Honoring Byron Sher
Friday, October 9th, 7 - 8 p.m.
online
The 2020 Guardians of Nature social distancing Benefit honoring Byron Sher was one of the most extraordinary events our Chapter has organized. Nearly 250 guests responded to our invitation, which means a lot to us in these times of abundance of virtual gatherings. Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and other donors, we raised more than $60,000.
Since only a sliver of your membership dues paid to Sierra Club National is returned to our chapter, the funds raised by our Benefit are critical to providing the necessary resources to help our dedicated volunteers in realizing our mission “to enjoy, explore and protect the planet.”
This year we created a one-hour long program intertwining live presentations and pre-recorded content “from the field”. The event began with a short welcome video by our Chapter Executive Committee members, then by two longtime friends of the Chapter, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, and Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, followed by a welcome speech by Chapter Director James Eggers. Next, Lisa Barboza, our Chapter Outings Chair presented two Outstanding Outings Achievement Awards to Mike Zampiceni, a founder of the Loma Prieta Chapter Gay and Lesbian Sierras, and Judy Ogle for decades of dedicated service to the Loma Prieta Singleaires outing section.
After the outings award ceremony, James Eggers reviewed some of our Chapter’s conservation achievements of 2019 and 2020. He highlighted our successful Coyote Valley advocacy, which after two decades resulted in the permanent protection of nearly 1000 acres of the valley floor, and the successful settlement of a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over not complying with the requirement to update the management plan for the endangered San Francisco garter snake. Short videos created by volunteer Megan Tobias and Chapter Secretary Mary Buxton accompanied each highlight.
Afterward, an inspiring tribute video was shown, which triggered a flood of heartwarming comments about our honoree, and the video producer, longtime Chapter volunteer Mike Kerhin. The video was followed with tributes by Santa Clara Supervisor Joe Simitian, who for many years worked closely with Mr. Sher, and Ms. Johanna Wald, a retired lead attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council and a longtime friend of our honoree.
Finally, we heard from Byron Sher himself, who drew on his decades of experience, inspired and encouraged us to overcome division for the benefit of our environment, us, and all the creatures.
A farewell from Chapter Director James Eggers concluded the event.
Our special thanks go to our generous sponsors for their critical support: Google, an anonymous Sierra Nevada Sentinel, Mary Buxton and Ron Hess, anonymous Yosemite Hero, Lisa Barboza and Brian Roach, Marilyn Brewer, David and Nancy Crabbe, Sue Chow, Gladwyn d'Souza, Sidney and Linda Liebes, Larry L. Lundberg, 2018 Guardians of Nature Honoree and Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian and Mary Hughes, Sigal Tzoore, Silicon Valley Clean Energy, an anonymous Baylands Steward, Shawn and Lisa Britton, Peter and Melanie Cross, Town of Atherton Mayor Rick DeGolia, Susan DesJardin, Edith and Jeb Eddy, City of San Jose Councilmember Pam Foley, Caroline Y. Hicks, City of San Jose Councilmember Sergio Jimenez, Arthur Keller, Natalia Kloda, Ginny Laibl, Lucinda and Rob Lenicheck, Karen Maki, Mary and Alex Nemerov, 2019 Guardian of Nature Benefit honorees Enid Pearson and Emily Renzel, City of San Jose Councilmember Raul Peralez, Bruce Rienzo, Lennie Roberts, Landa Robillard and Kelly Maas, Charles and Jamie Schafer, Richard Smallwood, and City of Morgan Hill Councilmember Rene Spring.
We also thank our in-kind donors who supported our silent auction despite the difficult times: Ana Illanes, Barbara Kelsey, Beat the Lock Escape Room, Bruce Rienzo, Bobbi Jean Hair Studio, Charles Schafer, Emma Rowe, Filoli Garden, Friends of the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, Gamble Garden, Gordon Biersch Brewing Company, Hakone Gardens, Harley Farms Goat Dairy, Hidden Villa, James Eggers, Jeffrey Silverman, Linda Yemoto, Lucy Geppert, Mary Buxton, Molly Cox, Monterey Bay Kayaks, Nabeel Al-Shamma, Natalia Kloda, Ollie Mayer Hiker’s Hut, Out of the Barrel Taproom, Presidio Lodging, Rebecca Ellis, Robert Buxton, San Jose Jazz, Suds Jain, Susan Des Jardin, Susan Des Jardin, True Food Kitchen, Will Hess, Wylder Hope Valley Resort.
Finally, we thank our fantastic team of volunteers and staff for working tirelessly for many months on organizing this year’s social distancing Benefit: Mary Buxton, James Eggers, Justyna Guterman, Barbara Kelsey, Mike Kerhin, Natalie See, David Simon, and Megan Tobias 
2020 Honoree: Byron D. Sher
Byron Sher is the author of many laws to protect California’s natural environment including the California Clean Air Act, the Integrated Waste Management Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the nation’s first laws to promote recycling of electronic devices and to prevent toxic contamination from leaking underground storage tanks. He also authored the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act and laws to strengthen the state’s timber regulations and to add new rivers to California’s Wild and Scenic River System.
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Mr. Sher moved to Palo Alto in the late 50s’ after accepting the position of Professor of Law at Stanford University, where he taught until 1994. He was active in local and regional government and served as a member of the Palo Alto City Council for more than a decade and as a Mayor for two terms.
He was a Commissioner of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission from 1978 to 1980. He also served on the Committee on Environmental Quality for the National League of Cities and the League of California Cities.
In November 1980, Byron Sher was elected to the California State Assembly, where between 1985-1995, he served as Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee.
In 1996 Mr. Sher was elected to the California State Senate, where he served as Chairman of the Housing Committee in 1996 and Chairman of the Environmental Quality Committee from 1997 to 2004.
At the end of his final term in the State Senate, Byron Sher retired to a ranch in the Sierra Nevada foothills. In 2005 he was appointed as the State Senate’s representative on the board of the recently created Sierra Nevada Conservancy. In 2009 he was appointed by the State Senate to the Governing Board of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, serving until the end of 2013 and finally retiring for good after forty years of teaching and almost fifty years of politics and public service. After his retirement, he served for several years as a board member of the Planning and Conservation League.
Guest Speaker: Johanna H. Wald
Johanna Wald was an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) for more than 40 years. During that time, she was one of the nation’s leading advocates for the protection and improved management of federal public lands, including in particular lands managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and national park lands. Ms. Wald received her law degree from Yale University and her undergraduate degree from Cornell University. During her career, she was involved in a number of major legal challenges to federal energy programs, including coal and oil and gas programs in the Intermountain West, as well as to other federal economic programs including the BLM’s livestock grazing program. For approximately the last decade of her career at NRDC, Wald led the organization’s efforts to facilitate the identification and designation of appropriate sites on federal lands for development of renewable energy projects as well as associated necessary transmission.
Ms. Wald’s honors include receiving, in 2016, the Lifetime Achievement Award from The State Bar of California Environmental Section. She was the third person and first woman to receive this award.
Ms. Wald currently serves as a member of San Francisco’s Commission on the Environment and was, for many years, the Chair of its Policy Committee.
Sponsors
John Muir Heir
Sierra Nevada Sentinel
Mary Buxton and Ron Hess
Sequoia Champion
Marilyn Brewer
Baylands Steward
Shawn and Lisa Britton
Honorary Hosts
Margaret Abe-Koga,
Alicia Aguirre,
Emily Beach,
Rick DeGolia,
Anna G. Eshoo,
Shau Franco-Clausen,
Pam Foley,
Alison Hicks,
Davina Hurt,
Sergio Jimenez,
Ellen Kamei,
Amourence Lee, Ash Kalra,
Yoriko Kishimoto,
Zoe Kersteen-Tucker,
Lisa Matichak,
Kevin Mullin,
Terry O'Connell,
Enid Pearson - 2019 Guardians of Nature Benefit Honoree,
Dave Pine,
Mike Potter,
Emily Renzel - 2019 Guardians of Nature Benefit Honoree,
Joe Simitian - 2018 Guardians of Nature Benefit Honoree,
Rod Sinks,
Rene Spring.
Past Guardians of Nature Benefit Parties
Past Guardians of Nature Benefits
Event Committee
Mary Buxton, James Eggers, Barbara Kelsey, Camille King, Justyna Guterman
Contact us
Questions about the event and to volunteer: Justyna Guterman (Justyna.Guterman@sierraclub.org or 650-390-8494)
All proceeds benefit the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter. Tickets purchases and gifts to the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter are not tax-deductible; they support our effective, citizen-based advocacy and lobbying efforts.