Vol. 9 No. 2
Fall 2013
VHC Receives $28,000 to Continue Wetland Restoration
O
by Derek Poultney
n the third Saturday morning of every month, VHC volunteers gather at the Willoughby or Big Rock Preserve in the Ventura River area to remove Arundo, clear new recreational trails, remove trash, and learn about conservation and habitat restoration. Arundo donax is the non-native Giant Reed. It looks like thin bamboo. It’s everywhere, an invasive, aggressive species, brought to California for roofing material and erosion control in the 1820’s and now so widespread as to choke out native plants.
Drought and Ventura’s Hillsides by Tom Johnston, Climatologist
This June, the Southern California Wetland Recovery Project (SCWRP) awarded the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy (VHC) $28,000 to ensure the continued success of VHC’s volunteer and wetland education programs. The grant also helps VHC take many schools on fieldtrips to the Ventura River, where students participate in habitat restoration and water quality demonstration activities. Other organizations do this restoration work in our area as well. The Ojai-based non-profit Concerned Resource and Continued on page 3
T
he brown hills overlooking the City of Ventura look lifeless. Lack of rain brings forth the word “drought.” However on the top of a hill proudly stand two trees (non-native Blue Gum Eucalyptus)-a testimony of survivors, enduring years of droughts, floods, fires, and humankind. Would that any growing thing can be as hardy. During the drought of 1862-64 thousands of cattle died, ending the era of rancheros. The flash flood in February 1992 brought nationwide attention to the flooding of the RV park at the mouth of the Ventura River. Land erosion can be extensive during such flooding. These two intense weather events demonstrate how we might have to adapt to future extreme weather in our region. Continued on page 6
President’s Message..............................................2 News Briefs...........................................................3 Conservation Celebration...................................4-5 Cooper’s Hawks.....................................................7 Film Festival Save the Date....................................8 Lynn Bartosh and Bruce Hunter removing trash.
“Conservation Celebration Event” See Pages 4 - 5