BY MIKE STEVENS
WON Staff Writer
SACRAMENTO – The Nature Conservancy (TNC) announced the selection of Charlton “Chuck” Bonham as Executive Director of its California business unit, effective January 26, 2026. Bonham steps into one of the organization’s most strategically important leadership roles.
The longest-serving Director in the history of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bonham’s legacy at the 115-plus-year-old CDFW is a checkered one, to say the least. During his tenure, salmon seasons were closed for three years, and multiple Delta fish species collapsed due to significant water exportation.
“Chuck Bonham’s legacy lies with the commercial salmon industry shuttered for three years and ocean sportfishing reduced to a mere 6-day season during the same timeframe,” said Vance Staplin, Executive Director of the Golden State Salmon Association (GSSA). “Most all businesses dependent on a healthy salmon fishery have been knocked to their knees struggling to survive during Bonham’s tenure.”
Governor Gavin Newsom on the other hand, celebrated Bonham’s track record with the CDFW.
“Chuck led Fish and Wildlife with heart and conviction—the longest-serving director in its history and a champion for California’s natural heritage,” said Governor Newsom. “From his leadership restoring the Klamath to bringing salmon back to long-lost habitats, his belief that nature can rebound has shaped our state. I’m grateful for his service and counsel, and I look forward to continuing to work with him at The Nature Conservancy.”
The GSSA pulled no punches when it came to Governor Newsom, either.
“Although Chuck Bonham has been the head of CDFW, the disastrous water policies that have wiped out much of the Central Valley’s salmon and other wildlife are now the policies of Gavin Newsom,” added Staplin. “We can hope for a good person to take over at CDFW, but what is really needed is a new governor who recognizes that water policy in California needs a little compromise and balance to bring salmon and many other species back. Californians deserve better.”
Often during Bonham’s tenure, the fishing and hunting communities often called for CDFW leadership who was more sensitive to their specific issues, and more personally active in those activities.
