John Shribbs

City and Community Leader

Scientist, Teacher, Conservationist

A smiling elderly woman with glasses and short hair standing next to a smiling elderly man with gray hair, a mustache, and a beard, wearing a colorful patterned sweater, in a garden with green leaves and a fence in the background.

My wife, a Hospice Nurse, our children, and I have made Petaluma our home for 35 years.

Before teaching science at Casa Grande High School, I was a senior scientist at AstraZeneca focused on global agricultural business.  Most of all, we are fortunate for our strong community, a community that cares for supporting local businesses, honoring our agricultural roots, protecting our environment, and always being there for each other – for neighbors Sonoma County-wide. Protecting Petaluma for future generations is both an honor and a serious responsibility. Over the past 30 years, I have led multiple initiatives, programs, and projects for the betterment and protection of our city and environment.  I have led City of Petaluma committees, community nonprofits, and educational programs to acquiring funding, designing, and building many projects. My Petaluma City Council appointments include Groundwater Sustainability, Tree, and General Plan Advisory Committees. I have built education centers, planted forests, devised city policy, restored local creeks, and as Past President and current VP of Petaluma Wetlands Alliance, refurbished Shollenberger Park.

City of Petaluma Committees

  • I am honored to be appointed by the City Council to many committees, working to develop future-focused ecologically sound action plans to manage our water supply, natural environment, and city growth issues. Before my first term on city council, I served on the City of Petaluma Groundwater Sustainability Advisory Committee, Tree Committee, General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC), and the GPAC Open Space and Natural Resources Workgroup. My work for the city has also integrated with my work for the Petaluma Watershed Coalition/Resource Conservation District, of particular importance: the Petaluma Watershed Enhancement Plan.

A person riding a bicycle pulling a yellow kayak on a trailer in an open park with trees, an industrial structure, and mountains in the background.

Transportation and Traffic Safety

  • I have 2 Ebikes: a mountain bike for fun and a long tail cargo to haul stuff. I have 4 trailers including one I built to haul my kayak to the Petaluma River. I frequently ride in First Friday at 5 rides and support Safe Routes to School. I made two YouTube videos with a PCA volunteer for returning seniors on cargo bike safety, one for preparation and one for riding.

  • Differential speed is the main cause of injury and death. Besides making roads safer, primarily by slowing down speeds using design principles, we have an opportunity to also accommodate innovative transportation such as ebikes and handicap transport. I research the global micro-mobility market and discuss this in a YouTube video.

Children planting a tree in a park while others garden nearby. In the background, there is playground equipment, a tractor, and a parking lot with cars, under a clear blue sky.

Tree Protection and Planting

  • Trees are very valuable for fighting pollution, slowing traffic (yes, it is a proven fact), and keeping us cool. City Council has appointed me Chair of the City Tree Advisory Committee three consecutive terms. I also serve on the leadership team for ReLeaf Petaluma. In these two roles, I have helped secure funding grants for a Petaluma Urban Forestry Management Plan and Native Tree Plantings in east side Petaluma parks using recycled water. 

  • Responsible for writing our City Tree Technical Manual initiated our Tree Protection Ordinances.

  • ReLeaf has planted over 3,000 trees in Petaluma.

One of 14 volunteer groups clean up Shollenberger Park Central Pond after dredging.

Conservation Leadership

  • Currently, I am proud to serve as Vice President of Petaluma Wetlands Alliance. I lead the volunteer program that refurbished the Shollenberger Park benches and kiosks. Working with Friends of the Petaluma River, STRAW, and our City, PWA led the cleanup of Shollenberger after a dredging of the Petaluma River. 

  • Seeing a need to increase public understanding of the immense ecological value of wetlands (they are our planet’s most efficient pollution cleaners!), I co-wrote the Petaluma Wetlands Field Guide.

  • Signage at Shollenberger Park and ECWRF has been updated by PWA docents explaining the inter-relationship of water supply, flooding, sea level rise, and wetlands.

Agricultural Business Experience and Education

  • As Senior Scientist for AstraZeneca, I developed global agricultural business products, resulting in over 10 patents. I transitioned to teaching at Casa Grande High School after relocating to Petaluma, now “retired” for 10+ years.

  • My BS is in Biology; MS in Pest Management; and PhD in Horticulture. I also hold a Teaching Certificate as well as certificates for SSU Education Technology and UC Naturalist. After my Post-Doc work at USDA, I received “Best Manuscript of the Year” award from the Weed Science Society for developing a bioeconomic weed management model for sugar beet production.

Teachng speed lab via video with Sten Mander, cooperating science teacher

Environmental Science Teacher

  • While teaching at Casa Grande High School for 16 years, I built the Outdoor Learning Environment Center and Native Plant Nursery, mobilizing students and volunteers. I secured funding through grants for the Casa Grande electric car charge stations in front of the school, the campus wind turbine, and the water-independent school plant nursery. I also sponsored and mentored many Eagle Scout and Senior Student Projects.

Four elderly people, three women and one man, sitting and standing around a table during a bingo game at an indoor community event. The table holds bingo cards, markers, and prizes.

Bridge Card Game:Teacher, Director

I Play Bridge! Both my wife and I are Ruby Life Masters and certified ACBL Teachers and Directors and have done that on cruises and also taught in Petaluma Adult School.

Children in red soccer uniforms holding a yellow banner with a black panther logo, black text reading "Black Panthers," and black paw prints with individual names, standing on a grassy field with trees and fountains in the background.

Youth Soccer Coach

I coached my son’s Petaluma Youth Soccer Teams for 13 years and had a winning record including taking the teams to several tournaments. My daughter also played many years on PYSL teams and eventually became a youth coach herself.

AWARDS

  • Best Manuscript of Year from Weed Science Society of America

  • Jack London Environmental Education Award

  • Rotarian Community “Spirit of Service” Award

  • California Parks and Recreation District 1 Community Service Award

A plaque recognizing John Shribbs for outstanding community service and support to the City of Petaluma, awarded in 2021 by the CPS District 1.

Links to my work online.

Writer

I co-wrote the Petaluma Wetlands Field Guide with Marion Parker and assisted by a team from Petaluma Wetlands Alliance. It is available on the PWA website and all profits go to PWA education and stewardship programs:

https://petalumawetlands.org/field-guide/

I was main author of the Open Space and Natural Resource Report for the GPAC Workgroup as team coordinator which is now on the city website for General Plan Documents. See City General Plan Documents website:

https://www.planpetaluma.org/documents 

PDF direct link to summary report:

PDF direct link to full report:

Link to Weed Science manuscript and abstract:

Web Page Development

Link to Petaluma Wetlands Alliance, a WordPress website:

https://petalumawetlands.org/

Link to ReLeaf Petaluma, a Square Space website:

https://www.releafpetaluma.org/

ACBL Unit 512 website I constructed using Google Sites:

https://www.acblunit512.org/

Video and YouTube

Link to my YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOL0OFx2vxcQM4yb9xM8vVA

My Interview with Madam Mayor Teresa Barrett about Dredging:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyGM2pI7Uz0

YouTube video of my garden which was part of the Sonoma-Marin Eco-Garden Tour. I participated in the program 3 years, one of which was a video tour only:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK2VxMjOuv4

Micro-mobility (Bike Car Gap about to be Filled) slide show lecture:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJFMrfzYpwU

Water is our Limiting Factor slide show lecture:

https://youtu.be/-6x42uJDym0