This December I will finish my fifth (and final) term on the Napa Group’s Executive Committee, completing 10 years of service. In looking back at the experience, I can sum it up in three words: WELL WORTH IT! Not just for the environmental victories (and defeats), but for pushing me out of my comfort zone, teaching me new skills, and introducing me to many remarkable people in our community.
The biggest environmental “battles” I was a part of were the efforts to prevent the Walt Ranch vineyard development and to pass 2018’s Measure C initiative. I remember Charlie Toledo of the Suscol Inter-Tribe Council telling me, “You fight and lose and fight and lose and just keep fighting.” The Sierra Club’s litigation against Walt Ranch seemed to run that course with very little to show when the final tree removal mitigation was decided by the court. But a miracle occurred with the purchase of Walt Ranch by the Land Trust of Napa County and the permanent protection of 2300 acres of wildland.
Measure C, which would restrict tree removal in the Ag Watershed zone, put me front and center as a spokesperson for the “YES on C” campaign, debating opponents on radio and in public meetings. My take-aways from this were two-fold: campaigning is furious, fascinating, and fun; and the people I debated against also cared deeply for our county and the environment, but saw things from a different angle.
As a member of the Napa Group Executive Committee, I represented the Sierra Club on the Board of the Napa Valley Vine Trail and Napa Green, the non-profit sustainability certifier for Napa County’s wineries and vineyards. Supporting the Vine Trail involved organizing group rides and walks for the annual Locomotion fundraiser—and I love to cycle and hike!
I learned to read General Plans and Environmental Impact Reports, comment at local government meetings, organize speakers for public presentations, and write grant proposals—things I’d never done during my 30-year career in wine production.
The greatest gift of serving on the ExCom has been the wonderful people I’ve met and worked with. Past leaders of the Napa Sierra Club, including Nancy Tamarisk, Marc Pandone, and Dianne Shepp, taught me courage and strategy. My political mentors, former Supervisor Ginny Simms and Napa Vision 2050 Co-President Eve Kahn, showed me the value of doing a deep dive into issues and learning the backstory.
Current programs the Napa Sierra Club is working on are especially rewarding because of the focus on youth leadership and stewardship of the environment. Our Student Interns continue to impress with their commitment and creativity. We are a presenter for the American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation’s Watershed Explorers program that shows fourth graders through hands-on learning the amazing climate benefits and multifaceted habitat provided by the local tidal wetlands.
I urge any of you who love and value Napa County’s incredible natural resources and wildlands to take that first step and get involved with the Napa Group. It will be an adventure!