Greetings Friend,

I hope this letter finds you safe and doing well. I am excited to share with you that we are finally back in the office. Our team is happy to be back together collaborating in person again. We are fully vaccinated and thankful that we had the opportunity to get our vaccines which help to keep our community safe. We are also unpacking boxes in our new office space, setting up furniture, and planning for an upcoming Open House in the coming months.

April, as usual is always a busy month for us, and last month was no different! Our team spent time pushing back and organizing coalition responses to state bills that could negatively harm the environment here in coastal Marin; delivering a 4-day Point Reyes Birding and Nature Virtual Festival with over 24 webinars with speakers from Marin to Mexico and beyond; and participating in the public process for the California Coastal Commission's Federal Consistency Review of the Point Reyes National Seashore's General Management Plan Amendment. In fact, it was such a busy month, we are splitting our monthly recap e-newsletter into two issues this month, so we can share all the information with you.

The Point Reyes Birding and Nature Virtual Festival was a great success and so much fun! We will be sharing more information very soon with our community including a full recap, and access to the recordings of the events for folks who purchased video passes.

We are now changing gears and preparing for our summer season that includes our Open House at our new office space, kicking off our 50th anniversary celebrations, planning our membership meeting, hiring our summer interns, and launching our community volunteer programs. Details on our engagement events to follow in the coming weeks.

Thank you for your continued support, which allows us to continue to protect the places you love in coastal Marin County!

In gratitude,

P.S. Don't miss out on our limited edition John Muir Laws Owls of Point Reyes festival retail through May 2021! Choose from multiple adult and youth styles and colors of short or long-sleeved tees, tank tops, zip up hoodies, baby onesies and more! Plus there are tote bags, and posters too! This is a great way to support our mission, or give a gift with purpose for a loved one. Get yours today by visiting our store online!

MISSION

To protect and sustain the unique lands, waters, and biodiversity of West Marin. 
We achieve this goal through advocacy, education and engagement opportunities.

VISION

Our work strives to provide long-term protection and conservation of the unique ecosystems and rural communities of West Marin, and serves as a foundation of environmental protection for future generations.

EAC Granted Giving through Youth Award
Thank you to Julie Cassel's class at
West Marin Elementary School for honoring EAC with a student selected gift made possible through the West Marin Fund's Giving Through Youth Program. Our team enjoyed the class presentation and the excellent work by the students! Thank you to our future local advocates!

Coastal Commission Approves Seashore's Management Plan with New Conditions
By: EAC Lands Committee

The California Coastal Commission (CCC) reviewed the National Park Service’s (NPS) amendment to the Point Reyes National Seashore’s General Management Plan (GMPA) on Earth Day on April 22nd. EAC participated along with public officials and agencies, nonprofit organizations, and individuals that expressed serious concerns or support of the GMPA. 

The hearing kicked off with a CCC staff presentation of the GMPA submission for review and explanation of CCC staff recommendations. NPS followed with their perspective, goals, and objectives of the plan. Following the staff presentations, elected leadership spoke in support of the CCC Staff Report recommendations that included Congressman Jared Huffman, Marin County District 4 Supervisor Dennis Rodoni, California Assemblymember Mark Levine, and California Senator Mike McGuire. 

Following elected representatives, more than twenty organizations provided public testimony that was followed by hours of individual public comments that were dominated by concerns with the plans impacts to public lands, water quality, and tule elk management. Public comments lasted through the afternoon and were followed by deliberations, discussion, and questions by the CCC to NPS about the GMPA. The CCC focused on water quality concerns and the tule elk management plan. 

At the end of an almost 12 hour day, the CCC voted by a narrow margin (5 to 4) to approve the federal consistency plan after adding three new requirements for NPS.

Continue Reading

Support Our Seashore Beach Water Quality Sampling this Summer

We have kicked off our 2021 Recreational Beach Water Quality testing again this April at Drakes Estero, Drakes Beach and Limantour in partnership with the Point Reyes National Seashore and Surfrider.

However, We Need Your Help!

This critical testing is in place to protect the public from exposure to harmful levels of pathogens while participating in water-contact activities, such as swimming, wading and surfing, in all water bodies designated for such recreational uses. However due to a number of pandemic related setbacks, and changes this program requires additional funding above our current budget. We are asking for your support in two ways: 

1) We need volunteers to help collect samples of Escherichia coli (e-coli) and Enterococcus on a weekly basis. Volunteers will be trained by Morgan Patton. Requirements: Valid driver's license, vehicle, and ability to collect samples at least twice a month (Monday mornings from 8 am - 9 am). Sign up here if you are interested in helping to collect water quality samples, and we will contact you with more information. No experience required. We will train you using the Beach Report Card program techniques.

2) Support this vital testing program before July 31st with a special restricted donation above your annual membership! Our goal is to raise $5,500, which will help us cover the lab fees, equipment, and our volunteers' mileage expenses from April through October 31, 2021. No gift is too small, donate today and keep our beaches safe!

A big thanks to our donors in 2020 for funding last year's testing and efforts including Rudi Dundas, Darlene Ceremello & Jessea Greenman, Ron & Amanda Mallory, Deborah Moskowitz, Don Reinberg, Charles & Susan Savage, III.

EAC Supports the Next Generation of Environmental Advocates
By: Ariel Orr, EAC Legal & Policy Intern & Ashley Eagle-Gibbs

Every summer, we host incredible teams of students seeking to gain experience in environmental policy, law, advocacy, and education. During the pandemic, our internship program expanded, and we pivoted to host remote internships throughout the entire year.

We believe that providing these opportunities create lasting and meaningful impressions that help to foster the environmental stewards of the future.

This semester, we are fortunate to have hosted another excellent team of interns and wanted to share the experience of Ariel Orr, legal and policy intern, who had the opportunity to represent EAC before the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) and at Ocean Climate Day.

Consistent with EAC’s past actions, in February, Ariel spoke before OPC to support endorsement of the Top Ten Recommended Actions to Address Plastic Pollution in California’s Coastal and Marine Ecosystems and funding for Marine Protected Area (MPA) long-term monitoring and data analysis.

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Volunteer for Marin MPA Watch! 

By: Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook

We are excited to launch our Marine Protected Area (MPA) Watch Volunteer Training program again this summer!

MPA Watch is a network of programs that support healthy oceans through community science along the coast of California. MPA Watch trains volunteers to observe and collect data on human uses of coastal and marine resources both inside and outside of marine protected areas (MPAs). The collected data is used by resource managers to understand trends and help protect the sensitive habitats in MPAs.

Last year, we placed this program on hold due to the pandemic and are grateful to our team of volunteers who were able to continue to collect data at all of our beaches safely. Now with restrictions lifting, and a clearer understanding of how the virus is transmitted, we are ready to launch our summer training series again and build up our team of community science volunteers!

Starting in June we will be providing a series of training sessions at Limantour Beach, Corte Madera Marsh and Duxbury Reef. The trainings will be held in small groups and will include appropriate safety protocols. 

If you love walking on the beach and want to contribute to community science data, this is your program!

Learn More & RSVP for Training Today!

Take Action for 30x30!

By: Ariel Orr, EAC Legal and Policy Intern

EAC continues to be engaged in California’s efforts toward preserving 30% of its land and waters by 2030, also known as the 30x30 initiative.  The California Natural Resource Agency is hosting regional workshops throughout the state to receive input from the public about this initiative, and our Conservation Director, Ashley Eagle-Gibbs, attended the regional workshop for the San Francisco Bay Area on April 21^st.

Ashley was joined by fellow members of the California Blue Carbon Collaborative, as well as many other NGOs. The Blue Carbon Collaborative is a joint effort between organizations across California to advocate for and protect “blue carbon” aquatic ecosystems like seagrass beds and wetlands – these critical habitat areas are not only important for biodiversity, but they also capture a significant amount of carbon from the atmosphere and can help mitigate climate change. Ashley and other Blue Carbon Collaborative members were able to provide feedback to the state about prioritizing these key areas for the 30x30 initiative through a public polling format.

The Natural Resource Agency is still accepting input from the public regarding 30x30, and we invite you and your networks to share your thoughts by taking their brief survey by May 14th, which is available in multiple languages. To learn more about the 30x30 initiative, check out our March blog post.

Survey in English
Survey in Español

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