Orrin G. Sage, Jr

Orrin Sage died unexpectedly Monday afternoon February 12, 2024 in Grass Valley, CA. He and his wife Cindy lived in Santa Barbara for 50 years before returning to the land and ranching in northern California. After growing up together riding horses in rural Chatsworth, they shared a common vision for their life works, a long marriage, a small but successful consulting firm and a love of teaching in the Environmental Studies Program, University of California, Santa Barbara (1970-1981 and 1985-1988). Dr. Sage completed both a Masters and PhD degree in Environmental Geology at UCSB. They turned University Extension classes into learning adventures for many students in the 1970’s, challenging students to learn wilderness skills in addition to glaciology, hydrology, natural history and conservation at the Yosemite Institute, the Santa Barbara Channel Islands, and on river trips in Canada and Alaska. In later years, they enjoyed trekking in the Sierra, Nepal and Bhutan, and many trips to the Yukon territories and Atlin, British Columbia.

Orrin spent much of his childhood on the Sage Ranch in the Simi Hills, CA which became a focus of his academic work in environmental geology as well as a practical education in cattle ranching and orchard farming. He built his young family a bunkhouse from old fencing, and solar panels for the roof. Many UCSB students enjoyed their turn at field studies on the Sage Ranch during the 1970’s which involved camping out, cooking outdoors, visiting Native American caves on the property and learning field mapping techniques.

Sage Associates provided environmental and agricultural consulting for over 50 years and was instrumental in the early development of conservation easements. Orrin worked on more than 3 million acres of agricultural and grazing land in California and southern Nevada. More than 700,000 acres are now preserved under conservation easements including the Hearst San Simeon Ranch and 23,000 acres of the Bridgeport Valley in the eastern Sierra. His favorite work was helping families to preserve their working ranchlands for future generations.

He was a Trustee of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History in the 1990-1996 and Fellow of the Explorers Club since 1979. He was a Board Member of the Eastern Sierra Land Trust (2007-2012) and remained on the ESLT Lands Committee until his death. From 2004 – 2006 he served as a Board Member of the Society for Rangeland Management. He held a State of California, Board of Forestry Registration as a Certified Rangeland Manager.

Orrin is survived by his wife Cindy, daughters Stephanie Kerst (Stuart) of Menlo Park and Amy Thomsen (Scott) of Grass Valley and grandchildren Avery Orrin Kerst (14), Ford Alexander Smith Kerst (12), Drake Porter Thomsen (12) and Beckett Hunter Thomsen (10). Orrin will be remembered for his love for and devotion to his children and grand-children. He loved deeply, knew how listen and how to be the quiet, steady mentor to his students, colleagues, family and friends. At his request, there will be no formal services. He would urge us all to go hike somewhere inspirational and send him a wish for a good journey up the trail.