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ECOSLO Welcomes Morgan

After a long search, ECOSLO finds its new Executive Director

The Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo County (ECOSLO) is pleased to announce that after a nationwide search, it has appointed Morgan Rafferty as Executive Director. Morgan has been active in the community, particularly with San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace, since she moved here seven years ago. “I am thrilled to be part of such a dynamic and long-lived organization,” Morgan stated. “ECOSLO has played an important role in environmental protection in San Luis Obispo County for 35 years and I look forward to working with the community, government agencies and organizations to continue to build relationships, work to protect our inland and coastal environments and unique quality of life here on the Central Coast”


The Environmental Center was established in 1971 and continues to be the only organization solely focused on county-wide environmental issues. Many long time residents know ECOSLO started the recycling program in the city of San Luis Obispo. Since then ECSOLO has served as county wide voice for the environment, ensuring coastal protection, sustainable development, smart land use decisions, environmental health outreach, preserving open space, and collaborating with diverse groups on a variety of programs.


Morgan and the staff plan to renew ECOSLO’s involvement in issues of marine protection, water quality, energy, livable communities, sustainable development, nuclear power, and many other areas. We continue to produce the SLO Stewards newsletter and to coordinate Natural San Luis hikes with the City of San Luis Obispo. Key programs for ECOSLO include its garden program with Community Schools through the County Office of Education, developing the first SLO County Green Pages, serving as an environmental clearinghouse for the community and continuing its work with the Central Coast Environmental Health Project, dealing with farmworker safety and awareness of risks and alternatives to pesticide use

As the new Executive Director of ECOSLO, Morgan is already busy organizing several important events this fall. The first is “Talk About the Bay” on September 2 at the Morro Bay Vets Hall. Peter Douglas, Executive Director of the California Coastal Commission and Pedro Nava, former California Coastal Commissioner, are among the featured speakers.

The second important event is an Energy Summit on October 10 at the SLO Vets Hall. This event is being coordinated by the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club and is co-sponsored by the Air Pollution Control District, 5th District Supervisor Patterson, Green Build and many others. We will talk about “smart energy solutions” to climate change issues.

ECOSLO hopes you will all join them for a third event on September 16th: Coastal Cleanup Day. Beaches throughout the County will have site captains and volunteers picking up trash in a statewide effort to clean our coast!

On September 20th, ECOSLO will host an open house, for the community to have the opportunity to meet Morgan Rafferty, the new Executive Director, and learn more about ECOSLO.

ECOSLO is located at 1204 Nipomo Street where you can meet Morgan, staff and volunteers. Shaba Mohseni is the Office and Outreach Administrator, and Patrick Kirby is the Volunteer and Logistics Coordinator for Coastal Cleanup Day. Visit their website: www.ecoslo.org or call 805-544-1777 to learn more about upcoming events and programs.

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