Longtime open space advocate to get Green Award

Liz Huntington, who’s been active in open space and other environmental causes for years, will receive a Green Award.

It will be presented at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14 at the San Anselmo Town Council meeting.

The Quality of Life Commission prize typically is given “unsung heroes” who have aided the town without expectation of recognition or reward.

Huntington served on the town’s Open Space Committee for half a dozen years. Before joining that body, the marketing expert wrote pro-bono press releases for the panel, and, since stepping down, continues to work on its newsletter, posters and invitations.

She’s also done extensive volunteer work for SPAR (Sorich Park Area Residents), been on the board of the Restore Hetch Hetchy organization, and helped out at the Dipsea Race, the Ross Valley School District and the Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church (where she was a deacon) — not to mention NovatoSpirit, a nonprofit run by her sister that provides athletic scholarships to youth with financial needs.

As part of her advocating stringent limitations on Bald Hill summit development, she spoke to the Ross Town Council regarding the potential impact of growth there.

The Open Space Committee, she noted, has worked closely with the late Supervisor Hal Brown and his successor Katie Rice, and on the local level with San Anselmo’s general plan.

Its aim, always, is for “balance and stewardship,” collaborating — or in partnership — with landowners, she says.

She cites a situation where San Anselmo resident Jerry Draper wants to develop a parcel and SPAR wants him to keep it open. She and others have been looking for “a win-win” answer, she explained, noting that being “on the other side” from the landowner is somewhat ironic.

“There are old family connections: My father and his father were best friends. Jerry told me I had the same mannerisms as my dad. My dad taught him jazz guitar, and his dad took me bird watching in Tahoe.”

A decision by the County Board of Supervisors is expected Jan. 25.

Huntington, a San Francisco native who was reared in Piedmont, has lived in San Anselmo since 1997. She’s worked in the solar-power industry since 2007 and has just accepted a job with REC Solar in San Luis Obispo.

The 47-year-old fifth-generation Californian who also is a member of the Sierra Club, she has been “exploring creeks and hiking since I was 4 or 5.”

But she didn’t start clearing trails until the advanced age of 15.

She’s always “loved the outdoors” and has “special memories of being in the Sierras.”

Nature, she emphasized, “is very restorative, and it’s very important to preserve it.”

The message I want to get across, she said, “is that I’ve done a lot of little things, rather than some very big thing, but it’s cumulative. I’d encourage people to get involved and make one small difference. Every little bit helps.”

Then she added, “When I think about land issues, I think about those who inspired me — people at their kitchen tables making phone calls.”

Huntington, who was nominated by a previous winner, Dick Miner, will become the 31th Green Award recipient.

It also was previously given Alex Godbe, Dick Glanville, Lisa Hamilton, Jo Ann Richards, Rene Voss, Linda Hoch, Rich Torresan, Jo Julin, Jake Luria, Anna Frost, Brian Crawford, the team of David Fox and Sheila Mutter, Jeff Hvid, Conn Rusche, Charles Kennard, the team of Steve Reinertsen and Scott Weeks, Sita Khufu, Rohana McLaughlin, Joyce Brown, Larry Nilsen, Matt Eakle, Ted Bakkila, Christine Dietrich Cragg, Bob Mellin, H.G. Von Dallwitz, Denali Gillaspie, Jonathan Braun, Dan Goltz and the husband-wife team of Janet Byrum and Bob Fleming.

Nominations for the environmentally oriented Green Awards, or the broader Silver Awards, can be hand-delivered or mailed to: Quality of Life Commission, c/o Town of San Anselmo, 525 San Anselmo Ave., or e-mailed to voodee@sbcglobal.net or townclerk@ci.san-anselmo.ca.us.