Welcome to the Santa Cruz Group News, a monthly update from the Santa Cruz Group of the Sierra Club. We present articles about issues that the leadership of our six standing committees (Climate, Conservation, Executive, Outreach/Events, Political, Transportation) would like to share, along with occasional items from our events calendar. We look forward to staying in touch with you through this newsletter.
IN THIS ISSUE
• Local Club Leaders Meet with National Director Ben Jealous • Upcoming Santa Cruz Group Outings • Decline in Cliff Swallows at Laurel St. Bridge • Santa Cruz Group Issues Committees
Local Club Leaders Meet with National Director Ben Jealous
Ventana Chapter and Santa Cruz Group members met with National Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous (back row center) in Monterey on May 8. Shown here are Joel Weinstein, Chapter chair and his wife Bonni, Chapter conservation chair Rita Dalessio, Group Chair Mike Guth, Chapter political compliance officer, Steve Leonard, Chapter outings leader Ryan Trundle, Group outings leader Steve Bakaley, Group conservation chair Kristen Sandel, Group transportation chair Lani Faulkner and Sierra Club staff Mike Parrish.
Your Group leaders found the meeting to be quite energizing, and were appreciative of the opportunity to meet with the National Executive Director and exchange ideas.
Upcoming Santa Cruz Group Outings
June 7 – Henry Cowell 2B Dayhike 10:30AM – 5:30 PM
Join Steve Bakaley on a leisurely, moderately paced 8 mile hike through the Redwood Grove Loop to Cathedral Grove and the Observation Deck. We'll be going out one side of the Redwood Grove Loop and returning on the other, so we'll get to experience all of it. It contains a number of very impressive sequoia sempervirens specimens.
June 11 – Hike Wilder Ranch Bluffs with your Executive Committee 4:30PM – 7:00 PM
Join the Executive Committee of the Santa Cruz Group of the Ventana Chapter of the Sierra Club on a leisurely walk along the bluffs of Wilder Ranch State Park on the Old Cove Landing Trail. We'll have spectacular views (if it's not too foggy). We'll likely spy harbor seals in the water and on the rocks and, who knows, maybe even dolphins or whales.
June 14 – Big Basin Creeping Forest Loop 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Join Steve Bakaley and Cynthia Denny on a relatively leisurely paced saunter in Big Basin. We'll start with a docent-led walk around the Redwood Trail to see what's become of some of the largest trees in the park. From the Redwood Trail we'll make a counter clockwise loop consisting of the Skyline-to-the Sea Trail, the Creeping Forest Trail, and the Dool Trail.
Decline in Cliff Swallows at Laurel St. Bridge
In April and May of 2024 the Santa Cruz Bird Club and the Sierra Club worked together to track the Pure Water Soquel conveyance project’s construction beneath the Laurel St. bridge and its potential impacts on the existing population of federally protected cliff swallows, which have nested and successfully raised chicks beneath the bridge for decades. Both organizations reached out to the Soquel Creek Water District during the swallow breeding season of 2024 to detail our concerns and to request a meeting to discuss ways of reducing the effects of the project.
However, despite our efforts, observers from the Bird Club have logged a noticeable decline in overall population at the bridge and in successful nest-building, as well as changes in the locations of the nests, from their previous safer locations deeper beneath the bridge to more exposed sites in the beam corners. Those previous sites are now blocked completely by the installation of pipeline covers on both sides of the bridge. From the first sighting of cliff swallows in the first week of April to the third week of May, there was a significant and distressing drop in cliff swallow activity and greatly reduced nest building when compared to the same period last year.
Sierra Club will be resuming our active engagement on this issue and will be reaching out to the Soquel Creek Water District in support of the Bird Club’s work.
The pipeline covers which block access to heritage nesting sites.
Brodeia at Quail Hollow Ranch County Park. Photo courtesy of Kristen Sandel.
Santa Cruz Group Issues Committee
Conservation Committeeworks on habitat conservation, monitors logging activities, reviews development projects, and participates in creation and modification of parks master plans, and city and county general and local coastal plans. Contact: Chair Mike Guthmguth@guthpatents.com
Transportation Committeereviews transportation projects within the Cities and County, supports public spending on increased Metro service with bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and large-scale bicycle and pedestrian projects. Contact: Chair Lani Faulkner equitytransitsantacruz@gmail.com
Political Committeemakes endorsements of candidates and ballot measures during election years. Contact: Chair Micah Posnermicahposner@cruzio.com
Who We Are
We are the Santa Cruz Group of the Ventana Chapter of the Sierra Club, the world's oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization. With over 3.8 million members and supporters, the Sierra Club has the resources to empower people and to influence public policy through community activism, public education, lobbying, and litigation.
Our mission is to Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet.
