Part Of The Whole

by Doug Strong

Conservation of natural resources and the environment attracts the interest of many individuals and organizations in Mendocino County. Some of the groups, such as Sierra Club and Audubon Society, had their origins many years ago; others have developed more recently, frequently in response to environmental concerns over specific site locations (e.g., Friends of the Navarro River Watershed).

The diversity of these organizations reflects a vibrant, committed environmental constituency with a broad range of interests and levels of involvement. Environmental centers in Ukiah, Willits and the Mendocino Coast serve as focal points and provide a coordinating function for many of these groups and individuals.

In recent months several persons have suggested that the role of environmental centers could be enhanced by conducting meetings, perhaps on a quarterly basis, of representatives of environmental groups and interested citizens to promote awareness of environmental causes and issues.

On November 6th, at the invitation of Ginny Oesterle representing the local chapter, the Audubon Society sponsored a meeting of Mendocino County environmentalists at Jughandle State Reserve on the Mendocino Coast. The event attracted in excess of fifty persons and allowed those interested in networking around environmental issues to become better acquainted.

Nearly a year ago a meeting of the Audubon Society, California Native Plant Society, and Sierra Club was held at the Public Library in Ukiah. Representatives from the groups attending informed participants of the major issues with which they were concerned.

I found the meeting very useful and informative. If readers of the MEC Newsletter support closer collaboration and information sharing between environmentalists through regularly scheduled meetings, please let us know.

Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2004
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited


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