Want to Learn How to Stand Up for the Bay? Register for the Bay Advocacy Program!

Shorebirds flying over the Bay waters with wetlands in the background.

Sep. 9th - Nov. 18th

Thursdays, 7:00 - 8:30pm, Zoom

3 Saturday morning outings

Apply here!

San Francisco Bay is a vital buffer against climate change impacts and was once a vibrant ecosystem teeming with wildlife. Now it is under siege as developers rush to fill our remaining bayshore with offices and housing that will be inundated by rising sea levels.

The San Francisco Bay, Loma Prieta, and Redwood chapters of the Sierra Club are offering a unique, free program of 10 virtual classes and 3 on-site outings to prepare Bay Area members and affiliates for advocacy work that will be needed to save this critical local resource that should be preserved for the health of local residents and wildlife. This year, we plan to visit the bayfronts along East Palo Alto, Point Molate in Richmond, and Mare Island in Vallejo.

In the Bay Advocacy Program, you will hear from experts about the history of San Francisco Bay, learn about Bay wildlife and habitats, and study nature-based adaptation strategies to sea level rise. Experienced environmental activists, elected officials, and legislators will demonstrate how individuals can create positive change. In the program's supportive environment, you can learn how to:

  • Make public comment;
  • Craft social media posts;
  • Write letters to public agencies;
  • Send letters to the editor of local media;
  • And more!

As an advocate, you will build skills and confidence in your ability to influence cities and agencies to adopt policies that improve Bay protection and conservation. You can find a full schedule of the course here (schedule subject to change due to speaker availability).

The program is completely free, however an application is required as spaces are limited. Please complete the form here to submit your application.

If you have any questions, please contact Susan DesJardin at susan.desjardin@sierraclub.org or Gita Dev at gita.dev@sierraclub.org.

Photo credit: Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge by Joan Johnson, KQED via Flickr Creative Commons (CC BY-NC 2.0).