SierraScape December 2002 - January 2003
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by MacNeer Dillon

Ever wonder how the Sierra Club is organized? Not all members have a clear understanding of the club's structure and how our local Eastern Missouri Group (EMG) fits into the picture.

The National Sierra Club has its headquarters situated in San Francisco, CA. The Executive Director, Carl Pope, presides over the leadership of a number of committees. Each committee has a special area of interest. Some of these committees establish the rules, policies, and procedures of the club, subject to the direction and assent of the Executive Director. A few, such as the Sierra Magazine committee and the Marketing committee carry out particular functions serving the whole club that do not affect the governance of the club.

The administration of the club is implemented through nine regional offices in nine territories. The territories consist of specifically designated states. The chapters in those states are governed through these regional administrative offices. Missouri's Ozark Chapter reports to the Midwestern Regional Administration, as one of the nine state chapters assigned to the Midwestern Region. Some states have more than one chapter, but in the Midwestern Region, there is only one chapter per state. The chapters are identified in the following manner: North Star Chapter (MN), Mackinac Chapter (MI), Iowa Chapter, Hoosier Chapter (IN) Ozark Chapter (MO), Cumberland Chapter (KY), John Muir Chapter (WI), Ohio Chapter, and Illinois Chapter.

The Executive Committee of a chapter will usually form a Conservation Committee, a Membership Committee and a Political Committee. It is not limited to these and may form more committees to deal with areas of interest in the chapter. The number of committees depends largely upon the number of interested volunteers available.

The Ozark Chapter's Executive Committee has set up the following committees with appointed chair persons: Computer, Newsletter, Outings, Conservation, Political, Outings Training, Environmental Education, Political Compliance, Staff Management, Fund Raising, Student Coalition Liaison, Governmental, Legal, Transportation, Web Site, Legislative, and Membership.

The chapters are further sub-divided into groups. In Missouri, the Ozark Chapter is divided into five groups defined by the counties assigned to each one:

• Eastern Missouri Group (St. Louis area and NE along the Mississippi)
• Osage Group (Central and northern MO)
• Thomas Hart Benton (Kansas City and NW section of MO)
• White River Group (SW quarter of the state)
• Trail Of Tears Group (SE quarter of state including boot heel)

Each group also has an Executive Committee and a Conservation Committee. A group may establish any further committees that members are interested enough to staff with volunteers. Our Eastern Missouri Group may have a more extensive committee organization than is typical of many groups because of its large number of members. The list of committees for the EMG can be found on our committee page. If you are interested in volunteering on any of the committees contact the committee chair. More details concerning the committees of the state chapter and the local group may be read on their respective web sites. The Ozark Chapter web site is located at: missouri.sierraclub.org, and the EMG site: missouri.sierraclub.org/emg