Save The Bay Executive Director David Lewis received the Jean Auer Environmental Award this month for his “significant contribution toward improving environmental quality in the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary.” The San Francisco Estuary Partnership presents the award to an outstanding individual every two years at the State of the Estuary Conference. Past winners include Save The Bay co-founder Sylvia McLaughlin.
Presenting the award to David, previous winner Peter Baye described Save The Bay’s impact under David’s leadership, including successful campaigns to mobilize partners and reduce water pollution, restore thousands of acres of wetlands, win legal protections for the environment, and increase public funding for the Bay. Save The Bay’s advocacy helped launch the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, pass Measure AA to fund wetland restoration, establish the EPA’s San Francisco Bay Program, reduce trash flowing into the Bay, and accelerate sea level rise planning by shoreline cities. The organization has enlisted tens of thousands of volunteers to establish shoreline habitat for wildlife, and educated generations of Bay Area students to be stewards of the Bay’s ecology.
Now in his 27th year as Executive Director, David says the award “is a tribute to the hard work of many people over decades. Hundreds of Save The Bay staff and Board directors have worked for us. Tens of thousands of volunteers have labored with us on the shoreline and lobbied for big improvements in the Bay. Federal, state, and local decision-makers collaborated with us to make progress. And many generous supporters gave us resources, wisdom and power to protect and restore the Bay.”
David praised Save The Bay’s founders who persevered against the odds to build a movement that saved the Bay from destruction in the 1960s, motivated by beauty that mobilized the region to action:
“Their example should inspire us to protect the Bay from climate change and pollution. Let’s summon that same chutzpah, open our eyes to the incredible natural beauty around us and share that beauty with all the people who take it for granted. Let’s enlist them to join together to protect this great natural treasure.”
Read more about the Jean Auer Environmental Award and meet past winners here.
