Sierra the Chickaree (also known as a Douglas squirrel) made her debut at the annual Arnold Independence Day Parade, July 5, 2003. Sierra led the EPFW marching unit, 40 members from the area, to second place in our division. John Muir called this tiny resident of the treetops, "the mockingbird of the squirrels" because it can scream like a hawk, bark like a dog, and chirp like a sparrow.

The new mascot calls attention to the need for preserving wildlife habitat in the forest, rather than clearcutting vast areas. The chickaree suffers from loss of habitat when large areas are clearcut. When seed-bearing trees, such as Ponderosa pines are few, small, or sparsely distributed, the chickarees lose nesting areas and food sources, forcing them to compete with other animals and chickarees in adjoining areas.

The September issue of the EPFW Update will feature more information on the chickaree. It will be available on this website in early September.