About Treehuggers International
Dedicated to the preservation of parks, wilderness, and special places.
Treehuggers International airs Sunday mornings at 5:30 on KBZT FM 94/9 in San Diego, and is the brainchild of radio personality, conservationist, and outdoorsman Tommy Hough.
Currently the Public Affairs Director for the Lincoln Financial Media Company of California and afternoon host at FM 94/9, Tommy first produced Treehuggers International while at 107.7 The End in Seattle, discussing issues like storm water runoff and the health of Puget Sound with area activists, government officials, and representatives from the Wilderness Society, Washington State Parks, Grist, the Nature Conservancy, Washington Trails Association, and others.
Upon returning to FM 94/9 in San Diego to take over morning duties in 2007, Tommy re-tooled Treehuggers International for a more California-based focus, with shows not only about wilderness and conservation, but also touching on wildfire and earthquake preparation, and the development of several major threats to the integrity of California parks and beaches, including the Sunrise Powerlink, unregulated off-road activity, the Carlsbad desalination plant, and guns in National Parks.
In conjunction with the San Diego Surfrider chapter, San Diego Coastkeeper, Friends of the Foothills, and other area activists, Treehuggers International took a major media role in the fight against the proposed Foothill South 241 toll road extension into San Onofre State Beach, producing specials on the toll road’s potential impact on the San Onofre backcountry and the world-class, pristine beaches at Trestles, and chalking up major successes when the California Coastal Commission and U.S. Commerce Department ultimately opted not to back plans to build the freeway.
For his efforts, Tommy and Treehuggers International were awarded the San Diego Surfrider chapter’s annual Clean Water Award in 2008.
Treehuggers International continues to throw it’s weight behind California State Parks during annual threats of closure, and recently lobbied state lawmakers in Sacramento during the annual Parks Advocacy Day in conjunction with the California State Parks Foundation, urging senators and assemblymen to support the State Parks Access Pass on the November 2010 ballot.
Utilizing discussions with the Sierra Club, the National Parks Conservation Association, Friends of the River, and dozens of authors and personalities including Pat Abbott, George Wuerthner, Jerry Schad, and Ian Shive to advance the cause of conservation in California, Treehuggers International has grown into a go-to media destination for environmental concerns not only in the Golden State, but throughout the west, from Puget Sound to the Rocky Mountains to Baja California.
Treehuggers International is committed to moving forward as an awareness-raising and activist rallying point, providing a rundown of important environmental and conservation stories, ongoing threats to parks and wild places, creating partnerships with conservation organizations, and delivering information on how you can make your voice heard with your elected officials.
Arriving at Monte Cristo after fishing vital camera components from the Sauk River.
