SACRAMENTO – Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) has selected an environmental powerhouse – the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center – as the 2024 California Nonprofit of the Year for California’s North Coast. 

The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center (OAEC) works to protect and improve the North Coast’s biological and cultural diversity through community-based projects and partnerships. The 80-acre research, demonstration and community-organizing center in Sonoma County features a wealth of projects and partnerships, including organic gardens, a wildlands preserve, and living laboratory for environmental literacy and education. 

“I’ll be dammed if the State didn’t honor the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center as the North Coast’s Nonprofit of the Year. For 30 years, they have been working to protect California’s environment, waterways, and sensitive coastal habitat,” said Pro Tem McGuire. “The North American Beaver is a workhorse for the environment and a key player in the State’s fight against human-caused climate change and wildfires. OAEC has been at the forefront of this critical work with their Bring Back the Beaver campaign, and we’re eager beavers to recognize the Center’s dedication to ecological health in California’s watersheds.” 

Among the Center’s most inspiring projects is their work to reintroduce beavers to their natural habitat in Northern California. OAEC’s partnership has been invaluable to the State’s successful Beaver Restoration Program that began releasing beavers into strategic areas of California last year. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will soon start releasing beavers into historic habitat on the North Coast. The first seven beavers were recently reintroduced in Plumas County in a groundbreaking partnership with the Mountain Maidu Tribe.

The OAEC was recently awarded a $2 million grant from CDFW to support the first-ever Beaver Coexistence Training and Support Program. The program focuses on work between the state, local tribal leaders, land owners, and communities to support coexistence between beavers and humans.

Beavers were hunted nearly to extinction in California in the 19^th century. They are a keystone species that is integral to California’s ecosystem and climate goals.

“The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center is immensely humbled to be chosen by Senate Leader Mike McGuire as the 2024 Nonprofit of the Year for the North Coast,” said Brock Dolman, OAEC’s co-founder and program director. “The timing of this award is especially meaningful – as we celebrate our 30th year, we are especially grateful for Senator McGuire’s steadfast support of our Bring Back the Beaver Campaign, which has been critical in helping establish a Beaver Restoration Program for California. We are excited to embark on the next 30 years, and to expand our ability to continue supporting nature-based, climate-smart, justice-oriented solutions for our local communities and all Californians.”

Each year, legislators throughout California have an opportunity to select a nonprofit from their district to be honored as a California Nonprofit of the Year. This is the ninth year of the initiative recognizing the positive impact that nonprofits contribute to California. 

To learn more about Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, click here.

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Mike McGuire is President pro Tempore of the California Senate. He represents the North Coast of California, which stretches from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, including Del Norte, Trinity, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin counties. Website of Senate Leader McGuire: https://sd02.senate.ca.gov/