Andy Colonna's relationship with the natural world began early, growing up hiking, hunting, fishing, and working the docks along the coast of Rhode Island. A stint fishing for deep-sea scallops and swordfish off the Northeast Coast — and a close-up view of Russian trawlers during the height of the Cold War — shaped both his conservation ethic and a lifelong interest in conflict resolution.
After studying international relations, oceanography, and environmental policy at the University of Rhode Island, Andy eventually settled in Northern California, where decades of hands-on advocacy have left a lasting mark on the region's forests and fisheries. Early work with the North Coast Environmental Center helped replace toxic Vietnam-era herbicides used in timber reforestation with manual alternatives — a local success that grew into a nationwide U.S. Forest Service study.
Teaming up with partner Vivian Helliwell, Andy has co-authored major public comments on large-scale timber harvest proposals, secured critical stream buffers on sensitive watersheds, and joined the ongoing effort to remove two fish-blocking dams on the Eel River to restore salmon and steelhead passage.
Andy and Vivian currently serve together on the North Coast Stream Flow Coalition, the Eel River Coalition, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), the Scott/Shasta “Flowalition” group, the Salmonid Restoration Federation (SRF), the California Advisory Committee on Salmon and Steelhead, which advises the Director of California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Joint Legislative Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture.