Susan Chase

Susan Chase joined the Greenspace board in August of 2025. Susan has always been drawn to nature and earned her B.S. in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz. Susan brings 22 years of experience as a park ranger, where she worked in a variety of California’s state parks from the U.S. Mexican border to the Sierra Foothills-protecting California’s wild spaces and wildlife, providing public education and working with community groups. 

Recently, Susan became a member of the Greenspace Advocacy Committee where she is hoping to help effect positive change at the local level—educating and encouraging others about the importance of environmental preservation. Susan is inspired by Greenspace’s positive impact of working together to protect the rare and fragile Monterey pine forest, helping restore Santa Rosa creek habitats, and the annual Monterey pine planting event at Hearst San Simeon State Park. She enjoys visiting the site and watching the return to forest.

Susan loves all plants and animals, but has a special affinity for the White-crowned sparrow, a forest edge species, often seen in the lupine bushes and coyote brush. Her deep appreciation for this small but mighty bird, started while on a guided bird walk at the Limentour Estuary during her first seasonal ranger job at Point Reyes National Seashore. Hearing its strong, high-pitched call, before spotting it perched on a shrub, Susan admired its striking black and white crown.  She felt a connection with it, which imbued a sense of empowerment on her early career journey towards state park peace officer ranger.  

Susan has been living in Cambria with her husband since 2013. In her free time, she enjoys watercolor painting and mosaic art and working on her memoir about her years as a ranger. Her activities include walking the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve trails, swimming, tai chi, and dragon boat paddling on Morro Bay. She also finds time to curl up with her cat and dog, while reading a good book, listening to podcasts or watching BritBox shows.