Mission Statement:

The six Northern California chapters of The Garden Club of America (GCA) have formed the Bay Visions to work together toward the protection and restoration of our defining bays and estuaries. Consistent with the purpose of GCA, Bay Visions works with and educates its members and their communities on the bays’ critical importance to the environment. The Committee supports diverse, ongoing conservation efforts to protect and improve the bays and estuaries of Northern California.

Proposed Structure:

The Bay Visions Committee consists of two members from each of the six Northern California clubs, from whom are chosen a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Secretary. In addition, the Committee invites participation from the GCA Conservation Partners for Plants Vice Chair, the GCA Zone XII (western district) Conservation/National Affairs and Legislation Representative, the GCA Zone XII Horticulture Representative, and the GCA 2018 Annual Meeting Co-Chair.

The Committee meets four times per year or as needed. The six area clubs - Carmel-by-the-Sea Garden Club (GC), Hillsborough GC, Marin GC, Orinda GC, Piedmont GC, and Woodside-Atherton GC –will come together to study, share, encourage, and celebrate successful restoration efforts. In meetings of the full memberships of the six area clubs, such as the one January 20, 2016, will provide deep background and education regarding plans for continuing bay restoration. The format, content, frequency, timing and location of such gatherings of the full membership of the six Northern California clubs will be determined by the Committee, in conjunction with the Program from each participating GCA clubs.

The Garden Club of America’s Partners for Plants (P4P) restoration projects in Northern California support these conservation and education efforts. Each club’s efforts for bay restoration will be supported and encouraged by the Committee with the view to sharing ideas and strengthening commitment to and effectiveness of joint actions.

The work of the Committee will reflect the theme of the Garden Club’s 2018 Annual meeting, “How the West Is One”. By joining all six clubs in a united effort to restore these vital bodies of water, GCA will demonstrate the power of One.

Our goal is to reach the tipping point for a viable ecosystem in the San Francisco Estuary of 100,000 restored acres of wetlands that would enable the restoration of a life giving out flow of fish and nutrients to the Pacific Ocean that depends on the watershed from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We will take in to account the effects of increased water levels, climate change and surge effects in our efforts to support and protect our environment.