Dear RRI friends and supporters. You’re a hearty and loyal crew! Thank you for braving a cold and windy Saturday morning to remember our founder, friend, and mentor, Huey Johnson. For the fifth year in a row, the winter sun shone brightly as we gathered near the Marincello signage in Tennessee Valley.

We are deeply saddened to share the passing of Rob Caughlan—a longtime ally of the Resource Renewal Institute, first president of the Surfrider Foundation, and a tireless protector of the California coast.

Clean water protections nationwide are under threat. Earlier this week, RRI joined clean water, environmental justice, public health, and conservation organizations from across California in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to withdraw its newly proposed rule redefining “Waters of the United States.”

Like seeds planted in the soil, many of RRI’s long-term efforts—to restore damaged ecosystems, support farmers through transition, reform public policy, and build new models for climate resilience—have required persistence, care, and enduring partnerships. We’re excited to report that 2025 saw many of our programs take root and bear fruit.

Standing room only, and our first film night sold out! Thank you to everyone who joined us for an inspiring evening dedicated to mountain lion conservation. We screened Tailless: A Journey to Save Chile's Pumas by Daniel Dietrich and The Path of Puma-36 by Ami Bluestone, followed by a rich, insightful panel discussion on mountain lion behavior, habitat protection, and coexistence strategies here in Marin and around the world.

Written by Caspar von Alvensleben. “Over the past semester, I have interned with RRI, working on projects like social media management, website development, and broader digital media strategy.”

Public lands are more than landscapes; they carry the stories that shape our national identity. We have joined a coalition of over 100 organizations urging Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to rescind Secretarial Order 3431, deceptively titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.”

We at RRI are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend Malcolm Margolin. A brilliant publisher, master storyteller, and longtime ally, Malcolm’s connection to our founder, Huey Johnson, runs deep. Their friendship stretches back to when Huey awarded Malcolm a grant to write his very first book, sparking the extraordinary journey that became Heyday Books.

We’re raising a glass to Allison Jordan, a former RRI team member and one of Wine Industry Advisor’s Most Inspiring People in 2025! Allison’s leadership—as Executive Director of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and Vice President of Environmental Affairs at Wine Institute—exemplifies how conservation and agriculture can go hand in hand.

We have joined dozens of environmental, tribal, human rights, and conservation organizations in strong opposition to a new proposal in the House Committee on Homeland Security’s budget reconciliation package that would allocate $46.5 billion for border wall construction. If passed, this proposal would more than double the amount historically spent on walls and barriers—wasting billions of taxpayer dollars, destroying critical ecosystems, and violating the rights of communities living along the U.S.–Mexico border.

We are proud to join a broad coalition of public health, environmental justice, and community organizations in strong support of AB 794 (Gabriel)—a bill that would provide urgently needed protections from PFAS, the toxic “forever chemicals” that continue to contaminate drinking water for millions of Californians. Access to clean, safe drinking water is not just essential to life—it’s a basic human right. AB 794 reaffirms this principle by requiring the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to adopt enforceable limits for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in California drinking water.

We’ve joined dozens of animal welfare, environmental, and tribal advocacy organizations in formally opposing Assembly Bill 1038—a bill that threatens to undo one of California’s most significant wildlife protections by reinstating the inhumane practice of hounding bears.

The sun shined brightly on our gathering to honor our founder, friend and mentor, Huey Johnson. January 6, 2025, would have been Huey’s 92nd birthday, and we took the opportunity to reflect on his remarkable life and contributions that guide our path every day.

As we approach our40th anniversary, the RRI team is filled with pride and gratitude for the incredible journey we have undertaken together. When Huey founded his fledgling “think and do” tank in 1985, he had already built an astonishing record of environmental accomplishments.  One of these achievements—saving the Marin Headlands—was honored this year by the National Park Service (NPS).

RRI joins a coalition of 132 organizations calling on Congress to pass emergency funding for communities devastated by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The November 2024 letter requests over $44 billion in disaster relief and infrastructure resilience funding while advocating for policy changes to strengthen federal disaster response capabilities.

46 Bay Area environmental organizations have united to urge San Francisco officials to drop a lawsuit against the EPA, scheduled for Supreme Court hearing on October 16, 2024. The lawsuit challenges EPA's authority under the Clean Water Act, potentially undermining nationwide water protection efforts.

RRI and a coalition of over 50 conservation organizations sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom and key California legislators strongly opposing the proposed reversion of $45 million in General Funds from the Habitat Conservation Fund (HCF) back to the General Fund.

On May 9, 2024, the Resource Renewal Institute joined over 100 environmental organizations urging Governor Newsom’s administration to proceed with funding the projects scheduled for the May 23rd Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) meeting despite potential budget cuts.

On May 6th, 2024, the Resource Renewal Institute (RRI) and over 400 organizations signed an open letter urging President Biden to declare a national climate emergency and take swift, transformative action to address the climate crisis.

We loved seeing you at the third annual Huey Johnson Legacy Walk. Thank you for being part of this wonderful tradition. Brilliant blue skies welcomed us back to Tennessee Valley on January 7 to remember and honor Huey Johnson on what would have been the day after his 91st birthday.