Guide to Our Natural Environment
rivers between San Luis Obispo and Mendocino County. In 1967 Willis spent five years in Africa where he stud- ied the growth of native river fish in a lake environment. He also taught local residents how to fish the large lakes. Upon his return to the United States, Willis went to work for the U.S. Forest Service in San Francisco. He served as head of fisheries for the State’s National For- est lands, focusing on stream protection in logging areas. He loved his home on San Geronimo Valley Drive and frequently took local groups for walks along the creek, educating them about good and bad creek care along with valuable information about fish and their habitat. Willis retired in 1983 but never took a vacation when called on or when addressing the needs of fisheries. He served on the board of the Marin Conservation League for many years. Willis continued to frequently address public agencies with his views and recommendations based on a lifetime of experience sometimes going head to head with staff and/or decision makers in the process. He was always a gentleman but unwavering when he had come to a conclusion. He never gave up. As Huffman said, “Willis ferociously defended his belief in waterway preservation.” Dedication It was a pleasantly informative dedication guided by Supervisor Kinsey with appropriate remarks by elected officials, friends and family. Paul Berensmeier played a favorite tune of Willis’ on his Indian flute. Willis’ daughter Joan, deeply moved by the honoring,
February 2003
Willis Evans Canyon by Jean Berensmeier
It was a pleasure to join Supervisor Kinsey, Jared Huff- man, chairperson of the Marin Municipal Water District Board, and members of Willis Evans’ large family at a special dedication under the beautiful redwoods in Bates Canyon. We were there to rename the Canyon in honor of Willis Evans in respect for his lifetime dedicated to pre- serving watersheds and protecting fisheries. It was an idea spawned by Kent Julin, incubated by Liza Crosse, and hatched by Supervisor Kinsey and the Board of Supervi- sors in a special resolution for this purpose. Willis was clearly delighted and completely surprised. “I’m astounded,” he said. “It never entered my mind that they’d name a creek after me.” And how nice that the Canyon is only a few steps east of his lovely home. Willis is 83 now and jokes about his memory lapses but he has no lapses when it comes to his firm opinions and suggestions for the latest efforts he feels are needed to protect watersheds and endangered species. A Fishy Beginning After World War II, Willis worked as part of General Douglas MacArthur’s staff to support the Japanese fishing industry and help feed the starving nation. He decided to move to Marin in 1953 where the experi- ence in Japan qualified him to become a regional fisheries supervisor for the State Department of Fish and Game. He was in charge of supervising and reporting on streams and
described the love of nature that Willis instilled in the family. She recalled a spe- cial game the family played in Devil’s Gulch where each family member picked a fish and rooted for it to win the race upstream. “We had so much
fun. Thank you, Dad.”
(Photo by Laurence Brauer)
(Photo by Laurence Brauer)
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50 th Anniversary
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