Happy Winter!

News from the Chair
by Nick Cheranich

Greetings. We recently held our Executive Committee (ExCom) 2025 Retreat, in which we planned for what the Napa Group will be working on in the coming months.

A key update was that Elayna Trucker had to step down from both the Napa Group and Redwood Chapter ExComs, which is a big loss for the team. She intends to move to Portland, Oregon, where hopefully she will continue her activism with the Club. She will be sorely missed.

Another key update was that Liliana Karesh, our previous student intern, is stepping into both the Napa Group Conservation Committee Chair and Secretary roles. As far as we know, she is the youngest ExCom member in our Group's history, having just turned 18. Currently a senior at Napa High, she’ll be with us through September, until she leaves for her first year of college at Stanford University. We are SO proud of her. Read more about her, below.

Meet the Student Interns
We had a chance to hear from our interns about their current projects:

Natalie Carr, a student at Justin-Siena High School, is working on a “BeTheExample” documentary about sustainable living. She's also interested in promoting Deep Green energy (electricity from 100% renewable resources provided by MCE) for her entire school;
Arya Adhye, from Vintage High School, is focusing on Napa River conservation and assisting with classroom presentations. Read the article about her lesson, below;
Maia Medalle, from American Canyon High School, is also part of the “BeTheExample” project, and is advocating for climate awareness for the wetlands in American Canyon;
Kate Bit, also from American Canyon High, who couldn’t attend the meeting, is helping with projects related to environmental activism, especially in American Canyon;
Claire Mulligan (right), from Vintage High, who is our newest intern, is involved with Napa Schools for Climate Action and is helping develop climate-focused curriculum. She's also helping us with research for the County's General Plan. See her bio below.

The interns continue to be a huge asset to our work, and we’re excited to support their projects! Remember, when you donate directly to the Napa Group (see below for a link to our PayPal account), it helps us provide a stipend for them. Any amount you can donate is much appreciated.

Looking Back at 2024
Later in the meeting, I walked us through a recap of our major accomplishments from last year, including:

Internship Program Success: We marked five years of the program, with local high school students contributing to outreach, education, and newsletter articles;
Financial Support for Key Projects: We continued to help fund (over $9K) and partner with the American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation’s Watershed Explorers and Outdoor Connection through Rohloff grant funds. We were involved with the Vine Trail's LocoMotion fundraising drive, and we also donated to the Watershed Symposium and the Napa Earth Day event;
Community Outreach Events: We hosted two educational/social events, growing our connections in the community. We were joined by Scott Sedgley, the Mayor of Napa; Joelle Gallagher and Anne Cottrell, both Napa County Supervisors; and, Melissa Lamattina, who recently won election to the American Canyon City Council;
Political Engagement: We endorsed Amber Manfree for Supervisor and successfully opposed Measure B in St. Helena.

Conservation Committee Updates
Scott Thomason gave an update on several conservation efforts, including:

Habitat Conservation Plan: We’re working with Napa County on protecting natural habitats as part of their general plan. See our letter to the Board of Supervisors, below;
American Canyon’s Measure K Lawsuit by Vallejo: This is an ongoing legal issue related to the development of lands north of the city which could negatively impact local land use and transportation.

The Group then discussed key focus areas for the year ahead:

Strengthening partnerships, including more collaboration with Napa Climate Now and American Canyon Community & Parks Foundation;
Hosting more outreach events, including a members-only tour of the Napa River Ecology Center in American Canyon, either in the summer of early fall;
Being involved with helping to write sections of the County General Plan update;
Expanding collaboration with Napa Schools for Climate Action, ensuring climate education reaches more students.

Upcoming Events:

Earth Day Napa (we are donating $2000 to the event and staffing a booth for the April 12 event;
Arbor Day Tree Planting in St. Helena – April 26, more info to come;
Potential Outreach Event at the AmCan Ecology Center – sometime this early Fall

Overall, it was a productive retreat with great discussions about where we’ve been and where we’re headed. Looking forward to another impactful year! Hope you’ll join us.

Our next Conservation Committee meeting will be March 17, 2025 at 6:00PM. Please note that we are moving our meetings to every 3rd Monday of every odd numbered month, instead of Tuesdays, which conflicted with several City Council meetings across the County. So, mark your calendars for our next meeting!

If you would like to attend, just click on the RSVP button below and I'll send you a Zoom invite a few days before the meeting. Thank you.

- Nick Cheranich, ExCom Chair
napavalleysierraclub@gmail.com

RSVP for Our Next Conservation Committee Meeting

Can't Attend? Then Please Consider DONATING to the Napa Sierra Club Group. CLICK HERE to DONATE

Welcome Our Newest and Youngest ExCom Member
by Liliana Karesh

Hello everyone! My name is Liliana Karesh; I am a senior at Napa High School and an incoming freshman at Stanford University with an intended major in Public Policy! I am honored to have been appointed to the Napa Sierra Club Executive Committee and taking up the positions of the Conservation Committee Chair and Secretary. I’ll do my best for the Napa Group until I leave for college at the end of September. Hope to see you at our next meeting on March 17th.

I have been involved in the climate activism world of Napa County for the past three years, primarily through leading a group of passionate students as the President of Napa Schools for Climate Action! Through my involvement, I have worked on advocacy for passing prohibitions on new gas stations and the expansion of existing ones, the creation of a "Call to Climate Restoration Resolution" (passed in the NVUSD on April 2024), and the crafting of a Congressional Climate Restoration Resolution, or House Resolution 1563 that Congressman Mike Thompson introduced this past November.

In addition, I currently serve on the United States Youth Action Council, am a Policy Analyst Intern at the Institute for Youth in Policy, and am a co-founder of the Youth Civic Leadership Program, along with the League of Women Voters Napa!

I look forward to continuing my journey of climate advocacy in the Napa Valley with the ultimate goal of reaching sustainability within our incredible community.

Support Youth Advocacy: Please Help Support Me for Hill Days 2025!
We need your support to send 20-25 passionate youth advocates, including me, to Washington, D.C. for Hill Days 2025, where they’ll meet with lawmakers to push for policies that protect our future. Our goal is to raise $30,000 to cover travel and lodging costs. Every donation, big or small, makes a difference! Please donate here.

H2OO empowers young leaders to tackle environmental and humanitarian challenges. Since 2020, we've provided over $115,000 in scholarships, hosted international youth summits, and trained 178 advocates in policy and leadership. Learn more about this organization here. Or ask me more about it at lilianakaresh@gmail.com.

Make a tax-deductible donation today and note "Hill Days 2025" in your contribution. Thank you for your support!

Please Welcome Our Newest Student Intern

by Claire Mulligan

Hello! My name is Claire Mulligan, and I’m a junior at Vintage High School in Napa. I play varsity soccer and actively participate in several student organizations. Born and raised in Napa, I attended St. Apollinaris Catholic School from kindergarten through 8th grade.

Following the recent general election, I sought out like-minded individuals and opportunities to address the pressing climate crisis, which ultimately led me to this incredible role with the Sierra Club.

This year, I’m thrilled to join the Napa Sierra Club not only as a member but also as a student intern! Over the past year, I’ve experienced a transformative period of discovering my passions and values—and taking meaningful action. Climate change and restoration have long been subjects of great importance to me, and I hope to continue to build my knowledge of them as well as deepen my involvement with advocacy and conservation efforts.

I feel truly fortunate to have this chance to contribute to meaningful change in our amazing community. I’m excited about the projects and learning experiences that lie ahead in 2025 and beyond. Thank you!

Student Intern Offers Riparian Lesson to Local Youth
Article by Scott Thomason

On December 10, Napa Sierra Club Group student intern Arya Adhye (right) presented an engaging environmental lesson on the Napa Riparian Ecosystem to a group of second graders at Donaldson Way Elementary School in American Canyon.

Ms. Adhye, a junior at Vintage High School in Napa, introduced students to the concept of a riparian ecosystem, explaining where these habitats are found and why they are crucial to protect. She shared a video illustrating the food chain within a riparian ecosystem, highlighting how organisms interact and depend on each other to sustain the delicate balance of this habitat.

The lesson also covered threats to riparian ecosystems, including invasive species and urbanization. Students were then invited to participate in a hands-on activity, interacting with a model of a riparian ecosystem that Ms. Adhye had designed and created herself.

“I loved Arya’s lesson, and so did the students!” said Mrs. Sandau, the classroom teacher. “They were highly engaged, and her lesson was perfectly tailored to their age and grade level. The hands-on activity she created was exciting and helped solidify their learning and interest in the topic.”

According to Ms. Adhye, “The lesson went really well! The students were so engaged and interested in the subject; it seemed like they really liked learning about it. It was a great experience for me as well, and I hope to do it again!”

Ms. Adhye indeed plans to return to Donaldson Way in the spring to deliver a similar lesson for fourth and fifth-grade students.

Protecting Wildlife and Streamlining Development: Why We Need a Habitat Conservation Plan for Napa County
Article by Scott Thomason

The Sierra Club Napa Group recently sent a letter to the Board of Supervisors urging them to adopt a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and/or Natural Community Conservation Plan (NCCP) for Napa County. These plans provide a proactive approach to conservation while also streamlining the development process. (Photo credit: Nick Cheranich)

Key Points in the Letter:

An HCP/NCCP would map Napa County’s bioregion, identify protected species, and ensure habitat conservation as part of the General Plan.
These plans have been successfully implemented in other California counties, conserving thousands of acres while reducing litigation and permitting delays.
Developers benefit from a more predictable and efficient approval process, saving time and resources.
Initial funding is available through federal and state agencies, but the plans require community support and developer participation.
The Napa Group is urging the Board of Supervisors to take the first steps by mapping conservation-ready lands and assessing habitat needs.

This initiative would help protect Napa County’s rich biodiversity while facilitating responsible growth. (Photo credit: Chris Sauer.)

We encourage our members to stay informed and support this effort! Please read the entire letter here.

A Sierra Club's 30x30 Begins 2025 with Monumental Gains
Article and photos by Vicky Hoover

Sierra Club’s campaign to protect 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030 kicked off 2025 with major victories! In the final weeks of the Biden Administration, nearly a million acres were conserved with the designation of two new national monuments.

In Northern California, the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument (224,000 acres) (pictured above) was established in the Medicine Lake Highlands, thanks to advocacy led by the Pit River and Modoc Tribes. In the southeast, the Chuckwalla National Monument (624,000 acres) was proclaimed to safeguard desert lands south of Joshua Tree, championed by the Quechan Tribe and key legislators. (Photo: Crowd in Sattitla public meeting, from Bob Schneider.)

While the proposed Kw’tsán National Monument remains unfinished business, co-stewardship agreements mark progress. As we celebrate, we also remain vigilant for federal challenges. Stay engaged with Sierra Club’s 30x30 campaign! For local updates, contact Dan Mayhew (drmayhew@comcast.net) or Teri Shore (teri.shore@gmail.com). Read entire article here.

Interested in Making a Difference - Especially After the Last Election? Wondering About What Your Legacy Will Be? Consider Volunteering with Us

Legacy is often defined as the desire to leave the world a better place for future generations.

At the Sierra Club, our mission is to conserve natural ecosystems, promote sustainability in land and water use, and reduce carbon emissions. Our projects focus on issues that matter to Napa, where local action can make a real difference.

We're working to protect the environment for those who will inherit it, but we can't do it alone.

It's not enough to just support the cause financially—real change happens through action.

We’re seeking passionate individuals to join our Conservation and Executive Committees. Whether you bring expertise in research, organizing, or education—or you're eager to learn—we welcome your involvement. If you or someone you know has skills and experience that align with our mission, we need your help.

Prepare to leave your legacy. Take the first step by joining us at our next Conservation Committee meeting (RSVP here).