It is with great sadness to report that veteran Claremont Canyon Conservancy co-founder Joseph H. Engbeck Jr. passed away on March 22, departing peacefully in his home after a lengthy illness. For many years Joe served as the Conservancy’s vice president and later as a member of our Advisory Board. Joe wrote extensively about the history of California and the American West, most recently in his incredible, 600-page tome, "Saving the Redwoods, The Movement to Rescue a Wonder of the Natural World" released in 2019.
Joe was actively involved in many environmental movements since the 1960s, including Save the Redwoods League, Save the Bay, the California Historical Society, and People for Open Space. He was editor of the State Park System's publications program and cofounder of the Claremont-Elmwood Neighborhood Association. Along with Afton Crooks, Joe organized the Friends of Claremont Canyon, a grassroots organization formed in 1972 to halt development and create a permanent open space preserve. The Friends of Claremont Canyon later merged with the Claremont Canyon Conservancy in 2001. Rest in peace dear Joe.
More on Joe’s life can be found here.
