The Sohl Family
Casting Stones for Ripples of Change
Members of the Sohl family have collectively dedicated decades to environmental stewardship and community organizing in Southern Oregon, showing that local action and climate justice go hand-in-hand.
A Place to Land
When Bryan and Paula Sohl moved to Ashland in 1988, they were drawn by the promise of a college town atmosphere and Bryan’s passion for fly fishing. Their oldest daughter Rachel was just one year old, and their other children, Hannah and Noah, were born in Ashland.
They considered places like Fort Collins, Boulder, and Missoula before settling on Southern Oregon after Bryan received a job offer in Medford.
“I came out of medical training, we were married three years with a baby, and we were looking for a college town with a progressive atmosphere that also had great fly fishing opportunities.”
– BRYAN SOHL
Aboard Ashland’s Climate Journey
Bryan serves as the chair of the Climate and Environment Policy Advisory Committee (CEPAC), an iteration of previous environmental committees in Ashland that began with the Conservation Commission. His involvement dates back to 2015, when he was part of the commission that recognized Ashland’s need for a comprehensive climate plan.
“A number of the members of that commission felt that Ashland needed a climate plan,” Bryan explains. This led to the formation of a 14-member ad hoc committee, which Bryan joined alongside other community members, including two high school students. After two years of dedicated work, the Climate and Energy Action Plan (CEAP) was approved in May 2017, establishing ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Ashland.
“Those two high school students on the CEAP ad-hoc committee, Issac Bevers and Claire Pryor, really helped initiate youth involvement in Ashland’s climate initiatives. They spearheaded an organized effort to have students testify at nearly every City Council meeting for quite some time in favor of doing something important for climate action.”
– BRYAN SOHL
The Next Generation
Bryan and Paula’s daughter, Hannah Sohl, co-founded Rogue Climate over a decade ago, with one aim being that of getting youth involved in climate action locally. The organization has since become a powerful force for environmental justice in the region.
Following the devastating Almeda fires, Rogue Climate emerged as a leading organizer of relief efforts, particularly for low-income and elderly communities.
“Rogue Climate has done a lot of climate organizing activity over the years,” shares Paula. “They were a leader in the effort to defeat Jordan Cove (a proposed liquefied natural gas pipeline). They’ve grown to be justice conscious as well as focused on climate goals.”
Youth for Electrification
Rogue Climate’s commitment to youth leadership has been transformative for Ashland. In February 2025, after two years of youth-led community organizing, the Ashland City Council unanimously passed a Carbon Pollution Impact Fee to incentivize all-electric new homes.
The policy aims to cut pollution, help lower building costs, and boost energy efficiciency in newly constructed homes. Young activists showed up to city council meetings, provided testimony, held rallies and walk-outs, and worked tirelessly to encourage the City to advance its climate goals.
“This new ordinance wouldn’t have happened if the Rogue Climate Action Team had not had strong organization and tenacious energy to get the issue in front of City Council.”
– BRYAN SOHL
Passionate Pursuits
For Bryan, environmental advocacy is deeply connected to his love of rivers and cycling. “I’ve been a lifelong fly fisherman, always interested in rivers and river health. I’m also a cyclist and it’s great to see the work individuals in our community are doing to decrease auto travel and improve biking networks.”
He acknowledges the challenges ahead, sharing that “so much of our transportation funding goes to road maintenance, and currently there’s little going to new bicycle or pedestrian paths.”
“I remember when a lot of our friends rode bikes to school. Now there’s work to be done to mitigate traffic jams at school drop-offs and pick-ups.”
– BRYAN SOHL
Reduce, Reuse, Repair
Paula’s climate passion centers around principles of reusing and recycling materials.
She enjoys perusing the Facebook Buy Nothing group, thrift store shopping, and sharing repair and mending skills with others. Her involvement with the United Church of Christ (UCC), where she served as associate minister for eight years, has also provided a powerful platform for environmental justice work.
“The national UCC has been involved with environmental justice since the 80s,” shares Paula. “I find a lot of strength in the community there.”
Floods of Change
With two grandchildren who have just turned one year old, the Sohls are deeply invested in Ashland’s future. They believe strongly in the importance of individual action in combating climate change. “It makes someone feel like they have power. If you can accomplish something locally, it gives more hope for big changes,” Bryan explains.
The couple practices what they preach in their daily lives. “There are so many little things you can do. We bought a single plug-in induction burner that serves 80% of our cooking, including almost all breakfasts and many dinners,” Bryan shares. “We can get around pretty much anywhere here in a 20-30 minute walk, and we both love using our e-bikes. We love seeing the growth in e-bike use around town.”
“To combat climate change, there’s got to be a flood of change. It’s a conglomeration of a billion raindrops. Each of us has to be a raindrop, from our carbon choices to our home choices.”
– BRYAN SOHL
Story Credits
Family
Bryan and Paula Sohl
Author
Rachel Koning
Photography
Personal photos shared courtesy of The Sohl Family