Welcome to the new RLF News and Insights page, featuring project updates and perspectives from our team.
News & Insights
News & Insights
RLF Welcomes Gina McCarthy to its Board of Directors
September 7, 2023
PRESS RELEASE: Resources Legacy Fund (RLF), a California-based environmental nonprofit organization, welcomes Gina McCarthy to its board of directors. McCarthy served as the first-ever White House National Climate Advisor...
Evaluation Underscores Value of Collaborative, Community-Driven Parks Building Model
July 26, 2023
People need parks. Parks improve physical and mental health, strengthen family and community relationships, reduce youth crime and violence, enhance neighborhood pride and identity, provide economic benefits, decrease health...
We need federal leadership on wildfire and smoke safety
July 19, 2023
In the last few weeks, the Midwest and East Coast have faced a reality the West has experienced for years: thick, sticky, and hazardous wildfire smoke settling into cities and millions of people’s lungs; cancelled school days,...
World Ocean’s Day and a Milestone for Equitable Access in California
June 7, 2023
"It's like we're introducing them to their own backyard. What struck me when I first came on was that some of these kids have lived here (San Diego) all their lives; they're only 15 to 20 minutes away from the ocean, but they'd...
Listening to Grantees to Build a Better Organization
May 30, 2023
RLF is committed to advancing justice and equity as we pursue conservation, environmental, and climate solutions; expanding diversity in the environmental movement; and ensuring that our staff are buoyed by a sense of belonging...
Climate Change Necessitates Stronger Safety Net for Farmworkers
March 31, 2023
On this day of remembrance for César Chávez—an advocate, alongside Dolores Huerta, for farmworker rights, social justice, and human dignity—Resources Legacy Fund would like to call attention to the critical role of farmworkers...
Documentary Spotlights Dam Removal Partnerships
March 24, 2023
To celebrate its first five years of work, Open Rivers Fund—a program of Resources Legacy Fund, launched in November 2016 with a 10-year, $50-million investment from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation—worked with film...
We Must Invest More in Climate Adaptation
February 15, 2023
As California communities begin to recover after a series of atmospheric rivers caused death and immense economic damages nearly state-wide, we must reckon with the need to increase investment in climate change adaptation...
Indigenous-led Conservation in the International Spotlight
January 10, 2023
The last few years have brought a cascade of stories about the decline of the natural world. Yet amid the grim news, a bright spot shines through. Lands managed by Indigenous Peoples tend to be healthier and more vibrant than...
Dos Rios—Much-Needed, Long-Awaited Park for the San Joaquin Valley
August 22, 2022
California officials recently announced the creation of the first new state park since 2009: Dos Rios Ranch, at the confluence of the Tuolumne and San Joaquin Rivers, near the San Joaquin National Wildlife Refuge. The announcement...
Let’s meet this setback with resolve: Reflections on the SCOTUS EPA decision
July 1, 2022
Note from RLF President Avi Garbow to staff and board after the Supreme Court’s EPA ruling on June 30, 2022. Yesterday, the United States Supreme Court issued an opinion in West Virginia v. EPA, and by a 6-3 vote, severely...
Reflections on DEI progress in the workplace
May 11, 2022
When I reflect on the past year of RLF’s progress advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace, I’d describe it as a year of questioning. Our human resources (HR) team has been questioning our...
Ocean Advocates Speak Passion to Policy
March 30, 2022
California Ocean Day was back on March 29, 2022, for its 17th year, and second year as a virtual event. Over 300 advocates convened to hear from speakers and panelists and meet with more than 100 state elected officials to bring...
“An inescapable network of mutuality”
January 19, 2022
Note from RLF President Avi Garbow to staff on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service 2022. As I come to the end of my first week with you all, and as we remember and honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday’s holiday...
Thoughts of Gratitude and Hope
January 6, 2022
As Avi Garbow prepares to take over as the new president of Resources Legacy Fund, I find myself filled with confidence in his leadership, excitement for the future, and a profound sense of gratitude for all the people I have...
Announcement: Resources Legacy Fund Welcomes Avi Garbow as New President
November 18, 2021
Resources Legacy Fund is pleased and proud to welcome Avi Garbow as its new president. Garbow is a nationally recognized environmental leader, lawyer, and advocate with decades of experience tackling many of the most critical...
A Personal and Organizational Mandate for a Just and Equitable Future
June 24, 2021
My 70-year-old mother recently told me about a friend of hers who started walking with a cane, not to steady her gait, but to fend off potential attackers. Though my mom isn’t quite ready to carry a would-be-weapon, she said...
Leading by Listening: Bold Steps Forward for Hawai‘i’s Ocean
June 22, 2021
This year, on World Ocean Day, Hawai‘i set an example for the rest of the world about how to take action to restore abundance to its spectacular coastlines, well-loved reefs, and deeply valued marine life. Governor David...
Biden’s Conservation Commitment Much More Than A Climate Solution
May 7, 2021
The United States is facing a multitude of crises: climate change, species extinction, languishing public health, racial and economic inequity, and the legacies of colonialism. These crises were destined to collide, which is...
From Ruin to Resilience: Supporting Global Fisheries’ Sustainability amid Pandemic
April 14, 2021
Marine fisheries generate a critical protein source for more than a billion people worldwide, and an often irreplaceable source of income for developing-world communities exporting to international markets. Yet poor fisheries...
RLF Statement of Solidarity with AAPI Communities
April 2, 2021
RLF stands with the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities to condemn senseless violence and bigotry rooted in racism and xenophobia. According to Stop AAPI Hate, Asian Americans have been victims of more than...
RLF Statement on Events of January 5-6, 2021
January 6, 2021
Today has been an extraordinary and scary day in American history, its developments generating feelings across an unimaginably broad emotional spectrum. We have been riveted, watching unprecedented violence in the nation’s...
Tomorrow’s Solutions Will be Found Where Issues Intersect
December 14, 2020
The lessons of 2020 are harsh and profound: science and leadership matter, resilient natural systems are essential to our health and security, and we have a long way to go on racial equity. As much as we all wish for 2021 to...
Partnership and Vision Restoring Abundance to Tomorrow’s Rivers
December 3, 2020
In the last few years, we’ve witnessed what is becoming a profound change across the American West. Obsolete dams are coming down. Streams are being restored. Tribes are reconnecting with the fish runs of their ancestors. Irrigation...
