Orange County has lost one of its strongest advocates for the environment. Jan Vandersloot led many campaigns in behalf of wetlands, wildlife, parks and clean oceans.  He was a co-founder of the Bolsa Chica Land Trust, which is credited with saving the Bolsa Chica Wetlands.

In between major campaigns, Vandersloot fought hard to protect other slices of wetland, wild habitat or parkland, in part to defend one of his great loves: birds. "He was somebody who was deeply moved by nature," his son Jon said. "He wanted to preserve things the way they originally were, prior to the hand of man. He had a focus and energy about him that I think everybody respected, regardless of if you agreed with him or not."