I want to start with the good news, which is that we hired a wonderful Policy Associate in early March. Isabel Dawson brings a fresh perspective and experience in conservation and climate adaptation from her tenure with Marin County Parks and the USDA Forest Service. Stop by our office to meet her! In other good news, Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook, our Program Director, and I attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly minted College of Marin Field Station in Bolinas. An inspiring ceremony, we are excited to collaborate with the lab on marine education. We are happy to see marine science being valued locally.
On the flip side, 2025 is off to a tumultuous start. We are staying busy to make a difference locally and statewide, while fighting federal attacks. We are in unprecedented times where, in some cases, Trump and Newsom are aligning to attack bedrock environmental laws like the Coastal Act. You can count on us to continue to stand up for West Marin, the California Environmental Quality Act, and the California coast.
I know many of us are feeling powerless while our democracy, inclusion, diversity, conservation work, and environment are attacked. I encourage you to first take care of yourself, and second, join us in fighting back. Here are just a few ways:
Consider joining our Board or committees. We are actively seeking new members for both.
Our nearly 55-year-long history demonstrates that in times of uncertainty and turmoil, you can count on us to protect what you love!
We have included some updates and ways you can get involved in our newsletter, including getting outside at our 16th annual Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival.
In deep gratitude,
P.S. We remain committed to equity, solidarity, and inclusion at EAC, including joining members of the West Marin Coalition for Equity and Justice (CEJ) to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to promoting equity, solidarity, and inclusion in our community.
~ Program Updates ~
Successful Duxbury Docents Training
Welcome to our new Duxbury Docents!
This winter, we trained and welcomed five new docents to our Duxbury team! They are a fabulous and important addition to our efforts to educate visitors about the fascinating marine species, reef habitat, Marine Protected Areas, and protective tidepooling practices that all visitors can take to best protect the reef’s biodiversity for future generations. This is especially important as climate and ocean changes will continue to stress marine life in addition to the stress that high visitation at the reef causes. With thanks to our partner, Marin County Parks, who installed a storage shed at the parking lot, docents are now able to deploy and store our series of educational lawn signs.
On March 13th, EAC participated in the Fish and Game Commission’s Marine Resources Committee meeting in Sacramento.
We spoke on multiple topics, including aquaculture, fisheries, and marine protected areas (MPAs). We raised concerns about the San Andreas Shellfish Company’s newly proposed aquaculture lease in Tomales Bay, urged the Commission to continue its harvest moratorium on the severely declining red abalone, and learned more about the MPA petition process, which we will continue tracking closely as we advocate for our Duxbury Reef petition.
Thanks to your support, we can continue to advocate for marine coastal issues!
Most of you have now heard that there was a settlement related to the Point Reyes National Seashore (Seashore) in January. The signatories to the agreement are the National Park Service (NPS), park ranchers who participated in the mediation, the Point Reyes Seashore Ranchers Association, the Nature Conservancy, Resource Renewal Institute, Center for Biological Diversity, and Western Watersheds Project. The Seashore also announced a Revised Record of Decision for the General Management Plan Amendment. While EAC was not a party to the litigation, we strongly believe this agreement between ranchers, the NPS, and environmental groups is the best possible outcome in a challenging situation. Two lawsuits have been filed to challenge the voluntary settlement, encouraging the current federal administration to open up the agreement. We look forward to working with our partners and community to support a smooth transition.
We participated in the March 10th and March 24th Marin County Planning Commission meetings to advocate for equitable coastal access, nature-based solutions, a precautionary approach to planning and development in hazardous areas, and the need for amendments to comply with the law.
As West Marin’s communities deal with the increasing effects of climate change, like sea level rise, it is more important than ever for the update to be Coastal Act compliant, so it can be approved by the California Coastal Commission.
The 16th annual Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival April 25th-27th is flying high, thanks to our amazing sponsors, guides, and attendees—big thanks to all! It’s not too late to join the fun this April!
Marin County, in partnership with communities across Marin, is sponsoring an effort to define a governing body that could potentially lead sea level rise adaptation planning. This consultant-led study seeks to answer:
How communities and the County can collaborate to advance sea level rise adaptation planning;
How the County can organize effectively to support a potential new governance structure, prepare for sea level rise, and deliver future adaptation projects.
EAC participated in community engagement meetings in March in Stinson Beach and Point Reyes Station to provide input and ensure West Marin’s concerns are addressed.
Isabel and Ashley will be in Sacramento on Tuesday, May 6th lobbying for coastal resource protection. All members of the public who love the ocean are invited to Ocean Day, RSVP Required. Sign up now to strengthen the team and email Isabel to let her know that you will be joining us.
If you sign up for this 20th annual day of action, you can join part of a team that will meet with state leaders to lobby in support of important legislation that will protect our coast and ocean. This is a chance to dip your toes into the world of ocean policy, as well as to hear from fellow activists, artists, and decision makers from across the state who are passionate about our stretch of the Pacific Ocean.
Our public lands are currently under an unprecedented attack.
The current administration is working to roll back protections, eliminate critical positions, and open up land to commercial extraction.
EAC is working locally and coordinating with national partners to fight these attacks. Our longtime partner, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), works collaboratively to protect and enhance America's National Park System for present and future generations.
Check out their action alerts here to learn more and take action!
Great news! Proposition 4, the Climate Bond, passed last year due to the advocacy of EAC and many other groups. A majority of voters across California approved the $10 billion Climate Bond to ensure resources are available to strengthen the resiliency of California communities to a changing climate. Now, it’s time to implement the bond measure.
The California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) will serve as the coordinating agency for the rollout of the Climate Bond. CNRA and its departments are committed to improving the accessibility and effectiveness of our state grant programs. They invite you to share your experiences with working with grants by completing this survey, and your input will help inform Climate Bond implementation.
This survey is composed of 27 questions about finding grant opportunities, the grant application process, and grant management post-award. Please answer whatever questions are applicable to you and your organization's experiences and skip whatever does not apply. Thank you for your feedback!
Calling Middle and High Schoolers: Climate Storytelling Contest Submissions due May 29
Climate change, caused by the burning of fossil fuels like oil and gas, is impacting communities in California and across the globe. Different feelings often come up when thinking about climate change, and it's easy to get lost in the data, graphs, and scientific literature. What if storytelling can help us understand those feelings and teach us something about climate change? The California Coastal Commission invites you to answer the prompt below through a podcast, photo essay, or narrative essay.
What are your feelings towards climate change? How can those feelings be turned into action?
Enter by May 29, 2025
Visit the website to find details on how to enter, brainstorming prompts, helpful background on climate change, climate justice, and climate solutions, and additional resources for educators.
We can't wait to hear your stories!
Want to Help Fellow Community Members?
Partner Community Land Trust of West Marin (CLAM) is jumping in to help with West Marin’s housing crisis directly, and you can help too.
CLAM has started a Community Rentals Program through the West Marin Housing Collaborative (WMHC), which is a partnership among four affordable housing nonprofits: CLAM, Bolinas Community Land Trust, Two Valleys Community Land Trust, and the Stinson Beach Affordable Housing Committee, with support from the West Marin Fund and Marin Community Foundation.
A good example of WMHC’s combined efforts is the Community Rentals Program launching later this year, designed to help more property owners provide affordable housing.
They are currently looking for:
Homeowners with a vacant unit interested in renting it out to a community member
Property owners interested in adding one or more rental units to their property
We endeavor to keep our website up to date with the latest information on our campaigns and included some quick links in case the topic you're most interested in isn't featured in this month's e-news! Some links to campaigns are below or click on the images to view those pages directly.
Did you know you can set up a recurring gift online?
Whether you choose to set up an annual recurring giftor spread out your giving monthlyor quarterly, a recurring gift is a great way to help provide consistent donations, so we can focus on protecting what you love in West Marin.
To protect and sustain the unique lands, waters, and biodiversity of West Marin. We achieve this goal through advocacy, science, education, and engagement.
VISION
Protected resilient ecosystems in West Marin’s coastal communities for current and future generations.
EQUITY & JUSTICE
We apply an equity lens to our guiding principles and work. We acknowledge how systemic, historical, and current social structures impact human relationships with our natural environment. We recognize that inequities and racism, past and present, result in reduced access to resources and increased environmental vulnerability. We are committed to evolving on an organizational level, expanding our program outreach, and broadening the voices and perspectives that drive our vision and policy work. The health of our environment thrives on ecological diversity, and the movement to protect it must be diverse and inclusive, which has not always been the case.
Contact Us
Environmental Action Committee of West Marin (EAC) PO Box 609 | 65 Third Street, Suite 12 Point Reyes Station, CA 94956 (415) 663.9312 | info@eacmarin.org
