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
Betsy Vanleit
Bret Bradigan
Dave Comfort
Fiona Hutton
Jerry Maryniuk
Tonya Peralta
Larry Rose
Lizzy Chouinard
Lu Setnicka
Sarah Sheshunoff
STAFF
Tom Maloney Executive Director
Tania Parker Deputy Director
Brendan Taylor Director of Field Programs
Dan Pizano Operations Director
Vivon Sedgwick Restoration Program Director
Adam Morrison Development Manager
Nathan Wickstrum Communications & Outreach Manager
Rhett Walker Grants Manager
Carrie Drevenstedt Development Database Coordinator
Christine Gau Land Protection Specialist
Linda Wilkin Preserve Manager
Sophie McLean Native Plant Specialist & Nursery Manager
Claire Woolson Rewild Ojai & Volunteer Coordinator
Martin Schenker Restoration Field Crew Manager
Rachel Ray Restoration Field Crew
Tyler Willibrand Restoration Field Crew
Keith Brooks Land Steward
Madison Moore Nursery Assistant
Kali Cockrell Nursery Intern
Celeste Ayala Nursery Intern
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 Marc Alt
$4,146,000
THANK YOU
We are delighted to share the news that the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s Ventura River Land Acquisition Campaign has successfully reached its $4,146,000 goal! This achievement is a testament to the overwhelming support from our community, which has enabled us to protect 234 acres, across three parcels of land, along the Ventura River.
As we celebrate this achievement, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to all who have donated. Your support has made a profound difference and, together, we have made significant strides towards a sustainable future for the Ventura River and our valley. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to conserving the Ojai Valley.
FROM THE DIRECTOR
Upon arriving in late 2019 as the new Executive Director, several OVLC supporters exhorted me to focus on protecting more land in the Ojai Valley. At the time, I thought that seemed like obvious advice. After all, preserving, stewarding and restoring land and habitat is the core mission of any land trust.
The Board of Directors Acquisitions Committee helped to get things oriented as there were already several projects in various stages. One potential acquisition was the 44-acre Riverview Trailhead that OVLC had been trying to buy for decades. Thanks to the generosity of Redemption Church, Riverview was already established as a cherished trailhead to the Ventura River Preserve.
This trailhead is in some ways the most noteworthy of the three successful land acquisitions announced by OVLC this summer due to the length of time it took to add that property to the existing Ventura River Preserve. However, having land deals take decades is not uncommon in land conservation. In some places it is probably the rule rather than the exception.
Like all land trusts, OVLC sees conservation as a perpetual commitment, so it makes sense that in land conservation, patience truly is a virtue. To illustrate this point, Jim Engel, one of OVLC’s former directors, joined us at the dedication
of the also long-awaited Broida Bridge on the Ojai Meadows Preserve and at our celebration of a successful capital campaign for the acquisitions (he also worked on both projects in his time at OVLC). Seeing Jim reconnect with old friends was a good reminder that community-based conservation starts with community!
The power of patient community conservation efforts pays lasting dividends due to the permanence of land conservation. While advocacy is needed to defend nature, those victories can be fleeting and somewhat ephemeral. The land acquisitions announced this summer mean that 234 acres will forever be part of the valley’s natural capital.
Since perpetuity is such a long time, OVLC thanks all of you who generously supported the capital campaign to ensure that these lands, and the organization that protected them, will be around to build community and protect the habitats and character of this little valley…forever.
Tom Maloney, Executive Director
Newly acquired land at the Ventura River Preserve
THE BALLAD OF THE BRIDGES
A fire, a pandemic, a flood: combined, these three disasters started, and stalled, a nearly seven-year-long campaign to build three new bridges on OVLC’s preserves. As of July, that effort finally finished with the construction of the Broida Bridge at the Ojai Meadows Preserve (OMP)! These bridges didn’t just take time to be built, they also cost a combined total of around $800,000. But the time, cost, and energy that went into the three bridges were worth it because bridges offer connection in a multitude of ways.
The 2017 Thomas Fire closed the popular Wills Canyon/Rice Canyon loop on the Ventura River Preserve (VRP) when it burned the bridge over the Casitas Municipal Water District (CMWD) canal. Getting that bridge replaced proved to be no easy task as the canal is not part of the VRP, but rather federal property managed by CMWD and subject to federal emergency recovery funding, all of which means: labyrinthian bureaucracy. The bridge had burned before in a 1985 fire, so a carbon-copy wood bridge couldn’t be rebuilt; it would need to be a steel bridge with all new engineering. OVLC does not have engineers on staff and is not expert at navigating multi-leveled bureaucratic processes. But we could connect with the water district as an important partner to address these issues. CMWD has the connections with federal agencies and contractors, they have engineers on staff, and even though they no longer used the bridge over the canal for their own purposes, they understand the vital link the bridge provided for the recreating public. CMWD
shepherded the bridge project through to completion, and in August 2020 Timbers’ Bridge was rebuilt, reopening one of the most popular trail loops on OVLC’s preserves.
Timbers’ Bridge was the first, but not the only bridge, to come out of the Thomas Fire. When the preserve burned, sensitive resources were exposed along Chaparral Crest Trail, forcing its closure. In its place, we built the Allan Jacobs Trail in a new location, but the catch was the new location could only work with a bridge crossing Olive Creek. This time around, OVLC didn’t work with partner agencies, but had the full support of the community in getting the bridge built. The Ojai Valley Lions Club and the Rotary Club were important funders who helped buy bridge materials, and we intended to have our vast volunteer community build the bridge. We have that volunteer community because we offer countless ways for individuals to connect with us on different projects, including bridge building. Several schools helped lug pieces of the bridge out to the site and members of the community helped start building in late November 2019. After a short break for that holiday season, it was back to bridge building! Until disaster struck again.
The pandemic came and the volunteer program went. OVLC couldn’t have groups of people gathered together in close quarters working on the bridge site. But the need for the bridge became even more critical during the pandemic. Outdoor recreation skyrocketed as the only safe form of recreation
The new Broida Bridge at the Ojai Meadows Preserve
outside the home, so it was clear we would have to move forward on the bridge building, even if it would take place at a slower pace. With just staff and a very few select volunteers – mostly Rob Young! – we inched forward and connected both banks of Olive Creek nearly a year after starting the bridge in October 2020.
The pandemic didn’t just slow the bridge building over Allan Jacobs Trail; it slowed the bridge planning over Happy Valley drain at the Ojai Meadows Preserve too. Grant funding, engineering, and permitting all slowed to a standstill in the early days of the pandemic. But the spike in use on the VRP was equal to that on the OMP during the pandemic, making the bridge mission critical. The original plans for the preserve called for connecting the two halves of OMP with a bridge. Without a bridge over the flood control canal, there wasn’t true equitable access for all users; anyone pushing a stroller or with mobility challenges could not descend into and out of the drain, even with steps cut into the soil bank. Plus, no one, regardless of how hale and hardy, was crossing the flood control canal after winter rains. This meant students heading to Nordhoff High School from Meiner’s Oaks had to use the comparatively unsafe side streets to walk or bike to school, and students from the elementary school could not utilize the wetland area as an outdoor classroom – during the best time to view the wetland, no less!
No rain storm better illustrated the challenges faced by our preserve users than the storm that brought serious flooding in
January 2023. This latest disaster only reaffirmed the urgent need for the bridge. The flooding slowed the bridge planning process to a crawl because the county had to prioritize permitting of roads and other critical infrastructure damaged in the storm. However, one happy byproduct of waiting longer to work through the permitting process was it meant more time for community outreach to fundraise for the bridge. Just like Timber’s Bridge in Rice Canyon, we had government partners assist on the OMP bridge, with both California Natural Resource Agency awarding a large grant and with local groups like the Ojai Civic Association, Greg Rents, Channel Islands Bike Club, and the Ojai Valley Lions Club contributing to the project. OVLC still needed support from the general community, and a bridge can be a symbol of peoples’ desire to connect with their community for a cause they believe in. That desire brought out dozens of donors to help us reach our fundraising goal, including Lawrence and Leticia Broida. Their generous donation was driven by a desire to leave a lasting family legacy within the community they hold dear.
Connections are why these three bridges—and a fourth next to the pond at OMP sometime in the near future—are worth the effort and resources that go into building them. Each bridge provides not only a physical connection over creeks and canals, but they provide meaningful connections between partners, the community, and the lands they care so much about.
Brendan Taylor, Director of Field Programs
Ojai Valley News photo by Perry Van Houten OVLC staff and friends enjoy their first walk across Broida Bridge. From left, Vivon Sedgwick, Mike Krumpschmidt, Christine Gau, Tom Maloney, Sophie McLean, Brendan Taylor, Tania Parker, Martin Schenker,Linda Wilkin, Nathan Wickstrum, Adam Morrison, and Rhett Walker.
SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
IN MEMORY OF
Allan Jacobs from Ross & Patty Atkinson
Cathy Spencer from Ronald Spencer
Cris Jamison-Jones
Thinking of you and sending love. from Tim Nakada
Ellen Hall from Caryn & Charlie Bosson
Elvira (Lilly) Barthelemy
Remembering Lilly Barthelemy and the joy she brought to world. from Teresa Rooney
Erika Lynn Suddes
We love and miss you. from Paula Scott
Franceen Faith Fallett from Bonnie Bartling, Bruce & Linda Nofrey, Marti & Dan Reid
Franceen has been a wonderful friend and exemplary role model. from Teresa Rooney
Hayden James Kehaya from Norah Eddy
Hugo Ekback from Linda & Boris Chaloupsky
Johnny Martin from Dave Schaar
Lucy & Bentley
Forever at the Cottage from Cathi & James Nye
Mr. & Mrs. Granville Lee from Catherine Lee
Pam Windsor from Jay Windsor
Phil Prince
Dad would love us preserving this area. from Kelly Nakamaru
‘Rocky’ Richard Rockefeller
I hope you feel your dad in the land and air of the OLVC from Lori Anaya
IN HONOR OF
Art Vander from Aryna Swope & Phil Caruthers
BoDee from John Brooks
Claire Hines
oxoxo Michael A Ilves
Dave Castanon
Congratulations! from Teresa Allison
Kay Rolfe from Virginia Siegfried & Barry Verga
Lanae Carter
Happy trails to you on your birthday!
from Katherine Willis
Michael Ilves and Claire Hines
Congratulations! from Cory Brooks, Lynne Bejoian, Julie Haber
FOX CANYON TRAIL RENAMED TO HONOR THE LEGACY OF CONSERVATION GIANT JOHN BROESAMLE
The decision to rename Fox Canyon Trail to John’s Fox Canyon Trail reflects the profound impact John Broesamle had on OVLC and the Ojai community. His involvement with the organization began in the 1990s, leading to an impactful seven-year tenure on the board from 1997 to 2005, which marked a period of transformation. John reshaped OVLC’s board structure, transitioning it from a larger assembly to a focused, productive team. His pivotal role in shaping OVLC into a business entity, guiding the Ojai Meadows restoration, and his hands-on involvement at Cluff Vista Park and Ventura River Preserve were instrumental to the organization’s success today.
John’s influence extended far beyond his work with OVLC. He was a driving force for environmental protection in Ojai, recognized with numerous awards, including Rotary Ojai Living Treasure (2001) and the Environmental Defense Center Lifetime Achievement Award (2003), among many others. Following his passing in June 2023, renaming the trail in John’s honor ensures that his commitment to preserving the valley’s natural beauty will continue to inspire future generations of conservationists to carry on his dedication and passion.
Rocky Rockefeller
A great man with a great smile from Steven & Susan White
Tom Maloney
Happy Birthday Tom! from Claudia Kopkowski
Acknowledgments: 5/11/24-8/1/24
NEW 100 HOUR MILESTONE VOLUNTEERS
Bret Bradigan
Cindy Rowe
Jim Little ** Volunteer hours since 10/1/2018
SEEDS: THE PULSE OF LIFE
“Flowers are good for the soul. And the seeds they fashion are life, sustenance, the future. We are utterly dependent on them. Seeds are the bright bridge between us and the sun, emissaries of the solar system, bundles of cosmic energy.” (The Seed Underground by Janisse Ray).
If you have been following the story of the OVLC Nursery and Rewild Ojai, no doubt you have heard the phrases “seed collecting season” or “watershed local genetics”. If you have read plant newsletters, there is not a mention of a plant without referencing the seed bank, or the implications of future seeded generations. And if you are my friend, I am sure you have heard me trail off while unlacing a boot, thinking about a species of native plant I have dived into that particular week, drifting off into the world of ancient phenologies.
When first diving into my environmental learning, I tried to navigate the many branches of philosophies interpreting the natural world. As a young scientist looking for something real after years of listening to arguments built upon eco-guilt or apocalyptic narratives, the simple act of planting native plants gave me relief. Climate anxiety turned to native plant obsessions, and I now find myself an integral part of a community of hungry-for-answers humans and hungry-for-habitat flora and fauna.
Working with one foot in the field and one foot in the nursery,
seeds became my own bridge of understanding. To me, it was the perfect way to cram all the knowledge into one tiny unit— wrapped in a perfectly sound seed coat. In order to understand a seed, one must know the seasonal cycles of a plant. When does it flower? How long will it flower? How large is the seed? What insects or animals glean this seed alongside me? Looking through a larger lens: Where does this plant take root? What communities does it live within? How does the plant travel? All of these answers bring me back to a handful of seeds.
This summer, just as in summers past, the OVLC restoration and nursery crews have been seeking senescence. The creeks are being walked, shale hills scaled, and brush explored for annuals and perennials alike. Meticulously noting each population, we observe the communities of our target species. Every week transforms as no month is the same, no year a twin of the last. The bursts of color, and sudden drops in seed. Blink, and you’ll miss it. The next year another contrasting boom, then a bust. The past few rainy years, the systems have flushed anew, and I cannot quite put my finger on why this is.
But we are stewards of seed, and with the ever-changing natural conditions, all we can do is ask questions and humbly relinquish the green blur.
Sophie McLean, Native Plant Specialist & Nursery Manager
REWILD OUR RIVER
THE VISION
Our recent drone mapping shows there are only 250 acres of Arundo remaining in the Ventura River Watershed.
Over the years, our community has endured extreme environmental events— droughts, floods, and fires. Our natural environment has an amazing ability to adapt, but invasive species like Arundo create an additional threat that worsens these issues.
The OVLC is leading a community effort to restore our watershed. Together, we can remove invasive Arundo, restore important habitats, reconnect with the river and creeks we love, and Rewild Ojai.
ARUNDO DONAX
Arundo threatens our water supply, creates flood hazards, accelerates erosion, crowds out native vegetation, and creates a dangerous fire risk. It grows prolifically, and requires precise, skilled techniques to remove it. OVLC has always viewed Arundo as a threat and have worked for decades to remove it from our preserves. Now, we’re taking a watershed approach to completely eradicate it.
THE PLAN
1 REMOVE ARUNDO Cut. Daub. Remove. Repeat.
2 RESTORE HABITATS
Plant. Water. Weed. Monitor.
COMMUNITY RESILIENCE
3
RECONNECT WITH THE RIVER Respond. Educate. Engage.
Healthy rivers are resilient to droughts and floods, function as natural fuel breaks that protect our community from wildfire, and provide solace and shade for humans and wildlife alike. While climate change can feel a bit existential, river restoration is tangible, and an Arundo-free Ventura River Watershed is achievable.
Contact us to learn more: (805) 633-4680 or restoration@ovlc.org
THE CYCLES OF SEDIMENT
A vast, complex system of water cuts through the Ojai Valley like a kingsnake through a bunchgrass meadow. Meandering and weaving through the hillsides, its channels are both shaped and guided by the land. Sediment grains, too small and irrelevant to notice, drift through the system, their individual destinies adding to the personality of the watershed. This dance between water and sediment embodies the river’s character, almost artful in its innumerable expressions. What does it mean for a small granule to rely on the drifts of such incomprehensible power as moving water? What is it like to witness the cyclical, meandering nature of a river from inside the river itself? It isn’t a linear answer, but a kaleidoscope of possibilities in which energies are converging. To envision the watershed as a vivid quilt sown with patchworks of textured grains, that are individually brilliant and yet cohesively lush, is to understand life as a tessellation with layers of beauty.
Restoration of our watershed requires proper sediment distribution throughout the system. In order to adequately provide nutrients to plants and macroinvertebrate communities, which
are the basis of many ecological webs, silts and sands must be properly facilitated and deposited. When channelization occurs through establishment of non-native vegetation such as giant reed ( Arundo donax), sedimentation rates are skewed and nutrient cycling is drastically limited. Removal of these noxious plants that have a chokehold on our watershed will increase the flow of sediment throughout the system and ultimately aid in the recovery of riparian ecosystems.
OVLC’s work to eradicate species like giant reed could not be happening during a more critical time. In combination with the Matilija Dam removal efforts, restoring the watershed and encouraging proper channel morphology to accept the wide distribution of sediment loads will greatly improve the suitability of our waterways for various organisms like the Southern California steelhead trout, red-legged frog, pacific lamprey, and western pond turtle.
Martin Schenker, Restoration Field Crew Manager
Photo by Rich Reid
The Ventura River flowing past OVLC’s Parkway Preserve, visible in the upper middle right of the image.
ANNUAL REPORT
Fiscal Year 2024 ( July 2023 - June 2024) was a transformative year for the OVLC, marked by significant land acquisitions and program achievements. These milestones not only expanded our conservation footprint but also strengthened our commitment to preserving the unique natural beauty of the Ojai Valley.
LAND ACQUISITIONS
• Riverview Trailhead (44+ acres): This popular trailhead that thanks to the Redemption Church has become an essential asset to the Ojai community, has been a long-term acquisition goal for OVLC. We are thrilled to have finally secured it this year!
• Hollingsworth Casita (20+ acres): This property is an important addition to the Ventura River Steelhead Preserve, bringing the total protected acreage east of Santa Ana Road to about 90 acres. The barns on this parcel enhance OVLC’s restoration and stewardship capabilities.
• Birdsong Ranch Easement (170 acres): This donated conservation easement protects the stunning Birdsong Ranch from development. Its location and size significantly contribute to the broader conservation efforts along the Ventura River.
As of July 12, we successfully reached our $4.2 million fundraising goal for these three projects! This will enable improvements and funds to manage them over the long term.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
This year, OVLC launched the Rewild Ojai program. Recognizing that climate resilience and biodiversity support is a shared responsibility, this program inspires individuals to transform their yards into native habitats. The launch was a resounding success, highlighted by the Rewild program’s inaugural native garden tour. Nearly 750 participants attended, eager to learn how to support local plants and wildlife in their landscapes. Additionally, OVLC created a garden certification program and thanks to our dedicated volunteers, 27 gardens are now Rewild certified!
OVLC’s Restoration Program has set an ambitious vision to eradicate Arundo donax (giant reed) from the Ventura River watershed. To accomplish this vision, OVLC has secured substantial funding from Cal Fire to take an expansive view of the issue and pursue the federal and state permitting to meet our goal. Thankfully, the Cutting the Green Tape permit streamlining program at the CA Natural Resources Agency is ideally suited to our ambitious vision.
REPORT 2024 FISCAL YEAR
Our All About Ojai series of walks and talks has continued to grow, attracting hundreds of participants eager to learn about Ojai’s wildlife, geology, flora, dark skies, and regional ecology.
The Stewardship program continued working toward building the Broida Bridge at Ojai Meadows Preserve—and we just completed it in July! This was a multi-decade goal and a five-year engineering, permitting, and building process, but now the Ojai Meadows Preserve is connected and accessibility is improved for all.
Additionally, our field programs had 204 volunteer projects and 5,885 hours this past year. Volunteers helped plant native plants and pull weeds at our restoration sites, clean up the river bottom, and build and maintain trails throughout the valley. Our volunteers make it possible to open this land to the public. Their help is invaluable!
Additionally, we began our planning effort to restore the Parkway Preserve along the Ventura River off of Ventura Avenue. This preserve is currently filled with road base and other construction fill, but with community input, we will reimagine it as a place for natural habitat to flourish and for community members to reconnect with a blocked off portion of the Ventura River.
LOOKING AHEAD
Fiscal year 2025 is in full swing. We look forward to kicking off the year with the 10th Anniversary of Mountainfilm on Tour. This year and these accomplishments would not have been possible without you. We are committed to building on our successes from this year and continuing our important work into 2025.
THANK YOU
TO OUR FISCAL YEAR^ 2023 DONORS
^ FY 2023: July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024
* Deceased
Donors $99 and Under
Adam Cain
Adams Bernhardt
Adrian Ocone
Aja Preliasco
Alan Kirschbaum
Alec Robinson
Alicia & Franco Campana
Alison Frey Andersson & Kent Andersson
Allen Vail
Allison Stillman
Amy Shapiro
Anamaria Schmid
Andrea Brook
Andrew & Michelle Ellison
Anita C. Cramm
Ann Gartrell
Anne Bruenn
Anne Merritt
Annemiek Schilder
Aomawa Shields
April Armstrong
Arnold Friedman & Jan Decker
Aryeh & Don Green
Audrey Kwast
Barbara & Charlie Snyder
Barbara Poitras
Barbara Rose
Barbara Zerbe
Barrie Cohen
Bernard Martin & Kelley
Swedlow Martin
Betsy Fields
Bettyanne Sessing*
Beverly Spurgeon
Bill & Dan Miley
Bill Thatcher
Bob & Heather Sanders
Bob & Judy Billett
Brad & Shawn Steward
Brad Levine
Brian & Sharon Donovan
Brian Jarvis
Brian Stafford
Cameron Embree
Caren Olsen
Carey & Derek Poultney
Carl Olmstead
Carl Welch
Carol & David Castanon
Carol Garramone
Carol Munter
Carolee Tibbitts
Carolyn & Charles Oaks
Carolyn Emmons
Casey Fulmer
Catherine Lee
Cathy Moon
Celine Paganini
Chad Ress & Stephanie Washburn
Charlene Spretnak
Charles See
Cheryl & Dean Geiser
Chip Paulson
Chris Newell
Christina & Steven Kennedy
Christina Pages
Christine & Mervyn Engel
Christopher & Chitra King
Christopher Bates &
Sandra Torres
Christopher O’Donnell
Christy & Don Jackson
Chuck & Eleanora Burright
Cindy Pitou Burton
Clarke Blauer
Claudia & Drew Lurie
Cookie & Adam Rosenzweig
Cynthia Duncan
Dai Leon
Dale Hanson
Dana Hachigian
Dana Sullivan
Daniel Parks & Debra Brittain
Danyelle Earle
David & Amy Bransky
David & Mary Cunning
David & Pamela Lee
David Odorisio
Debbie & Frank Parisi
Debbie & James Harmon
Deborah & Richard Waxberg
Deborah Ewing
Debra Wilson & Gary Heuer
Dee Reid & Jeff Starkweather
Del & Sharon Garst
Devra Brewer
Diann Karnitsky
Don & Colleen Cutler
Don & Sue Reed
Donald Beese
Dorte Bistrup
Duncan Wallace
Eamon Stewart
Edward Schenker
Eleanor Crilly
Elena Rios
Elisa Taylor-Godwin
Elise Arnold
Elizabeth & Bill Tallakson
Elizabeth & Noel Stookey
Elizabeth & Wayne Ogden
Elizabeth A. Bauer
Elizabeth Clarke
Em Wasson
Emily Prather
Emily Winfrey
Eric Lumiere
Erika Stalder
Erin Looker
Everett ‘Doc’ & Susan ‘Zoe’ Murdock
Evert & Joanie Nygren
Florian Liebenstein
Francesca Pascolini
Francoise Kasimirowski
Fred & Judy Bysshe
Gabriel Arquilevich
Gaea Cannaday
Gail Cooley
Gayla Swann
Geoffrey Holstad
Gerri Becker
Gerry & Beverly Ching
Giorgia Corsini
Grace & Dan Malloy
Greg & Mary Wood
Greg Getzinger
Greg Haet
Gwen Marrion
Harry Waterson
Hayley Marcus
Heath Perry
Hilary Humphrey
Holly LaRue
Holly, Paul & Claire Woolson
Immanuel Hick
Irshad & Linda Haque
Iva Heins
Jack & Simone Patterson
Jadona Collier
James & Camilla Becket
James & Tina Little
James Clelland
Jamshid Faryar
Jan Worsham
Jane Montague
Janet LeCroy
Janine Comrack
Jay Fields
Jaymie Arquilevich
Jean-Ray Tippo & Jade
Waters-Tippo
Jeannette & Dennis Longwill
Jennifer & Eric Wing
Jennifer Soto
Jessica McCrea
Jill & Chris Borgeson
Jill & Michael Gomes
Jim & Lisa Greenway
Jim Parker
Jim Patin
Jo Ann Monak
Joan & Willis Allen
Joanne & Neil Quinn
Joanne Chack
Jody & Carl Cooper
John & Lisa Boyd
John Aufderheide
John Cinatl
John Hankins
John Krist
Joy Golbere
Judy & David Poultney
Judy Mize
Judy Oberlander & Reynold Akison
Judy Piazza
Julia Domenech
Julija Zonic
Kai Ewert
Karen & Craig Harris
Karen Ciabattoni
Karen Hesli
Karen Kilpatrick
Karen Lathers
Karen Palm & Michael
McLenaghan
Karen Proffitt
Katherine Crook
Katherine Regester
Kathi Smith
Kathy & Dick Sebek
Kathy Bremer
Kathy Ellis
Katie Ota
Kaylee Griffith
Kelly Nakamaru
Kendra Yoes
Kenny Aragon
Kevin Haley
Kit Stolz
Kitty Sklaver
Krista Harris
Kristen Sullivan
Kristin Conner
Kurt Lieber
Lana Rasmussen
Lanny & Rondia Kaufer
Larry & Elizabeth Memel
Larry & Judith Beckett
Laura Frances Merin
Lauraine Gibbons
Laurent H. Daigle
Laurie & Oliver Cornell
Laurie Morton
Leaf Monroe
Lee & Katherine Rosenboom
Leigh Scarber
Leslie Burns
Leslie, Glenn, & Alex Paxton
Lila Mercer
Linda Bogart
Linda Drevenstedt
Linda Taylor
Lisa & John Cervantes
Lori Bates
Lorraine West
Lou Mora
Lucinda & Joel Mittleman
Lynda Lang
Lynn & George Malone
Lynne Bejoian
Lyra & Brett Buyan
Mackenzie Peykov
Magda & Chris Perkins
Margaret Jones
Margot & Rich Blacker
OVLC STAFF & BOARD. PHOTO TAKEN
JUNE 2024
Marie Virginie Macias Snyder
Marijo See
Marilyn Miller
Mariposa Bressey
Marisol Lewis
Mark Leggett
Marqui & Jennifer Bury
Mary & Greg Iler
Mary & Les Baker
Mary Guinn & Michelle
Guinn-Di Bernardo
Mary Jane McCall
Masami Light
Matt Lavere
Matt Neuburg
Matthew & Ann Inman
Matthew Yohn
Mattie Gadsby
Maureen & John Hannah
Melanie Berner & Seth Boyd
Merrilee Weber
Michael & Ramelle Pulitzer
Michael A Ilves
Michael Boggs
Michael Ethier
Michael Marietta
Michael Quinn
Michael Spagnoli
Michele Murdoch
Michelle Cassel
Michelle Gaston
Michelle Henson
Michelle Pernice
Mike & Carol Hall-Mounsey
Mike & Vicki Etchart
Mikki & Stan Coburn
Mona Zaidi
Myrna Cambianica
Nancy Brown
Nancy Currey
Nancy Kochevar
Nancy Moir
Nancy Newman
Nancy Opitz-Simms
Nandini Lee Rao
Nate & Lindsey Yeager
Nicole Boch-Bui
Niedra Gabriel
Nina Toumanoff & Tony Winecoff
Otto Svoboda
Pam Henderson
Pam Suggs
Pamela Grau
Patricia Lunetta
Patrick & Anitha Williams
Patrick Hartman
Patrick McCarty
Patrick Muller
Paul Hughes
Paul Rodriguez
Paul Wah
Pete Gachot
Peter Mansuripur
Pradeep & Ranjit Dhillon
Raul Rios
Raz Reinecke
Rebecca & Sarah Raskin
Rebecca Bonneville
Rex Feng
Rhiannon Kingston
Rhonda Richey
Richard & Brewster Parsons
Richard & Carole Keller
Richard Carlson
Richard Hiltner
Robert Ornstein
Roberta A Delgado
Robin Gerber
Robin Streichler
Robin Wallace
Rosecrans Baldwin
Ruby Cossairt
Ruby Perez-Reyes
Ruth & James Cooper
Ruth Reynolds
Ruth Sayre
Ruth Shinkle & Robert Zurick
Samantha Dowdall-Green & Nathan Dowdall
Samuel & Mimi Ingham
Sara Chandler
Sarah & Peter Bellwood
Scott & Brittany Denton
Sean Keenan
Seana Shiffrin
Sharlee Carper
Shauna Hermes
Sheila & Eugene Vander
Sheila Cohn
Slow Tech Labs
Sophia Perez
Stephen Adams
Stephen Walker
Steve & Cathy Brandt
Steven & Jacqueline Wegerbauer
Steven & Nancy Baker
Susan & Robert McMahon
Susan Capper
Susan Chapin
Susan Evergreen Herick
Suzanne & Savanna Soule
Suzi, Larry & Emily See
Tanya Foster
Tanya Kovaleski
Tara Crowley
TEGNA
Terri Davis
Terry & Alan Maulhardt
Terry Beckett
Terry Blair
The Johnson Family
Theresa Draper
Theresa Mendoza
Thomas Adams
Tim Tilsner & Barbara Hunter
Timothy Denardo
Tom & Nanette Benbrook
Tom & Sue Blaine
Tom Rambo
Tony Sturgeon
Trey Demmond & Kathryn McEachern
Tricia Holloway
Virginia Thomas
Vivienne & Yacov Noy
Wendy Frank
Wendy McCobb
Whitney Smith-Morales
William Girvetz
Yvonne Wilber
Zoe Kitch
Zoerita & Clark Bowers
Sustaining Donors
$100+
A Taste of Ojai
Aaron Kreisberg
Adobe Inc.
Agilent
Aileen Scibetta
Alina de Albergaria
Alison Wood
Allan & Carol Gross
BY THE NUMBERS
20 acres conserved adjacent to the Ventura River Steelhead Preserve
Allan & Joyce West
Allyn Wilde & Kathy Leary-Wilde
Alyssa Duclos
Amanda Coplan
Amanda McBroom
Amy Chen
Amy McGovern
Andrea Slevin
Andrew & Carmen Seligman
Andrew & Sharon Engel
Andrew Snett
Angela Graveline
Ann & Neil Havlik
Anne Fitzgerald & David Chase
Anne Kellenberger
Anne Ricketts
Anthony & Kathan Glassman
Antonin Guttman
April Duncan
Ashley Berry
Barb & Mike Rugo
Barbara Bowman & Sol
de la Torre Bueno
Barbara Feild
Barry & Chris Betlock
Benedicte Schoyen & Ned Clark
Bert & Lanae Carter
Beth & Greg Lyons
Beth Dorenkamp
Beth L. Wickstrum
Beverley Sharpe & Gordon
Richard Gibbons
Bill & Renate Funk
Bob & Kim Perron
Bob Levin & Lisa Solinas
44 acres conserved at Riverview Trailhead
Bonnalynn & Charles Dean
Bonnie & Joel Griffin
Bonnie Bartling
Bonnie LaForge
Brad & Jeanette Morrice
Bram Sercu
Brandy Laird
Brendan Taylor
Brett & Denise Kantrowitz
Brian & Blossom Pidduck
Brian & Marie Haase
Brian Golbere
Briana & Steve Beebe
Callie Little
Cara Bonewitz
Carol & Ken Leandro
Carol Shore
Caroline & Robert Huey
Catherine Hahn
Catherine Weisz
Cathie Ferro
Charlene & Ken Hartenstein
Charles Montag
Charmaine Hartnett
Ched Myers & Elaine Enns
Cheryl & Mason Cooper
Chris & Anna P. Rhoda
Chris & Mark Marmes
Chris & Suzy Reinhart
Chris Brock
Chris Fabian & Kris Griswold
Chris Mueller
Christina Colombo
Christopher Battey
170-acre conservation easement on Santa Ana Road
Chuck Journey
Cindy & Douglas Bower
Cindy Frings
Cindy Gordon
Cindy Marshall
Cindy Rowe
Claire & Brad Brian
Claire & David Paulson
Clinton & Eileen Vocke
Cory Brooks
Courtney & Walter Lamb
Cristina Lucas
Dagoberto Ojeda
Dale Cundiff
Dalius Gedgaudas
Dan Walsh
Dana Metz-Dwire
Daniel Landfield
Danielle Noble & Matthew Myerhoff
Darcie George
Dariel & Erin Sidney
Darla Brown & Scott Immergut
Dave Moon
Dave Stone
David Buehrens & Susan Draffan
David Wheaton
Dean Hazard
Debra & Craig Walker
Debra Eve & David Leggett
DeeDee Dorskind-Levey
Denise Thomas
Dennis & Stacy Allison
Diana Feinberg
Dina Capra
Dixie Fullerton
Don Brusselars
Doug & Mary Levee
Dr. Philip Morgan &
Bridgett Lerma
Edie Lambert
Edye Wolfe
Elden Caldwell
Eleanor Shannon
Eli & Deena Portell
Emelie Pfaff
Emma White
Eric Dilks
Eric Dyson
Erik Fraki
Erin & Sander van Otterloo
Ernesto Roide
Ernie & Carly Ford
Esther & Jean Robinson
Evangeline Noelle & Maximillian Streuber
Frances Fitting
Gail Smith
Gay & Jim Versteeg
George Ball & Amanda McBroom Ball
Gillian McManus
Glenda & Randy King
Grace Lin
Graham Chisholm
Greg & Denise Stafford
Hattie & Jake Vail
Heather Meyer
Heide Kurtz
1 New Bridge at the Ojai Meadows Preserve
Heidi & Austin McElvaney
Heidi Kindberg Goss
Heritage Financial
Howard & Debra Becker
Hunter Bowen
Ian & Barbara Christopher
Ingrid Green
Irene & Tobias Ricci
Irene Tirella
Isla Claire Smith
Iwona Marinucci
Jake & Sandi Stub
James & Rebecca Malone
James & Shannon Frew
James Tudor
Jan & Marc Key
Jan Reason
Jane & Richard Weirick
Janice Ertman
Janice Prairie
Jason Saltis
Jen Muller
Jennifer Jordan Day & Joel Fox
Jennifer Montgomery
Jens & Laura Riege
Jerome Weingartner
Jerry & Kerry Holden
Jerry & Merry Dunn
Jesse & Trina Grantham
Jessica Mann
Jill & Patrick Swann
Jill Stowe
Jim & Linda Kentosh
Jim & Sharon Carleton
Jimmy Klick
Joan Hurak Welborn
Joanna Barnes
Joel & Jeanette Berkovitz
John & Caroline Thacher
John & Jessica Nava
John & Kelly van Houten
John & Laurie Bodine
John & Linda Edison
John Brooks
John Horne
John Town
Jonathan & Linda Lambert
Jordana Gustafson
Josh & Zoe Loeb
Judith Fish
Judith Jamison
Julia Macy
Julie & Bo Manson
Julie Bloomer
Julie Soske & Bill Falls
Juliet Henderson &
Stephanie Thomas
June & Shed * Behar
Juniper Dwight
Kaiser Permanente
Kaley Bell
Kaley Nichol
Kara Partridge Ralston & Darrell Ralston
Karen Hall
Karen McAuley & Jim Klausen
Karen Wilson & Caroline Bernard
Karin Dron
Kat & Dan Romo
Stewardship Volunteer Projects: 204
Restored: 41 acres of active restoration zones
Kate & Arthur Kilmurray
Kate Holt
Kate Levinstein
Katherine Willis
Kathi & Mark Connally
Kathleen Richards
Kathryn Paddock
Kathryn Scheinert
Kathy Foster
Katie Seitz
Kay Renius
Keith & Ana Jewett
Keith & Kathleen Manion
Kelli & Shane Butler
Kelli Stam
Kellie Berry
Kelly Hahs
Kerry & Ramona Ellison
Kerry Daniel
Khaled & Sheryl Al-Awar
Kim & Steven Rapholz
Kim McLin
Kim Stackpole & Ken Gluck
Kimberly Peterson
Kristen Biggie
Krystina Okaly
Larry Heinlein
Laurie Lerner
Leanne Campbell
Lee Ann Dawson
Len Klaif & Linda Harmon
Leonard Nunney
Lisa & Stephen Duncan
Lisa Garber
Lori & Chuck Capron
Lori Anaya
Lori Cleary
Louanne Fay
Lucille Elrod
Lucinda & Tim Setnicka
Lucy Capuano
Lynda Scott & John Marshall
Lynn Brookhouser
Lynn Dorgan
Lynn Rimkus
Malloy Family
Marcia Millard
Margaret Shea
Maria Hamada
Maria Mignogna
Marie Anderson
Marilyn K. Whitford
Mark Kalmanczhelyi
Marlayn Riley
Marty & Diane Crowley
Mary McGrath & Richard Simon
Maureen Tunney & John Oldach
Max Caulfield
Megan Davis
Meredith Martin Treadwell
& Tom Treadwell
Michael & Carrie Rubalcava
Michael Marks
Michael Price & Leslie Clark
Michael Straw
Michael Zierhut
Mike Sullivan & Melissa Bishop
Mike Whalen
Hosted:
Nancy Escher
Nancy Pepper
Natalie Gray
Natasha Marston
Nicholas Porter
Nomi Morris
Norman & Marion Livermore
Pam Tonucci
Patrick & Kathleen Taylor
Patrick Leibach
Patrick Miller
Patti Kimura
Paul & Kim Kaufman
Paul DeLapa & Bruce Owen
Paul Dentzel
Paul E. Niedringhaus
Paul Mithra
Paula Scott
Peggy & Dennis Wood
Peggy Katsuda
Peter & Debra Wilkens
Peter Cambier & Sue Atwood
Phil Simon & Gwyer Schuyler
Pierre & Beverly Schuberth
Priscilla L. Brennan
Rachelle Giuliani
Randy Atkinson
Raymond Bransfield
Rebekah Kepple
Reed & Heather Cowan
Rex & Susie Meach
Rhonda & Howard Cho
Richard & Joanne McFerron
Richard & Sandy Hajas
Richard & Sue Yamamoto
Richard Kaller
Rick & Martha Dowden
Rick Mooney
Rikki Horne
Rob & Antoinette Tivy
Robert & Linda Long
Robert Kyle
Robert Porter & Sara MacCracken
Robert Schwartz
Robert Wagner
Robin & David Satnick
Robyn L. Posin
Ron Stark
Ronald & Charlotte Williams
Ronald Pruitt
Ronald Spencer
Rosalie Zabilla
RoseAnn Hill
Rowanne Henry
Roy Hooper
Ruth Walker
Sally Lemire
Sally True
Samuel Cornwell
Sarah Files
Scott Silver & Jill Greene-Silver
Scott Thayer
Sean & Stacey McDermott
Shana Gadley
Shandon Woll
Sharon Rockefeller
Sharon Thames
Rewild Ojai Native Garden Tour Attendees: 744
Native Gardens
Certified: 27
Sharon Van Riper
Sienna Yoast
Sinae Park & Matt Nava
Siobhan McDevitt
Sophia & Laura Paine
Stacey Platt
Stefan Kozak
Stephanie Hubbard
Stephen Murray
Steve Clark
Steve Colome & Kathy Lottes
Steve Holanov
Steve Matzkin
Steve Offerman
Steve Risser & Sezina Saballett
Steven & Susan White
Stewart Sheppard & Elisabeth Blaisdell
Stuart Kirk & CarolAnn Koz
Sue Gilbreth
Sue Horgan
Susan & Dwayne McCulloch
Susan Gary
Susan Westbrook
Susan Williamson & Daniel Mullins
Susie & Anthony Tomlinson
Suzanne & Peter Lugotoff
Sydney Robertson & Sam Wallace
Native Landscaper Training Courses: 2
Certified: 44
California Native Landscapers
Rewild Ojai Landscape Architect Intern: 1
Tamara & Greg Haggard
Tammy & Ken Baughman
Tara Saylor
Teresa & Dok Smith
Teresa Allison
Terri & Alex Laine
Tessa Shuler
The Balina Family
The Peaceful Pup
The Vyhnal Family
Theresa & Allen Bridges
Thrive Wellness Workshop
TI Texas Instruments
Tia & Pat Marshall
Tiarzha Taylor
Tim Nakada
Tina Pukonen
Tod & Liz Cossairt
Todd & Lisa Crawford
Tracy Mandryk
Tracy McGovern
Tracy, Greg & Murphy Hout
Trent Holden
Tricia & Todd Mills
Trish & Kent Hardley
Trish Whalen
Vanessa Mowell
Victoria Matthews
Virginia & Steve Newkirk
Warren McConnell
Wendy Bonvechio
Wendy Hilgers
Wendy Jacobs
Wendy Tremiti
William Fleming
Yvonne & Chris Besvold
Zophar & Luke Robinson
Stewards
$250+
Airdrie Martin Kincaid
Alan & Rebecca Fabos
Alex Matranga
Allison & Christopher Davis
Amelia Rose Simpson
Andrew Gilman
Ann & Steven Sunshine
Anne & Chad Carper
Aryna Swope & Phil Caruthers
Brauna Brickman & Gordon Walsh
Brian & Amy Stark
Bruce & Patricia Kuebler
Bryan Mershon
Charley & Sandy Sledd
Chip & Lori Collins
Chris Teig
Christine White
Cindy & Lynn Mullins
Dan Whelan
Dana Stroh
Daniel Silver
Danielle & Melvin Willis
Dave & Beth Cohen
Dave Schaar
David & Mary Trudeau
David & Vicki Hunt
David Pacheco
Dawn Havel
Debora Kirkland
Debra Reed
Dennis & Meredy Rice
Diane & Jim Holland
Dr. David White
Dylan Boeken
Eamon O’Byrne & Stephanie Linder
Ed & Barbara Kutchma
Eileen Hawkes Ochsner
Eric & Missy Stoen
Erica Helson
Frank Hanson
Fred Rothenberg
G. Scott Miller
Gary & Brenda Farr
Gay & Kathlyn Hendricks
Gianpaolo Perrone
Gloria Gerace
Greg & Darcy Gamble
Hans & Annika Gruenn
Howard & Jan Asher
Hunter Black
Ian Collis
Jane & David Nunnelly
Janice & Rob Hastie
Janice Thomas
Jeff & Debbie Frank
Jenna Strauss
Jessica Thompson
Jill Cohen
Jill Savala
Jo-Anne & Harold Guy
Joann Yabrof
John & Lindsay McCrea
John & Lisa Adair
Jonathan Katz & Stephanie Pimcetl
Joy Wasson
Julia Berkeley
Julie & Jeff Mc Manus
Julie Grist & Paul Holahan
Julie Haber
Julie Hahn
Kara & Jeff Hooper
Karen Kaminsky
Karin & Rod Dingman & Family
Katherine Winter
Plants Grown: 8,278 in 62 species
Kathy & Ken McAlpine
Katrina Landis
Keith & Victoria Nightingale
Kevin & Asli Ruf
Kevin Lively
Kevin Reed & Cathleen Lynch
Kim & Troy Hardcastle
Lars & Sanne Wallevik
Laura & Guy Ring
Laurel Lary
Leah Rubin-Cadrain
LeighAnn McDonald
Lin Coleman & Paul Massey
Linda & Boris Chaloupsky
Linda & Robert Meyer
Linda Desch
Linda Granat
Lynn & Ron Render
Maggie Pfeffer
Marc & Julia Whitman
Marc Evan Jackson & Beth Hagenlocker
Margaret & Duane Williamson
Margo & Christopher Land
Maria Halvorson
Maria Redin
Mark & Sara Billings
Marty & Barbara Pops
Matt Larrew & Jordana Kaban
Sold: 2,450 native plants to the community
Interned: 2 student native plant nursery interns
Increased species diversity by 32%
Hosted: 4 Corpsmembers from CDFW’s Watershed Stewards Program
Matthew & Nikki Craig
Michael & Arlene Ross
Mike & Tobi Greene
Mike Briley
MK McCool
Natasha Kawasaki
Neil & Gina Lokuge
Norm & Susan Reccius
Oak Grove School
Pat & Steve Edwards
Patricia Hardman
Pegi & Jeffrey Skoff
Peter & Barbara Bonsignori
Peter & Jeanne Tymstra
Peter Passell & Joan Peters
Peter Shore
Phil Kaplan
Phillips/Bandoli Charitable Fund
Ravi & Ajay Sahgal
Regina Hirsch
Rick & Robin Beers
Robert & Katy Zappala
Rodney & Jean Smith
Ross & Patty Atkinson
Roy Hulsebus & Lori Corradi
Sasha & Hanson Gifford
Sasha Heslip
Scott & Jeri Johnson
Scott Wilson & Christine Yano
Shady Hakim
Sharon Cline
Sharon Palmer
Sierra Alder
Stephanie Lopez
Stephen Glenn
Stuart & Mary Niebel
Suzanne Harvey
Tasha Sween
Terry & Cricket Twichell
The Vondriska Family
Tom LaGatta
Virginia & Peter Aguirre
Virginia Siegfried & Barry Verga
William Weirick
Champions
$500+
Alex Schneider
Alice & Richard Matzkin
Ann Costigan
Anthony Ferguson
Ara Guzelimian
BANDITS Bandanas
Ben Nilsson
Bill Norris & Judith Hale Norris
Bob & Bonnie Berkow
Brad Tully
Brian & Mallory Warner
Bruce Stenslie & Julie Tumamait-Stenslie
California Solar Electric
Carol Kline
Cathy Diorio
Central Coast Youth
Cycling Association
Charles Chang
Cherie Beers
Chris & Holly Morissette
Chris Cohen
Corrina Wright & Anthony Avildsen
Couch Guitar Straps
Craig Marcus
Dan Smedley
Daniel T Alvy Foundation
Deanna Meier
Deepa Pulipati
Devlin Gandy
Duane Dammeyer & Marty Bonvechio
Ed & Judy Savage
Elaine Sweet
Emily & Tony Ayala
Fred & Dana Fleet
Friend’s Ranch
Gail & Alan Mintz
Gail & Erick Peterson
George & Peggy Melton
Greg & Heather Grant
Greta Heinemann
Heather D Coleman
Herb & Amber Courtney
Jack & Kelley Dyer
Jacqueline & Derek Dammers
Jane Roberts
Jason Headley
Jay & Pam* Windsor
Jennifer Keeler
Jessica & Rob Donahue
Jill & Bill Shanbrom
Jill Forman & David Young
John & Peggy Russell
John and Vicki Maloney Foundation
John Davis & Lorraine Brown
John Wickenhaeuser
Jon Kindberg
Judi Morningstar & Alberto Kywi
Katherine & Glenn Erickson
Kathy Kenney
Kellie Warriner
Ken Davis
Kim Master & Noah Lieb
Kristi Schoeld & Neil Jorgensen
Lanyard & Mary Dial
Laura Sandoval & Eli Wilson
Lauren Hobratsch
Leslie Harris
Lisa & Michael Marshall
Liz Culley & Rachel Chapman
Loren Miller
Mariana Schulze
Martha Groszewski
Marti & Dan Reid
Mary Pembroke Perlin & David Perlin
Mary Thompson & Don Higgins
Merry Webster
Michael & Julie McFadden
Michael & Kathy Ogden
Michael & Susan Addison
Michael Sagol
Mike & Joanne Caldwell
Molly Jordan & Hawk Koch
Monika Hartmann
Myers, Widders, Gibson, Jones & Feingold, LLP
Nathaniel Cox
Oliver Wilson & Kaarina
Tienhaara Wilson
Patrick & Nancy Gallagher
Paul Rudder
Paula Power & Don Mosley
Pax Environmental
Peter Strauss
Pixie Candle Studio
Rachel Kondor & Brian Segee
Randy Banchik & Jannell
Greene-Banchik
Richard & Kristal DeVillers
Richard & Maddy Ehrman
Richard & Mary Kanatzar
Richard Rhone &
Cynthia Fitzpatrick
Robert (BD) & Liz Dautch
Ruric Nye
Sam Thirion
Scott & Hannah Erickson
Sean Jenkins
Sheri Ann Cate & Jay Simons
Sherri Drifka
Soul Body Ojai Healing Arts & Yoga Center
Stu Lennox
Susan King
Swanner Physical Therapy
Thomas & Nancy Michali
Timbre Books
Tracy Wilson Alvarez
Two Trees Architects
Ventura Rental Party & Events
Ventura Roofing
Virginia & Ted McConnell
Walter & Julia Hamann
WORB Inc.
Friends of the Ojai Valley
$1,000+
Al Stroberg & Betsy Patterson
Alan & Carol Saltzman
Alex & Sarah Sheshunoff
Alexandra Johnes
Alissa & Rob Russell
Allison Binkowski & John Alden Broome
Amy Schneider
Angela Heald
Anson Williams
Eileen Laber
Arthur & Judy Vander
Aura Carmi
Barbara & Peter Coeler
Barbara Barry
Barbara K. Sorem-Hughlett
Betsy Vanleit
Bill & Sherry Loehr
Bill Brothers & Susie Ault
Brett Jacobson
Brittany Sanders & Robert Polidori
Bruce & Virginia Hibberd
Bruce Jugan
Carla Melson
Carol Haverty
Caryn & Charlie Bosson
Charles & Sarah Genuardi
Charlie & Francis Baysinger
Cheryl & Monte Widders
Chester Jagiello
Chevron Humankind Matching Program
Chris Hacker & Will Thomas
Chris Miller
Chris Park & Peter Nistler
Cliff Hershman
Connie Eaton & William Hart
Dan & Laurie Pearl
Dana White
Darian & Peter Dragge
David & Elizabeth Silva
Dennis & Holly Mitchem
Deric & Barbara Washburn
Donna & Ted Miller
Doug & Karen Kirk
Doug Campbell
Douglas & Angela Parker
Douglas Creel
Emma Nathan Etsy
Evander Schley
Fionna Hutton & Associates
Firestick Pottery
Gene Wise & Fiona Hutton
Herring Imming LLP
Hilary Garland
Huora L. Williams
Jacqueline Lawson
James Engel
Jean Kilmurray MacCalla
Jes MaHarry & Patrick Henderson
Joan Kemper
John & Harriet Clise
John Mitchell
Judith & Donald Diaz
Katherine Chatowski
Kathleen & Raul Kottler
Kathy Broesamle
Kelly Page
Kitty & Johnny Johnston
Kristen & Tony Petros
Lale Welsh & Jon Drucker
Larry Rose & Lisa Larramendy
Las Palmas de Ojai
Laura Lochrane
Linda L. Maigret
Lisa Smith
Loebl Family Fund
Lucy & Jonathan Tolmach
Maria & Tyler Barrell
Marilyn Wallace & Maurice Chasse
Mark & Cherryl Connally
Mark Silbernagel
Marsha & Paul Fonteyn
Mary Natwick & Larry Scott
Matthew Hately
Matthew Velkes & Liza Chasin
McDaniel Insurance Services
Melissa & Todd Lemein
Mia Rondinella & Richard Singer
Michael J. Jauregui
& Susan Olson
Mike & Erika Swimmer
Niels & Robin Nyborg
Ojai Valley School
Ojai Valley Trail Riding Company
Peter Stazicker & Jinx McCune
Polly & Scott Nelson
Robert Davis
Robert Tallyn & Betsy Bachman
Roger & Susan Dickens
Sandy Buechley
Scott Bevans & Valerie Dykeman
Scott Stump & Mary Supple
Shelley & David Cornish
Shelter Social Club/Rancho Inn
Sophia Miles
Stuart Meiklejohn & Mary Ann O’Connor
Susan Anderson
Susan Bee
Susan Taylor & John Houghton
Susanne Wilson
Suzanne & Phil White
Tania, Tobias & Topa Parker
The Glass Man Professional
Window Washing Company, Inc.
The John J. Moller
Family Foundation
Thomas & Janice McCormick
Tobias Parker - General
Contractor
Toby & Melissa White
Tom Maloney & Andrea Jones
Tony & Roslyn (Roz) Demaria
Tonya Peralta Real Estate Team
Topa Topa Brewing Company
Trent & Kris Greco
West Coast Air Conditioning
William & Elise Kearney
William & Kathryne Garland
Wyatt & Claudia Harris
Guardians of the Ojai Valley
$5,000+
Andrew & Judith Gustafson
Ann & Harry Oppenheimer
Anna Getty & Roman Oster
Anne Crawford DeZonia & Dudley DeZonia
Annica & James Howard
Beth & Vim Jonker
Bob & Sue Chamberlain
Bruce & Marilyn Wallace Foundation
Cassie Jones & Lewis Enstedt
Cathryn Krause
Chris & Karen Birbeck
Christine Bednar & Dean Wigger
Christopher Noxon
Charitable Fund
Cotyledon Fund
Courtney Nichols Gould & Gordon Gould
Cynthia & Byron Grant
Deborah & Ron Kolodney
Francis Pepper
Fred Presson
George E. Berg & Gail Topping
Gerben & Jill Hoeksma
Glenn Fout & Lorraine Lim
Greg & Mechas Grinnell
Henry Land Surveying
Holdfast Collective
Jerry Maryniuk & Diane Bertoy
Jessie Hawkins
Joan Roberts*
John S Kiewit Memorial Foundation
Karen Courington & Dan Lukasiewicz
Karen Hellmuth & Bob Vandersluis
Karen* & Bill Evenden
Lawrence & Leticia Broida
Lea Family Fund
Loren Bouchard & Holly Kretschmar
Lynn Braitman Inspire Fund
Mary M. Downer
Molina Family Foundation
Mr. & Mrs. Victor M. Sher
Ojai Valley Inn
Patagonia
Peter Adee
Robert Delaney
Robin Roy & Cathy Zoi
Roger & Pat Essick
Ronald Phillips
Ruth H. Brown Foundation, with thanks to Charla Brown
Ruth Lasell & Bob Bonewitz
So Hum Foundation
T-Mobile Foundation
Tay Lesley
The Hirsch Family
The MOB Shop
The Shanbrom Family Foundation
The Stanley and Joyce
Black Family Foundation
Tom & Michelle Tamplin
Tucker & Phil Adams
Ventura Spirits Company
William Burnside
Anonymous
Anonymous Fund of MCF
VENTURA RIVER SPONSORS
Las Palmas de Ojai
OJAI MEADOWS SPONSORS
Henry Land Surveying
Lorraine Lim Catering, Inc
Patagonia
Topa Topa Brewing Company
STEELHEAD SPONSORS
High on Kennels
Ojai Valley Inn
The MOB Shop
Travis Agricultural Construction, Inc.
SAN ANTONIO CREEK SPONSORS
Aqua-Flo Supply
BANDITS Bandanas
The Glass Man Professional Window
Washing Company, Inc.
Herring Imming LLP
Tonya Peralta Real Estate Team
PARKWAY SPONSORS
Alpha Stone Inc.
Firestick Pottery
Jim and Rob’s Fresh Grill
McDaniel Insurance Services
Ojai Valley Trail Riding Company
Pixie Candle Studio
SC&A Insurance Services LLC
Stay Wild Ventures
Tobias Parker—General Contractor
West Coast Air Conditioning
RIO VISTA SPONSORS
Bohéme
California Solar Electric
Couch Guitar Straps
Maslina Ranch - Ben Seitz
Raindrop Pool & Spa
Revel Kombucha
Soul Body Ojai Healing Arts & Yoga Center
Sustainable Law Group Inc.
Teva
Timbre Books
Two Trees Architects
Ventura Roofing Company
IN-KIND SPONSORS
bITvision
California 101 Guide
Custom Printing
Hutchinson and Bloodgood
Ojai Quarterly
Ojai Valley Directory
Ojai Valley News
Shelter Social Club/Rancho Inn
Double Your Impact
Take advantage of your company’s matching gift program.
A matching gift means your contribution will go twice as far. Many companies will double (or triple) the value of their employees’ gifts to the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy. These matching gifts provide valuable funds as we work to protect and restore the natural landscapes of the Ojai Valley forever.
Some companies will still match your gifts even after you retire. To see if your company will match a gift to the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, contact your company’s human resources department.
CALIFORNIA KING SNAKE ( LAMPROPELTIS CALIFORNIAE )
Written by Martin Schenker
Whispers of scales sliver through wildflower duff, like a knitting pin through soft alpaca wool. Weaving between woodlands, thickets of shrubs and across open grasslands, the California kingsnake embodies transformation and persistence. Characterized by an absence of hind limbs, a reduced left lung, and lack of premaxilla teeth, colubrids such as the California kingsnake move around open areas between large shrubs and grasses, hunting for small mammals like rodents, amphibians such as frogs and even other snakes, including rattlesnakes. They are an indicator species of ecological stability and their presence is reflective of a healthy diversity of ecotones, or mixed habitat types. You might find them in Wills and Rice canyons, where a large variance in canopy cover occurs.
What is the story of snakes and how did they become such an integral part of our ecosystems today? It is in the late Eocene, around 35 million years ago, when colubrids first appear in the fossil record after mammals and reptiles were able to diversify and occupy new niches within ecosystems. Terrains became variegated as uplift sparked throughout California, facilitating speciation. These early colubrids likely enjoyed the vast prairies that became dominant in the Oligocene epoch, when grasses began to proliferate into large meadows. More recently, as local flora and fauna transitioned once again, mixed conifer and pine forests retreated from the lowlands and coastal sage scrub and chaparral proliferated. Alongside the incredibly dynamic stewardship of oak woodlands and grasslands by indigenous groups throughout California, biodiversity flourished. This mosaic of ecotones facilitated the arrival and abundance of the California kingsnake throughout the California Floristic Province.
WELCOME NEW DONORS!
Alec Robinson
Amy Chen
Blair & Zachary Plopper
Brad & Therese Cornelius
Brad Levine
Bradley Erickson
Carol Haverty
Cindy Marshall
Deborah Ewing
Devra Brewer
Evangeline Noelle & Maximillian Streuber
Garo Manjikian
George Schott
Greg Getzinger
Howard & Debra Becker
Irene & Tobias Ricci
Jamshid Faryar
Janine Comrack
Jazmyn Christenson
Judith Holloway
Karen Lathers
Karly Miller
Kathy Ellis
Kenny Aragon
Kim Stackpole & Ken Gluck
Kirsten Meeker
Kurt Lieber
Lawrence Hunt
Magda & Chris Perkins
Martha & Kenny Rogers
Max Caulfield
Merry Webster
Monica Pavez
Natasha Marston
Peggy Katsuda
Brian Klindt
Rex Feng
Rhonda & Howard Cho
Sasha Heslip
Thea Ferentinos
Theresa Draper
Thomas Adams
Tracy Mandryk
Tricia Holloway
Whitney Smith-Morales
From: 5/11/24-8/1/24
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
REWILD OJAI EVENTS
NATIVE PLANT MONTH
Rewild Ojai Native Plant Presale
Open to those with Rewild Ojai Certified Gardens only.
Native Plant Wreath Making
Community Restoration Day
Plant of the Month!
Stachys bullata (California hedgenettle)
REWILD OFFICE HOURS
Join OVLC’s Native Plant Specialist, Sophie McLean, and Rewild Ojai Coordinator, Claire Woolson, for Rewild Office Hours.
Bring your native plant and rewilding questions to the OVLC Nursery on the last Wednesday of every month.
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just beginning to explore native plants, this is a great opportunity to gain insights, share experiences, and get personalized advice for your rewilding projects.
All are welcome. We hope to see you there!
REWILD OJAI NEWSLETTER: SIGN UP TODAY!
Join the Rewild Ojai email list to get more native plants in your life. Learn about the Plant of the Month, gardening tips, articles and news about rewilding, be the first to hear about Rewild events, and more! Sign up at rewildojai.org
VOLUNTEER PROFILE
JON HILL — OVLC VOLUNTEER
Jon Hill started his journey with OVLC in 2021 and has quickly become an essential part of our volunteer community, contributing over 400 hours of service. He’s done 200 of those hours in the past year alone. Jon’s dedication to trail work, combined with his background in construction and aerospace, has made a significant impact, especially with projects like the rock check step on John’s Fox Canyon Trail. Jon’s love for the outdoors, active lifestyle, and ability to build cross-generational friendships have elevated the volunteer experience for all involved. In this interview, Preserve Manager Linda Wilkin sits down with Jon to discuss his motivations for volunteering, his favorite projects, and the sense of community he’s found through OVLC. Join us as we explore the stories and connections that make Jon’s contributions so valuable to our mission.
Thank you for meeting with me today, Jon. You’ve been a vital part of our volunteer projects, providing invaluable support to our small stewardship team. Your experienced, kind, and calm spirit is a joy on the trail crews. To start, could you tell me a little about yourself?
I grew up in western Pennsylvania and went to school in Ohio, where I met my wife, Mindy, in college. We have two kids—a son who lives in Park City, Utah, and a daughter in Ojai—and four grandchildren. I started out in construction, working for a modular home builder in Columbus, Ohio. Later, I moved back to Ohio and became a foreman for an excavating company for about seven years. As the construction business started to decline, I switched careers and got a job with an aerospace company under Goodyear. I worked there for 33 years until I retired, even as the company went through two buyouts.
Our kids went to college in Ohio, and we gave them the “fouryear plan,” where we’d pay for four years, and anything beyond that was on them. They appreciate it now! Eventually, both of our kids moved out west, and we started visiting more often. My wife, not being a fan of the cold, preferred Ojai over Park City, so we decided to make the move. We were actually stuck there during the start of the pandemic while skiing at June Mountain. When we returned to Ojai, we ended up staying longer than expected, which made us reconsider staying in Ohio. We found a rental with our daughter’s help, and eventually made the move permanent.
That’s nice—you were able to be with your family.
Yes, that was a big reason for our move. Plus, the weather here is much better than in Ohio, which is usually cloudy. I started volunteering with the Conservancy towards the end of COVID. My first project was with Brendan, working on social trail closures. I enjoyed it from the start, and it was also when I met Anthony, who I clicked with. We started going for beers at Topa Topa after some volunteer events.
What about your hobbies?
I run a lot and have been running since high school, where I competed in track events. I enjoy hiking, backpacking, skiing, and reading—mostly nonfiction, history, adventure, and detective genres. My kids were my hobbies for a long time; I supported my son through hockey and helped with my daughter’s softball and soccer.
What do your children do now?
My son is a GIS cartographer for the Department of Natural Resources in Salt Lake City, Utah. Both of my kids are very outdoorsy. My daughter is a designer for Patagonia. She started at Burton back east but was persistent about getting into Patagonia, which paid off. She called us one day, surprised, to say she got an interview and was flying out to California. My son was also torn between beach and mountains but found more job opportunities in Utah, where he now works in Salt Lake City.
Jon (right) and his wife, Mindy (left), volunteering at Mountainfilm on Tour in 2023.
That’s great that you were able to be there for your kids and see them succeed. It sounds like your family has a strong connection to the outdoors.
Definitely. We spent a lot of time outdoors, and it’s a big part of our lives.
For someone who’s never done trail work, can you describe it?
First off, be prepared for tough terrain and make sure you wear the right clothing. It’s important to plan ahead and prepare. It’s surprising how many people I see on trails without proper gear or sun protection. But also, have a good time and enjoy meeting new people.
Can you tell me what you enjoy most about doing trail work?
I enjoy being active, working with my hands, and meeting new people. The community of volunteers is really welcoming, and it’s great to see the diversity in age and backgrounds.
Do you have a favorite trail or trail project that you’ve worked on with OVLC, or a favorite tool? The epic rock check step that you, Drew Rhone, and I put in on John’s Fox Canyon Trail is my personal favorite feature on all of the preserves.
I think that would probably be mine too! Some of the major rock moves that I’ve done, with Anthony, Ash, Tyler, and Emma were good too. I really don’t have a favorite trail. I like them all, because they all have their own caveats. There’s something different in each one.
What do you enjoy most about volunteering with OVLC?
Being outside and meeting new people. It’s always interesting to hear their stories and backgrounds. I’ve met some great people through these projects, and it feels good to contribute to something bigger.
You’ve mentioned cross-generational friendships before. Can you talk a bit about that?
It’s one of the things I love most about volunteering here. I’ve built friendships with people of all ages, like Rob Young, and it adds a lot of value to the experience. You learn from each other, share stories, and have a good time while working towards a common goal. I even had that back when I was at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It was nice to learn from some of the younger rangers there.
Is there an accomplishment from the past year you’re most proud of?
Getting all the weed whipping done for trail clearance! It’s a relief when that’s finished, and we can move on to other projects.
That’s a huge task, especially with all the rain we’ve had this year. It’s so important but often thankless. I don’t think people realize how much work goes into maintaining these trails until it’s not done.
Exactly! It’s something you notice when it’s not done. But once it’s complete, you feel a sense of accomplishment.
We’ve worked on a lot of projects together, and it’s always rewarding to see the results. Is there anything you’d say to someone who’s thinking of volunteering but is unsure?
You just need to jump and do it. I guarantee you’ll like it! I think most of the people who volunteer enjoy using the trails and they want to give back. The big thing is just taking that first step and volunteering. It might be a little scary, and you might have some anxiety about it, but once you get there, you’ll be fine.
Jon, it’s always a pleasure having you volunteer with us. Your positive impact is truly appreciated, and it’s clear you make a difference wherever you go. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today. I’ll see you soon!
Jon (right) and Rob Young (left) celebrate the success of removing a root mass during a trail reroute.
STAFF & BOARD CHANGES
WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBER, BETSY VANLEIT
Betsy’s journey began with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Education, followed by years of service with the US Forest Service. She later transitioned to occupational therapy and earned a doctoral degree in community health education. As a professor and administrator at the University of New Mexico, Betsy developed and led numerous higher education programs and worked on federally funded initiatives addressing public and environmental health needs in rural communities.
Her work reflects a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of health, culture, environment, and economy, focusing on collaboration to enhance ecological health and community well-being. Since moving to Ojai, Betsy has been actively involved in the community, volunteering as a Master Gardener and working with organizations like Food Forward and Help of Ojai. Her participation in restoration and rewilding projects with OVLC has already made a significant impact, and her role as a board member will be instrumental to our ongoing success. We are excited to have her expertise and passion guiding our efforts.
WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBER, DAVE COMFORT
Introduced to the Ojai Valley nearly 20 years ago, Dave, together with his young family, became a permanent Ojai resident in 2020. An executive of 1st Century Bank, Dave oversees commercial and private banking in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Orange County, South Bay and San Diego. Prior to joining 1st Century, Dave worked for JP Morgan’s private bank and worked in sales and marketing for a luxury hotel in Colorado. Dave holds an Economics degree from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. He serves on the University of Virginia Benefactor Society board and the advisory board of clean energy company Collective Energy Co.
The pandemic inspired move to Ojai has allowed Dave to assist with the asset management of the storied Ojai Valley Inn, where he is also working with the team there on implementing longterm sustainability goals. Dave is an avid outdoorsmen, hiker, biker, surfer, and camper, and has long loved exploring Ojai and its surrounding natural landscape. He is committed to supporting conservation efforts in the Valley and beyond.
WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBER, LIZZY CHOUINARD
Lizzy discovered her love for the Ojai Valley during high school, when she spent countless hours trail riding in the backcountry. Over the past decade, she has dedicated herself to wildlife rehabilitation and avian conservation. She has since broadened her focus to include native plant landscaping and advocacy. Lizzy has a particular interest in raptor identification and ecology, making her a passionate and knowledgeable advocate for protecting and restoring our natural spaces.
SOPHIE MCLEAN PROMOTED TO MANAGER!
With a deep connection to the land, Sophie McLean has been a driving force in our native plant nursery, fostering both plant growth and progress. As our Native Plant Specialist, she has crafted a compelling vision for restoration. Sophie’s thoughtful management has expanded the nursery’s reach, refined our plant collection practices, and diversified the species we grow. Her dedication also shines through in her role as a mentor to our nursery interns and our community as a whole as we embark on this journey to rewild Ojai. The recent addition of Nursery Manager to her title is a well-deserved acknowledgment of her leadership and impact. We celebrate Sophie’s ongoing journey and the thriving future she continues to cultivate in our valley. Congratulations, Sophie!
FAREWELL TO BOARD MEMBER, TONYA PERALTA
As Tonya Peralta’s term on our board concludes, we send our heartfelt gratitude for her exceptional service. Her dedication, insights, and leadership have shaped our organization in meaningful ways. Though her formal term has ended, we remain connected and look forward to her continued influence in our community. Thank you, Tonya, for your hard work and contributions to OVLC.
FAREWELL, SILAS BOHEN
We extend our best wishes to Silas Bohen, who has been an invaluable part of our restoration field crew. His passion and dedication to restoring our natural landscapes have left a lasting impact on our team and the environment. As Silas moves on to pursue a graduate degree with a focus on restoration ecology at Humboldt State University, we know he will continue to make a difference in the world of conservation. We wish him all the best in this exciting new chapter of his journey!
FAREWELL TO NURSERY INTERN, KALI COCKRELL
Just as dynamic as the plants we work with, the nursery sends off its own seed downstream on a new journey. Kali Cockrell, an OVLC Nursery Intern, has graduated from Nordhoff High School and will be going to Ventura College. She hopes to study the environmental world, possibly transferring to study marine science at Cal State Channel Islands.
Kali has been a joy to work with in the nursery, diligently coming in on Saturdays and Wednesdays to water thousands of plants, transplant seedlings, and help facilitate community events. Her hard work and positive attitude were invaluable to the plants and our team. She focused on an independent project, studying three species of native plants (California wild rose, hummingbird sage, and sticky monkeyflower) and leading a collection of their seeds. OVLC wishes her the best of luck in her college studies and beyond.
PO Box 1092 • Ojai, CA 93024
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