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From the Executive Director...
by Tom Cronin
Having lived and worked on the Peninsula for over 24 years, I've long admired the Committee's history,
reputation and influence in preserving open space in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. I'm honored and excited to be working with our professional staff, dedicated Board of Directors, devoted volunteers and committed members -- all fully engaged in the
pursuit of this organization's mission and vision we share for local open space. Your commitment to our work of protecting local lands, habitats and views is inspiring -- and the reason CGF has been a
successful organization for more than 42 years. Although I've
served as your Executive Director for just four months, I've been fortunate to meet many of you at the Committee's numerous and lively events. This April, it was my particular pleasure to join CGF members
on a hike to the spring flowers of Coyote Ridge, where docent
Stu Weiss explained the unlikely connection between the rare flora and fauna that share the land with the not-so-rare cows. An article
on page 12 describes this connection and our work to protect this area's serpentine soil habitats. Also in April, our new Board President Peter LaTourrette and fellow Director Sue (who happens also to be Peter's wife) hosted a gathering of our
Foothills Millennium Fund friends. It was a
special treat to meet many of the Committee's most generous supporters in the LaTourrettes' beautiful native garden. The very next month, we moved to a windy meadow in Pacifica, where CGF hosted our
Annual Members' Picnic at beautiful San
Pedro County Park. Our excellent docents led two fascinating hikes, and we all had a chance to see where the Devil's Slide tunnel will be located - a long-term CGF project that just may become a reality soon. May was crowned by the gala 90th birthday celebration for CGF's inspirational co-founder, Lois Crozier-Hogle. In the spirit
of leadership and passion for which she is known, Lois chose to use this special occasion as an opportunity to fundraise for CGF and two other favorite organizations,
Acterra and Hidden Villa.
The beautiful gardens at Hidden Villa, live music, organic local wines and the amazing family of celebrants were all a testament to the huge difference Lois has made for so many in our community. As her fellow
CGF co-founder Wallace Stegner said, "In
leading, and inciting and inspiring so many kinds of people over so many years, Lois has created more than just another environmental group. She has helped create a community of
like minds as well as a community of effort." We are all the richer for it. Happy birthday, Lois! The Committee's founders, staff, board and members form a
legacy of vigilance and effectiveness of which we should all be proud. This is illustrated by a decision in May
, when the San Mateo County Planning Commission approved the Devil's Slide Tunnel -- an inspiring story
of a persistent environmental group that battled the State of California Department of Transportation and prevailed after a 30-year struggle.
CGF began this battle in the 1970's, when a devastating inland bypass was proposed to replace the dangerous stretch of Highway One just south of Pacifica. In 1973, CGF won a lawsuit
requiring preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement, including a study of alternatives to this bypass. In 1996, we won the support of voters throughout San Mateo County when the
Devil's Slide Tunnel Initiative, Measure T, passed by a landslide. Caltrans expects to break ground on the tunnel by the end of the year, providing a safe, reliable, and permanent solution to the
geologically unstable Devil's Slide area while protecting the highly scenic McNee Ranch and Montara Mountain
. This kind of long-term vision and stick-to-it-iveness is a hallmark of Committee for Green Foothills
, and one of the reasons I was drawn to this position. I am honored to be working with our dedicated staff, Board of Directors, members and our various partners to protect and preserve open space in all its forms
throughout the Peninsula, Coastside and South Bay.
Published July 2004 in Green Footnotes
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Page last updated July 13, 2004 .
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