Meet Vernon Sanders, who joined the Alabama Chapter Excom over the summer. Vernon is a native of Gaffney, South Carolina living there until moving to Alabama in 2009. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a B.A. in Political Science. He is a retired Corridor Superintendent with Norfolk Southern Railroad and worked in various positions in Greenville, South Carolina, Atlanta, Georgia and Birmingham, Alabama. Vernon served as Mayor of Gaffney, South Carolina for 3 terms from 1988 until 2000. He is currently on the Executive Committee of the St. Clair County Democratic Party. Vernon is a long-term member of the Sierra Club having been a member of the South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama chapters. He is a member of the Coosa Valley Group and was recently elected to serve on the Executive Committee. He is also currently an active member of the Conservation Group, and the Alabama Beyond Coal Group. Vernon is an active participant in Sierra Club Battleground writing letters and sending texts to voters across the United States in support of pro environmental candidates.
We had an opportunity to talk briefly with Vernon about his passion for conservation and why the Sierra Club matters with a series of questions.
What are your specific environmental interests and/or concerns? Habitat restoration for both native plants and animals is my biggest interest. I believe restoration of these habitats can go a long way in the mitigation of the effects of climate change.
What is it about the Sierra Club that makes you willing to give of your time and energy? In my opinion, the Sierra Club is the only nationwide mainstream conservation/environmental group that effects real change. To date, this has been accomplished primarily by volunteers and hopefully it will remain this way for years to come.
How are you helping Alabama explore, enjoy, and protect the environment? In addition to the Sierra Club I'm a member of Wild Alabama, The Longleaf Alliance, Coosa Riverkeeper, Alabama Wildlife Federation, and Friends of the Locust Fork River. My family and I also own a 131 acre farm in Western Etowah County Alabama, where we are building a regenerative agriculture operation as well as restoring the majority of the property to a native plant habitat.
What is one of your favorite memories associated with being outside in nature? I grew up in the foothills of South Carolina and in my younger days spent many summer days tubing/rafting/kayaking on the Green, Broad, Nantahala, and Chattooga. I still remember the loss of breath when the cold water drenched you in the first few rapids.
What is one action you would like to see more of from the Sierra Club Alabama Chapter? More practical work and/or funding of habitat restoration.
What's one of your favorite places to explore? What makes it special? The Sipsey Wilderness in the Bankhead National Forest. The old growth forest containing Eastern Hemlock, American Beech, Sweet Birch, White Oak, and Tulip Poplar is a rare gem not only in Alabama but in the entire United States.
Below: Vernon and daughter Sadie hiking in the Sipsey Wilderness back in July 2020.
