BAY AREA COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

This list has been compiled by Library staff as a representative sample of mostly non-profit organizations around the San Francisco Bay Area. These groups are actively working towards education and conservation. Please contact them directly to get involved. To have your group reviewed for listing please send complete information to biodiversity@calacademy.org

A | B | C-D | E | F | G-H | I-L | M-R | S | T-Z

Abalone Alliance The Abalone Alliance has been working since 1977 to promote non-nuclear renewable energy sources in California.
2940 16th Street #310, San Francisco 94103. 415.861.0592. www.sfo.com/~rherried/

Animal Care and Control, City of San Francisco
The San Francisco Department of Animal Care and Control is responsible for the community's lost, abandoned, injured, and neglected animals.
1200 15thStreet, San Francisco 94103. 415.554.6364. www.ci.sf.ca.us/acc/index.htm

Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)
The Bay Area Air Quality Plan to meet federal mandates was formally adopted in 1982.
Recent activities have focused on plan implementation and progress towards attainment of federal air quality standards.
P.O. Box 2050, Oakland CA 94604. 510.464.9000. www.abag.ca.gov/planning/baasd/

Bay Area Air Quality Management District
The BAAQMD (District) is the regional, government agency that regulates sources of air pollution within the nine San Francisco Bay Area Counties.
939 Ellis Street, San Francisco 94109. 415.771.6000. www.baaqmd.gov/

Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters (BACH)
BACH is a coalition group comprised of individuals concerned about the Headwaters Forest as well as members from Bay Area organizations. It operates through the Ecology Center of Berkeley.
2530 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley 94702. 510.835.6303. www.HeadwatersForest.org/

BayKeeper/DeltaKeeper
BayKeeper's purpose is to protect, preserve and enhance the resources and health of the ecosystems and communities in the San Francisco Bay Delta Region.
Presidio Bldg. 1004, Post Office Box 29921, San Francisco 94129. 415.561.2299. www.Sfbaykeeper.org.

Bay Area Permaculture Guild
Originally a contraction of 'permanent agriculture,' Permaculture designs and nurtures agriculturally productive ecosystems which have the stability, diversity, and resilience of natural ecosystems. The intention of the Bay Area Permaculture Guild is to disseminate information.
P.O.B 9696, San Rafael 94912. 415.761.8220. www.nbn.com/~bapg/

The Bay Institute of San Francisco
The Institute's mission is to protect and restore the ecosystems of San Francisco Bay, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and the rivers, streams, and watersheds tributary to the estuary.
55 Shaver Street, San Raphael 94901. 415.721.7680. www.bay.org/

BayPeds
As an advocate for Bay Area pedestrians at the regional and local levels, the groups goal is to set an agenda for pedestrian action.
6239 Racine Street, Oakland 94609. 510.540.6509. www.baypeds.org

California Coastal Commission
Their mission is to regulate development in the coastal zone consistent with the policies of the California Coastal Act: public access to the coast, coastal recreation, the marine environment, coastal land resources, and coastal development .
45 Fremont Street, San Francisco 94105. 415.904.5200. www.coastal.ca.gov/web/

The California League of Conservation Voters
The League mobilizes California voters to support environmentally responsible candidates and issues, and serves as a watchdog to hold elected officials accountable to the environmental agenda.
1212 Broadway, Oakland 94612. 510.271.0900. www.ecovote.org

California Native Plant Society
The mission of the CNPS is to increase understanding and appreciation of California's native plants, and to preserve them in their natural habitat through scientific activities, education, and conservation.
1722 J Street, Sacramento CA 95814. 916.447.2677. www.cnps.org

California ReLeaf
California ReLeaf's mission is to expand, enhance and preserve urban and community forests in California in order to make our communities more livable, and to connect people to the land and to each other.
c/o The Trust for Public Land, 116 New Montgomery, San Francisco 94105 415.495.5660. www.capweb.com/tpl/re_leaf1.html

City and County of San Francisco - Department of the Environment
The Department of the Environment was created by the new City Charter, which was passed by the voters in the November 1995 election. It is currently setting up its environmental programs, and in addition is responsible for overseeing plans for the city's long-term environmental sustainability and for educating the public on environmental issues.
1540 Market St. Suite 160, San Francisco, CA 94102 415.554.6390. www.ci.sf.ca.us/environment/

Clean Water Action
Clean Water Action is a national citizens' organization working for clean, safe water, and for the prevention of health threatening pollution.
23 Grant Avenue, 3rd Floor, San Francisco 94108. 415.362.3040. www.cleanwateraction.org

Coastal Conservancy
This state agency, funded by various state wildlife bonds, works with local government, non-profit organizations and landowners to, protect, preserve and restore the resources of the California Coast. It also funds the Bay Trail.
1330 Broadway #1100, Oakland 94612. 510.286.0470. www.coastalconservancy.ca.gov/

The Consultative Group on Biological Diversity
A grant writers' forum that seeks to focus attention on issues and program opportunities related to the conservation and restoration of biological resources; comprised of 42 foundations and the U.S. Agency for International Development; not a grantmaking organization.
Presidio Building 1016, Post Office Box 29361, San Francisco 94129. 415.561.6575. www.cgbd.org

Earth Island Institute
Provides organizational support in developing projects for the conservation, preservation, and restoration of the global environment.
300 Broadway #28, San Francisco 94133. 415.788.3666. www.earthisland.org

Energy Foundation
Assists in the nation's transition to a sustainable energy future by promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy. It functions primarily as a grant-maker, but when it determines there is an unmet need in the field, it may convene workshops, commission papers, or take other direct initiatives.
P.O.B. 29905, San Francisco 94129. 415.561.6700. www.ef.org

Estuary Action Challenge
Empowers San Francisco Bay Area school communities to explore, clean-up and restore creek and bay habitats, reduce pollution and make safe choices about consuming food from the Bay.
1771 Alcatraz Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703. 510.985.1602. www.earthisland.org/eac/

The Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association
FMSA's goals include: aiding the Sanctuary in its research efforts; increasing public awareness of the Sanctuary and its resources; fostering coordination among agencies and organizations that affect the sanctuary;developing, in conjunction with the Sanctuary, an exceptional education program. The Presidio, P.O. Box 29386, San Francisco 94129. 415.561.6616 www.farallones.org

Friends of Glen Canyon Restoration Team
The Friends of Glen Canyon Restoration Team is a small group of volunteers who work in the natural areas of the canyon doing habitat restoration.
Richard Craib 415.648.0862 or Jean Conner 415.584.8576.
www.sustainable-city.org/orgs/fogcrt.htm

Friends of Islais Creek
This is a citizens' group working to restore the last remaining waterway in San Francisco, from its origin in Glen Canyon Park to its outlet, near Army Street, where the group has recently established a public park.
6 Hillview Court, San Francisco CA 94124. 415.826.5669. www.islaiscreek.org

Friends of Lake Merced
Our goal is to bring together and develop Friends of the Lake who are knowledgeable about the Lake and its shores, and who can work together to support and sustain this very real treasure. lakemerced@aol.org www.lakemerced.org/

Friends of the River
This is a membership organization dedicated to protect western rivers and conserve water and energy resources.
915 20th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. 916.442.3155. www.friendsoftheriver.org

Golden Gate Audubon Society, Inc.
The Golden Gate Audubon Society is dedicated to protecting the birds, other wildlife, and environment of the Bay Area.
2530 San Pablo Ave., Suite G. Berkeley, CA 94702. 510.843.2222
www.goldengateaudubon.org/index.html

Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) is the largest urban national park in the world.. It includes places like the Presidio, Fort Point, Alcatraz, Marin Headlands, and Muir Woods.
Bldg. 201, Fort Mason, San Francisco 94123. 415.556.0560. www.nps.gov/goga/index.htm

Green Design Network
The Green Design Network is a resource for all those interested in building and designing a sustainable future. Featuring the Green Building Resource Center, the Network is a tool for finding products, case studies, experts, publications, regional resource directories, web links and more.
GEO, 4233 Leland Street, Chevy Chase, MD 20815. 301.654.3323.
www.greendesign.net

The Institute for Sustainable Development
The Institute for Sustainable Development assists policy makers and managers of natural lands and resources in the application of ecological principles to their strategies for sustainable conservation and development.
P.O. Box 29075, San Francisco 94129-0075. 415.561.6800. iisd1.iisd.ca/

Materials for the Future Foundation
The Materials for the Future Foundation fosters community based enterprise creation in the recovered materials industry, specifically recycling and reuse.
Thoreau Center for Sustainability, P.O. Box 29091, San Francisco, CA 94129-0091. 415.561.6530. www.materials4future.org/

The Oceanic Society
Since 1972, the nonprofit Oceanic Society Expeditions has offered natural history trips to promote environmental education. Local tours include whale-watching expeditions looking for gray whales off Bolinas and Point Reyes.
FortMason Center, Building E, San Francisco 94123-1394. 800.326.7491. www.oceanic-society.org

Pesticide Education Center
PEC provides critical information on health effects and safer alternative pest control methods to the public.
942 Market, San Francisco 94102. 415.391.8511. www.igc.org/pesticides/

Planet Drum Foundation
In association with community activists and ecologists, Planet Drum developed the concept of a bioregion: a distinct area with coherent and interconnected plant and animal communities, and natural systems, often defined by a watershed. Through its publications, speakers and workshops, Planet Drum helps local organizations and individuals find ways to live within the natural confines of bioregions.
P.O. Box 31251, San Francisco, CA 94131. 415.285.6556. www.planetdrum.org

Rainforest Action Network
The Network has played a key role in strengthening the worldwide rainforest conservation movement through supporting activists in tropical countries as well as mobilizing consumers throughout the United States.
221 Pine, San Francisco 94108. 415.398.4404. www.ran.org

Resource Renewal Institute
Promotes Green Plans as the path to a sustainable environment and economy. Green Plans are dynamic programs by which all elements of society agree on long-term environmental goals and take responsibility for achieving them.
Fort Mason Center, Pier 1, San Francisco 94123. 415.928.3774. www.rri.org/home.html

San Francisco Bay Area Green Team Project
Participants reduce their solid waste, home chemicals, energy, water and auto fuel
consumption...while having fun, building community, and saving money! Our Household Program brings together teams of 6-8 individuals in neighborhoods to learn home conservation methods and put this education into practice. Our Workplace Program spearheads teams in corporations, agencies and businesses.
265 Moffett Boulevard, Mountain View, CA 94043-4723. 415.546.1231. gtp@sirius.com
www.baaction.org/greenteam/index.html

SLUG: San Francisco League of Urban Gardeners
SLUG improves the quality of life through urban gardening by constructing and maintaining community gardens and urban landscapes.
2088 Oakdale Avenue, San Francisco 94124. 415.285.SLUG. www.slug-sf.org

San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department
This department has a great website with lots of information about all of the Parks, with historical archives of documents and pictures.
415.831.2700. http://parks.sfgov.org/

San Francisco Recycling Program
The program works with residents and businesses to promote waste prevention, reuse and recycling throughout the city in order to conserve valuable resources and reduce the amount of material that is landfilled.
1145 Market Street, Suite 401, San Francisco 94103. 415.554.3400. www.sfrecycles.org

San Francisco Tomorrow
Works to keep the San Francisco waterfront open to the public, to keep the neighborhoods livable and make downtown less congested, to protect and improve parks, to protect the public interest on three closed military bases in the city, and to expand public transit.
41 Sutter St. Suite 1579, San Francisco, CA 94104-4903. 415.566.7050. www.sfvoter.com/html/body_San_Francisco_Tomorrow.html

Save San Francisco Bay Association
Save the Bay was established in 1961 to prevent the filling of San Francisco Bay and to open up the Bay shoreline to public access.
1600 Broadway Suite 300, Oakland, CA 94612. 510.452.9261. www.savesfbay.org

Sierra Club San Francisco Bay Chapter
The San Francisco Group is one of eight regional groups in the San Francisco Bay Chapter. The Sierra Club covers a broad ranges of environmental issues.
2530 San Pablo Avenue, Suite I, Berkeley, CA 94702-2000. 510.848.3383.
www.sierraclub.org/chapters/sanfranciscobay/

Strybing Arboretum Society
The Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens is a public-private partnership between San Francisco's Recreation and Park Department and the Strybing Arboretum Society. The City maintains the Gardens while the Society provides educational and interpretive programs that promote public awareness of plants and the environment.
9th Ave at Lincoln Way, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94122. 416.661.1316. www.strybing.org

Trout Unlimited of California
Students from grades K through 12 learn the importance of our valuable natural and economic resources. Classes study the first three life stages of these fish from eyed egg through the fry stage. Eggs are transported by sponsoring fishing clubs and provided by the California Department of Fish and Game. To find California chapters, access Trout Unlimited National.
828 San Pablo Avenue, Albany 94706. 510.528.5390. www.cwo.com/~trout

Urban Creeks Council
A statewide organization to encourage the preservation, restoration, and maintenance of natural streams in urban environments.
1250 Addison #107C, Berkeley 94702. 510.540.6669. www.r2cgi.org/ucr/Urban_Creeks_Council/ucc.shtml

Community Involvement Essay | California Academy of Sciences