The Marin Conservation League is a environmental organization based in

Marin County, California Marin County is a County (United States), county located in the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 262,231. Its county seat and ...

History

The League, first called the Citizens Survey Committee, was founded in 1934 by four members of the Marin Garden Club: Caroline Sealy Livermore, Sepha Evers, Portia Forbes, and Helen Van Pelt. The

Golden Gate Bridge The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the strait connecting San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The structure links the U.S. city of San Francisco, California—the northern tip of the San Francisco Pen ...

was being built, and they worried about the increased automobile traffic and privatization of public land. Their stated goal was "to preserve, protect, and enhance the natural assets of Marin County for all people." Their early projects included working with the Tamalpais Conservation Club to add 531 acres to Mount Tamalpais State Park, helping to buy 54 acres at Drakes Bay Beach, raising $20,000 to buy a portion of

Stinson Beach Stinson Beach is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Marin County, California, on the west coast of the United States. Stinson Beach is located east-southeast of Bolinas, at an elevation of . The population of the St ...

, and aiding in the creation of

Samuel P. Taylor State Park Samuel P. Taylor State Park is a state park located in Marin County, California. It contains approximately of redwood forest and grassland. The park contains about of old-growth forest, some of which can be seen along the Pioneer Tree Trail ...

. In 1945, they helped obtain the land for the

Marin Art and Garden Center The Marin Art and Garden Center is a botanical garden in Ross, California. The site is 11 acres and features gardens and historic buildings, including the Barn Theater, which is home to theater company Ross Valley Players. Admission to the garden ...

. After World War II, the League also helped create Tomales Bay State Park, Angel Island State Park, Point Reyes National Seashore,

Olompali State Historic Park Olompali State Historic Park is a California State Park in Marin County, California. It is constituted of the former Rancho Olómpali and was the site of the famed Battle of Olómpali during the Bear Flag Revolt. Rancho Olómpali was purchased ...

, the

Marin County Open Space District The Marin County Department of Parks and Open Space, consisting of the Marin County Parks and Landscape Division and the Marin County Open Space District, is a parks governing body in Marin County, California overseen by the Marin County Board of S ...

, and the Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve. They also added land to

Muir Woods "Muir" is the Scots word for "moorland", and Scots Gaelic for "sea", and is the etymological origin of the surname and Clan Muir/Mure/Moore in Scotland and other parts of the world. Places United States * Muir, Willits, California, a former uninc ...

, prevented Bolinas Lagoon from being turned into a harbor, and stopped Richardson Bay from being filled in.

Notable members

* John Amsden Starkweather, professor, and his wife Jean Starkweather, who served as president 1993-1995 * Peter H. Behr, state senator

References

External links

Marin Conservation League website
Nature conservation organizations based in the United States Environmental organizations based in the San Francisco Bay Area Non-profit organizations based in California History of Marin County, California {{Environmental-org-stub