Dear Supporter,
Happy Spring, Part 2News from the Chair
by Nick Cheranich Our Executive Committee – Now with Two New Members
 We’re excited to welcome Paulina Zambrano (right) and Rich Richardson to our Executive Committee (ExCom). They join a dedicated team of volunteers, which already includes Liliana Karesh, Chair of the Conservation Committee, Scott Thomason, Treasurer, and yours truly, Chair of the ExCom. The ExCom guides the Napa Sierra Club’s priorities, makes key decisions, and leads our environmental advocacy efforts across Napa County. Together, this group plays a vital role in protecting our local environment. Learn more about our new members in their bios below.
Napa Earth Day 2025
 We had a successful and enjoyable time staffing our booth at Napa Earth Day in mid-April. Many of our student interns joined us to welcome visitors and share information about the environmental issues we’re working on, as well as the projects they’ve taken on through their internships. Thank you to those members and supporters who stopped by to say hi. (Photo: Kate Bit, Liliana Karesh, and Nick Cheranich at the NSC booth)
May Is National Wetlands Month
 May—and really, every day—is a time to recognize and uplift the vital role of wetlands: rich, life-sustaining ecosystems where land meets water. As many of you know, we continue to partner with the American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation to educate the public about the importance of protecting our local wetlands. (Photo: a section of the AC wetlands, by Scott Thomason.)
The Napa Sierra Club is also working alongside other American Canyon community groups to defend these areas around from development pressures—particularly recent proposals favoring big business interests, backed by several city council members and Supervisor Belia Ramos. In light of the effects of climate emergency and the increasing loss of biodiversity, these wetlands deserve our care and protection. (Please go to our website to read multiple articles regarding these issues. Learn more about wetlands here.)
Biking for a Better Future
We recently led  another inspiring and fun group bike ride from Kennedy Park to the Vallejo Ferry Terminal as part of the Napa Valley Vine Trail’s Locomotion fundraiser. It was a joy to showcase completed and future segments of this highly useful trail, which will eventually connect Calistoga to the Bay. Our round-trip ride totaled nearly 38 miles. A map of the route can be found here. (Photo: participants in our ride.)
Special thanks to my fellow riders who helped me fix a flat tire out near Green Island—right in the heart of the Bay Trail wetlands. A reminder to all: always pack a spare tube before heading out on a long ride!
Student Voices
We are proud to  share several thoughtful and engaging articles written by our student interns. They produced these as part of their internship program—despite the added pressure of AP exams, other clubs, sports, and life as a teenager! We hope you enjoy their perspectives and insights. (Photo: Kate Bit and Arya Adhye teaching 4th graders about the effects of oil pollution.)
We Are the Recipients of a 2025 Community Climate Action Award!
 Lastly, we are very happy to announce that the Sierra Club’s Grassroots Network Climate Emergency Mobilization (GN-CEM) Team has awarded us a 2025 Community Climate Action Award of $2,000 for our How Tidal Wetlands Help People and the Planet project. As mentioned previously, many of us, including our student interns, have been working with the American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation in educating youth and other community members about the importance of preserving the wetlands. (Photo: Arya Adhye and Scott Thomason teaching 4th graders about sea level rise.)
The GN-CEM Team supports local efforts that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote environmental justice, and build a just transition to a net-zero emissions future. Our project was selected for its potential to make a meaningful local impact and its alignment with these critical goals. We’re excited to move forward with this work—thank you to GN-CEM for your support!
Mark your calendars! It was great to see so many new faces at our last May 19th Meeting. Our next Conservation Committee meeting will be Monday July 21, 2025 at 6:00PM. 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
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Meet Our New ExCom Members
by Paulina Zambrano, and Rich Richardson Hello everyone! I'm Paulina Viera Zambrano, I am currently a first-year student at Napa Valley College majoring in Natural Sciences - Biopsychology (the study of how the brain and nervous system influence mental processes and behavior), which is within the pre-med track.Before that, I attended Vintage High School. I had previously been a student intern for the Napa Sierra Club for two years and I am now coming back as a member of the Executive Committee. I am very excited to continue to work in the Sierra Club, with all of its wonderful and passionate members, in order to do what needs to be done for Napa County’s environment. Thank you!
 Hello, I’m Rich Richardson. It’s an honor to be working as a new member of the Napa Sierra Club Executive Committee. I am the CEO/GM for Turley Wine Cellars based in Napa CA. With over 40 years of experience in the wine industry I specialize in all facets of winery management. I have worked with global wineries as well as managing the CA winery water guidelines, environmental compliance regulations, legal obstacles, and climate change. I have firsthand experience on how climate change impacts the grape growing season from fires to hotter, shorter growing seasons and Humane Resource immigration complexities related to farming and production operations. Additionally, I hold a degree in Communications from CA State University, Fresno.When I’m not working, I enjoy traveling with my wife, fly fishing and hiking with our 100lb Labrador Preston, and cooking. I have always had a passion for the protection of the environment, and I support several environmental organizations including an ongoing membership with the Sierra Club. I recently accomplished a lifelong dream to visit South Africa and go on a safari. South Africa exceeded our wildest expectations from the amazing animal encounters to the wonderful spirit and warmth of the African people. The visit to South Africa was an impactful life changing experience. |
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 make your legacy count. Take the first step by joining us at our next Conservation Committee meeting (RSVP here).
Let's do it for them!
For further information, email us, in care of Nick Cheranich, at napavalleysierraclub@gmail.com. Thank you! |
American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation Awarded $1.6 Million Grant  The Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) has awarded American Canyon Community & Parks Foundation a $1.6 million grant to develop the Napa River Ecology Center, transforming a former industrial site into an inclusive, ADA-accessible hub for environmental education. (Photo: rendition of future Eco Center site.)
Designed with input from the Suscol Intertribal Council and local communities, the project will include indoor/outdoor classrooms, nature play areas and bilingual signage, serving up to 20,000 visitors annually.
 “The Napa River Ecology Center will be a dynamic center for education and stewardship that is designed to inspire connection with the Napa River watershed and protection of the diverse wildlife it supports,” said Janelle Sellick, executive director of the Parks Foundation. (Photo: another rendition of the future Eco Center.)
“Through a unique adaptive reuse of the site, and a strong public-private partnership between the Parks Foundation and the city of American Canyon, the project sets a new standard for collaborative conservation,” she adds.
The Parks Foundation currently leases the facility from the City of American Canyon. The building used to be the maintenance facility used by American Canyon for decades.
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Inspire, Don't Intimidate: Rewarding Teen Environmental Action at Napa Schools
Article by Helena Falk, Student Intern  In the heart of Napa Valley, where nature’s beauty is both our livelihood and legacy, encouraging environmental action among youth is more important than ever. (Photo: the author)
As climate change accelerates, many well-meaning campaigns aimed at teenagers lean heavily on fear: dire predictions, vanishing species, and wildfire threats. But while the climate crisis is urgent, research and local experience show that positive reinforcement (not fear) leads to deeper, lasting engagement from today’s youth.
 At schools like Napa High and Vintage High, students are already showing an interest in sustainability, but the way we nurture that momentum matters. Fear based messages can easily overwhelm teenagers, who are already navigating academic pressure, social stress, and the uncertain future. Studies published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology reveal that reward-based strategies are far more effective in changing youth behavior than doom centered messaging. Students respond better when they’re shown tangible, achievable ways to help and are recognized for their efforts.
 For example, Napa High’s Environmental Club ran a campaign encouraging students to walk, bike, or carpool to school for a week. Participants logged their eco-friendly commutes and earned community service hours or eco gear as rewards. The campaign not only reduced school traffic for a week, it also sparked new habits that lasted months for some students. Why? Because they were rewarded, not intimidated. Article continues here.
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My Community Service Trip to Costa Rica by Gemma Roberts, Student Intern  Since childhood, I’ve been mindful of not only mine, but others' impact on the earth. I remember being 7 years old, begging my dad to take me to the park just to pick up trash. I felt like I was saving the world just in this one park. Now that I’m older I see that this one park is equivalent to a single piece of trash on this earth, and my perspective substantially changed when I traveled to Costa Rica on a community service trip in the summer of 2023. Over the course of this incredible three-week opportunity, myself and 15 other students from around the world took part in 50 hours of community service, in a variety of ways. With the focus of this trip being marine conservation and sea turtle rescue, we found ourselves constantly working outside.  The beaches opened up many service opportunities for us to work on including, removing trash and smaller microplastics from the beaches, planting trees along the shore, rehabilitating sea turtle hatcheries, creating informative signs for tourists on the possible negative environmental impacts they have the potential of leaving on the surrounding ecosystems, and my favorite being releasing baby turtles into the ocean. When we weren’t outside feeling the warm sun on our backs, we were working in children’s schools and restoring their facilities by painting and building fences. Article continues here. |
Diving Into Conservation: Fish Monitoring the Napa River with the NRCD
Article by Helena Falk, photos by Nick Cheranich  On May 10th, I had the opportunity to join the Napa Resource Conservation District (RCD), along with Nick Cheranich, for a hands-on demonstration in fish monitoring along Napa County’s vital Napa River. Led by field researcher Martin Perales, the experience provided powerful insight into how local scientists are protecting aquatic life, and why this work matters more than ever in the face of climate change.The river is home to key species like Steelhead trout and Chinook salmon, both of which are sensitive indicators of ecosystem health. Martin and his team spend three months each year collecting data that helps monitor not just the fish population, but the overall condition of the river itself. Data collection is no easy feat. Martin (pictured left) literally goes underwater to count how many fish are present, identifying them by species and size. Fish are tagged, weighed, and measured, allowing researchers to track their movement, growth, and survival over time.In the photo shown below, next to Nick and me is a rotary screw trap, which is a type of fish trap used by the Napa RDC to monitor fish populations in rivers and streams. It works by using the current to turn a rotating drum that gently captures fish as they swim downstream. The fish are then collected safely in a holding area so scientists can tag them, measure their length and weight, and study their health before releasing them back into the water. This helps track migration patterns and monitor the overall health of fish species, especially the endangered ones like salmon or steelhead. Standing on the rotary screw trap, I felt really excited and curious. It was amazing to see how the trap worked up close and to realize how important it is for protecting fish and learning about river ecosystems. I also felt a little nervous walking on the narrow plank to get to the trap, but once I was there, I felt proud to be part of something that helps scientists take care of the environment.One major theme of the day was adaptation. As Napa County faces increasing land-use changes and climate related pressures, fish are being forced to adjust. These studies help conservationists understand how aquatic ecosystems respond, and how we can better protect them. Another researcher, Paul Blank, also contributes to the effort, showing that this work is a collaborative effort across disciplines. Their goal is not only to study fish, but to safeguard the entire freshwater environment on which these species and our communities depend.This kind of community led, science backed conservation is exactly the type of action we need more of. By supporting local monitoring efforts, we not only protect species like steelhead and salmon, we also protect the rivers that nourish our landscapes, culture, and future. |
Sierra Club Opposes SB607  At a time when environmental safeguards are being weakened at the federal level, California’s SB 607 (Wiener) threatens to fast-track polluting developments by cutting out community input and eliminating key environmental protections like Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs). (Photo: map of area near Green Island Rd. in American Canyon where a property there could be developed without any regard to an EIR).
While the bill is framed as a housing solution, it also opens the door to fast-tracking a wide range of projects—including highways, incinerators, chemical plants, and even nuclear power facilities—without anti-displacement protections, environmental review, or public health safeguards. Think of all the possible areas in Napa County that could be affected.
We absolutely need more housing in California—but it must be affordable, resilient, and environmentally sound. This bill is a giveaway to developers and polluters at the expense of frontline communities, who depend on CEQA (the California Environmental Quality Act) to protect their health and their neighborhoods. Link to the SB 607 Opposition Toolkit.
✉️ Contact our State Senator: Senator Christopher Cabaldon
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Support for Stricter Environmental Regulations Outweighs Opposition in a Majority of States
by Rebecca Leppert, from Pew Research Center  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced plans to roll back environmental regulations, including for the oil and gas industry.
Nationally, six-in-ten Americans say stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost, while 38% say they cost too many jobs and hurt the economy, according to a 2023-24 Pew Research Center survey of 36,908 U.S. adults.
As with many climate and energy issues, opinions vary sharply by party. Most Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents think these laws are worth the cost (82%), while Republicans and GOP leaners tend to say they cost too many jobs and hurt the economy (59%).
Opinions also vary widely by state. The article continues here.
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