In January of 1990, businessman Bob Rajewski and forest firefighter John Buckley were deeply frustrated. In the Stanislaus National Forest, clear-cut logging was targeting countless groves of old growth trees. Each summer, bulldozers pushed deep into roadless areas – carving new roads into precious wild habitat.
State and national environmental groups were stretched beyond capacity and had little time to devote to issues affecting the Northern Yosemite region. Bob proposed a solution. If John would leave his firefighting job, Bob would help fund the creation of a local non-profit organization to defend the forests of the region. John was persuaded and soon became a one-person staff. Bob poured dollars and creative vision into organizing what became known as the Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center (CSERC).
Within two years CSERC had saved thousands of acres of old growth forest from planned clear-cut timber sales. Soon CSERC was presenting environmental slide show programs to schools and community groups. A biologist was hired to help comment on Forest Service projects, private timberland logging plans, county planning development projects, and much more.
Over nearly three decades of passionate efforts on behalf of the region’s iconic water, wildlife, and wild places, CSERC is perhaps best known for striving to find balanced solutions to controversial issues. With the support of our donors, CSERC has been on the frontlines of surveying for rare wildlife, doing field monitoring of meadows and streams, working closely with the media, and attending countless meetings to speak as a strong voice for nature. Bob Rajewski still serves on the CSERC board of directors, and CSERC continues his vision of a locally-based organization working to defend the Northern Yosemite region.
