Loma Prieta Chapter's eNewsletter: October, Volume 1

October 14, 2023

YOU Can Make a Difference; Read How in This eNewsletter

► Raise your voice for local nature. Complete BCDC's Shoreline Vision Survey, and tell them to prioritize a healthy Bay.

► Watch Congresswoman Lofgren's tribute to our 2023 Honoree Florence LaRiviere.

► Take a hike! See the comprehensive list of activities available with your chapter into early November.

► Attend the Environmental Justice, Equity, and Indigenous Rights in a Capitalist Democracy webinar, part of the Environmental Stewardship Program webinar series, on November 4th.

► Help protect local forests. Join our Forest Protection Committee!

Tell BCDC to Prioritize a Healthy Bay!

The Bay’s vital ecosystems and shoreline communities face disastrous impacts from sea level rise. The Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) will play a major role in defining the regional response to this threat and our Bay Alive Campaign is determined to engage every step of the way.

BCDC's Shoreline Vision Survey is live now. They need to know we care deeply about the preservation of the Bay, including the ecosystems, creatures, and communities who rely on its health.

Join our Bay Alive Campaign and access our recommendations on the survey.

Congresswoman Lofgren's Tribute to Florence LaRiviere

Watch the video of Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren's warm tribute to Florence LaRiviere, our 2023 Guardians of Nature honoree. Congresswoman Lofgren recalls Florence's dedication to working on the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Congresswoman Lofgren advised the 1974 legislation as an advisor to Congressman Don Edward, which now bears his name as the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. See more about the spectacular event, and watch for more videos in future eNewsletters.

The Results of Years of Hard Work in Moffett Park

For years, the volunteers and staff of your Loma Prieta Chapter’s Bay Alive Campaign, in collaboration with Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society and Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge, have been advocating to make Sunnyvale’s Moffett Park Specific Plan (MPSP) as environmentally friendly as possible. The final MPSP, adopted this summer, reflects our advocacy in many ways. Examples include the protection of wetlands and the addition of substantial new open space acreage, robust bird-safe and dark sky design policies and stronger environmental review standards for future projects. Read more.

Sierra Club California Director to Speak on CEQA and Environmental Justice in California

Brandon Dawson will be attending the Loma Prieta Chapter's Conservation Committee on October 25th, between 7:00 - 7:30 pm, to talk about the future of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Environmental Justice in California.

Take a Hike!

Check our full Loma Prieta Chapter schedule.

Note: regardless of the name/origin of the outing section, all are welcome!

Peter Grubb Hut Work Party: Saturday, October 14th - Sunday, October 15th
Spring Lake Picnic & Pole Walk/Hike: Tuesday, October 17th, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Hike San Vicente Redwoods: Wednesday, October 18th, 10:00 am
Hike Coal Mine Ridge: Thursday, October 19th, 10:00 am
Contingency Sierra Club Hut Work Party: Saturday, October 21st - Sunday, October 22nd
Mountain View Cemetery Spirit Hike: Saturday, October 21st, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Hike Bootjack to Muir Woods, Mt. Tamalpais: Wednesday, October 25th, 9:30 am
Hike Sawyer Camp Trail: Thursday, October 26th, 10:00 am
Toro County Park Day Hike: Sunday, October 29th, 9:30 am - 2:30 pm
Hike San Francisco Crosstown, Segments 3,4,5: Wednesday, November 1st, 10:00 am
Hike Byxbee Park and Baylands, Palo Alto: Thursday, November 2nd, 10:00 am
Hike Castle Rock / Sanborn Park: Saturday, November 4th, 10:00 am

Governor Newsom Signs SB272 for Coordinated Regional Sea Level Rise Planning

This legislation, introduced by Sen. John Laird, gives the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) new powers to establish sea level rise planning standards for cities. Cities must now submit shoreline resilience plans meeting these standards to BCDC for approval. BCDC is developing guidelines now. Our Bay Alive Campaign is working to ensure that 1) they emphasize nature-based shoreline defenses (like tidal marsh restoration) to combat rising sea levels while enhancing the Bay's ecosystem and 2) they give under-recognized frontline communities a powerful voice in decision making and equitable access to resources. This practical approach can safeguard our vulnerable living shorelines and communities by protecting high value natural assets, directing development away from high-risk areas, and supporting communities facing disproportionate burdens from sea level rise impacts.

If you care about the Bay, and want to join us in this important work, click here - don't forget to "opt in" to receive alerts.

Environmental Justice, Equity, & Indigenous Rights in a Capitalist Democracy

Saturday, November 4th
10:00 am - noon
(Part of the Environmental Stewardship Program webinar series.)

What is environmental justice? What do indigenous rights and social equity have to do with the environment? How can capitalism be reformed or regulated so that our planet can be saved? Why is democracy important to a healthy planet? All of these are important questions that we need to confront. Register today!

Poetry and the Environment

There are many paths to conservation and advocacy, the arts are definitely one of them. If any of these poems on ecology and nature move you to raise your hand and take part, you can with us.

If you would like to join our highly effective work to protect our local nature and public health, please contact us.

Revised Reclamation Plan to Continue Streambed Mining in the San Benito River

Should San Benito County approve a revised reclamation plan to continue streambed mining in the San Benito River?

The San Benito River, which runs along the west side of Hollister and meets the Pajaro River just north of San Juan Bautista, has historically been mined in areas with high-quality sand and gravel deposits. In particular, in-stream mining occurred from 1959 to 1989 in a 4500’ reach of the river north of Nash Road and just west of Hollister. In 1989, the County ordered mining to cease due to a legal dispute over the scope of vested rights under the 1977 Hillsdale Rock Company Reclamation Plan. Read the full article.

Bio Safety Advocates Concerned Over Upcoming Lab in Redwood City

In the face of a rapidly expanding life sciences industry in the Bay Area, Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter’s Bay Advocate Program alumni and active Bay Alive volunteers, Nina and Steve Goodale, are on the front lines of Chapter efforts to raise awareness about associated bio safety risks to our communities and Bay ecosystems. Their efforts are creating results; read their quote in this Redwood City Pulse article! More community members are raising their voices and cities are beginning to take action to manage the risks. Learn more about biosafety and what cities can do to protect their communities.

Loma Prieta Chapter's

Environmental Book Club

Bicycling with Butterflies:
My 10,201-Mile Journey Following the Monarch Migration
by Sara Dykman
November 2023

"Sara Dykman made history when she became the first person to bicycle alongside monarch butterflies on their storied annual migration—a round-trip adventure that included three countries and more than 10,000 miles. Equally remarkable, she did it solo, on a bike cobbled together from used parts."

To join, contact Gladwyn d'Souza.

Review the full 2023 reading list.

Sunnyvale City Council Commits To Consider Protecting Habitat By Closing Redundant Levee Trails

Your Loma Prieta Chapter, in partnership with Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge, and Sunnyvale Naturalist Kira Od, has been actively advocating for the closure of certain secondary levee trails along the Sunnyvale shoreline. This proposed action aims to safeguard vital wildlife habitats and provide a sanctuary for migratory wildfowl, allowing them to rest, recover, and rear their young. Simultaneously, it ensures the ongoing functionality of primary trails for public use. With the anticipated influx of 40,000 new residents and 60,000 workers, according to the Moffett Park Specific Plan, these strategic trail closures can help mitigate the impact of growing trail usage on local wildlife.

Encouragingly, on August 29th, the Sunnyvale City Council initiated a study issue with unanimous co-sponsorship to consider closing these levees. While it doesn't guarantee immediate action, it represents a promising first step. We will closely monitor and support the progress of this initiative.

Protect the Planet with Your (Future) Webmanagement Skills!

This is very important work that needs someone looking for a new opportunity to greatly advance local environmental protection. Loma Prieta Chapter volunteers are doing fantastic work! However, they need help publicizing their work, to attract more volunteers. We are seeking volunteers who are willing to learn and use basic webmanagement skills, then post volunteers' content to update webpages.

Learn more about this volunteer opportunity.

Forest Protection Committee Updates

Loma Prieta Forest Protection Committee members Kristen Lee and Susan Lessin commented to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors regarding the Sanborn and Upper Steven Creeks Forest Health Plan. They advocated for monitoring carbon sequestration and the importance of minimizing herbicides and pesticides. Additionally, Kristen Lee and Jennifer Normoyle attended a highly educational tour of post-Rim Fire areas outside of Yosemite to see areas of abundant natural regeneration. Salvage-logged and replanted areas that are rarely poorly were also visited. Bryant Baker from the Los Padre Forest Watch and Maya Khosla, Wildlife Biologist and filmmaker, facilitated the tour.

If you would like to learn more about this teams work and/or join their effective advocacy, then please contact: Karen Maki (650) 366-0577 karenmaki*earthlink.net

Proud Sponsor of
Saved By Nature's 2023 Bat Fest

October 21st, 2023
4:00 - 9:00 pm
Rancho Canada del Oro Open Space Preserve

The Loma Prieta Chapter is very proud to once again sponsor Bat Fest by our friends at Saved By Nature. Join this evening festival celebrating local animals of the night, with live bats, owls, and other creatures. It's a fun time under the stars! Learn more and buy tickets.

Solar Geoengineering

Solar geoengineering could become the “new form of denial” for Silicon Valley enthusiasts, critics say. The idea of dimming the sun to slow climate change is gaining popularity—but only with billionaires in the Global North. Read the full article from Sierra, the magazine of the Sierra Club.

If you are interested in local work on real solutions for climate change, join our Climate Action Leadership Team by contacting Dashiel Leeds.

Guardians of the Valley

"In 1889 John Muir meets Robert Underwood Johnson, an elegant and influential figure at The Century magazine. The pair ventures to Yosemite Valley where they are confronted with predatory mining, tourism, and logging industries. While Muir is devastated, Johnson decides that he and Muir need to fight. The pact they form marks a watershed moment, leading to the creation of Yosemite National Park, and launching an environmental battle that captivates the nation and ushers in the beginning of the American environmental movement." Learn more.

In the Community

From our friends at Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful

Coyote Creek Trail BioBlitz
Sunday, October 22nd, 9:00 - 11:30 am

Creepy Crawler Cleanup!
Sunday, October 29th, 9:00 am - noon

From our friends at California Native Plant Society, Santa Clara Valley Chapter

Native Plant Sale
Saturday, October 21, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

One of the best ways to safeguard a thriving and just future is by ensuring that your Loma Prieta Chapter remains a champion for the environment of Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Benito Counties. Naming us as a beneficiary in your bequest will provide meaningful and enduring resources that will allow continued local and powerful environmental activism.

Please contact our Chapter Development Coordinator Justyna Guterman for the specific language for your estate planning and/or read more here. For additional information about planning a bequest please contact Julia Curtis, (800) 932-4270.

Find Us on Social Media!

Loma Prieta Chapter

Facebook: @LomaPrietaSierraClub
Instagram: @sierraclub_lomaprieta
Twitter: @SierraClubLP
YouTube: @lomaprietachaptersierraclu7055
Spotify: Sierra Club Loma Prieta
MeetUp: Sierra Club Loma Prieta

Hiking Groups

20s - 30s Facebook: @LPSierraClub20s30s
Gay & Lesbian Sierrans: @GLS.Loma.Prieta

In Case You Missed It

Historic Dates

The Loma Prieta Chapter was founded in 1933. What important events happened in October, 1933?

1933 October 12: The United States Army Disciplinary Barracks on Alcatraz was acquired by the United States Department of Justice, which planned to incorporate the island into its Federal Bureau of Prisons as a federal penitentiary.

1933 October 17: Albert Einstein arrived in the United States as a refugee from Nazi Germany.

In the News

How the Sierra Club is adapting to the political challenges of the 21st century

A Viable Alternative to Conventional Lawn? Cornell May Have Found One.

California Condor Flock Soars Over Contra Costa County for First Time in 100 Years

California passes right-to-repair act guaranteeing seven years of parts for your phone

California For the Win

Photographers, see the great images in our Chapter Annual Summaries and help protect local nature with your images! Share with us your high-resolution photos of local nature, with or without people, to inspire local residents to support Loma Prieta Chapter work. Please contact Chapter Development Coordinator Justyna Guterman.

History fans, your Loma Prieta Chapter has been on the front lines of many progressive movements so our rich inspirational history needs to be documented. If this interests you, please contact your Chapter Director, BA History.

Music fans, the Loma Prieta Chapter was the first in the Sierra Club to establish a Spotify Channel. Ours is for music SINCE 2000 that advocates for the environment. Please send suggestions to your Chapter Director.

Too much Sierra Club email? You have control! See this simple tutorial.

How can local cities and residents use nature-based adaptations to sea level rise? Watch recordings of our webinar series with SF Bay experts and please share with your local elected officials.

2023 Oct 07. Thanks to Sierra Club National Deputy Director Ana Yanez Correa (in forground, making the group "selfie") for joining Loma Prieta Chapter outings volunteers and staff on a hike in Hidden Villa, the birthplace of our chapter in 1933 as well as many other progressive "firsts". See future outings on our Chapter Calendar.

Josephine Duveneck was one of the founders of our chapter in 1933.
“So few men or women ever have the opportunity to know the true satisfaction that comes with giving one's life totally in the service of the poror and dispossesed.
Josephine Duveneck was one of these unique servants.
She was a beautiful person whose memory and servanthood
I shall cherish for many years to come.”

― Cesar E. Chaves, President, United Farm Workers of America AFL-CIO