her community’s role as first stewards of the land. Today, Tara represents the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation in several local partnerships and leverages these relationships to elevate her Tribe’s ability to implement programming around cultural burning, native plant restoration, indigenous first foods, pollinator habitat restoration, and remembering indigenous knowledges for the health of all our relations.
Bonnie Eyestone
As the Working Lands Director at Point Blue, Bonnie mentors and leads the team of partner biologists and ecologists through several of its programs focused on ecological health, enhancing habitat for wildlife and supporting agricultural communities. Bonnie supports the Working Lands Group in their various partnerships and helps develop key relationships, applies data analysis and interpretation to adaptive management plans, and supports local communities of practice. She co-leads the Wildlife Conservation Board funded wildlife habitat resilience Roots Program and NRCS Partner Biologist Program and is also on the Point Blue Management Team. As a former Point Blue-NRCS partner biologist in the San Joaquin Valley, Bonnie was a certified NRCS Conservation Planner and focused on providing technical assistance to ranchers and land stewards on working rangelands and forests. Bonnie graduated from the University of Washington’s College of Forest Resources with a B.S. in Environmental Science and Resource Management. Beginning in the Environmental Protection Department for the Quinault Indian Nation, her career has primarily focused on helping private landowners maintain and restore fish and wildlife habitat in working forests and rangelands.
Gary Miltimore
Gary has worked in natural resource management in various capacities for the past 25 years. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies and Planning from Sonoma State University. He specializes in habitat restoration and project management. Prior to working with Sierra Foothill Conservancy, Gary was engaging youth and young adults to restore the environment, improve parks and enhance the community. Upon moving to Mariposa in 2013 he served on the Board of the Upper Merced River Watershed Council. Gary enjoys various outdoor activities such as mountain biking, snowboarding, surfing and camping.
As Stewardship Program Manager some of Gary’s responsibilities include resource management and maintenance of SFC’s 10 preserves, grant writing, monitoring conservation easements and working with landowners as well as the stewardship program development. While with SFC he has been successful in implementing several restoration and enhancement projects. Gary has been with SFC since April 2014.
Our Mission:
The grasslands, foothills, and forests between Yosemite and Kings Canyon National Parks provide land for farms and ranches, a home for native plants and wildlife, and a source of clean water. The Sierra Foothill Conservancy honors our natural and cultural heritage by protecting these resources and ensuring that present and future generations will continue to experience and enjoy the land in this region.
Meet the Filmmakers
Director
MARK DECENA is a writer, director, and producer of award-winning feature films, television programming, web and brand films. He is a three time Sundance alumnus whose work spans narrative features to documentaries and shorts. Mark’s first feature, Dopamine, won the Alfred P . Sloan Prize in 2003 at Sundance. Since then Decena has built a body of documentary work that spans themes of social justice, sustainable design, and the environment. His previous work includes the Redford Center film, Watershed , executive produced and narrated by Robert Redford; the Gates-funded Stand Up Planet , using stand-up comedy to look at serious global development issues; and Not Without Us , following grassroots activists to the UN climate talks in Paris. Decena’s latest film, Farming While Black , premiered at the 2023 Mill Valley Film Festival as part of the Active Cinema Program. In addition, Mark is the founder of Kontent Films, a boutique production company based in San Francisco , housing a Kollective of award-winning filmmakers, producers and creatives.
Director of Photography
LAWRENCE RICKFORD is a multi-talented cinematographer, commercial drone operator, and editor. Lawrence has a passion for bold, and creative filmmaking. Whether it be branded, narrative, or documentary filmmaking, Lawrence finds the heart in every story and showcases it in a thoughtful and compelling manner. Rickford has been the Director of Photography for several Kontent projects, including Me & My Robot and the latest feature film, Farming While Black.
Editor
BERNARDO JOSUE is the epitome of the saying, “Still waters run deep.” On the surface, all is calm. Just beneath, a whirling current of passion, purpose, and storytelling craft moves with intention. A graduate of San Francisco State’s Cinema department, Josue has built his path through documentary filmmaking—shooting, editing, and shaping stories that illuminate real people and real impact.
Bern’s work centers on short and long form documentaries that capture authentic voices and lived experiences with clarity and care. Whether following a single subject or distilling a complex issue into a compelling narrative, he brings a thoughtful eye and a steady hand to every frame. His creative instincts are matched by a meticulous approach to organization and technology, ensuring that every story is not only beautifully told, but seamlessly delivered.
Josue provides additional photography and editorial skills to most Kontent projects, including Me & My Robot and the latest feature film, Farming While Black.
