BC Water News Exclusive

JAN. 16, 2006

Going Coastal

How one feisty woman's passion
changed California's coastline forever

by Jennifer Finley | BC WATER NEWS

Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors honor Ellen Stern Harris for her lifetime of activism.

From redwood forests to sandy beaches, the Pacific coastline captures California’s adventurous spirit. Here, the steadfast traveler can wind through breathtaking landscape and terrain, past sheer and rugged cliffs to rich sand and powerful surf.

But, please, don't take it for granted. Without the dedication and determination of one strong-willed spirit, this trip most likely would offer an entirely different ocean view today. California’s coastal beauty exists much to the credit of a persistent housewife turned activist: Ellen Stern Harris.

In the early 1970s, Harris led the battle to protect the state’s natural coastline and to preserve the environment. She worked tirelessly to gather local support, leading to the formation of a coalition that specifically addressed the rapid development along the Southern California coastline. This group eventually built the framework for what would become Proposition 20, which Harris is credited with co-authoring.

Fruits of her labor

Her work led to the enactment of the watershed Coastal Act of 1972 and the creation of the California Coastal Commission — environmental benefits that cannot be overstated and that will be enjoyed by many generations to come.

Today, the California Coastal Act provides long-term protection for more than 1,100 miles of shoreline. The act unified state agencies by forming a partnership between state and local governments to manage coastal resources and to implement a comprehensive planning and regulatory program. It ensures public access to shorelines, protects wetlands, bays and estuaries, and addresses urban sprawl.

"Future generations will be able to enjoy those natural resources forever thanks to her vision and tireless efforts."

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Harris died Jan. 2 at age 76 in her Beverly Hills home. She battled cancer for many years, but continued to make a difference.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger responded to her death by calling her the "godmother of California's environ-mental movement." In a statement released by the governor’s office, he said, "One of the main reasons I came to California as an immigrant was the image of magnificent coastline and beaches. Future gener-ations will be able to enjoy those natural resources forever thanks to her vision and tireless efforts."

Getting the word out

Harris, a third-generation Beverly Hills resident, stepped into the role of activist in the 1950s. She threatened to petition city hall over the lack of response to her 18-month request to have the palm trees on her street trimmed. Her tenacity became legendary.

From protecting the rights of the elderly residents of Beverly Hills, to complaining about the air pollution caused by diesel trucks, to offering a remedy for overgrown shrubs, Harris was hell-bent on furthering a cause. In 2004, Steve Lopez of the Los Angeles Times described Harris as "one of those gadflies — every town has at least one — whose life's mission is to keep public officials honest." (Read “Brawling with Velvet Gloves”)

[As managing editor for Brown and Caldwell's Water News, I was regularly contacted by Harris, director emeritus of the MWD, to keep me informed on water and wetland issues in the state. She never hesitated to let me know when she thought I missed the mark. There is something to be said for someone who can chastise you and make you giggle in the same breath.]

"Harris was the 'turn-of-the-century muckraker personified; the quintessential rabble-rouser.'"

Stephen Siciliano

Good friend and fellow activist Stephen Siciliano pays tribute to Harris on his Highway Scribery blog, proclaiming himself to be the "monster with a mouth she (Ellen) helped create," and describing her as the "turn-of-century muckraker personified; the quintessential rabble-rouser."

Honors and accolades

In later years, she served as editor of The Beverly Hills Citizen, and as founder and executive director of Fund for the Environment. In October 2004, she was saluted by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for her work as a public citizen. "You are a model of civic involvement. If we had 10 people like you in this county, it would be a different kind of place," Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said.

In May 2005, she was honored along with a handful of other pioneers by Stanford University's Institute of the Environment and the California Coastal Commission for their efforts to save the coastline.

The Ballona Wetlands near Marina del Rey.
(Compliments of the Ballona Valley Preservation League.)

For more than 30 years, Harris championed the preservation of the Ballona Wetlands, a coastal marsh near Marina del Rey. She was planning to meet with Ballona Wetlands leaders to discuss stronger coastal protection measures and to be honored for her contribution to the wetlands, according to Marcia Hanscom, executive director for the Wetlands Action Network.

Harris' long list of accomplishments speaks for itself: