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.

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.

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.”

Despite strong opposition, California has become the first state to adopt a proactive approach to protect imperiled biodiversity amid federal rollbacks. With Governor Newsom's signature on AB 1319, threatened and endangered species in California will stay protected—even if federal safeguards are weakened or eliminated. This is more than just policy; it's a promise to the species that call California home and to the communities that depend on healthy ecosystems.

Governor Newsom signed into law AB 1056 by Assemblymember Steve Bennett (D-Ventura). The bill—sponsored by Oceana and Resource Renewal Institute (RRI)—protects ocean biodiversity off California’s shores by phasing out the use of set gillnets—mile-long nets anchored to the seafloor to catch California halibut and white sea bass. By removing this gear, the law will protect more than 100 different ocean animals that become entangled in these nearly invisible nets.

Two last-minute “trailer bills” expected to fast-track the Delta Conveyance Project and weaken public review of the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan were stopped in their tracks. These measures would have sidelined Tribes, erased environmental protections, and given a blank check to corporate water contractors.

We’re thrilled to share that on August 28th, the California Wildlife Conservation Board unanimously awarded a $2.7 million grant to support the next phase of ecological restoration at Point Reyes National Seashore—one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, home to more than 100 threatened, rare, and endangered species, and a destination for over two million visitors each year.

Last week, we joined advocates at the Capitol for Lobby Day to stand against two budget bills that put California’s water and ecosystems at risk, while disempowering communities and weakening long-standing environmental protections.

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.

Last week, our Director of Advocacy, Scott Webb, joined over 100 advocates at the State Capitol for a full day of legislative action with the Green California Network. We met policymakers, amplified environmental priorities, and advocated for our ocean, communities, and climate.

This summer, I had the opportunity to join RRI as a communication intern through an Environmental Policy, Communication, and Research Internship course. I mainly participated in learning about RRI’s various works on initiatives like California’s Pathways to 30x30, which connects ecological goals with community action.

The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board has unanimously adopted the 2025 Conditional Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements for Grazing Operations* in the North San Francisco Bay Region. The updated Conditional Waiver permitting program not only renews existing protections for the Tomales Bay, Sonoma Creek, and Napa River watersheds, it also adds 88,000 acres of grazed lands—extending regulatory oversight to western Point Reyes National Seashore and the Petaluma River watershed for the first time.

Every five years, the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board reviews and updates the Conditional Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements for Grazing Operations in the Tomales Bay Watershed (Grazing Waiver)—a critical policy that protects water quality while supporting sustainable ranching practices.

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.

Leaders of the Legislative Delta Caucus and statewide organizations stood united together today during a press conference to denounce Governor Newsom’s budget proposal to fast-track the Delta Tunnel Project and encourage fellow legislators to oppose any plan to accelerate construction of the $20 billion-plus, destructive tunnel. The project is receiving widespread opposition from leaders throughout the state, especially those in the Delta whose 4 million residents would be most directly impacted. Here’s what they are saying:

The Power in Nature Coalition released the following statements regarding Governor Newsom’s revised 2025-2026 budget revision.

Please join us for Power in Nature’s upcoming webinar, Elk on the North Coast, this Monday, May 19, at 2:00 PM.

Hear from Carrington Hilson, Elk Research Biologist with California Department of Fish & Wildlife, and Chance Cutrano, our Director of Programs and co-lead for Power in Nature’s Bay Area Region.

This month, we joined dozens of environmental, agricultural, public health, and tribal organizations across the state in calling on Governor Newsom and the California Legislature to prioritize nature-based solutions in the state’s climate investment strategy. In a letter addressed to state leaders, we urged a significant and sustained allocation of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) revenues to California’s natural, working, and urban lands—landscapes that are among the state’s most powerful yet underfunded tools in the fight against climate change.

Resource Renewal Institute and Oceana are joining forces to co-sponsor a state assembly bill that will bring greater protection to coastal marine wildlife.