The Bay Chapter mourns the passing of David Nesmith, otherwise known as Chicken. David was the Chapter’s Conservation Director from 1983 to 2002. He focused mainly on water issues and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission. For his untiring work with the Sierra Club, he received the Sierra Club California Staff Excellence Award, formerly the Mary Ferguson Award. You can read his full obituary here, or contribute to his family's GoFundMe here. Below are some memorial statements from those who knew him, worked with him, and loved him.
David Nesmith on a rafting trip to the Grand Canyon in 2006. Courtesy of his family.
Notes from friends and family:
"David got the sobriquet “Chicken” when he served with International Voluntary Services (IVS), of USAID. IVS sent him to Vietnam, where he provided chickens and taught poultry care in the midst of the Vietnam War. This earned him the nickname “Chicken.”
Chicken worked his entire life on the mission of protecting this planet and protecting our waters, founding the Environmental Water Caucus in 1991.
He delighted in introducing people to the joys of wilderness travel and river running, especially the Green River. He was a key volunteer with the Friends of the River guides school and the Sierra Club's ICO program.
One of Chicken's major accomplishments was getting the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) Board to support Wild and River Scenic Status for the Mokelumne River upstream of the Pardee Reservoir. He was also a key leader in the successful opposition to EBMUD's proposed Buckhorn Dam and Reservoir in 1988.
For those of us who had the opportunity to work with him in the Chapter, he was always the voice of calm yet forceful advocacy. In 2012 he suffered a debilitating stroke, requiring major care. He passed away in peace in hospice on March 26, 2025. We wish him a wonderful journey on his final river run." - Norman La Force
Chicken was a vital part of the Inspiring Connections Outdoors (ICO) Rafting program for many years as a volunteer, role model, and mentor. Tributes have poured out from those whose lives he touched.
“You were an inspiration to me from the very first day I met you. You taught me so much about what it truly takes to be a river guide—not just the skills, but the heart and spirit behind it. You were a beautiful and kind human being. Your generosity, your laughter, and your deep love for the river and the people around you have left an unforgettable mark on my life.” - Arturo Cervantes
“I have always appreciated the help you gave me twenty-seven years ago when I was a young teen learning to guide. Your river skills live through me, as I pass them on to others.” - Robert Alesi
“How lucky I have been to know you, witness you work magic on your opposition, winning them over with fierce love, light, and compassion. You were a shining example of how to be in the world, and you inspired me, too, to speak up for rivers.” - Jen Jackson