The CNRCC Steering Committee appoints and oversees our state-based conservation issue committees. These committees study their particular area of focus and serve as a resource to Sierra Club California staff and the California Legislative Committee (the CLC) to provide background information for legislation. They may write a white paper on an issue to help clarify the subject to California Sierra Club activists and staff.
If adequate national policy doesn’t exist to confidently address a particular situation, committees may encourage national staff and volunteers to develop one. If no state policy exists and is needed, they create and bring a proposed resolution to the CNRCC plenary body for their review and endorsement of the needed policy or position.
Sierra Club California staff manages the Club’s relationships with California legislators and state agencies. CNRCC issue committee members may also meet with legislators and attend state meetings representing the Club if they have contacted and coordinated with Sierra Club California staff ahead of time. Coordination with staff helps ensure that the Club speaks with one voice and is being strategically smart.
The CNRCC Steering Committee also appoints task forces, who may operate in a similar but less formal way than issues committees do. Our Wild America has two forest campaigns in California. These campaigns are listed on this page because they operate in the same area as the task forces and involve activists, who would otherwise be engaged with conservation issue committees. The campaigns are different from issue committees, in that they don’t confer with staff and don’t propose policy changes.
Conservation Issue Committees, Task Forces, and Conservation Campaigns all provide annual progress reports and plans the the CNRCC for review.
CNRCC Conservation Committtees, Subcommittees, Task Forces, Campaigns
Name | Overview and Contact info |
(Task Force) | Advocate for humane and scientifically based management of California’s black bears. Chair: Richard J Garcia |
The CNRCC Coastal Committee has been established to support SCC Coastal Advocacy. The CNRCC Coastal Committee will develop policy guidance, build communication between Club entities, and help to mobilize California Sierrans to support coastal protection. Web Site: http://www.ca4c.org/ | |
The Sierra Club California/Nevada Desert Committee works for the protection and conservation of the deserts of California, Nevada and other areas in the Southwest; monitors and works with public, private and non-profit agencies to promote preservation of our arid lands, sponsors education and service trips; encourages and supports others to work for similar objectives; and maintains, shares and publishes information about the desert. Chair: Terry Frewin | |
The ECC mission is to help California reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by the most effective, timely, affordable, efficient, least polluting, socially just, and community-based means possible. Co-chairs: Jim Stewart, and Luis Amezcua | |
| Sustainable Agriculture | Agriculture in California is a multibillion dollar industry that uses 80% of the state’s water and produces much of the fruits and vegetables consumed in America, plus exporting millions of tons to other countries every year. However, as currently practiced, much agriculture in California is unsustainable and poses major threats to public health and the environment. Chair: Mike Stubblefield |
(Task Force) | Monitor all off-road use of vehicles in California and Nevada, actively oppose their illegal use and influence their management by federal, state and local agencies using administrative, legislative and judicial actions. Chair: George Barnes, |
Our mission is to promote a sustainable world population by increasing public awareness of the environmental impacts of population growth and overconsumption of natural resources, and by improving access to reproductive choice, reproductive health, and contraception that is both affordable and effective. Chair. Karen Gaia Pitts: Vice chair. Suzanne York: | |
(Task Force) | To preserve, protect, and restore the ecological integrity of the Sequoia National Forest and the Giant Sequoia National Monument through monitoring, education, advocacy, and political action. Chair: Carla Cloer: |
Sierra Nevada National Forests (Campaign - Wild America) | The mission of the Sierra Nevada Campaign is to disseminate information about environmental issues within the Sierra Nevada Bioregion to Sierra Club activists and Club Chapters which have part of the Sierra Nevada within their boundaries. For more information, contact Chair: Joe Fontaine |
The goal of the Southern California Forests Team is the protection and restoration of the four southern California National Forests, which stretch from Big Sur to the Mexican border in San Diego County and which attract seven million visitors a year. From north to south, the forests are the Los Padres, Angeles, San Bernardino, and Cleveland National Forests. Contact Chair: Joyce Burk | |
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Stop Clearcutting California (Sub-Campaign: Our Wild America) | To build demand for an end to clearcutting in California among the public and legislators. Volunteer Lead: Karen Maki |
To help California reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce vehicle miles traveled, promote land use practices that build the urban core in ways that are effective, timely, affordable, efficient, non-polluting, socially just, and community-centric. Co-chairs: Steve Birdlebough | |
Develop and refine existing water supply and Delta planning policies, i.e., develop detailed positions on the 2012-2015 drought; groundwater reform; the Delta twin tunnels/Bay Delta Conservation Plan and its successor; and the proposed implementation of the 2014 water bond Co-Chairs: Eric Parfrey: and Charlotte Allen | |
The Wetlands Committee serves as a networking and information sharing committee that also works on some policy issues and particularly is focused on efforts to stem the tide of wetland ecosystem destruction. (95-98% of California's wetlands have been destroyed) Co-Chairs: Cynthia Denny, Arthur Feinstein, Marcia Hanscom | |
To preserve and protect all state and federal wilderness areas within the CNRCC region of California and Nevada. Advance education to Sierra Club members and to the public on the important values of wilderness. Expand by legislation or executive action wilderness areas with CA and NV Chairs: North: Anne Henny South: Jim Hines | |
Develop, organize and carry out Sierra Club campaigns to protect wildlife and wildlife habitat with the CNRCC region. Our committee is the Sierra Club voice for the voiceless among us, our precious and ever endangered wildlife. Chair: Jim Hines (Los Padres Chapter) | |
To preserve and protect Yosemite National Park and its natural resources through participation in its planning processes and outreach to the Sierra Club members and the public. To serve as the voice of the Sierra Club on Yosemite issues. Chair: Alan Carlton: carltonal@yahoo.com | |
To support true Zero Waste actions that eliminate waste by advocating for a world where products are designed to be bio-compatible and toxic free. Chair: David W Haskell |