Over the past year, we’ve had to curtail our group stewardship activities, but our board has been busy on other fronts. Recently, we met with the general manager of the Claremont Resort and Spa and were assured a spacious conference room for our annual meeting in November, if all goes well. While our Zoom meeting last fall was a success, we look forward to seeing everyone in person. In addition, the hotel, along with PG&E, plans to continue to manage hazardous trees on the back of its property for fire safety and better egress
The Conservancy continues to work with the University of California to further reduce wildfire danger in their Hill Campus, which includes Strawberry and Claremont canyons. As of this writing, we are scheduling meetings with UC to resolve our differences and avoid going to trial over their Vegetative Fuel Management Plan, which was signed off by the Chancellor in February. (Not to be confused with UC’s smaller, Evacuation Improvement Project, which was successfully completed last winter). We would like UC to recognize the impacts of climate change and therefore expand their vegetation management work beyond what is specified in their Plan and Environmental Impact Report. Wind speeds, temperatures, drought, and dying trees are all greater than recognized by the Plan; therefore, the wildfire danger is higher and requires more work. Our suit became necessary because a group who wants UC to do even less mitigation has brought a lawsuit of its own.
The Conservancy also is working with friends and allies in Oakland and elsewhere in the East Bay Hills. We continue to monitor the City of Oakland’s vegetation management plan and are working with City Council members Dan Kalb and Sheng Thao to strengthen it. We continue to play a leadership role in building a Joint Powers Agency for coordinated wildfire prevention in the East Bay Hills. On that front, we now have a coalition of elected officials in addition to neighborhood organizations. Formal steps to enact a JPA will begin shortly.
In the past year we have welcomed three new board members, Chris Lehman, Michael Mensik and Dillon Hanson, each adding important, complementary skills to our board. I am so proud, as we approach our 20th anniversary, that the Conservancy continues to grow and be supported by so many of you, our members and the readers of this newsletter. Our ability to advance our work depends on both your financial support and your volunteer efforts. Thank you all for everything you do.
