OPEN SPACES
The newsletter of the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Roger Essick President
Sandy Buechley Vice President
Martha Groszewski Treasurer
Stefanie Coeler Secretary
Bret Bradigan
Fiona Hutton
Jerry Maryniuk
Tonya Peralta
Larry Rose
Lu Setnicka
Sarah Sheshunoff
STAFF
Tom Maloney Executive Director
Tania Parker Deputy Director
Brendan Taylor Director of Field Programs
Dan Pizano Operations Director
Vivon Crawford Restoration Program Director
Adam Morrison Development Manager
Nathan Wickstrum Communications & Outreach Manager
Rhett Walker Grants Manager
Christine Gau Land Protection Specialist
Carrie Drevenstedt Development Database Coordinator
Linda Wilkin Preserve Manager
Sophie McLean Native Plant Specialist
Claire Woolson Rewild Ojai & Volunteer Coordinator
Martin Schenker Restoration Field Crew Manager
Rachel Ray Restoration Field Crew
Silas Bohen Restoration Field Crew
Tyler Willibrand Restoration Field Crew
Keith Brooks Land Steward
Madison Moore Nursery Assistant
Mission: To protect and restore the natural landscapes of the Ojai Valley forever.
STAY CONNECTED WITH THE OVLC: OVLC.ORG
FIND US ON FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM
Cover photo by Nathan Wickstrum
Help Save
RIVERVIEW TRAILHEAD
$4,146,000
$105,000 to go!
$3,905,500 raised
Join OVLC in securing 234 acres along the Ventura River, including Riverview Trailhead, which is a gateway to the Ventura River Preserve with over 120,000 visitors annually. The three new properties include, a 170-acre conservation easement on Santa Ana Road, 20 acres adjacent to the Ventura River Steelhead Preserve, and 44 acres at Riverview Trailhead. Help OVLC protect Ojai’s natural beauty for generations to come.
FROM THE DIRECTOR
As a land trust, Ojai Valley Land Conservancy is always looking to save land, and we’re thrilled to announce that we are in the process of saving 234 acres of new conservation land! Land conservation is arguably more important than ever, and to many remains the single most lasting and effective conservation strategy.
OVLC was created in 1987, at a time when there was a flurry of land trusts created around the country. The conservation of special places (like Ojai) by private organizations was started in the US over 125 years ago in Massachusetts. Private lands conservation was pretty uncommon (think sanctuaries of the National Audubon Society) for generations until the environmental movement took hold. Today, there are thousands of land trusts that run the gamut from tiny all-volunteer outfits (such as OVLC in the early years) to very large and effective international organizations.
To date, land trusts have conserved roughly 61 million acres of land in the US alone! There has also been an evolution of how land trusts prioritize their work. Like OVLC, many land trusts were founded to provide a better option to the development of land and we have much to be thankful for when we consider the foresight of OVLC’s founders. Today, with the myriad threats
of climate change and biodiversity loss, land trusts are targeting lands more strategically to protect the natural capital that supports all of us.
The 234 acres that OVLC is fundraising to protect are all adjacent to the Ventura River. The 170-acre Birdsong Ranch is on lower Santa Ana Road and shares a border with OVLC’s 69-acre Ventura River Steelhead Preserve and the 140-acre City of Ventura wellfield. The Hollingsworth Casita project adds 20 acres to the Steelhead Preserve. And, while users of the 44-acre Riverview Trailhead should offer the Redemption Church deep gratitude for allowing OVLC’s use for so many years, it is great to know that the land will be conserved forever! Together these three properties enhance the protection and integrity of the river that is so important to the character and ecology of our valley.
Thank you for considering a gift to support our campaign and help us reach our goal of $4.2M to protect these important lands.
Tom Maloney, Executive Director
VENTURA RIVER SPONSORS
Las Palmas de Ojai
OJAI MEADOWS SPONSORS
Lorraine Lim Catering, Inc
Patagonia
Topa Topa Brewing Company
STEELHEAD SPONSORS
High on Kennels
Ojai Valley Inn
The MOB Shop
SAN ANTONIO CREEK SPONSORS
Aqua-Flo Supply
The Glass Man Professional Window Washing Company, Inc.
Herring Law Group
Tonya Peralta Real Estate Team
PARKWAY SPONSORS
Alpha Stone Inc.
Bohème
Firestick Pottery
Jim and Rob’s Fresh Grill
McDaniel Insurance Services
Ojai Valley Trail Riding Company
Stay Wild Ventures
Tobias Parker - General Contractor
West Coast Air Conditioning
IN-KIND SPONSORS
bITvision
California 101 Guide
Custom Printing
Hutchinson and Bloodgood
Maslina Ranch
Ojai Quarterly
Ojai Valley Directory
Ojai Valley News
Revel
Shelter Social Club/Rancho Inn
HELP PROTECT THIS LAND
Join OVLC in securing 234 acres along the Ventura River, including Riverview Trailhead, which is a gateway to the Ventura River Preserve with over 120,000 visitors annually.
The three new properties include:
• 170-acre conservation easement on Santa Ana Road
• 20 acres adjacent to the Ventura River Steelhead Preserve
• 44 acres at Riverview Trailhead
Donate today to save this land at ovlc.org!
Ventura River Preserve Trailhead
SAVE RIVERVIEW TRAILHEAD
Wherever you grew up, whether in the Ojai Valley or elsewhere, how many of the surrounding street names besides your own did you know? If you’re like most people, probably not many. The streets are just fixtures of your community, so a detail as minor as the name is unimportant compared to the fact that your friend lives one street over and your school is at the end of another street five minutes away. Riverview Trailhead seems to be a similar fixture in this community.
Rice Trailhead, the Middle One, River Trailhead, the Rice Road One: these are just a few of the names people use for Riverview Trailhead. Many people also think that OVLC already owns Riverview Trailhead, despite the fact that the kiosk map has always shown it as private property and separate from the Ventura River Preserve. But, of course, not everyone sees that kiosk at Riverview, probably because they are using other trailheads, particularly Oso Trailhead, which is tied with Riverview Trailhead for the busiest trailhead in the valley.
Despite sometimes being overlooked, Riverview Trailhead is still a vital fixture of this community because it is the starting point for many preserve users visiting the Ventura River Preserve. Without Riverview Trailhead, Oso Trailhead would be a zoo—or at least more of a zoo than it currently is, especially on a hot summer day when people flock to the river. By purchasing Riverview and making official what many already mistakenly assumed was true, OVLC is helping to ensure that recreational use remains at a sustainable level by dispersing visitors across various trailheads and the trail system at the Ventura River Preserve.
Protecting Riverview Trailhead in perpetuity ensures that water from Cozy Dell Creek has a designated area to disperse
as well. Although Cozy Dell seldom floods, in the event of a recurrence akin to the January 2023 incident, it becomes increasingly imperative to preserve the floodplain and maintain its undeveloped status. With the imminent acquisition of the entire Riverview Trailhead property, encompassing portions of the land beneath the parking area, OVLC has taken proactive measures (with permission from the property owner) by removing the old kiwi orchard to initiate land restoration. Failure to protect the property leaves the door open for reversion to agricultural use, which could potentially exacerbate pressure on our water supply and vulnerability to future flood damage. Now, as efforts are underway to secure protection for the property, the removal of the kiwi orchard has already elevated the valley floor’s most splendid panorama.
One of the main draws of Riverview Trailhead is undoubtedly the breathtaking vista it offers—just look at the river bottom right there, framed by the imposing Santa Ynez mountains in the distance. It’s one of the most accessible spots in the valley to watch the sunset. OVLC is genuinely pleased that for most visitors, the allure lies not in the trailhead itself, but in the opportunity to soak in the surrounding natural beauty or embark on the trails. After all, trailheads tend to be crowded with cars, fences, and trash cans—not exactly the picturesque environments OVLC strives to conserve. While our focus remains on preserving the surrounding land, until we gather sufficient funds to acquire it, we appeal to you to lend your support, if only temporarily, to protect what is evidently a vital community asset, known to few by name!
Brendan Taylor, Director of Field Programs
CHAPARRAL MALLOW UNDERSTORY
When I am studying to live up to the title of botanist, I will flip through the names of thousands of plants. What a thing to know, what an expectation for myself to understand! I fumble for genus names, species names, and subspecies. What are their defining characteristics? What detail must I see? Is it the millimeter difference of a bract, or the width and shape of a leaf? Glume, petal, sheath? Answered with study, ruler, and belief. These questions are sought in the heavy Jepson Manual, where the observations of phytophile build upon one another. More importantly, they are found when I kneel before these small cotyledons, exchange the gift of breath, and something less methodical presents itself to blanket the grief of misunderstanding.
It is the details that give us context. It is the letters that make the words, and the words that form the sentence. Walking and seeing these individuals within populations, I see the story come together. This spring, while doing a survey through a stand of chaparral mallow, Malacothamnus nuttallii, I was surprised by a plant I knew so well. As an individual, it has deep sea-green leaves with a dustiness to its look, defined by minute star-shaped hairs. It grows tall, then spreads through relentless rhizomes. This plant follows fire, and I often find myself looking out onto the foothills below the sharp-toothed peak of White Ledge, where the dusty lime green is swathed across the hills.
I assumed that this plant, seeming so aggressive, would crowd out other plants. And yet, it had a diverse understory providing dappled shade for smaller perennials and annual flowers. Seemingly lonely and robust, the space danced with delicacy. I crawled between the mallow among fellow surveyors, rattling off the names of countless plants. There was a gleeful twining snapdragon ( Antirrhinum kelloggii). From the smallest pedestal,
as thin as a string, the violet flower twined and levitated with a quirky disposition. Whispering bells (Emmenanthe penduliflora) glowed among the openings. Golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum), laden with orange blossoms, sat next to the lemon maple aroma of pearly everlasting (Pseudognaphalium californica). May I go on? Purple nightshade (Solanum xanti ), a consistent and early flower forever tied to Southern California understories, bordered a population of elegant Fremont’s star lily (Toxicoscordion fremontii ). We filled out survey papers with notes and plants as emerald green native bees buzzed among the flowers.
I paint this moment to share the details that web together the landscape of Ojai at this point in time. The genus Malacothamnus is a fire follower, so though it is common now, in mature stands of chaparral its populations diminish over time. So, in this moment, I ask myself, how resilient are these communities? How do they set the stage for future generations? I find the roots of the answer within the understory. With more layers of natives, comes more complexity in the habitat, and in turn, greater resiliency. The adaptability and flexibility of the ecosystem is founded on these seemingly small relationships. There is no doubt that the hills will change, creating different forms of mosaics of plants.
However, within the seed bank, these communities are preserved in time. With this in mind, our teams can help build and replicate these communities in places where the seed bank is exhausted and suppressed by years of non-native species and human disturbance. More importantly, it gives us an understanding of the details that create the web we live within.
Sophie McLean, Native Plant Specialist
RESTORATION
Sun shifts through the colossal skeletons of cottonwoods, leaves awaken, erupt. Like ancient text upon crisp paper, soil horizons inches thick enclose seed. Encoded within their furrowed coats are spirits with knowledge deeper than Miocene kelp forests. Piercing light through translucent green foliage greets the soil, welcoming emerging seedlings who carpet the brambled floor. The air thick with the scent of emergence, the anticipation of spring within lignin. We may have never walked across the silty lakeshores of the Pliocene; however, our footsteps make indentations within the Earth in an everlasting, parallel manner.
As our restoration team studies the complex entanglements of nature, the endless web of life reveals itself. Our footprints become visible. It is within the floral arrangement of an inflorescence we bide our time, chatting like towhees under toyon about the behaviors and cycles of vegetation. We often ponder how we can integrate our human hands into the ancient pendulums
of nature, how to aid in its stability. Restoration at OVLC relies on the deep understanding of succession, how environments intricately react to disturbance. These stages of growth, each individual and unique, work together to build highly productive ecosystems. Even though these complex webs have evolved through incredible challenges throughout geologic time, modern societal demands have accelerated disturbance and heightened its magnitude in ways that nature has not adapted to compete with.
In this niche is where we spend energy. Where nature is at its tipping point. By strategically and thoughtfully splicing certain plants into an environment that is degraded, we can shift the tides of ecological stability into an equilibrium. The balance of nature is what we strive for at OVLC.
Martin Schenker, Restoration Field Crew Manager
SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
IN MEMORY OF
Becky Lowe
For the land she loved. from Casey Fulmer
Carol Boysen from Katherine Regester
Dave Nakada from Tim Nakada
Gerry Moir
Gerry walked many years with his dog enjoying nature’s beauty. from Nancy Moir
Hugo Ekback from Linda & Boris Chaloupsky
John A. Chatowski from Katherine Chatowski
John G Bee from Susan Bee
John G. Avildsen from Corrina Wright & Anthony Avildsen
Mark Lee
Anan and I got to know Mark on daily walks at the meadows. He will always walk with us there. from Carol Munter
Michele Briley from Mike Briley
Norman Siderow from Jill Cohen
Paul Thomas
In memory of your sweet brother from Jordana Gustafson
Sara Roxanne Schneider
In loving memory of your daughter, Sara from Carol Shore
Thinking of your dear Sara on her birthday. Love to you, Amy. xo Betsy
Todd Black from Gayla Swann
Zachary Wayne Griffin IV Remembered with love. from Dana White from Tara Crowley
IN HONOR OF
Ann Wilkinson Ellis
Happy Birthday Ann!
Much Love, The Shanghai Mamas
Beth & Kade
Enjoy the ride! from Cindy Gordon
Bill & Susie Brothers from Tiarzha Taylor
Charlotte Manning
Love all you are, Charlotte. from Robert Schwartz
Claire Hines & Michael Ilves Best wishes! from Jill Stowe
We’re so happy for you! from Joy Wasson & Liz Throop
Chandler Hartnett from Charmaine Hartnett
David Paulson
Happy birthday! Enjoy more of the great outdoors in Ojai Valley. from Chip Paulson
Emily See Happy Birthday sweet Emily! from Margaret Shea
Jerry Maryniuk
Thank you for sharing this beautiful backyard of yours with me! from Kaley Bell
Katherine Willis
Happy Birthday from Bert & Lanae Carter
Kathryn Wolters
Happy Birthday from Morgana Krinsley, Vicky Anderson, Xandelin Xsaturn, Susan Haseltine, Jackie King, Kelvin Dodd, Váok Gvozel Cristobal, James Browne, Barbara Mahaney-Riggs, Stefanie Coeler, Bruce Miller & Ellen Meryweather
Lyn Summer
Happy Birthday
From Cindy Jaks & Chris Morrow
Patricia Whalen from Harry Michael Whalen
Sandy Buechley
Thank you for your long time work on behalf of OVLC! from Marie Anderson
Acknowledgments: 2/15/24-5/10/24
WELCOME MADISON MOORE, OVLC NURSERY ASSISTANT!
The nursery welcomes our new Nursery Assistant, Madison Moore. Maddie is from Los Gatos and has recently come to Ojai after studying Agricultural Business and Sustainable Agriculture at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Madison’s interest in restoration and conservation was ignited at Cal Poly’s Swanton Pacific Ranch, where she was involved in post-fire forest recovery projects, trail repair, and rangeland management. Madison is thrilled to continue her work as a steward of the land and immerse herself in the unique botany and ecology of the Ojai Valley. She is already learning the botanical names of native plants by putting their Latin names as loved one’s contacts in her phone. Artemisia californica is calling!
Maddie is filling a need in the nursery by implementing nursery operations. Through watering, transplanting, and seed collecting she is a large part of keeping the plants healthy and thriving. As our plant stock grows to build capacity for Rewild Ojai, Maddie’s time is crucial to supporting the program and providing native plants for our conservation efforts and the community.
AMERICAN KESTREL ( FALCO SPARVERIUS )
Written by Martin Schenker
Small falcons frequent the Ventura River Preserve. Talons on wire, eyes dialed in, fixated on ruffles in bunchgrass. Movement. Dive! Elegant fast flight, fissured floor. A ferocious being. A fundamentally sound species. The American kestrel is native to Alaska and Canada through South America where it inhabits grasslands, openings in woodlands, exposed areas with nesting opportunities nearby. Living up to 14 years old, American kestrels are the smallest and showiest species around. The desired prey of American kestrels consists of smaller insects such as cicadas, grasshoppers, and beetles as well as smaller animals like voles, lizards, and smaller snakes.
Their stability within Ojai is dependent upon healthy ecosystems with abundant arthropod diversity, which is reliant on a diverse palette of native plants. Transition zones between woodlands and coastal sage scrub provide this niche, where proper canopy cover and insect diversity overlap. As OVLC is active in restoring oak woodlands through succession of chaparral and grassland communities, American kestrels benefit from the diverse habitats incorporated into our restoration designs. We encourage you to take your binoculars out, sit still and quiet, and observe the diverse array of wildlife present in your vicinity. For it is within this realm of observing that we often find connection to the vast network of associations that surround us.
DINNER AT THE VENTURA RIVER STEELHEAD PRESERVE - AUGUST 18
We are excited to announce a special evening dedicated to our Pushing Up Poppies Legacy Giving Club members! This event will bring together like-minded individuals to celebrate our collective dedication to the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s enduring mission.
By including the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy in your estate plans, you can help protect the beauty of Ojai for generations to come. A bequest is a simple way to support the OVLC in the future while retaining control of your assets during your lifetime. By making the OVLC a beneficiary of your will, trust, retirement plan, life insurance policy, or financial accounts, you ensure your values will be passed on. The real beneficiary, of course, is Ojai.
A FUNDRAISER FOR THE OJAI VALLEY LAND CONSERVANCY
Lights, camera, conservation! This year, OVLC is celebrating its 10th anniversary of Mountainfilm on Tour. Dig out your blankets and low-back chairs and join us on Saturday, September 21 at Ojai Valley School’s Lower Campus Sports Field for another fantastic year of films and fun!
Make it a weekend and join us Friday, September 20, at Under the Open Sky—a locally sourced farm-to-table dinner with live music, a photo booth, beer, wine, a virtual auction, and a paddle raise at our historic Ventura River Steelhead Preserve. When the sun sets, we will enjoy a collection of films selected for this special event that will not be shown on Saturday night.
Experience the beauty of nature, the thrill of adrenalinepumping adventures, and the power of environmental storytelling as we showcase a carefully curated selection of films from the Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride. From breathtaking landscapes to heartwarming stories of human resilience, these films will leave you with a profound love for our planet and a renewed commitment to its preservation.
SEPTEMBER 20-21
VIRTUAL AUCTION • RAFFLE • LIVE MUSIC • BEER GARDEN • FOOD TRUCKS
Make it a weekend and join us Friday, September 20 at Under the Open Sky!
A farm-to-table dinner, live music, photo booth, drinks, virtual auction, paddle raise, and films at the Ventura River Steelhead Preserve.
Piedra Blanca, Los Padres National Forest by Nathan Wickstrum
VOLUNTEER PROFILE
BETSY VANLEIT — OVLC VOLUNTEER & DOCENT
Betsy Vanleit began her journey with OVLC in 2016, and she has been an invaluable member of our volunteer community ever since. As our first unofficial Volunteer Restoration Adopter, Betsy meticulously maintained oak circles, dedicating over 100 hours to our restoration efforts. Her passion for conservation and tireless work have significantly impacted our organization. This summer, Betsy is elevating her commitment to the organization by officially joining our Board of Directors.
In this interview, Preserve Manager Linda Wilkin sits down with Betsy to discuss her experiences and insights from years of volunteering. Join us as we explore her dedication to preserving the beauty of Ojai and continuing the legacy of her father, Art Vander. Betsy’s efforts exemplify the spirit and dedication that drive our mission forward.
Betsy, thank you for meeting me on this beautiful spring day. To start, can you tell me a little about yourself?
My first degree was in environmental education from the University of Oregon a long time ago. Before that, I lived in Israel after high school and worked in an orchard. That was my starting place with plants, and I eventually ended up with a degree that led me to work with the Forest Service in Oregon for about four years in the silviculture department. Silviculture refers to the scientific management and cultivation of forest ecosystems to ensure their health, productivity, and sustainability. I initially ran the Young Adult Conservation Corps program, which was cut by Reagan when he came into office. Then the Forest Service picked me up as a seasonal employee. This was pre-drone, before all of the technology we have now. So, there were two of us and one of the foresters would send us out to run a line from point A to point B. They wanted to know everything: the slope, the soil, the plant species…etc.
This was in the Willamette National Forest, out of Oak Ridge, Oregon, which primarily consists of Douglas fir forests. At the time, it was the biggest timber-cutting forest in the country. A lot of this work was in preparation for timber sales. I learned a lot doing that. Since I was a seasonal worker, in the off time, I ended up being the case manager for the Head Start program. I worked with families on various issues they had, which led me down a different path. I ended up getting a degree in occupational therapy from the University of Washington and became an
occupational therapist. I worked in mental health for a number of years. I still loved being out in the woods, but it was nice not having to do it every single day. Especially in the forest I was in, it rained all winter, the mosquitoes were relentless, and the poison oak was prolific. We would run a line, and it would take us right through the poison oak. We wore heavy rubber rain gear to keep from coming into contact with the oils, but the downside is that we would be sweating profusely in that gear.
Somewhere along the way, I ended up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, around 1990. I helped start the occupational therapy program at the University of New Mexico, taught in it, and got my doctoral degree in Community Health Education. I worked with rural and underserved communities across New Mexico, helping them identify health issues and solutions. I trained students in about 12 different health professions to work as teams and with communities. It was pretty amazing. But I never lost my love for trees, forests, and environmental topics. When I retired in late 2016, I was able to retire from a great career, but I was tired from working endless hours in academia.
I know you are very involved in volunteering in our community. Can you tell me about that?
I was able to retire at 60 and then ended up volunteering in Albuquerque, working on cottonwood forest restoration because the Rio Grande River runs right through the area. There was a nature center involved in cottonwood restoration, which got me
deeper into the world of restoration. It was really challenging! The river used to flood annually, and cottonwoods need floods to regenerate. Trying to restore the forests, despite the presence of dams, water channelization, and drought was extremely difficult. We experimented by digging holes to reach the now significantly lower water table. I quickly realized that restoration was in its infancy and certainly not a well-established field at that time. We had to learn from others, experiment, and keep track of our methods and results. It was a fascinating process. During this period, I also got certified in permaculture design and began experimenting with gardening.
I started visiting Ojai because my parents lived there. After I retired, I moved to Ojai. I knew I wanted to continue volunteering and my interest in restoration work had grown. In 2016, Jill Lashly was the Conservation Director, and I helped with the “Oranges to Oaks” project in the Ventura River Preserve. Oak tree saplings had been planted, and it was a new project with the concept of oak circles and companion plants. As a volunteer, I was often sent out on various tasks. I remember one year, they decided to put shade cloth on the southwest sides of the oaks to protect them from the summer sun. I also did a lot of watering. It was peaceful work, just me out there, and I loved it. In addition to this work, I was involved with Food Forward, the Ojai Valley Green Coalition, and Ojai Trees.
Can you tell me a bit more about your involvement with these other nonprofits?
Yes, I found myself serving on the homelessness task force for the City of Ojai, where I played a role in securing a significant grant for permanent housing solutions. Additionally, I lent a hand to Help of Ojai’s food pantry efforts and collaborated with Food Forward on gleaning and food recovery initiatives at both the Ojai and Ventura farmers markets. Moreover, I’ve been deeply engaged with the Ojai Valley Green Coalition, particularly focusing on the eight-acre city campus property. Through extensive community input gathered over a year, we’ve shaped plans for the site, aiming for a blend of habitat restoration—like the ongoing work at the Middle Stewart site and the preservation of native grasslands. The community’s vision includes transforming it into a hub for environmental education, benefiting local wildlife and native flora. Additionally, my involvement with Ojai Trees underscores my commitment to preserving and enhancing our tree canopy. These initiatives represent the core of my community involvement.
What motivates you to be so involved?
I firmly believe that the most impactful work happens at the local level. When communities unite, we can build something
truly resilient. While I understand the importance of national politics and state policies, my passion lies in engaging with local initiatives. There’s so much that needs to be done right here in our own neighborhoods. For me, it’s a social experience where I meet incredible people, and it feels like a rewarding way to spend my days. Plus, I always make sure to spend a significant amount of time outdoors. Having spent much of my career working in offices, one of my goals in retirement was to reduce screen time and enjoy the open air.
You mentioned that you believe in a certain structure for society that supports clean soil, air, etc. Can you tell me about that?
My work with the Ojai Valley Green Coalition has been focused on developing a vision and mission statement, emphasizing the factors that help a community become resilient, regenerative, and ecologically healthy. This holistic approach considers both human and non-human elements. I believe that true health for humans is impossible without ensuring the health of the entire ecosystem. There are numerous models to guide this thinking. For instance, there’s one that highlights the core needs of all beings, including living soil, clean water, clean air, reasonable shelter, and a sense of safety. Moreover, it encompasses the potential for individuals to fully manifest their capabilities, all within a web of relationships. These interconnected relationships are why I engage in a range of activities. Human health is intertwined with the health of trees, a sustainable economy, and other environmental factors. For example, it’s a significant concern that many staff members and others in our community can’t afford to live in
Betsy (far right) trains with fellow docents to certify Rewild Ojai gardens.
The Oranges to Oaks restoration zone at the Ventura River Preserve, where Betsy has dedicated many volunteer hours for OVLC.
the Ojai Valley. Addressing this issue involves ensuring fair living wages for those contributing to our community’s well-being. I see everything as part of this intricate web of relationships, constantly influencing and supporting one another. This perspective drives my commitment to fostering a resilient, interconnected, and healthy community.
That’s beautiful. You’ve been involved with developing Rewild Ojai with OVLC. Can you tell me what rewild means to you?
I love Rewild because, if you think about it, the beginning of any land conservancy is about protecting land. However, we now recognize that this is just the starting point. As you well know, stewardship is essential, yet funding for land stewardship is often scarce. Additionally, much of the land requires restoration and isn’t in the pristine condition where it can simply be left alone. This is usually within the context of land that has been purchased or has some type of easement, making it separate from where most people live. Rewilding, to me, is incredibly radical because it suggests that every one of us with access to property, no matter how small, has the opportunity to help re-weave an incredible quilt of healthy, ecologically sound land. This land can support pollinators, plants, trees, wildlife, and birds. What an amazing concept.
Instead of merely donating or volunteering on conserved lands, we can have agency right in our own backyards. This approach helps people realize that gardens don’t have to resemble traditional English gardens with white fences and roses. Instead, beauty and health can be intertwined, and our yards and gardens can be more than just aesthetically pleasing spaces or places for barbecues. They can become homes for a multitude of other beings. By doing this, we can truly create a connected, vibrant ecosystem. I think of it as stitching a quilt, extending our reach and our sense of belonging in ways I’ve never considered before.
From your public health background, do you think native gardens benefit both homeowners and the Ojai community?
Native gardens are absolutely good for everyone. One key insight I gained from my work in community and public health is that most dimensions of health have little to do with the medical system. Research increasingly shows that the zip code you live in can significantly impact your health. Wealthier zip codes with trees and gardens contribute to better overall health outcomes. Access to clean water and air is also crucial.
I’ve also had the privilege of living and working in Cambodia for a year, spending some time in Thailand, and doing consulting in Rwanda. In all these cases, my work was health-related, and it became evident that access to healthy food is essential. Access to good food, clean air, water, and shelter plays a far more significant role in health than any medicine a pharmacy can provide. Native gardens support this holistic view of health. They provide fresh produce, improve air quality, and enhance the environment, contributing to both individual and community well-being.
Why do you think local California native plants are so important from the perspective of local genetics?
We know that native plants evolved together, creating intricate relationships with microbial beings in the soil, pollinators, and other insects and plants. These relationships are analogous to those among animals and have developed over thousands of years.
A healthy ecosystem is built on these complex and harmonious relationships. The plants need each other and thrive together, while introducing non-native species often disrupts these dynamics. Studies have shown that a native oak, for instance, can provide habitat and food for numerous species, far more than a tree brought in from another region, even if it’s Mediterraneanadapted. This demonstrates the importance of maintaining native plant species to support a rich and balanced ecosystem.
What would you say to someone who was thinking about being a part of the Rewild Ojai certified garden program?
Rewilding is an incredible way to contribute to our community’s health and beauty, and there are so many ways to get involved. All it takes is deciding to make a part of your yard welcoming to wildlife and native plants. This simple choice opens up opportunities to learn about local flora and fauna, and it allows you to be part of something much bigger than yourself. If you become passionate about it, you can even train as a docent and help others get their gardens certified. Rewilding is a wonderful way to connect with nature and your community.
Is there anything you are looking forward to with OVLC?
Well, it’s been so much fun for me to be involved over the years. To see you guys grow, both in terms of staff and expanding your mission. Like adding the word “restore” to the mission. I just see OVLC as a really important part of our community. I see many of the staff, and that includes you, Linda, as people who I greatly respect and am really happy to have in my life. I take great pleasure in contributing in any way I can to help the organization thrive and continue its valuable work for our community. I love everything you do.
Thank you, Betsy. That means a lot.
I mean it. I really do. You do beautiful work.
On a final note, I asked your dad, Art Vander, and I loved his response. What brings you happiness or joy in your day to day?
Being outdoors is probably the biggest source of joy for me! Yesterday was a bit gloomy, and I didn’t have to go out, which left me feeling a bit “meh.” However, as the year progresses, I know it’ll get hotter, but I’m a morning person and I can usually be outside before the sun rises. I love this time of year because it’s getting light so much earlier.
I have to get up to let the cat out—he’s eager to be out of the house around 4:30am or five in the morning. It’s usually when I get up anyway. I step outside with him, and it’s just starting to get light. What’s truly amazing is at that time in the morning, you can already hear the birds and insects. Lately, the grass in my yard has been covered with morning dew, and when the sun breaks through, that’s all it takes for me to think, “Yeah, this is going to be a good day.”
I love that. Thank you again Betsy for being you and such an invaluable resource to this community we call home.
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT REWILD OJAI? TURN THE PAGE!
MORE RESILIENT. MORE BIODIVERSE.
MORE INTERESTING. MORE WILD.
YOUR GARDEN CAN BE SO MUCH MORE.
PLANT NATIVES. REWILD OJAI.
REWILD YOUR GARDEN – REWILD YOUR HEART
When you add native plants to your garden, you join the movement to build habitat connectivity and increase climate resilience in the Ojai Valley—and you will see the life that fills your garden. Be a leader and join us to Rewild Ojai.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
PLANT A NATIVE PLANT COME TO AN EVENT
VISIT REWILDOJAI.ORG
BECOME A HABITAT HERO!
DISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF NATIVE PLANTS
• Rewild Ojai celebrates the vital role of native plants in local ecosystems, promoting biodiversity and resilience.
• Join our community to learn how to create thriving habitats in your own garden through our workshops, expert advice, and hands-on events.
• Dive into gardening with native plants and explore their benefits, including water conservation and support for local wildlife.
• Connect with fellow nature enthusiasts, share experiences, and contribute to a greener, more sustainable Ojai Valley.
Wherever you are on your rewild journey, visit our website or email us for more information: rewildojai.org / rewild@ovlc.org
Thank You!
To our wonderful community and supporters, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for supporting us during our first annual Rewild Ojai Native Garden Tour. We had 741 people attend the tour this year! The collective enthusiasm and curiosity of our community brought the tour to life, transforming it into an extraordinary inaugural event. This widespread participation not only ensured the tour’s success but also reinforced our commitment to expand OVLC’s restoration efforts beyond the preserves.
Rewild Ojai empowers our community to invest in habitat creation and make Ojai a better place for wildlife and people alike. Through our garden certification program, native plant starter kits, and private lands restoration, we will work together to increase native plant cover in the valley. Planting natives not only restores fragmented habitats, revives ecological processes,
and enhances biodiversity, but also contributes to improved community health and well-being.
As we continue to enhance biodiversity in our preserves and expand our restoration efforts beyond them, inspiring the community to plant native species in their own gardens, please know that such support and engagement are immensely valued and cherished. We are incredibly grateful to have a community that shares our passion for protecting and celebrating the beauty of our natural world.
Once again, thank you for being part of the tour. We look forward to many future opportunities to come together, learn, and revel in the splendor of rewilded gardens. Please save the date for next year’s garden tour, happening on April 26.
We can’t wait to see everyone there!
EVENT SPONSOR!
Photo by Stephen Adams
Photo by Cat Gwynn
TRAIL CLEARANCE CHRONICLES
Our little valley has been very fortunate to receive above average rainfall this year. If you have visited any of the 27 miles of trails on our preserves lately, you will have noticed that the flora is drinking it up and everything is growing like crazy. That also means that we are now deep into our trail clearance season.
We are very sensitive to the fact that, while our trails allow us access to the surrounding wilderness areas in our preserves, they also represent a corridor of sacrifice where we have to maintain a clearing. This has an unavoidable impact on the environment. We make every effort to route our trails around areas containing sensitive habits, sites of cultural significance, and rare and endangered plants.
Last year we completed a successful reroute of a section of Fox Canyon Trail to counter significant erosion and minimize traffic in an area that contained sensitive botanical resources. This required significant and repeated efforts to close the portion of trail that was being abandoned to protect the area. The closure involved techniques such as installing vertical mulch to deter human access, breaking up old hardened trail tread to allow regrowth, planting native plants that we have propagated from local seeds, and pulling leaf litter and seeds into the abandoned trail in order for it to regrow and fill in naturally.
We also completed a reroute on a section of Rice Canyon Trail last year that sustained significant damage from the rains in order
to provide for better natural drainage, prevent future erosion, and to protect the surrounding native vegetation.
Before beginning work on any new section of trail, we perform surveys of the area that will be impacted, study the natural drainage of the area to knowledgeably design the trails to lessen erosion. When necessary, we also comply with NEPA and CEQA requirements and complete a cultural site survey with a professional archaeologist.
Maintaining these lovely corridors into the wilderness is a recurring yearly monumental effort led by our Stewardship team and completed with the help of literally thousands of hours from our incredible community of volunteers.
This year our trail clearance efforts involve leading groups of volunteers onto the trails to do brush and vegetation clearance. This involves training on how to avoid, when possible, disruption of rare or endangered plants, how to identify certain plants that need to be protected or avoided, and how to properly utilize the equipment. For example, how to properly prune limbs in a manner that allows for quick healing and recovery. We also instruct volunteers on how to clear different types of vegetation in a way that causes minimal damage to the plant with maximum sustained benefit.
When do we clear trails? There is a lot of thought and study that goes into our decision and strategy for when and where to clear
trails. There is a balance between cutting vegetation back early, possibly preventing those individuals from going to seed, and also having to do clearance a second time. If you do weed abatement locally, you know this challenge personally. If you clear too early, you will have to do it again. If you clear too late, growth may be so thick that it takes you twice as long.
Our trail clearance is prioritized around the routes most heavily traveled and in the greatest need. There is obviously a delicate balance between preservation and maintaining an open corridor that often weighs heavily on us with regard to plants that have to be removed or moved. When possible, especially when building or rerouting trails, we will dig up and relocate native plants to sections of trails sanctioned for closure.
If you see us on the trails, or join us for trail clearance, you’ll see a group of people decked out in their full PPE equipped with loppers, pruning saws, weed whips, and hedge trimmers laboring through our overgrown sections of trails to keep them open and passable. Some people will be clearing and cutting while others will be raking and removing the cut material. There is plenty of work available for every ability and skill level. Join us in our conservation efforts by volunteering your time and skills—together, we can make a lasting impact on the beauty and sustainability of our beloved Ojai Valley.
Keith Brooks, Land Steward
JOIN OVLC’S ADOPTER PROGRAM
by Anthony Avildsen
WISH YOU COULD VOLUNTEER ON YOUR OWN SCHEDULE?
NOW YOU CAN! SIGN UP AT OVLC.ORG/ADOPTER-PROGRAM
WELCOME NEW DONORS!
Adams Bernhardt
Adrian Ocone
Alex Schneider
Amanda McBroom
Aomawa Shields
Carolyn & Charles Oaks
Catherine Hahn
Danyelle Earle
Eleanor Shannon
Eric Lumiere
Gay & Jim Versteeg
Giorgia Corsini
Immanuel Hick
Jaymie Arquilevich
Jeannette & Dennis Longwill
Jill & Patrick Swann
Joanne Chack
John Mitchell
Kaley Nichol
Katie Ota
Kristen Biggie
Lou Mora
Mackenzie Peykov
Mariposa Bressey
Mark Leggett
Matt Neuburg
Michelle Henson
Nancy Brown
Niedra Gabriel
Patrick McCarty
Raul Rios
Raz Reinecke
Scott Thayer
Sophia Perez
Susan Chapin
Tanya Kovaleski
Terri Davis
Tracy McGovern
Zoe Kitch
From: 2/15/24-5/10/24
NEW 100 HOUR MILESTONE VOLUNTEERS
Ashley Steinbach
Betsy Vanleit
John Snyder
Matthew Downer
Mike Rugo
Scott Nelson
Tyler Buckingham
**Volunteer hours since 10/1/2018
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