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Greetings, and Happy Winter!
News from the Chair
by Nick Cheranich
 At the beginning of the year, we were delighted to learn that the Land Trust of Napa County will be purchasing Walt Ranch, thereby preserving it for many years. The Napa Sierra Club has worked hard over the years to stop the Hall family’s attempt to develop vineyards around Atlas Peak, which would have resulted in the destruction of the wild habitat in the area. To further our support for this wonderful outcome, the Executive Committee just voted to donate $2000 (with another $2000 coming from the Redwood Chapter) to the Land Trust specifically towards the purchase of Walt Ranch. See below for an update about the purchase and how you can help. (Photo: J. Wilson)
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 Please help us welcome our new student interns for 2023: Paulina, Liliana, and Katherine (pictured, right). They were recommended to us by NVUSD high school teachers, based upon their interest in environmental issues. In the internship program, now in its fourth year, we work with and mentor the students to help them develop environmentally-based activities/projects that interest them. Upon completion, the interns will each receive a $500 stipend, a 1-year paid Sierra Club membership, and a letter of recommendation for college admissions (and/or for employment). See below for a brief bio from each student. Also read an update from one of our previous interns, Alisa, now a student at Cal Berkeley.
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 At our last Excom meeting in early February, we decided to focus our energy on educating our members and community on various local environmental issues. We plan to hold multiple symposiums featuring lecturers who are knowledgeable about the various issues. In so doing, it is our hope that we will all be better prepared to advocate for important policy changes at the local and state levels.
We are also seeking more members for our Executive Committee. If you are interested in joining a collaborative team working on issues critical to our planet’s future, we’d love to talk to you. Please contact me at napavalleysierraclub@gmail.com.
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 Have you witnessed several trees being cut down in the City of Napa, often without any clear explanation? Please read Rainer Hoenicke’s article, below, which discusses the need for the City to develop an Urban Tree Master Plan to more fully consider the beneficial effects these trees have on our environment, before deciding they can be eliminated. -------------------------------
Finally, would you like to know what we, the Excom, accomplished in 2022? Please see our Summary of Actions, below.
Our next Conservation Committee meeting will be March 21st, 2023 at 6:30PM. Just click on the RSVP button below and I'll send you a Zoom invite in the near future. Thank you.
- Nick Cheranich, ExCom Chair
napavalleysierraclub@gmail.com
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Win, Win, Win! The Battle for Walt Ranch Appears to Be Over
By Nancy Tamarisk; Photo by Mike Palladini, Napa Land Trust
 Napa’s lovers of wildlands were ecstatic this January to learn that the 2300-acre Walt Ranch on Atlas Peak is on track to be purchased by Land Trust of Napa County. The deal is not quite sealed, a lot more money needs to be raised (Napa Sierra Club and the Redwood Chapter are contributing $4000). To make your own contribution go to https://napalandtrust.org/help-us-protect-walt-ranch/). The Land Trust will conserve the land in perpetuity, operating it in partnership with Napa Parks and Open Space District, raising hopes for public trails in this glorious spot high above the valley floor.
 Walt Ranch is the epicenter of the biggest local environmental fight of recent memory: the plan by a Hall family company (vintners Craig and Kathryn Hall) to destroy 400 acres of Atlas Peak wild habitat in order to develop vineyards. For nearly a decade, starting in 2014, Sierra Club led the vigorous opposition to this project, which outraged a large segment of the Napa community, invigorating such organizations as Napa Vision 2050 and Defenders of East Napa Watersheds (DENW). The fight created a network of trusted allies which still exists. Click here to read more.
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Meet Our New Student Interns
by Liliana Karesh, Katherine Bit, and Paulina Zambrano
 Hello everyone! My name is Liliana Karesh, and I am a sophomore at Napa High School (Class of 2025!). I am one of the three student interns at Napa Sierra Club for 2023. Knowing the significant impacts that global warming is causing on our planet, I felt inspired to go into the environmental field, specifically after the 2017 fires that burned through Napa County. It was a terrifying event that really woke me up to the realities of global warming.
I want to take my part in stopping the effects of Climate Change in our world. This past school year, I began exploring opportunities in the environmental area. I became the Co-leader for both the Napa Schools for Climate Action, and Napa High’s Environmental Club. I have also participated in the Napa RCD Fall Internship and the Summer “Enviroleaders” Program at Sonoma Garden Park.
I have been grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way! When I was almost eight, my family and I moved from Moscow, Russia, to Napa! Although it was a significant shift in my life that required a big adjustment, I am always thankful for my parent’s hard work in moving us to America for better opportunities.
I am thrilled to participate in the Napa Sierra Club Internship Program this year, and I hope to positively impact our community through it!
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Hi everyone! My name is Katherine Bit, I’m currently a freshman (class of 2026) at American Canyon High School and a new Napa Sierra Club student intern this year! A little bit about myself: I’ve so far lived in American Canyon my whole life and I love traveling!
Being born and raised in one small city my entire life, I’ve watched the places I’ve grown up around evolve from being home to numerous species to now just acres of land with new buildings in development. Comparing my hometown to some of the places I’ve traveled to, I’ve noticed the grass isn’t as green, the trees are reducing, and the fields, once home to various groups of animals, are now being transformed into land for new buildings. Since seeing the decline of the place I’ve grown up in, it has sparked my concern and interest towards doing something about the climate crisis.
As a freshman, in my first year of high school, I plan on taking action - climate action - while sharing my passion for it, and making an impact in my next three years in High School. I’m very thankful for this opportunity and super excited to participate with the Napa Sierra Club this year!
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 Greetings. My name is Paulina Viera Zambrano. I am a Junior at Vintage High School and now a member of the Sierra Club.
I was born in Zamora in the state of Michoacan, Mexico, and I grew up in the small town of San Juan Palmira. My family is part Mexican and part Purepécha, which is the largest indigenous group in Michoacan, so I grew up surrounded by the beautiful Mexican and Purepécha culture. In my hometown, I was raised in my abuelito’s house which is surrounded by green mountains, rivers, and crop fields, so growing up I was exposed wilderness and to the environment. I would spend most of my time outside in the mountains observing animals, swimming in lakes, playing in mud, and I would also help grow crops with my uncles and cousins. Because of this, I developed a strong appreciation and love for nature.
But at the age of 10, I immigrated with my parents and siblings to the United States and settled in Napa, California. My life in Napa was very different from my life in Mexico and unfortunately, that strong connection that I had with nature diminished.
That strong bond with nature was weaker here in the United States. That changed however, when last summer I traveled to New Mexico for a backpacking trip. I traveled with 6 other girls and 3 directors who I had never met previously, and together we hiked some mountains near Santa Fe for 15 days. It was a challenging experience: we hiked several miles each day through steep pathways, and we slept in sub-freezing stormy nights. The food and water that we were given wasn’t exactly great either.
But this experience really opened my eyes and restored my bond with nature. My appreciation for the Earth and the environment grew once again and I felt so very connected to nature. This experience actually pushed me to take AP Environmental Science, which is one of my favorite classes because each day we learn about the environment, the issues regarding the environment, and solutions which could benefit the environment.
This experience also pushed me to try and find ways to contribute to helping nature in my community. I have organized park cleanups with my friends, and I help clean up my neighborhood with my family. I have now joined the Sierra Club in which I hope to complete activities that will help make a difference in the planet and help with our various local environmental issues.
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The City of Napa Is Updating Its Urban Tree Master Plan
by Rainer Hoenicke; Photo courtesy of Napa Master Gardeners
 Given the frequent conflicts between street trees and built infrastructure, such as traffic safety, interference with above-ground power supply lines, below-ground sewage and storm-water drainage, and safe pedestrian and bicycle paths, meeting the goals of the recently adopted General Plan and the Climate Emergency Resolution may seem daunting to many.
Fortunately, the City of Napa is embarking on an update to its Urban Forestry Master Plan, with funding from a substantial grant from CalFire. One of the grant requirements includes public engagement and involvement in the development of the Master Plan, and a way for residents to learn about the benefits of trees, how their shade may extend the lifespan and quality of the City’s street network, and their public health benefits by lowering the temperature in our City as we face more heat waves due to climate change. The City is poised to start the public engagement process later this spring, and now is a good time to prepare for it and track progress in Master Plan development. Click here to read more.
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Napa Sierra Club's Summary of Actions for 2022
by Nick Cheranich; Photos by Chris Sauer and Nick Cheranich
What are some of the things the Excom did last year?
Major Accomplishments:
 Continued to publish our e-newsletter every other month using Sierra Club Salesforce/ Marketing Cloud platforms (most of our articles are published on the NSC website, and then linked to the e-newsletter)- Submitted dozens of articles to our newsletter, written by our student interns, other SC members, and our Excom team Chris Benz, Roland Dumas, Scott Thomason, David Campbell, and Nick Cheranich
- Had several articles published in the Napa Register, and the Redwood Chapter Needles magazine
- Focused our environmental and conservation activities on the following areas, which were influenced by our survey to members:
- Water and Harmful Emissions
- Land-Use/Growth including the saving of Skyline Park
- The defeat of Measure J in American Canyon
- Continued our implementation of the student internship program
Other Actions:
- From our allocation of Rohloff funds, we donated $10,000 to the American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation and committed $50,000 over the next five year for the Wetlands EcoCenter project
- Held candidate interviews and voted to recommend SC endorsement of Joelle Gallagher for Dist. 1 Supervisor and Anne Cottrell for Dist. 3 Supervisor
 Wrote many comments in response to Napa County Groundwater Sustainability Plan, Napa County Housing Element, and other local issues- Co-hosted Napa Drive Electric event on September 27
- Hosted a booth at the Earth Day event in Napa
- Donated to the Vine Trail and received a “Footprint” for Napa Sierra Club (Photo, right)
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What Have Our Past Student Interns Been Up To?
 Our last issue featured updates from three of our previous interns. But now, Alisa Karesh - who back in November was extremely busy with her first semester at Cal Berkeley - was able to contribute her update in this issue.
Alisa Karesh:
Hello everyone! It has now been over a year since I completed my internship with the Napa Sierra Club, and I hope that everyone is doing well!
Last summer, I moved to Berkeley and started my college journey with a summer session that was designated for incoming Freshmen at UC Berkeley called Summer Bridge. It was an amazing experience that allowed me to make some friends and adjust to a new environment prior to starting my first year.
 During the fall semester, I took some very interesting classes. My favorite courses were Introduction to Environmental Design, Designing Sustainability, and Environmental Science for Sustainable Development.
These classes allowed me to discover my passion for environmental design. As a result, I have switched majors. I switched from Environmental Economics and Policy to Landscape Architecture within the university’s College of Environmental Design. This semester I am taking my first landscape architecture studio course and am enjoying my other classes! Click here to read more.
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Still Looking for Volunteers to Be on Our Napa Sierra Club Excom Team. Will It Be YOU?
 As you know, the Napa Sierra Club Group has a mission to conserve natural ecosystems and work for sustainability in land and water usage, and to reduce the carbon release into the air. We take on projects that we think are significant to Napa that may be helped by local action.
We are looking for people to join our Executive Committee team who have knowledge and experience relevant to our mission and skills in research, presenting, organizing, and/or educating our neighbors. People who are willing to learn.
Is that you? Or do you know someone? We have openings on our team. Looking for motivated volunteers.
Email us, in care of Nick Cheranich, at napavalleysierraclub@gmail.com. Thank you.
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Watershed Explorers Program in AmCan Seeks to Educate Youth - the Fun Way!
by Janelle Sellick
 With funding from the California Coastal Commission's Whale Tail grant, American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation (ACCPF) is bringing the Watershed Explorers Program to every fourth-grader at all three American Canyon elementary schools. This spring, over 300 students will participate in over 1,500 hours of environmental education.
 Watershed Explorers aims to protect our environment by getting students involved in hands-on learning about healthy ecosystems, water quality, plant and animal life cycles, and the human impact on our surrounding habitats. Students participate in a watershed class presentation, an outside hands-on nature journaling activity, and an outdoor field day at the Wetlands Edge Trail. Students learn about the Pomo and Patwin people from the Suscol Intertribal Council. They explore the wastewater treatment process and how they can protect the wetlands. The Napa Open Space district helps students catch and identify Macroinvertebrates. The Napa Resource Conservation District takes students to the water's edge and teaches them how to catch plankton, the different types of plankton, and why they are so important. Click here for more info.
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Want to Do Something About the Climate Crisis Right Now? Try (or Continue) Using "NapaCountyClimateChallenge.org"
by Nick Cheranich
 [Recently, the entire Napa County adopted the NapaCountyClimateChallenge.org platform as a way for households to lower their carbon emissions. It was formerly know as RegenerationNapa.org]
Did you know that at least forty percent (40%) of our entire carbon emissions come from five basic household activities we do everyday: 1) our transportation; 2) the electricity we use; 3) the natural gas we burn to heat our water, food, and home; 4) the food choices we make; and, 5) the way we deal with our food waste?
I want to explain how we, as individuals and as a community, can take easy and significant steps to help solve the climate crisis right now by reducing our emissions from these five activities. Click here to read more.
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