Our chapter is looking for people who can contribute to our chapter’s highest governing board. Our ExCom ensures that our finances are in good condition, discusses and votes on important issues, engages in policymaking, appoints committee chairs, and writes bylaws as well as standing rules. ExCom members are elected each November for two-year terms starting in January, and can serve for a maximum of three consecutive two-year terms, after which they are eligible to run again after a one-year hiatus. If interested, please contact our Nomination Committee. The application deadline is July 20, 2025.
San Jose Spotlight: "San Jose Landmark Project Dropped"
On June 21st, San Jose Spotlight ran an article called "San Jose landmark project dropped," announcing the "Breeze of Innovation" project has been dropped.
Loma Prieta Chapter volunteers and staff have advocated since 2018 to keep the Light Tower Corporation from building in environmentally sensitive areas and to reduce the amount of artificial light at night, which is damaging to humans as well as wildlife. Read more about our advocacy.
Advocacy in Action: Fighting for Climate Smart San José
Loma Prieta Chapter staff member, Conservation Coordinator Dashiel Leeds, collaborated with the San Jose Youth Climate Action Team (SJYCAT), helping them give public comments and build ties with local environmental organizations. Dash and SJYCAT gave public comments at a recent hearing on San Jose's Budget. Read more and see photos: Dash is far right in the first photo and far left in the second (used here).
Celebrate Environmental Leadership: Garnetta Annable at 2025 Guardians of Nature Benefit
We are thrilled to announce that the 2025 Guardians of Nature Benefit will honor Garnetta Annable, a pioneering local land conservationist and a founding member of the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority. Join us on Friday, October 10th at 6:00 pm at Mitchell Park Community Center to celebrate Garnetta's inspiring legacy and to empower regional environmental advocacy. Sponsorships and tickets are available. Read Garnetta's full biography and learn more about how you can become involved and attend the event for free.
Why are Sea Levels Rising?
Since early human history, the vastness of the ocean has captured the intrigue of explorers, facilitated trade, and supported local economies. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), our oceans cover 71 percent of Earth's surface, however it is estimated that humans have only explored as little as 5 percent (source). Despite how little is known about the ocean and its inhabitants, one thing is certain, sea levels are rising.
NOAA reports modern rates of sea level rise started as long ago as 1863, as evidenced by rudimentary tide gates (source). This change coincides with the start of the Industrial Revolution, when humans rapidly accelerated the burning of fossil fuels, leading to an increase in greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.
Do you want to learn more about sea level rise planning in the San Francisco Bay? This summer, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) is holding a four-part webinar series showcasing their plan for our region to address sea level rise, the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP). Our Bay Alive Campaign has been heavily engaged in the RSAP process since its conception and continues to advocate for proper implementation of the plan, highlighting its emphasis on natural and nature-based solutions (NNBS), environmental justice and shoreline contamination concerns. Register for BCDC's next webinar on July 23rd to get up to speed on the RSAP, and then contact us to get involved, and advocate for strong RSAP implementation in your community!
San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties Coordinating Sea Level Rise Plans with County Agencies
Great news! Cities in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties are teaming with county agencies to develop coordinated sea level rise (SLR) plans under the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP). This cross-jurisdictional coordination holds promise for better collective SLR resilience within our Chapter region. The joint project in San Mateo County includes East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Redwood City, Foster City, and San Carlos. In Santa Clara County all shoreline cities will participate.
Bay Alive’s strong relationships with the County agencies and past work in many of these cities, are keeping us in the loop. As planning grants roll out this fall, we’re preparing to engage as key stakeholders.
Presentation to Foster City's Citizen Sustainability Advisory Committee
Earlier this month, several representatives from various Loma Prieta campaigns met with Foster City's Citizen Sustainability Advisory Committee (CSAC) to discuss our chapter's activity, highlighting the Plastic Pollution Prevention Committee's work on banning artificial turf, and the Bay Alive Campaign's work on sea level rise planning and adaptation around the Bay. The meeting invitation came as a result of Loma Prieta Chapter tabling at Foster City's Earth Day event in April. Many thanks to Foster City's CSAC for giving us the opportunity to share and engage in meaningful dialogue about our work, and our Foster City volunteers for advocating in their community! We look forward to fostering this relationship and better understanding how our missions align.
Join our Bay Alive Campaign Watchdog Network!
Now that the Bay Area has approved region-wide guidelines for shoreline community sea level rise plans, it's now for us, at the grassroots, to ensure that all of the local plans are the strongest they can be and developed as quickly as possible.
If you couldn't make our webinar and still want to learn how you can join our watchdog network, you can watch the webinar recording, complete our volunteer interest form, and we'll be in touch!
Watch our sea level rise videos to learn the threats that come with sea level rise, what's at risk, and solutions we can use to adapt and protect the Bay.
Sea Level Rise Webinar Series
Learn how nature can help us fight sea level rise with cost-effective and sustainable solutions. Watch recordings of our webinar series with SF Bay experts and please share with your local elected officials.
Sign the Petition to Save San Bruno Mountain
A massive threat looms over one of our most cherished natural treasures. San Bruno Mountain is not just any mountain, it is a sanctuary for endangered butterflies, a haven for rare plants, and a refuge of unparalleled ecological significance. The proposed project threatens to unravel the delicate balance of this natural treasure, and we urge you to take action to protect it.
The City of Brisbane is considering a plan to build a massive 1.3 million-square-foot warehouse, 100 feet tall, right in the heart of San Bruno Mountain, at the historic Guadalupe Quarry. This industrial facility would bring hundreds of workers (1,500!) and an incredible amount of traffic through our city and into the heart of sensitive habitat. Sign the petition today.
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter and Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action’s San Jose Youth Climate Action Team are local environmental organizations committed to conservation and climate action and are broadly supportive of the Climate Smart San Jose and Carbon Neutrality by 2030 goals. We are writing this letter to provide comments and questions on the draft Climate Smart San Jose Plan Update."
Menlo Park High Voltage Streetlight Conversion Project
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter has engaged with light pollution reduction policies, also known as Dark Sky policies, in multiple cities in Santa Clara County. We have provided research and model language for Dark Sky ordinances adopted in Cupertino and Los Altos, and have worked closely with Palo Alto to influence the language in their Dark Sky ordinance slated for adoption this year. We believe the High Voltage Streetlight Conversion Project is an opportunity to reduce light pollution in Menlo Park while conserving energy resources with the use of Dark Sky techniques and fixtures."
2400-2700 E. Charleston Road Permit Extension Request
"The undersigned organizations appreciate the inclusion of an oak grove in the plans for 2400 - 2700 E. Charleston Road, and encourage the City of Mountain View to strengthen project conditions to better reflect the City’s commitments to biodiversity, climate resilience, and sustainable landscaping."
Sierra Club Military Outdoors special program provides free training for Veterans and their family members. Join us to enjoy fresh air, spectacular views and excellent exercise.
With Loma Prieta Forest Protection Committee, and Outings, Join the San Mateo County Resource Conservation District for a hike through Butano State Park to learn about recently completed work that included thinning (removal of some trees), removal of dense understory, and prescribed fire to help the forest recover from historic clearcut logging, fire suppression, and the August 2020 CZU Lighting complex wildfires. This is a unique opportunity for Sierra Club members to see active forest management firsthand and discuss ecological resilience, sensitive habitats, and wildfire risk. We'll also discuss how long-term forest stewardship improves resilience to climate change impacts such as drought, pests, and wildfires.
Few conservation topics in California get as much attention as forest management. While major conservation efforts and policy changes in the 1980s and '90s reduced the amount of clearcutting in California's national forests, the practice is still used on private lands across large swaths of the state. And even on federal lands, the practice of clearcutting intensely burned patches of forest continues in regions such as the Sierra Nevada. Bryant will present some highlights from his ongoing work to analyze large public datasets to determine trends in California clearcutting as well as satellite imagery timelapses and other visual examples of industrial logging in several areas across the state.
Defensible Space - Zone 0
Zone 0 encompasses the first five feet around the perimeter of homes and structures. Wildfire preparedness in Zone 0 is crucial for protecting against ember attacks, the leading cause of home ignition in wildfires. Minimizing flammable materials in this zone can drastically reduce fire risk.
After the LA fires, Governor Newsom directed the State Board of Forestry to accelerate its work to adopt regulations that require ember-resistant zones within five feet of structures located in areas designated as Very High-Risk Fire Hazard Severity, that are essentially sterilized of all vegetation, except for mature trees (i.e., trees that have completed their primary growth and are no longer growing rapidly). Learn more about Zone 0.
Cleanup (July 6th and 19th), Trashy Tuesday (July 8th), and BioBlitz (July 13th) from our friends at Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful.
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.
Your connection: Good news is rare these days, so we are especially happy to share that POST has purchased a significant portion—2,467 acres—of Sargent Ranch in Santa Clara County. Combined with a previous acquisition of 1,340 acres in Santa Cruz County, POST now owns roughly two-thirds of the entire Sargent Ranch property.
The portion of Sargent Ranch where sand and gravel mining is proposed is not part of the POST acquisition. However, the CEQA review process for the quarry appears to have halted for now. Although this broader story is still unfolding, this purchase is a meaningful victory for land conservation.
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.
In History
July 6, 1933, Less than three weeks after the Loma Prieta Chapter was founded, the first Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played at Comiskey Park in Chicago. July 9, 1970, creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) July 10th, 1856, Nicola Tesla's B'day July 12th 1817, Henry David Thoreau's B'day
"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge." Isaac Asimov, 1980
2017.01.20: Chapter Director's first hike with Loma Prieta Day Hiking Section, 19.4 miles, 3,415 ft elevation gain, in Enid Pearson - Arastradero Open Space Preserve. This park inspired my search for any parks in our chapter that were named for other conservation activists, not just land owners; I found only one other, the Emily Renzel Marshlands. Enid and Emily became our 2019 Guardians of Nature Honorees. Join us this year to honor another local conservation leader, Garnetta Annable.
