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.
Local communities defend Los Padres National Forest against federal attacks
Published in New Times on June 18, 2026
The Roadless Rule has protected our national forests since 2001. It has kept out logging, drilling, mining, and industrial exploitation so the public can enjoy hiking, fishing, and exploring our national forests. Now the Trump administration wants to rescind the rule without any public hearings, so the Sierra Club, Los Padres ForestWatch, and other organizations held their own.
SLO’s next generation of environmental leaders
Published in New Times on July 16, 2026
Guest columnist Aviana Amaya from the Sierra Club’s new Student Leadership Committee at Cal Poly joined Gianna Patchen to describe how students get to work on their environmental passions and interests, build new skills, and uplift each other while connecting to the Sierra Club campaigns, mission, and resources. If you or someone you know is a SLO County college student and would be interested in joining the Student Leadership Committee, you can learn more here.
Trump is coming for California’s coast
Published in New Times on August 13, 2026.
The Trump administration wants to hamstring the ability of the California Coastal Commission to protect our coast from the impacts of offshore drilling, desalination, oil pipelines, and more. Readers were told how they can let the administration know what they think of that. The feds met a wall of opposition at subsequent public hearings, with virtually no one showing up in support of the administration’s action.