Hines Chronicles Dec 2021
by Jim Hines
Editor’s note: By popular demand, we continue with the Jim Hines Chronicles, which reflects the emails by our premier lobbyist on the ins and outs of environmental activism and is chock-full of information. This covers the last two months, starting the first week of October. Jim is our chapter vice-chair and conservation director who belongs to many wildlife groups.
Oct 4: Forest Service news release approving logging project of 800 acres in Pine Mtn/Reyes Peak area. Several outdoor groups oppose the project, notably:
https://lpfw.org/
See Forest Service’s Project Proposal on why:
https://tinyurl.com/ReyesPeak
Oct 13: As we move into a new age with a major Sierra Club focus on diversity and inclusiveness, we are seeing one more step in that effort here in Ventura County. Junipero Serra's image could be removed in the county’s seal update. Last year our Chapter supported the removal of the Padre Serra statue in front of Ventura city hall.
Oct 16: The judge in my lawsuit to get the Biden Administration to relist wolves as endangered has set a trial start date of Nov. 12 when oral arguments will begin. So far we have been able to get over 5000 public comments into the Fish and Wildlife Service to relist wolves . . . comment period closes on Dec. 17; here’s the link to comment: https://tinyurl.com/WolfPeril
Nov 18: Interior Secretary has now created a committee to remove derogatory names from all national public lands units.
I talked to the office to include the Los Padres National Forest name on the list of federal lands to be renamed. They told me to wait a "couple more weeks" until the committee is fully up and operating.
I focused on a large land unit where I live: the Los Padres National Forest. I advocated removing ‘Los Padres’ (which means The Fathers, a name used to honor early Spanish missionaries who abused native Chumash in the region).
I advocate replacing it with “Central Coast National Forest, where the national forest is located. Editor’s note: Jim has made it clear this is his choice, the suggested name change is not an official designation by our local Sierra Club chapter, although it has been discussed with numerous other suggestions, such as Condor Chapter et al.)
It is refreshing to see the Interior Secretary committed to righting the wrongs of the past and give us great national public land names which honor the land.
Nov 19: Monarchs & Pollinators are beneficiaries of a bill mentioned in this link: https://tinyurl.com/PromotePollinators
It’s part of the Build Back Better bill passed by the House of Representative today. Thank you, Representative Carbajal!
Nov 20: Wilderness Basics Course board members and volunteer staff would like our Chapter to fund a bench to be placed in a local wild area as our thanks to Teresa Norris for her many years of service to WBC, both as founder and chair. Our chapter ExCom unanimously approved of the idea. Teresa knows about this project and would like the bench to be in Sisar Canyon in Upper Ojai, one of her favorite hiking spots in the National Forest locally. Not sure we can do that, but WBC people are looking into that and if not, a possible alternative site.
Nov 22: Sierra Club policy allows us to support removing offensive and outdated symbols from the official seal of the County of Ventura. The current seal includes an oil rig, Padre Serra and San Buenaventura Mission (religious symbols which should not be a part of our county seal), nuclear testing symbol (this is no longer happening in Ventura County).
In their place might go agricultural fields with farm workers who pick our food, Channel Islands National Park, a California Condor, our beautiful mountains and beaches.
We have come a long way since our county was officially formed in 1873, 30 years after my ancestors first arrived in this area and settled on land in the western part of the Ojai Valley. My ancestors were part of old Ventura County, and I am glad to be part of a new Ventura County.
Nov 22: Secretarial order immediately bans the use of the word "squaw" on federal land names. I have notified the Interior Secretary's office that the word ‘squaw’ is used in the Los Padres National Forest: Squaw Flats and Squaw Spring located north of Fillmore, and I’ve asked to have those names removed from maps and publications.
Editor’s note, quoting Wikipedia: “The English word ‘squaw’ is an ethnic and sexual slur, historically used for Indigenous North American women. Contemporary use of the term, especially by non-Natives, is considered offensive, derogatory, misogynist, and racist. The word is not used among Native American, First Nations, Inuit, or Métis peoples.”
Nov 24: Our beloved OR-93 who had journeyed from southern Oregon to the backcountry of Ventura County has been found dead near Lebec, CA (next to the 5 freeway).
Fish and Wildlife reported that OR-93 was struck by an automobile. So sad, OR-93 was my inspiration and I know an inspiration to many of you. We mourn his death, and we will keep up on our work to protect wolves (wildlife overpasses) and their habitat.
~ Edited by John Hankins