Ventura Sierra Club

News release from LP National Forest; the just released Condor Call newsletter did not have this info when it went to press Dec. 1. So consider this an update. ...Los Padres National Forest closes developed campgrounds thru January 6 SOLVANG, Calif. The USDA Pacific Southwest Region has issued a Regional Order that prohibits overnight camping in developed campgrounds in Los Padres National Forest and four other Southern California national forests. This Regional Order will be in effect December 8 through January 6, 2021. The purpose of the Regional Order is to protect visitors and U.S. Forest Service employees by reducing potential exposure to COVID-19 and mitigating any further burden on our emergency responders and healthcare facilities. Current projections show that without additional steps to slow the spread of coronavirus, the number of available adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds in California will reach capacity by mid-December. As California along with the rest of the nation continues to experience an unprecedented surge in new COVID-19 cases, the rate of new increases threatens to overwhelm the state’s hospital system. In response, the state on December 3 issued a Regional Stay-at-Home Order for areas where the number of adult ICU beds has fallen below 15 percent of capacity. The U.S. Forest Service’s Regional Order aligns with California’s December 3 Order that prohibits overnight stays at campgrounds while permitting the continued operation of outdoor recreation facilities in these areas. Developed day use areas as well as hiking, dispersed camping and Off Highway Vehicle trails will remain open for use in Los Padres National Forest. Visitors who have existing reservations at Los Padres National Forest concessionaire-managed campgrounds are encouraged to contact Parks Management Company or Recreation.gov to reschedule their visit or request a refund. We encourage visitors to be familiar with and follow current federal and state guidelines for responsible recreation activities on public lands. Please keep health, safety and natural resources in mind when visiting Los Padres National Forest. Together, our personal responsibility will help to ensure public safety and prevent further restrictions. Additional public information is available at Los Padres National Forest’s public website.

La fiesta de fin de año del Club Sierra de Los Padres en linea se transmitirá simultáneamente en español. The Sierra Club Los Padres Holiday Party will be simulcast in Spanish.

Join us this Saturday evening for a fun, online celebration. Awards for best nature and hike photos, send them to [email protected]

Join us this Saturday evening for a fun online holiday celebration! Send your outdoor photos [email protected] and win awards!

Well, well, there's always a way around regulations or bending them. Sierra Club's Katie Davis (chair of our Los Padres Chapter) is quoted in this groundbreaking story. Read it and weep.

You’ve heard of the John Muir Trail, but have you heard of the High Sierra Trail? Here’s a fun film about it.

Worth the read! Join the club, we are happening!

Great cover photo by Pete Scrifres

This Thursday, July 23, at 9:30 am, Our Congresswoman Julia Brownley is doing a presentation on the House report on the Climate Crisis. You can participate by ...registering This Thursday’s Climate Roundtable, Solving the Climate Crisis, with with Rep. Brownley will focus on the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis’ report that was released on June 30. It includes recommendations on how to transition our country to clean energy, while focusing on economic and racial justice, creating clean energy jobs, and building resiliency. This event is hosted by California Interfaith Power & Light and Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Oxnard. Constituents of Brownley's 26th federal district will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide comments about federal legislation linked to the report, ways in which to advocate for passage of strong legislation, and ways in which to integrate the recommendations in houses of worship and local governments, especially those that are already active. Speakers/Format: Allis Druffel, opening remarks on strength of faith community in climate action Bryant Baker, Los Padres Forest Watch Rev. Nancy Switzler, Pastor, Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer Rep. Brownley, Congress Member 26th District and member os the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Questions and Answers Next Steps Details: Date: This Thursday, July 23 Time: 9:30am - 10:30am Pacific time RSVP HERE:: bit.ly/ClimateReportBrownley.

... And such grassroots victories are happening in our chapter's region covering Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Please help us work toward a better and cleaner future by becoming a member or donating or both! We do ... and we're your neighbors.

! URGENT! Sign up by 3:30 today to comment during the Planning Commission hearing on the Ventura County General Plan. Speak about the health benefits of getting rid of gas stoves, especially for low income communities of color who are more vulnerable to Covid-19 .The price of natural gas is forecast to rise more than electricity. All-electric homes lower building and operating costs, create jobs with union-comparable pay AND protect safety of residents, especially children. We need people showing up to tell the truth! REGISTER NOW: https://us02web.zoom.us//register/WN_zzeriBKbTAyH7fE5mjbjPQ

Nice to see the scores of ‘bikability’ and a little extra shout out to city of Ventura from PeopleForBikes.org . Take a look at the details on their website for how the scores are computed. The HIGHEST ANYWHERE was 3.5, where do you guess that is? (Hint: not LA).

CONDOR CALL is OUT ... ... and ABOUT: getting oil out, renewables in, under cover of Covid, above climate watch, a better normal, trail fun, ocean adventures, t...hanks to our donors, Sierra Club support for Black Lives Matter and so much more. A mighty good read. here: https://tinyurl.com/CondorCallJuneJuly2020 See more

Do you know what this is? It's part of the importance of Ormond Beach, a shore bird and wetland habitat. The future restoration of Ormond has been a 25 year + process and everyone in the Vta Sierra Club area will benefit if it is done well. Get some insight from intelligent and constructive public input made last year quoted in these comments. Then get the entire text of public comments by asking city planner [email protected] (art: Acacia Danza)

Ventura Land Trust and Sierra Club are working parallel to make Ventura a better place with more opportunities for outdoor recreation, watershed and wildlife protection, etc!