Sacramento – In a ceremony held today at the State Capitol, Assemblymember Patty Berg named Lucille Vinyard “Woman of the Year” for her steadfast dedication to the environment over the last forty years.

“I am pleased to honor Lucille for her tireless efforts on behalf of the environment in Northern California. Her work has been crucial in the preservation of such vital treasures as California’s northern redwoods and coastline,” said Berg.

Vinyard began her campaign in the early 1960s with the Sierra Club, forming the North Group, Redwood Chapter, which was most notably responsible for the creation of Redwood National Park in 1968. She then began working for the passage of the California Coastal Protection Act and monitored coastal development permits for Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. Vinyard was also instrumental in the passage of the California Wilderness Act in 1984.

“The last time I was here was thirty years ago, staging a sit-in in Jerry Brown’s office. We were fighting for the establishment of the Redwood National Park. It is exciting to be back at the Capitol,” Vinyard said. At age 84, Lucille Vinyard still continues her work on coastal protection, wild and scenic rivers and wilderness issues.