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From the Executive Director...
by Tom Cronin
One of the things that continues to amaze me about
Committee for Green Foothills is the strength of our community. Two hallmarks of the CGF community are continuity and persistence. Since our organization has been around for some
42 years now, we are all accustomed to enjoying the results of our predecessors' hard work. We have them to thank for our
beautiful foothill vistas and stunning coastside landscapes -- and good zoning regulations and open space districts that will help protect them.
Land use advocacy is by nature an exercise in long-term planning. We're fortunate to have a community of dedicated activists who
work tirelessly for the duration. Recently we've seen two particularly long-term projects come to conclusion, something we find particularly satisfying.
Our long-running battle to support an environmentally sound solution at Devil's Slide is reaching a conclusion
; the California Coastal Commission resolved two outstanding appeals on that project recently. In the words of our
San Mateo County Advocate, Lennie Roberts, 'Yippee!' Lennie and CGF have worked on this project for more than three decades now, and we
eagerly await the tunnel groundbreaking next spring. Another big, historic win
came in September when the San Mateo County Local Agency Formation Commission issued a Certificate of Completion for the annexation of the coastal area into the
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD). CGF was instrumental in helping to found MROSD in 1972, and we are thrilled that the district now has the opportunity to purchase and protect lands on the Coast for the public to enjoy.
Neither of these results would have happened without the unrelenting work of CGF's staff, board and supporters
to protect and preserve open space in our region. Our community is also known for being collaborative. We work closely with other like-minded environmental groups to ensure
that we have all the bases covered-and that we collaborate when it's helpful. For example, Committee for Green Foothills has worked closely with the
Sierra Club, Audubon Society and
Greenbelt Alliance to develop a joint position on the housing/jobs imbalance and a plan to preserve working farms in Coyote Valley. Together, we wrote to the City of San Jose and the Coyote Valley Task Force
to express our shared concerns. By collaborating, we can amplify our voice so that it can reach and influence decision-makers in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.
Speaking of voices, we've just developed a new way to communicate: a weblog
(blog) on our website. We hope to start a dialogue with you and other area residents and activists on a variety of open space topics. Check out our blog at
www.GreenFoothills.org/blog, and share your thoughts with us. As much as we like technology, there is just no substitute for
community live and in person. More than 300 of you joined us in October to celebrate the arts at our
Nature's Inspirations event - a truly inspiring exhibition
by twelve talented painters.
An event of this magnitude is possible only with a strong community. Thanks to our board, sponsors
, event committee, staff, volunteers, artists and attendees who made the event successful.
And, of course, the CGF community is also incredibly supportive. As we approach the end of 2004, our annual year-end campaign is in full swing. This is the time of year when we ask
everyone in our community to support the Committee for Green Foothills
. Because CGF is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, all of your donations are tax-deductible.
CGF is proud of its 42-year history of regional grassroots
environmental activism supported by a strong base of donors. Individuals like you provide well over 85% of our operating funds, for which we are deeply grateful.
Together, we have many more opportunities to protect and preserve open space and natural areas on the Peninsula, Coast, and South Bay. We are excited about our recent successes, and
look forward to many more with your continued support of the Committee.
Published November 2004 in
Green Footnotes.
Page last updated November 4, 2004 .
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