Working for the protection of Bay Area wetlands
Since 1965, Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge has championed the creation, expansion and protection of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Following our successful grassroots effort to establish the Refuge as the country’s first and largest national wildlife refuge in 1972, we continue to advocate for the expansion of the Refuge and the protection of tidal marshes and other undeveloped baylands surrounding San Francisco Bay that are at urgent risk from urban development, climate change and other threats.
We are a volunteer-based environmental organization that actively participates in local land use planning decisions as well as regional, state and national planning and policy to ensure that the Bay, its tidal wetlands and other wildlife habitat are protected – and that the region is proactive in supporting the resilience of the Bay and all the life that depends on it as climate change and sea level rise reshape the estuary’s complex ecosystem.
We are a highly collaborative organization, partnering with many local and regional environmental groups, public agencies and others to advance the protection and resilience of the Bay, however when necessary, CCCR is unafraid to litigate to ensure that developers and other entities follow the laws intended to protect our environment and the Refuge.
Creating a Wildlife Refuge at the Center of San Francisco Bay
Establishing the Refuge
In 1972, the nation’s most improbable national wildlife refuge was established. Amongst the pickleweed, cordgrass and meandering sloughs of South San Francisco Bay, a national wildlife refuge was created to protect nature in the heart of a major urban area.
It all started in 1965, when frustrated by rampant development being constructed along the edges of the Bay, Santa Clara County Planner, Arthur Ogilvie, reached out to the public to test a creative and bold approach to protect the Bay’s remaining shoreline: establishing a national wildlife refuge. From there a grassroots movement began that led to the U.S. Congress establishing the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
Completing the Refuge
In 1985, realizing that critical wetlands and habitats along the edges of the bay remained unprotected from development, CCCR, Congressman Don Edwards and our partners decided that the Refuge needed to be expanded before these lands were lost forever. A second grassroots effort was launched, involving gathering support from all the cities and towns around the Bay. Our efforts succeeded in 1988 when a bill was passed by the U.S. Congress authorizing the Refuge to acquire an additional 20,000 acres of land, potentially doubling the size of the original Refuge! CCCR’s primary focus now is working tirelessly to advocate for the protection of these 20,000 acres and their inclusion into the Refuge.
Our Impact
In addition to establishing and expanding the Refuge, CCCR has a half-century history of successfully protecting thousands of acres of San Francisco Bay wetlands and baylands from development and other threats. Learn more about these successful local grassroots efforts that are responsible for much of the protected wetlands and baylands of the South San Francisco Bay.
Our Board
The Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge is led by dedicated environmental leaders from around San Francisco Bay. Learn more about our Board Members as well as tributes of former Board Members and refuge champions.