Mark Massara
Sierra Club Director of Coastal Programs

Think about the beautiful coast in our Redwood Chapter. We enjoy a full third of California's coast and the majority of the state's wild forests and open space. And while it is true that we still face many coastal threats, we are free from the kind of shoulder-to-shoulder overdevelopment you see elsewhere. How have we escaped rows of high priced resorts and luxury condos built inches away from our coastal bluffs? The short answer is, thanks to you.

The slightly longer answer is that thirty years ago coastal activists grew tired of watching our coast damaged by irresponsible development and decided to take action. They worked to pass Proposition 20 which became the Coastal Act and created the California Coastal Commission to uphold this new law.

Our northern coastline has benefited endlessly from this Commission. They stopped a wild proposal to take bags of water the size of football fields from the Gualala and Albion rivers and sell them hundreds of miles away. They protected threatened shorebirds like the snowy plover by preventing off-highway vehicles from racing along Humboldt's South Spit.

From protecting water quality and halting wetlands degradation on Humboldt Bay to stopping celebrity mansions and protecting trails from coastal erosion in Sonoma to safeguarding scenic view sheds in Mendocino, the Commission and its staff have with countless decisions protected our coastal legacy for future generations.

Fortunately, I subscribe to the old Sierra Club saying that the only thing that beats organized money is organized people. The people of California created the Coastal Commission because we wanted to ensure that our threatened coast was protected for future generations. Sierra Club activists continue to honor this great tradition. We all can take small but significant actions that truly protect our coast.

A few options:

• You could join Great Coastal Places, Sierra Club's statewide network of 5,000 coastal advocates from Eureka to San Diego. I will keep you informed of important opportunities to take action and provide simple ways for you to get involved.
• You could attend a Coastal Commission Hearing! Come and listed or come to speak. Strong community involvement can make an enormous impact on decision makers. Hearings take place in a different coastal city every month. You can see the schedule and learn what issues will be discussed by visiting www.coastal.ca.gov/.
• You can write or call your public officials and let them know that the Coastal Commission and our coast must be protected. Don't worry about writing the perfect letter, just write. You'd be amazed by what a strong impact you can make.
• We all can do something. Remember, we only have one coast. Join me and let's make sure that our children and our children's children will be able to enjoy the Redwood Chapter's great coastal places.