Hikes & Outings Report
Those who preserved much of our wilderness in the past believed that the more people experience the wilderness, the more they will want to protect it. We offered many opportunities to get outside as usual- hikes and outings led by local outdoor leaders. We need more hike leaders and The Sierra Club has the one of the best programs around to train people to be outdoor leaders. Ask a hike leader how to get trained to lead hikes and trips. Please join our Meetup to hear about events and hikes.
Conservation Committee
The Conservation Committee meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month, 6:30-8:30pm at Louden Nelson Community Center at Laurel and Center Streets in downtown Santa Cruz. For 2016, the committee took positions on the following important environmental issues:
*Support for Renewable Energy Initiative
*PG&E Pipeline and Tree Removal Proposal
*Aptos Village Potential Soil Contamination
*Environmental issues involved in the County Cannabis draft Ordinance
*Environmental issues ignored in the city’s Wharf Master Plan
Committee members also worked with local environmental activists to organize a successful event on site at Jessie Street Marsh to highlight the need for the city to implement the Jessie St. Marsh Management Plan and the importance of this habitat. Our committee also tracks county Timber Harvesting Plans, providing input
when warranted.
The Sierra Club continues to be represented on the Cowell Beach Water Quality Task Force, advocating for a more scientific approach including multiple source DNA testing.
The group is represented in an ongoing joint effort with Save Our Shores to find alternatives to single use plastic water bottles in the city and county.
We urge you to become involved in the always challenging and meaningful environmental work of your Sierra Club’s Conservation Committee!
Gillian Greensite, Conservation Committee Chair
Political Committee Report
Our task is to evaluate all local elections whether candidates or issues, and make a determination if we will attempt to make any endorsements. The Sierra Club endorsement is highly regarded to voters and carries a lot of weight so we take our job seriously.
The Political Committee had a very busy year. In June we only made one endorsement and it was John Leopold for Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisor. He handily won. In November we made 4 endorsements for the Santa Cruz City Council race. Chris Krohn and Sandy Brown won 2 of the four seats. Measure D, the ½ cent sales tax measure for transportation measures, failed to get the required 2/3 vote from our Executive Committee for endorsement.
We hope you’ll consider joining our Committee to add to our brainpower. Also it’s a good way to get your feet wet with your local Sierra Club and see for yourself who we are and what we do in our community.
Ron Pomerantz, Political Committee Chair
Transportation Committee Report
The “T.C.” got revived in 2016, chaired by new Ex Com member Jack Nelson (phone 429-6149 landline), who is also active with the local Campaign for Sensible Transportation (CFST). We are meeting approximately quarterly and/or when needed. Sierra Club members, please consider participating with our activist committee!
— Our first meeting in February had 10 participants contributing their wide experience advocating for sustainable transportation in our county.
— We work hard to respond to city and county transportation plans, writing letters and showing up at public meetings. Our advocacy is for livable communities, climate action, and the alternatives to auto centric transportation.
— We helped educate the community on the controversial transportation sales tax Measure D. Committee member Keresha Durham led the organizing of our Club Forum "Demystifying Measure D" at the Resource Center for Nonviolence on September 29, with some 130 people attending.
— We are raising concerns about the current City of Santa Cruz staff's proposal for a new five story parking garage (with ground floor library) on the site of the downtown Farmers Market, and we’ll be advocating for parking demand management instead. We anticipate this issue continuing in 2017.
Jack Nelson, chair, contact at landline: 831-429-6149
Events & Outreach Committee Report
Part of our work is informing the public about environmental issues as well as sharing travel stories to beautiful, natural places. This year we organized 7 presentations in Santa Cruz County this year. We usually have refreshments and social time before each presentation.
Presentations included Dr. Amy East on Dam Removals; Hamutahl Cohen on The Buzz About Bees; Doug Cheeseman’s slide show on the Two Sides of the Andes, Don Hoernschemeyer’s travel photos on National Parks of Southern Utah; Steve Mandel shared The Art of Wildlife Photography; Jan Noto taught us about African Orphanage & Gorillas. Many people attended The Demystifying Measure D Public Forum to have their questions answered by a panel of local experts. Presentations are well-attended, about 700 people attended these presentations. Join our Meetup to hear about future events.
Trician Comings and Mary Odegaard for the Event Team
Forestry Committee Report
Santa Cruz County has the some of the most dense forest in California; its unique Coastal Redwoods should be celebrated and protected like a World Heritage site. Meanwhile the lumber industry has millions invested for lobbying in Sacramento and the demand for Redwoods is always growing, therefore it is our imperative to monitor Timber Harvest Plans in our area and submit comments to Department of Forestry. We have been engaged in this process every month this last year. If you want to help protect our local forests, we always need help and welcome you!
-Jukka Naukkarinen, Forestry Committee Chair