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County's Environmental Advocates Recognized

Posted on: Monday, 27 March 2006, 09:00 CST

By David Sneed, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Mar. 27--An oaks advocate, a volunteer group dedicated to protecting elephant seals, and county Supervisor Shirley Bianchi are the winners of this year's county environmental awards.

The awards, administered through the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation, honor groups and individuals who made worthwhile contributions to the environment or ecology of the county in 2005. They are:

-- Beverly Gingg, who is co-winner of the environmental initiative award. She will receive $1,000. Gingg is the primary grant writer for Santa Margarita Community Forestry.

She played a key role in the Learning Among the Oaks trail program being developed on 15 acres of the Santa Margarita Ranch, adjacent to Santa Margarita Elementary School. She also works on Shading Special Places, an educational outreach program related to tree-planting.

-- The Friends of the Elephant Seal group is co-winner of the environmental initiative award along with Gingg and will also receive $1,000.

The group is credited with developing a nonregulatory solution for protecting the burgeoning elephant seal colony at Piedras Blancas, which attracts an estimated 400,000 visitors annually.

The blue-coated volunteers explain the life history of the seals, which give birth and mate on the beach, while preventing the public from harassing or disturbing them.

-- County Supervisor Shirley Bianchi of Cambria received the sustained environmental contribution award and a $2,000 prize. Bianchi has been active in land conservation and open space preservation along the county's North Coast for 25 years.

She worked to preserve the Hearst Ranch, the East West Ranch, now known as the Fiscalini Ranch, and greenbelt parcels around Los Osos. She has also been active in various environmental issues, including dealing with MTBE pollution in Cambria, transportation of nuclear waste from Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, upgrading Shamel Park in Cambria and preserving the historic Piedras Blancas lighthouse.

The awards will be presented at a ceremony April 15 at the Cal Poly Arboretum. To attend, call 543-2323 or e-mail margaret@sloccf.org.

David Sneed can be reached at 781-7930.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, Calif.)

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