Every month, Gianna Patchen, our Chapter Coordinator, and Andrew Christie, a member of the chapter’s Conservation Committee and Chapter Director from 2004-2023, publish an opinion column in New Times. Here are summaries, with links to their most recent articles.
Why are we still running over plovers?
Published in New Times on January 1, 2026
The January installment focused on the ongoing failure of the California Department of Parks to comply with the Endangered Species Act at the Oceano Dunes and noted that the Oceano Beach Community Association, Northern Chumash Tribal Council, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Concerned Citizen for Clean Air, and the Sierra Club are urging the SLO County Board of Supervisors to initiate a periodic review of the Local Coastal Plan and amend it to phase out off-highway vehicle activities in sensitive areas.
Community action is our antidote
Published in New Times on January 29, 2026
In the February installment, Gianna Patchen and Cate Armstrong explain how they and their friends have put together a bi-weekly Community Action Hour to cope with this perilous historical moment, responding to the heartbreak and despair of the times by creating a consistent and intimate space to research justice movements, get active in their community, give emotional support, and remain accountable.