Much like Dr Seuss’s Lorax, the Sierra Club “speaks for the trees,” (in the figurative sense, of course). Not just a nature appreciation group, the Sierra Club is an example of a holistic approach to conservation, marrying a love of nature with the verve of activism. Since its founding in 1892, the Sierra Club has continued to echo the famous sentiments of founder John Muir: “Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.” And these outings are key to the passion of Sierra Club members. Sierra Club encourages members to regularly commune with their surrounds; this in turn ignites and deepens the protective urge.
The Sierra Club has chapters established in all 50 states. Here in Northern California we benefit from the good work of the Mother Lode Chapter, founded in December 1939. According to Terry Davis, Mother Lode’s Conservation Program Director, the chapter currently covers 24 counties from the northern border of Yosemite National Park to the Oregon border, with 19,000 members in 11 local clubs (of which the Mother Lode Chapter is the umbrella).
Sierra Club member activities come under two headings: outings and conservation.
Outings are generally free and open to members and the general public. Says Davis, outings are “part of our mission to explore, enjoy and protect the planet." They include a wide variety of day hikes, camping trips, backpacking and activities designed to immerse members in the wilderness and encourage the kind of communing that will, as mentioned, deepen the protective urge.
Conservation means becoming involved on a grassroots level and includes (but is not limited to) public education, meeting with city and county officials, writing letters to newspapers and decision makers, and participating in public meetings, according to Davis.
In the Sacramento area, the Mother Lode Chapter is currently working to raise awareness on a number of key issues. One is “Cool Cities”. As Davis explains, “Cities can take the first step to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by signing the Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement. In doing so, they agree to aim for compact and walkable communities, to replace high-emission municipal vehicles, and to emphasize energy efficiency in building codes and in city facilities. We have already spearheaded successful efforts to get a few cities to sign the Mayor’s Agreement, but we have just scratched the surface.” (Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo has signed the agreement.)
Growth is another local area of concern. Across California, and noticeably here in Sacramento and Folsom, urban sprawl is increasing at a breakneck pace. Many Sierra Club chapter counties have now embarked on Habitat Conservation plans. Notes Davis, ”Sierra Club activists are working to make sure these plans offer real protection for wildlife habitat and agricultural land.” Sierra Club is also advocating for smart growth, he adds. “In our chapter, Sacramento and Stockton are both updating their General Plans along with several counties. These plans will determine the next 20 years of growth. We are attending public hearings, writing comment letters and alerting the public about the risks of automobile-based sprawl development,” Davis says.
Actively volunteering with the Sierra Club has its rewards, and according to Davis, the “wins” are far-reaching. Here are just a few examples: The Mother Lode Chapter has successfully curbed pollution from “mega-dairies”, campaigning to stop pollution in the Central Valley; they prevented the Creeks Timber Sale in Lassen National Forest, which would have logged 10,000 acres of old growth forest and threatened the survival of the California spotted owl and the American marten; they stopped privatization of Stockton’s water supply to prevent the threat of potential environmental harm; and they led the effort to get the North Coast Wilderness Bill passed by Congress, protecting the 27,000-acre Cache Creek Wilderness, as well as granting Wild and Scenic River protection to Cache Creek, prohibiting new dams and water diversions.
As you can probably tell from the nature of this unique organization, the Sierra Club is reliant on not just simple memberships or donations, but volunteers to provide the groundswell of support for Sierra Club initiatives. Says Davis, “Having many active volunteers involved in their communities is absolutely the most important thing. Memberships and donations help us to get our local activists the resources and support that they need to be effective.”
In 1892, when John Muir formed the Sierra Club, its statement of purpose was to “explore, enjoy, and render accessible.” As the world moved on, it became a lot smaller, and the Sierra Club’s purpose has since been revised to “explore, enjoy and protect." And with growing interest in issues like global warming and sustainability, protect they shall. Because without the Sierra Club, who speaks for the trees?
The final word goes to Davis and Renny Russell:
“Not to escape from but to escape to; not to forget but to remember. We’ve been taking care of ourselves in places where it really matters. The next step is to take care of the places that really matter.” (“On The Loose” Sierra Club, 1967)
For more information or to join, contact the Mother Lode Chapter Sierra Club, 1414 K Street, Suite 500, Sacramento, 916-557-1100 ext 119, or online at
motherlode.sierraclub.org.
