Editor’s note: By popular demand, we continue with the Jim Hines Chronicles, which reflects the emails by our premier lobbyist on the ins and outs of environmental activism and is chock-full of information. This covers the last two months. Jim is our chapter vice-chair and conservation director who belongs to many wildlife groups.
Aug 9: Bring Back Beavers campaign to reintroduce beavers back to their historic ranges in the local backcountry and other areas in California has gained the support of our sister chapter to the north, the Santa Lucia Chapter.
Aug 11: So, time for me to put more pressure on Biden Administration (relisting of wolves lawsuit) via calls, tweets and emails to White House, meetings with Interior Secretary and Deputy Secretary for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Sad to have to sue President Biden for something President Trump did but that’s the way things work sometimes.
Aug 15: I am pleased that the draft of the Local Coastal Program revision includes new language recognizing the harm being done by toxic pesticides to wildlife in the Santa Monica Mountains. However, in its present form the limitation to “new” development makes the ordinance ineffective.
Aug 19: It’s been a long wait, but finally President Biden has nominated a Director for the National Park Service, Oregon tribal leader Charles ‘Chuck’ Sams III, who will be the first Native American in the post.
Aug 20: Win for Wildlife, on a 4-1 vote the Ventura County Planning Commission is recommending to the Board of Supervisors that the board adopt an ordinance to ban use of all pesticides, rodenticides and herbicides in the Santa Monica Mtns zone of Ventura County for both existing and new developments. This is a major win.
Aug 20: Biden Administration has just asked the federal judge in my solo lawsuit and the lawsuit of others to dismiss our lawsuits . . . (on grounds that) the president will impose protections for wolves in the U.S. and now the lawsuits are not needed.
Aug 28: Exciting news, Gray Wolf OR-93 (his radio collar number) has been spotted by a camera drinking at a water basin on a ranch in the Mt Pinos area. This is the first time a wolf has been in our area in over 100 years.
Aug 31: At my request Los Padres Chapter ExCom is internally discussing changing our chapter name from Los Padres to . . . still to be decided! I spoke briefly today with a staffer at the U.S. Board of Geographic Names and the Biden Administration has stated it wants to appoint a federal committee to address place names on national public lands units which are not inclusive to ALL Americans. How insensitive and disrespectful is the Los Padres National Forest name . . . Los Padres "those fathers' was named to honor Spanish missionaries who pillaged, enslaved and killed native Americans here.
Sept 8: Seems to be confusion over my two proposals to stop using the name Los Padres. This is a proposal to the U.S. Government by ME and only ME, not on behalf of the Sierra Club or anyone else. Los Padres Chapter name change will be discussed at future ExCom meetings. (Submit your thoughts and ideas here.)
Sept 9: I’ve been appointed by Sierra Club California to the endorsement committee to vet candidates for possible Club endorsement in the 2022 U.S. Senate race; the seat held by Kamala Harris and now filled by Alex Padilla.
Sept 13: About a name change for the Los Padres National Forest, read about the issue by Jack Elliott and Elias Castillo here:
https://tinyurl.com/LosePadres
Sept 14: Jack Ainsworth, executive director of the California Coastal Commission and a Ventura resident, is receiving the Sierra Club’s Environmental Achievement Award for his leadership on ending the longtime practice of off-road driving on eight miles of coastal beach and dunes in Oceano Park in San Luis Obispo County.
Sept 15: Wolves in the west may warrant federal protection, said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from the petition filed by the Sierra Club, CBD and Humane Society. Public comments are open. Details here:
Sept 16: Staff is excited that I brought this issue up (renaming Los Padres) and others have brought up similar name concerns on other national forests across America. I have also asked Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to talk to Forest Service leadership.
Sept 17: I was requested to submit a formal request (to change the name of Los Padres) which I have now done. I spoke to Sierra Club Executive Director about what I am doing, and he looped in 10 other staffers who all supported me.
Sept 22: Breaking news …The House just voted to advance to the Senate the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act which includes the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act (protecting lands within the Los Padres NF and Carrizo Plain NM) and five other federal lands protection bills.
Oct 2: Wolf Rule to list them as threatened is ready for public comment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Go here:
Meanwhile, two sightings of gray wolf OR-93 happened in the Lockwood Valley, a long journey this past Spring from northern California. May he find the protected ecosystems of the Los Padres National Forest to be his home. A coalition to save the wolves and why is here:
www.endangered.org/gray-wolves/