VHC Outlook - Spring, 2017

Vol. 13 No. 1

Spring 2017

Nurturing a Love of Nature

Photo by Jessica Nikolai

By Jessica Nikolai and Adrienne Stephens

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n a frigid winter morning, fifteen students from Ventura High School’s Regional Occupational Program (ROP) brave 45-degree temperatures to join Jessica Nikolai, VHC’s Stewardship Coordinator, along the banks of the Ventura River to plant willow cuttings at the Conservancy’s Big Rock Preserve.

This outing, a part of VHC’s ongoing environmental education program, provides students curious about environmental careers with hands-on outdoor fieldwork experience. “One of the things I like most about my job is taking kids to the river and seeing a whole new world open up to them,”

says Jessica. “I took three ROP courses myself in high school, and they inspired me to pursue my wildlife biology degree and a career path that allows me to work outside.”

The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy has long been committed to providing youth with free environmental education. Funded through grants and business support, over the last five years VHC has hosted more than 1,000 students on field trips from schools in Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Paula, Ojai, and even Lake Tahoe. Knowing that the best way to inspire the next generation of environmentalists is through hands-on

Tickets on Sale Now 2017 Wild & Scenic Film Festival March 3 & 4

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he 2017 Wild and Scenic Film Festival (WSFF) rolls into town on Friday and Saturday, March rd 3 and 4th. This very popular annual event brings a national tour of awardwinning independent short films to Ventura for two nights only. Now in its 8th year, the WSFF has a loyal following

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WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL MARCH 3 - 4 (See pages 4-5)

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President’s Perspective

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ir Isaac Newton wisely said that he was able to see farther because he stood on the shoulders of the giants who came before him. With humble gratitude I too acknowledge those who have come before me and promise to use their pathways as a guide to continue this important work.

David Comden, the outgoing President of our Board of Trustees, led VHC with confidence, amazing skill, and unflagging commitment.

I thank him for that excellent leadership. VHC would not be in the good stead that it is without him. I also thank Gerhardt Hubner for his long-term commitment to the VHC Board. He has been an excellent source of knowledge, sound advice and guidance. He will be sorely missed as he terms out on the board after six years of service.

Ventura Hillsides Conservancy Board

of

Trustees

Paul Meehan, President Richard Francis, Vice-President John Hankins, Secretary Karen Bednorz David Comden Steve Doll Jennifer Montoya Jens Redemann Ed Wehan — OUR MISSION — To preserve the hillsides, canyons, and open space that contribute to the unique character and natural environment of the City of Ventura and the surrounding region for the benefit of present and future generations

VHC is a proud member of the Land Trust Alliance — www.lta.org and the California Council of Land Trusts — www.callandtrusts.org

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2017 is a year of great promise and great uncertainty. It is also a time of great division. To me that means we have to do all we can now locally to safeguard the things we care deeply about. Protecting open space is one of those for me. When I was a kid, my family lived in a house behind which was a large open area. We called it the “Field.” It was a grassy meadow of several hundred acres. It had a nice assortment of grasses and trees native to Michigan. It was an island of nature, completely surrounded by suburban housing. It was the last of its kind in that area.

My brothers and sisters and I spent a lot of time there catching frogs, digging holes, and making teepees out of the tall grass. The Field was a great source of joy for many in my neighborhood. It connected us to the

Photo by Brooke Ashworth

Let’s Join Together

natural world in a way that’s more substantial than many kids enjoy today.

Then came the day we heard they were going to build houses on it. My older sister, who was maybe 12 at the time, made us all signs to carry, pleading to “Save Our Field.” We even made the local paper. In the end, our efforts were fruitless, but I learned then that once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. The Conservancy has a singular goal to protect and conserve our natural areas.

We must join together to save our “fields” now while we can. Thanks for your help.

Paul Meehan

President, Board of Trustees

Hillsides for the Holidays is a Hit!

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his year’s Hillsides for the Holidays year-end membership campaign was a rousing success! Thanks to the generosity of two new business supporters, Coastal Connections and Union Bank, combined with the 30 new members and the more than 135 renewing members who donated to VHC in November and December, more than $21,000 was raised to support our work of preserving and providing access to Ventura’s wild places.

Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the five businesses (Patagonia, REI, Toad & Co., Topa Topa Brewing Company and Trek Bikes of Ventura) that provided us with generous discount coupons to give out to those who donated during Hillsides for the Holidays. Not only did our donors receive the satisfaction of knowing that their contributions help to protect and preserve Ventura’s hillsides, waterways and wildlife, they also received amazing discounts at five of their favorite retailers!

Hillsides for the Holidays shows what an teriffic community we have here in Ventura, and we are so thankful for all the support.

Ventura Hillsides Conservancy Outlook

Spring 2017

Thank you to: Aera Energy for donating the shiny new bike rack recently installed at our Big Rock Preserve Rich Atmore for donating mulch to keep the trees planted at Big Rock preserve hydrated and happy

Photo by Jessica Nikolai

Annette Baldwin for donating her graphic design talents to create VHC flyers, cards and posters and pitching in wherever needed in the office

Students sampling Ventura riverwater quality.

Nurturing a Love of Nature continued from page 1

education, VHC conducts a variety of trip activities including tree-planting, seed collecting, invasive plant removal, and, in partnership with Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, water quality sampling.

Most importantly, the students are experiencing a wild place they may not have known existed right here in Ventura.

VHC has significantly increased the number of students it serves. Just this past fall semester, Conservancy staff hosted 13 outdoor expeditions for local schools. Most of the students had never visited the Ventura River before. Many students also had the opportunity to see the Matilija Dam and learn about its history and future, while others made a trip to the Ventura River estuary to observe local bird life.

Students were amazed by the beauty and peacefulness of the Ventura River and were surprised they had never stopped to look at it before.

The field trips are often a joint effort with Channelkeeper to bring kids closer to the river and inspire them to become good stewards of their watershed, as well as understand what issues the Ventura River faces. Students visiting the Matilija Dam were excited

to spot the scissors painted on its face, having just recently seen them in the documentary Damnation. On the field trip they found a personal connection to the film’s message after seeing the dam with their own eyes.

Conservancy staff finds the students’ transformative experiences among the most rewarding aspects of their work.

“The Conservancy field trip provided a rare opportunity for students to collect data in the field. Science content is more meaningful when it’s connected to the real world. The field trip exposed students to places in their local community they might not normally experience and helped them become aware of local environmental issues.”

Jennifer Holland Science teacher Anacapa Middle School

Patrick Davidson and the staff of CAPS Media, Brooke Ashworth, Jenny Guy, David Hadlen, Scott Ripple, and Ed Wehan for partnering with us on several exciting video projects Judy Fairchild with Keller Williams Realty for her assistance with property transactions David Lee, Anthony Giordano and representatives from Friends of the California Condors Wild and Free for sharing their wildlife expertise with captivated audiences at our first three Environmental Speaker Series lectures Penny Owens from Santa Barbara Channelkeeper for partnering with us on school field trips Elizabeth Rice, CPA, VHC’s new bookkeeper, for her many, many hours keeping our books balanced Paul White and Stronghold School for their help in the Ventura River

AmazonSmile Did you know you can shop online at Amazon and benefit VHC at the same time? It’s super easy—just use our AmazonSmile link: https://smile. amazon.com/ch/01-0769456 and shop away! After your first use all you need to do is log on to smile.amazon.com and AmazonSmile will remember you are supporting VHC. For every eligible purchase made at AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of the purchase price to VHC. Now that’s truly a win-win!

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Film Festival continued from cover and tickets sell out quickly every year!

Held high on the hill at Ventura’s Poinsettia Pavilion, the WSFF features a different lineup each night and includes an array of beautiful and inspirational films that help connect the Conservancy’s local work to the worldwide environmental movement. Not only is the Wild & Scenic one of Ventura County’s most popular events, it also doubles as the Conservancy’s spring membership drive – providing free tickets to new and renewing members who join at the $50 and $100 levels!

WSFF ticket prices are: $20 for General Admission (GA) and $35 for Silver Circle Tickets (SC). Silver Circle tickets include reserved seating and one glass of beer or wine.

Those who become VHC members (new or renewing) at $50 receive two free GA tickets and at $100 receive two free SC tickets! Tickets are available online at: www.venturahillsides. org/events and at Great Pacific Iron Works, 235 W. Santa Clara St., Ventura.

March 3 & 4

FRIDAY The films are the main attraction but the WSFF also includes: SNACKS — A delicious array of candy, homemade cookies and, of course, fresh popcorn will be available for purchase.

DRINKS — Sip and savor handcrafted local beers, delicious California wines and organic lemonades.

MUSIC — Enjoy the live acoustic sounds of J. Peter Boles, Chris Smith and Bill Jones. This dynamic trio of professional singer-songwriter-musicians first performed together at last year’s WSFF and are back by popular demand.

RAFFLE — This is no regular raffle. Winners take home original artwork, expensive outdoor gear, plants and flowers, shopping and dining gift certificates and much, much more!

FRIENDS — Spend the evening with a group of like-minded friendly people who appreciate good films, good friends and respecting the environment!

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is made possible by donations from our generous sponsors: Castoro Cellars; City of Ventura Environmental Sustainability; For Your Home Furniture; Great Pacific Ironworks/Patagonia Inc.; Iron & Resin; the Law Offices of Richard L. Francis & Associates; Poseidon Brewing Company; REI; Slaughter & Reagan; Steve Cook Fine Art; Two Trees Brewing Co.; Ventura Community Bank; and Ventura Water.

Poinsettia Pavilion is located at 3451 Foothill Road.

Doors open at 6:00 PM and films run 7:00 – 9:00 PM. 4

THE WILD PRESIDENT — Will Stauffer-Norris, Sinjin Eberle, Jacob Boling President Jimmy Carter, an unsung environmental hero, grew up in awe of nature’s wonder. But it wasn’t until he first paddled the Chattooga River’s Bull Sluice did he understand the power of a wild river. In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act in 2018 President Carter urges all Americans to protect more wild rivers.

IRAN: A SKIER'S JOURNEY — Jordan Manley, Narrows Media Cautioned not to travel to Iran, Chad Sayers and Forrest Coots decide to go regardless. They immediately find comfort in Tehran’s bustling bazaars, Isfahan’s dazzling mosques, and the powderfilled slopes of the Alborz and Zagros mountain ranges, topping 3,000m. It is a culture not easily understood, but profoundly welcoming. As journalist Elaine Sciolino writes, Iran can be dazzling and light-filled, a reflection of its complexities; but it can also be cold, confusing, and impenetrable. Yet they are reminded, as Pico Iyer writes, to learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate.

GROWING CHANGE — Chris Jordan-Bloch Jim Cochran arrived at work before dawn.

He walked out into the strawberry fields.

As the sun rose and light hit the field, he began to smell chemicals. His eyes watered. His head spun. He started to shake. He had just walked into a field that had been sprayed with pesticides. From this experience, Jim Cochran helped create the organic strawberry industry. After pioneering and profiting from a healthier crop, he turned his attention to the health of his workers.

Ventura Hillsides Conservancy Outlook

Spring 2017

For more information about the WSFF, sponsorship o

DOUGLAS TOMPKINS: A WILD LEGACY ­­­ — James Q Martin, Chris Cresci Douglas Tompkins was a worldrenowned adventurer, entrepreneur, and conservationist. The founder of The North Face and cofounder of Esprit, Doug spent the first half of his life building successful global brands while simultaneously adventuring around the world, completing first descents of the worlds toughest rivers. In 1968 Doug embarked on a trip to Chile, driving with friends from California to the tip of Patagonia. In the early 1990s, Doug sold his part of Esprit and turned his entrepreneurial energies to land and wildlife conservation projects in South America, working alongside his wife, Kristine McDivitt Tompkins, the former CEO of Patagonia Inc. Over the last 25 years, Tompkins-initiated efforts have helped secure 4.75 million acres in new protected areas in Chile and Argentina, including five new national parks. Tragically killed in a kayaking accident on December 8th, 2015, A Wild Legacy tells the story of Doug’s incredible life, his lasting impact on the wild landscapes of Patagonia, and Kris and the Tompkins Conservation team’s efforts to continue his audacious mission.

ROLE REVERSAL — TIM / EMILY HARRINGTON CLIMBING IN SPAIN — Jon Glassberg Emily Harrington traveled to Spain with her dad, Tim, to mentor him while he attempts to tick his first 5.12 at age 60. Tim and Emily learn from each other and relive the glory days in this heartfelt family climbing epic.

YELLOWSTONE NORTHERN RANGE — Steven M. Bumgardner The Northern Range is the hub of wildlife in Yellowstone National Park.

Occupying just 10 percent of the park, it is winter range for the largest elk herd in Yellowstone and is arguably the most carnivore-rich area in North America.

Early predator removal changed the ecosystem, and restoration of carnivores has had significant and unexpected impacts on the habitat.

SUPER SALMON — Ryan Peterson Proponents of a plan to construct a $5.2-billion hydroelectric mega-dam on Alaskas Susitna River say it wouldn’t affect the watershed’s famous salmon runs because of its location upstream of where fish usually swim. Tell that to the Super Salmon.

SATURDAY

DREAM DAY — Malcolm Sangster, Eric Crosland, CLIF Bar, Sherpas Cinema What would it feel like to begin your day in fresh powder and end it in the briny Pacific on the perfect sunset wave? It would probably feel like a dream. Four athletes, Jeremy Jones, Hilaree O’Neil, Matt Hunter and Greg Long, set out to see if they could make that dream a reality starting out in the Sierra backcountry then rock climbing, cruising down Mt. Tam on mountain bikes, and capping it off with a surf at Stinson Beach. Amazing adventures are possible when you get outside and dream big.

SELAH: WATER FROM STONE — Ben Masters, John Aldrich, Tito West, Skip Hobbie Fifty Years ago David Bamberger devoted his life to restoring a neglected and overgrazed ranch in the Texas Hill Country. The result? Water from Stone.

By restoring natural ecological functions, David filled hillside aquifers, brought springs back to life, created riparian habitat, and inspired a landscape movement.

THE HIGH DIVIDE — Eric Bendick, Roshan Patel, Grizzly Creek Films They say the High Divide is the place where the world is cut in two. Then again, it may be where everything comes together. This place was once called the Big Empty. bursting at the seams with deep forests, streams brimming with trout, meadows flush with grizzlies and wildflowers, and peaks so wild and vast they stretch all the way to the horizon. It’s also full of people. People who love the land. Cowboys who love salmon. Range riders who shepherd cattle and carnivores.

Woodcutters who fight for forests. Generation after generation stewarding land and water. These are the lost voices of the American West. A new film celebrates the confluence of a wild place and its visionary people.

ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND BEATING HEARTS ­ — Peter Byck, Hal Honigsberg, Todd Johnson and FlexiP, Ming Tai, Jim and Paula Crown Director Peter Byck’s short film tells the story of fourth generation cattleman Will Harris’ evolution from industrial, commodity cowboy to sustainable, humane food producer, whilst breathing new life into a community left behind and forgotten due to, as Will says, the industrialization of agriculture.

WASFIA ­ — Sean Kusanagi, Wasfia Nazreen, Bryn Mooser, John Agnew, Chris Kelly, Hayley Pappas, Kelly Kandle, RYOT Films National Geographic Emerging Explorer and Adventurer of the Year Wasfia Nazreen doesn’t just climb for the thrill; she climbs for a cause. The first Bangladeshi to scale the Seven Summits, Wasfia has made it her purpose to brave these climbs for the sake of something larger, for the women of Bangladesh. Lyrical and poetic, this short documentary, shot entirely on iPhone 6S, is a reflective character portrait that takes us from the depths of Wasfia’s struggles to the highest peaks on the planet, as we explore what it means to pursue the unknown.

ACE AND THE DESERT DOG — Brendan Leonard, Forest Woodward, Stefan Hunt, Joe Peters, Max Lowe For his 60th birthday, adventure photographer Ace Kvale and his dog, Genghis Khan, set out for a 60-day backpacking trip in Utah’s canyon country.

The pair tells the story of their trek and friendship as Genghis records it on his Desert Dawg Adventure Blawg.

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or VHC membership, contact the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy: (805) 643-8044 or info@venturahillsides.org.

Photo by Val Wehan

The VHC Board of Trustees welcomes three new trustees this year.

They add a rich variety of experience in volunteerism benefitting our community. We are grateful for their service.

STEVE DOLL came to Ventura in 1989 with wife, Caroline, and their two children. While working in commercial real estate he has been involved in many community organizations, most notably as Chairman of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce and the YMCA, Commissioner for the Ventura Port District, and President of the Ventura Downtown Rotary and Lions Clubs.

Currently he serves on the boards of the Ventura Fair Foundation, Pier Into the Future, and Ventura Visitors and Convention Bureau. He has traveled to provide disaster relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the Nepal earthquake, and flooding in Baton Rouge. Locally he led the campaign for the first SOAR vote to allow creation of the successful Ventura Community Park. Steve enjoys ocean swimming, skiing, hiking, and cars! He is a long-time endurance event competitor, including participating in the New Zealand Ironman with Caroline in 2009.

JOHN HANKINS, who serves as VHC secretary, is a lifelong reporter and editor writing extensively about the political process, environment and grassroots action. He owned the Santa Barbara County News Service and companion News Clipping Service, distributing his original news stories and features to newspapers throughout the tri-counties. Now semi-retired, he is editor of Condor Call, the Sierra Club’s newsletter covering Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Known as Condor John (“I’m an endangered species!”), he serves on the board and as a speaker for the club’s Wilderness Basics Course. Born and bred on the East Coast, he joined the Navy and adopted California during dry dock, reveling in its progressive attitude and expansive outdoor opportunities for hiking, rock climbing and ocean sports. He met and married Suz Montgomery in Ventura and both are enamored of each other and working in the political realm to ensure a high quality of life for all.

“If you don’t share what you have, you’re going to live a lonely life”.

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Ventura Hillsides Conservancy Outlook

ED WEHAN became a trustee after serving for 16 years on the City of Ventura Parks and Recreation Commission and on the Board of the Ventura Visitors and Convention Bureau. He also currently serves as Chair of the Ventura Community Partnership Foundation. Brought up as a child in the wild and woolly 1950’s San Fernando Valley, he acquired a taste for the outdoors and adventure by exploring the mostly uninhabited Santa Monica Mountains. Observing the Valley change into what we see today, he feels open space in our community is essential to foster appreciation for the natural world in today’s youth.

Retired from the Deckers Outdoor Corporation, Ed stays active in the community as a parks, recreation and open space advocate. He is a regular runner, still competing in races of all distances (including many ultras in his past). Summers are spent backpacking and fishing. Ed’s wife, Val, is a 4th grade teacher and his daughter, Mallory, attends George Washington University in DC. — David Bamberger

Spring 2017

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he Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is the only marsupial native to the United States. A marsupial is by definition a mammal that gives birth to poorly developed young that continue to grow in their mother's pouch. Although most people call them “possums,” opossums are actually not possums at all! Possums are a completely different family (and there are many species of them) found primarily in South America, New Zealand, and Australia.

Opossums have been on earth for 65 million years—since the age of the dinosaurs. They’ve managed to survive for millennia thanks to their amazing adaptable nature. Able to live in almost any environment, be it arid, wet, field, wooded, or city, opossums are an animal success story. They were originally brought to California from the Eastern United States in the 1890’s as a food source (yes, you read that correctly!) and they’re still commonly eaten in some parts of the country.

Opossums are well known for their ability to “play possum,” or play dead.

When feigning death, an opossum’s heart rate slows, its tongue sticks out, its limbs stiffen, and it emits a foul smell. By pretending to be deceased in such a convincing matter, most predators pass by an opossum playing possum when looking for their next

The Awesome

OPOSSUM

By Jessica Nikolai

meal. Opossums can actually remain in this coma-like state for over six hours, and once the danger has passed they return to the living, unscathed.

Unfortunately, these critters truly get a bad rap. They may look like huge rats with those long, semi-prehensile tails, pointed faces, and sharp teeth, but in actuality, they are unique creatures that benefit humans. They bear all 50 of those teeth (the most of any North American land animal) to scare away a potential predator, but it’s all for

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

VHC’s Environmental Speaker Series Continues

“Ethnobotany of Local Native Plants” For thousands of years, the indigenous peoples of California sustainably gathered, managed and used local plants for food, cultural practices and environmental stewardship. Join us to discover the rich human history associated with plants found in Ventura’s beautiful hillsides. On Thursday, March 23, at 7:00 PM, Angela Rockett Kirwin, Adjunct Professor of Anthropology, will discuss the edible and pharmaceutical uses of a variety of local native wild plants.

This free community lecture, part of the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy’s ongoing Environmental Speaker Series, will take place in the Santa Paula Room at the Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Road, Ventura. Reservations are highly encouraged. To RSVP, visit www.venturahillsides.org/events. For more information, call VHC at 805-643-8044.

show. Opossums are just interested in making a quick meal out of practically anything, including pesky slugs, snails, and even mice and rats. New research even shows that opossums help to control tick populations by consuming thousands in one season while tirelessly cleaning their fur. So let’s give these prehistoric marsupials a chance and let them do their job of nature’s pest control in our backyard!

Ventura Hillsides Conservancy Outlook Tel: 805-643-8044 P.O. Box 1284, Ventura, CA 93002 www.venturahillsides.org Brooke Ashworth, editor@venturahillsides.org Contributors: Jessica Nikolai, Adrienne Stephens, Paul Meehan Layout/Design, Frank Boross Media Services

q Outlook is published semi-annually by the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy, a 501 (c) (3) California nonprofit organization.

Story submissions and ideas welcomed.

Copyright ©2017 Ventura Hillsides Conservancy. All rights reserved.

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www.venturahillsides.org • Printed on recycled paper.

Ventura Hillsides Conservancy PO Box 1284 • Ventura, CA 93002 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE — for up to the minute information facebook/venturahills

www.venturahillsides.org

2016 Volunteers of the Year Last fall at the Conservancy’s “Picnic in the Park,” VHC staff recognized four outstanding volunteers for their hard work and dedication. VHC’s 2016 volunteer awardees are:

Brooke Ashworth with VHC Executive Director Derek Poultney

John Harrison Captain Clean Up

In addition to volunteering at nearly every 3rd-Saturday-ofthe-month volunteer event, John often heads to the river estuary by himself or with a friend to clean up trash. Over the past six months, John has personally cleared over 2,000 pounds of trash.

Mary Jane & Richard Bauleke “Dig in the Dirt” Volunteers of the Year

This dynamic duo has not only faithfully volunteered with VHC for many years, they turn volunteering into a family affair by bringing their visiting children and grandchildren to work alongside them.

Gary Bednorz

Event Organizer Extraordinaire Gary has served as Wild & Scenic Film Festival committee chairperson since the festival’s debut in 2009. Thanks to his organization, vision and passion, this signature VHC event wows audiences, raises important funds and runs like a well-oiled machine every year.

Brooke Ashworth News & Negotiations Expert

VHC’s founding president, Brooke has dedicated thousands of hours over the past 14 years to making the Conservancy what it is today.

Currently, she serves as editor of the Outlook newsletter, and as VHC’s Land Committee chair she is a key negotiator; Brooke steps up whenever a new job comes along that needs to be done.

Fo r volunteer oppor t u n ities g o to w w w.ventu rah illsid es.o rg 8

Ventura Hillsides Conservancy Outlook

Spring 2017