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Ventura Land Trust

UTLOOK Fall, 2025

THE POWER OF

COMMUNITY

NEW TO THE VLT TEAM

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Drew Powers • President Russell Galipeau • Vice President Doug Trapp • Secretary Meridith Thompson • Treasurer Brian Clark John Krist Kate Larramendy Paolo Perrone Osmany (Ozzie) Rios Sabrena Rodriguez Dan Wakelee

OUR MISSION

The mission of Ventura Land Trust is to permanently protect the land, water, wildlife, and scenic beauty of the Ventura region for current and future generations.

OUTLOOK

THE NEWSLETTER OF VENTURA LAND TRUST Editor: Melissa Baffa Contributors: Melissa Baffa, Chris Chaleunrath, Dan Hulst, Laura Pavliscak Design: T Christian Gapen 805.643.8044 PO Box 1284 Ventura, CA 93002 venturalandtrust.org

STAY CONNECTED Find us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube Copyright 2025 Ventura Land Trust.

All rights reserved.

Ventura Land Trust is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, awarded to land trusts meeting the highest national standards for excellence and conservation permanence.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

STAFF

PAOLO PERRONE brings over fifteen years of experience in land

OUTREACH ASSOCIATE ALLY ALEJO grew up exploring the natural world in Ventura County, and her passion for protecting the environment sprouted at a young age. This ultimately spurred her to get a BS in Environmental Science and Resource Management with an Emphasis in Coastal Systems from CSU Channel Islands.

conservation to the Board of Trustees; he currently works as the Senior Conservation Manager for the Pacific Crest Trail Association. Prior to that, he protected land statewide as a Project Director for The Nature Conservancy. Previously, he worked with the Trust for Public Land, conserving multiple properties in Ventura County and across Southern California. He has a Master’s in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics and a Bachelor’s in Politics from UC Santa Cruz.

Prior to joining VLT’s board, Paolo was a member of the VLT Advisory Council. About making the leap from Advisory Council to the Board of Trustees, Paolo said, “After ten years of working in conservation in Ventura, it only seemed natural to join the Ventura Land Trust board. I’ve been so impressed with their work, from the opening of Harmon Canyon to the recent acquisition of the Hillsides preserve, I really wanted to be part of the amazing team and help in any way I can!”

SABRENA RODRIGUEZ is a dedicated advocate for public education and a trained conservation biologist. Sabrena worked with communities in Central and South America and Southern Africa to develop sustainable economic ventures that benefit both local people and wildlife. She oversaw the development of tropical forest conservation curriculum for the Rainforest Alliance and managed a micro loan program that supported indigenous women small business owners in reaching value-added markets in the US and Europe with sustainable products.

Sabrena was first elected to the Ventura Unified School District board of education in 2016. At the local level she has been deeply involved in VUSD’s Ethnic and Social Justice initiative, a longtime advocate for the Arts, and a vocal proponent of mental health access for all students. She is active in statewide educational issues through her leadership in the California School Board Association. She holds a BS in Biology and Ecology from the University of California, Irvine, and a MSc in Conservation Biology from the University of Kent, Canterbury. She is the proud mom to two adult daughters and enjoys traveling to new places with her husband, a pediatric hospitalist.

STAFF BOOKKEEPER KRISTY TIMPONE joined VLT in March 2025. A native of Greenwich Village, NYC, Kristy put down roots in Plymouth, MA, before making her way to the West Coast in 2013.

She holds a B.S. in Foods and Nutrition from Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa. While her early interests focused on health, wellness, and nutrition, her career quickly evolved into business management.

Over the years, she has served as the Business Manager for a chiropractic practice, an organic coffee company, and an integrative health and wellness center. She also works closely with avocado and horse ranches and is a certified organic inspector.

Although she started as a “city girl,” Kristy now calls Ventura home and considers it the perfect “sweet spot” of the California coast. She deeply values the open space and natural beauty of the region and is proud to be part of a team that protects, restores, and maintains these shared landscapes.

Maintaining a bicoastal lifestyle with children on both coasts, Kristy splits her time between California and Massachusetts. When not traveling, she enjoys live music, yoga, hiking, and long-distance walking. She has completed several renowned treks including the Camino Francés, Caminho Português, and Via Degli Dei, and is eagerly anticipating the opening of the Ventura Hillsides Preserve as part of her training for her next great adventure.

ON THE COVER: Botanical surveys of the Ventura Hills Nature Preserve have

revealed a robust and thriving community of native plants. This photograph, taken in Sanjon Canyon, shows a landscape dominated by Encelia californica, commonly called California brittlebush.

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Ventura Land Trust • Outlook

Photo Credit: Laura Pavliscak

Since then, Ally has focused on a career in public outreach and science communication. She has served as a Public Affairs Intern for the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District and as the Beach Cleanups Coordinator for the Surfrider Ventura County Chapter. She has extensive experience in community outreach, volunteer coordination, and event planning.

Ally is passionate about “leaving it better than she found it,” and envisions a future where everyone can experience the natural world as she did growing up. In her free time, you can find Ally surfing breaks in Malibu and Ventura, climbing rocks with her partner, and hiking with her Catahoula puppy.

OUTREACH COORDINATOR JEFF YOUNG grew up in western South Dakota, and though he’s moved around a lot since then, his love for land and the things that live on it has never left him. Although ponderosa pines will always be dear to his heart, he thinks the color palettes and scents of coastal sage scrub will keep him in Ventura for a long while. He is a nature photographer and filmmaker with degrees in anthropology, political science, and wildlife documentary film. He lived in England for three years working on nature documentaries, where his Midwestern optimism, mustache, and inability to make tea properly earned him the nickname “Ted Lasso”. He strongly believes in connecting more people with nature and broadening land access to local communities. Jeff hopes to learn and tell moving conservation stories at the Ventura Land Trust and become a goodlistening member of the community.

When he’s not working, you can find him hiking (birding on land), surfing (birding from the water), or reading (birding in his mind). If you haven’t found your spark bird yet, he is available to assist at no charge. He lives in Ventura with his partner Rachel, a marine scientist and much better surfer.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

tiny actions – from composting your green waste to landscaping with native plants to keeping your dog on a leash (and picking up after it!) – truly do make a difference. When we respect not only our fellow humans, but the plants and animals we live among as well, we are truly fulfilling our duties as responsible community members.

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efore I worked at VLT, and even before I volunteered for the organization (because it seems that volunteering here is a good way to end up on our staff!), I loved attending the Wild & Scenic Film Festival. The biggest reason why? The people.

Attending my first VLT film festival, I felt like I was in a pinball machine, careening from one friend to another, hugging, chatting, and catching up. It was a delight to see so many friendly faces in one place, enjoying each other’s company while supporting a great cause.

What I was reveling in is the tremendous community that surrounds and supports this organization, a community of people who cherish the outdoors and this beautiful place we are so fortunate to call home. And while the word “community” is usually defined as “a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common,” I can say that almost everyone here at VLT uses the term more broadly. The ecological definition of the term is “a group of interdependent organisms of different species growing or living together in a specified habitat.”

When we remember that we are not apart from nature, but are rather a part of nature, we are more likely to live our lives in a way that minimizes harm to the natural landscapes and organisms that surround us. A myriad of

This edition of Outlook has a thread of “community” woven through it because at the heart of our work is togetherness and interdependency.

In this work of forever, we know that the actions of today have a lasting effect on tomorrow, a responsibility we carry very seriously. We are honored to have a lasting, positive impact on this region while we consciously build and support the community we belong to.

Thank you for your participation in and validation of this work. Together, we are protecting and restoring some of the most precious and imperiled habitats in California, and together, we are building a lasting legacy that will benefit creatures great and small, for generations to come.

Yours in Nature, Melissa

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COVER STORY

Our Biological Community, Our Essential Family Understanding the Biodiversity Vital to our Survival

We’re investigating our bird communities through several avian survey efforts, from point counts to curated community science lists. Some sensitive species we’ve catalogued so far include California condor, burrowing owl, grasshopper sparrow, least Bell’s vireo, and yellow-breasted chat. We have documented 175 native birds, or 26% of the native state species.

By Laura Pavliscak

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hen we talk about community we typically think about the people that are meaningful in our lives, but the true reach of the community that meaningfully impacts us is much broader than that. The organisms that surround us are existentially influential to our daily life. From the pollinators and microbes that support our food systems to the birds and bats that keep insects in check, to the invertebrates that decompose organic matter that turns our waste and wildland biomass into nutrients–our natural community is as or more vital to our survival and well-being than our most beloved humans. These ecosystem services are unfolding all around us at every moment, provided for free, and they are such an essential and assumed part of our world that we barely notice them. Our enormously complex biological community drives this dynamic whole, and supporting the diversity of this community is vital to keeping the ecosystem functional, resilient through change, and livable for us all.

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Ventura Land Trust • Outlook

We’ve teamed up with entomologists to conduct baseline assessments of invertebrates, discovering phenomenal diversity and some exciting findings like the endangered Crotch’s bumblebees and Trask’s shoulderband snails. Stay tuned for detailed findings about this incredibly complex and specialized group of animals.

Our ongoing inquiries continue to Loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus), Trail 101, Harmon Canyon.

PHOTO CREDIT: MICHAEL TIFFANY

What is neither plant nor animal, yet photosynthesizes and communicates with its neighbors? Another hint?

In continuing with our community theme, this organism is made up of more than one species. Still stumped?

Why, lichen, of course!

PHOTO CREDIT: LAURA PAVLISCAK Left to right, Tiger moth (Apantesis sp.), Hall Canyon, Ventura Hills Nature Preserve, Crotch’s bumblebee (Bombus crotchii), Farr Trail, Harmon Canyon Preserve; Black-bellied slender salamander (Batrachoseps nigriventris), Harmon Canyon Preserve.

provenance and representing about 4% of the native state species in 0.003% of the total spatial area of the state.

Several sensitive and rare species are among them, including thickleaf monardella (Monardella hypoleuca subsp. hypoleuca) and slender mariposa lily (Calochortus clavatus var. gracilis), both associated with mesic canyons and often north facing slopes – limited geographies in our area that are under threat by climate change.

Over a dozen wildlife cameras have illuminated the quiet movements of animals in both developed and undeveloped parts of our properties, including species like black bear, mountain lion, and Pacific kangaroo rat. We have 20 native mammals documented, or 11% of the native state species.

Herpetofauna surveys for reptiles and amphibians indicate robust diversity across our upland and

Bobcat family, Harmon Creek.

unfold and provide the foundation for how we prioritize management to support our complex biological community and the ecological function it maintains. If you are interested in getting involved, consider supporting our conservation program to keep this important

PHOTO CREDIT: MIKE WATLING

work going. And check out our biodiversity iNaturalist projects for our Ventura area properties to explore and contribute your biological observations. This is our shared community and we’re in this together!

POP QUIZ!

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Supporting, enhancing, and celebrating biodiversity is at the heart of VLT’s work in the wildlands we steward.

We are utilizing in-house expertise, external contractors, and research partners to investigate our biological communities and how they work. Our primary inquiries have revolved around our largest and newest acquisitions– Harmon Canyon and Ventura Hills preserves. Together, these properties support about 150 acres of coast live oak woodland and around 3,000 acres of coastal sage scrub (CSS)–an exceptionally rare ecosystem and one of the most imperiled biological communities in the United States.

To date we have catalogued 357 plant species at Harmon and 308 at Ventura Hills, each about 60% native

river properties, with several sensitive species like southwestern pond turtle and both common and two-striped garter snakes on our river preserves, and coastal whiptail, San Diegan legless lizard, and coastal horned lizard on our upland properties. We have 20 native herps documented, or 9% of the native state species.

Lichens are tiny ecosystems that test our definition of “species”. While we may see a singular, brightly colored crust on a rock, these organisms are actually made up of one or more fungi in a symbiotic relationship with one or more species of algae and/ or cyanobacteria. Presenting in a fascinating array of colors, structures, and habitats, lichens are found on every continent, including the harshest environments - from deserts to tundra to shorelines to the metal shipping containers on our Harmon Preserve.

They are often the first organisms to colonize an area and their impacts are considerable. These minute crusts, flakes, hanging mats, and frills can

serve as soil makers, soil stabilizers, nitrogen fixers, tiny complex habitats for numerous other organisms, significant food sources for wildlife, and powerful medicines for humans. They are also valuable indicators of atmospheric pollution and are used for monitoring local airborne contamination.

Partnering with Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, we just completed lichen surveys at both Harmon and Ventura Hills preserves to understand the diversity, distribution, and habitat preferences of these important ecosystem servants on our properties and what that means about their ecological health.

We discovered 66 lichen species at Harmon and 64 species at Ventura Hills, which are each about 3% of the total known species present in the state. This was a surprising (and exciting!) level of diversity because of the impacts the 2017 Thomas Fire had on the biological community. Stay tuned for more information about these fas-

PHOTO CREDIT: LAURA PAVLISCAK Lichen are an often overlooked, but important part of our natural community. Recent surveys at VLT preserves revealed a surprising number of lichen species!

cinating biological communes in our backyards and how they make our planet more livable.

FALL 2025

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CONSERVATION

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Don’t Plant a Pest!

Mr. VLT

Gary Bednorz, Passionate Advocate Since the Beginning

Guidance for Responsible Landscaping

By Laura Pavliscak

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t Ventura Land Trust we are big native bunchgrass fans, admiring their wild order, early season exuberance, and the abundant ecosystem services they provide.

By Chris Chaleunrath

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f you’ve ever been to VLT’s annual Wild and Scenic event or (in the days when VLT was known as VHC) the Ventura Hillsides Music Festival, chances are you’ve seen Gary Bednorz working the microphone, cracking a joke, or rolling up his sleeves to help these events come together. Gary has been an incredible part of our VLT community for over 20 years—Gary and his wife Karen were among the very first Ventura Land Trust volunteers back when the organization was founded in 2003!

However, non-native invasive bunchgrasses are some of the more concerning plants that we spend a lot of time managing. A common offender is fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum). Fountain grass is a common horticultural species available at most nurseries and is appreciated for being drought tolerant and easy to grow.

This species has long escaped its horticultural confines and spread like wildfire throughout southern California. You’ve probably seen it lining the roadcuts of highways, dominating local hillsides, and growing feral around your neighborhood. These plants grow thick and fast and can rob established native plants of moisture and nutrients and preclude native seedlings from establishing. And speaking of wildfire… This species is PHOTO CREDIT: LAURA PAVLISCAK exceptionably flammable and Fountain grass is a species to avoid. Its seeds are dispersed in wind events so even one can quickly ignite and rapidly individual can rapidly spread and hopscotch into new populations. spread fire.

If you have fountain grass in your yard or are thinking of planting it, please consider the numerous lovely, drought tolerant alternatives. PlantRight is a nonprofit that focuses on education and advocacy for both nurseries and backyard gardeners to not supply or buy invasive plants. They recommend a whole suite of ornamental alternatives with similar

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Ventura Land Trust • Outlook

WHAT’S GOOD GOOD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD?

aesthetics and functionality on their website (plantright.org).

Local natives like foothill needlegrass (Stipa lepida), California melic (Melica imperfecta), and giant wild rye (Elymus condensatus) are also excellent landscaping choices that are beautiful, well adapted

to our local environment, and provide habitat for the local native organisms that evolved alongside them. By choosing to not plant invasive species like fountain grass, and to remove it from our yards, we all have an opportunity to support diverse, functional wildlands and fire safe communities.

This year, Gary went above and beyond to help bring our 2025 Wild & Scenic Film Festival to life. As a member of the film committee, he spent countless hours reviewing films, working alongside other committee members to whittle the selections to fit our 100-minute program. Months prior to the event, Gary drove around town sharing save-the-date cards and posters, collected raffle and auction donations from generous local businesses, and was always ready to make those lastminute runs that saved the day. When it came time for setup, Gary was right there with the team, putting in the hours to make sure everything was perfect.

And when the lights went down and the show began, he stepped up once more as the lively MC of the raffle drawing, keeping the crowd entertained and engaged.

PHOTO CREDIT: Topa Topa Brewing Company

Beyond his incredible contributions to the festival, Gary is also a master gardener, generously sharing his skills and passion for plants with the wider Ventura community. His commitment to caring for the land is deeply rooted— both literally and figuratively—and his decades of service with VLT are a true reflection of his love for open spaces, conservation, and community.

We are so grateful to Gary (and to Karen, too!) for being part of the Ventura Land Trust family from the very beginning. The Wild & Scenic Film Festival—and VLT itself—wouldn’t be the same without their dedication and selflessness.

This fall and winter you can enjoy a very special brew created by our friends at Topa Topa Brewing Company. Topa Topa is a 1% For the Planet member, donating at least 1% of its sales annually to local 1% For the Planet-approved environmental non-profits, including VLT. The Good Good series is yet another way that Topa Topa is going above and beyond a traditional 1% FTP commitment.

Launched this year, the series highlights a different environmental nonprofit each quarter.

The fourth and final release in the 2025 series is an 8.1% ABV hazy double IPA benefitting Ventura Land Trust. Coming in a generous VLT-branded 19.2 oz can, this beer packs a punch.

VLT will be partnering with Topa Topa throughout the quarter to host events featuring the brew – you can also pick it up by visiting any of Topa Topa’s 5 taprooms across the county, or using their beer finder at https://topatopa. beer/pages/find-our-beer

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VLT WELCOME CENTER

PRESERVE UPDATE

At Long Last Ventura Hills Nature Preserve to Open in Early 2026

By Dan Hulst

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fter several decades of advocacy, community organizing, and persistence, Ventura Land Trust (VLT) achieved a landmark victory in 2020 with the purchase of the 1,645-acre Ventura Hills Nature Preserve. Yet, as monumental as that acquisition was, it marked the beginning—not the end—of the real work.

PHOTO CREDIT: MICHELLE SEVILLA A ribbon cutting was hosted on May 30 by the Ventura Chamber of Commerce, with more than 200 Chamber members, community members, and VLT supporters in attendance. Assemblymember Steve Bennett, the legislator responsible for securing the funding for VLT, spoke at the event.

Partnering with Senator Monique Limon, Bennett secured $7.2 million to support VLT’s hillside capital campaigns and the acquisition of the Welcome Center building.

A Community Hub Permanence and Connectivity

By Melissa Baffa

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y now, you’ve surely heard about our acquisition of a 9,500 square foot building in Ventura.

The building, which closed escrow on March 31, will house a Welcome Center open to the public and VLT offices. The Welcome Center will have exhibits and information on VLT preserves and the natural history of the region, as well as meeting and event space. Remodeling and exhibit design for the ground-floor Welcome Center is occurring now.

The building was purchased largely with funds from a capital improvement grant provided by the State of California. The original vision was to construct a Welcome Center at the new Ventura Hills Nature Preserve, but due to fire risk, the cost of building and insuring a structure in that location, and the effect it would have on parking at the preserve, we requested to use the funds to purchase a

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building in town instead. The shift in strategy was approved, and we scoured the commercial market for a building that would have the right combination of size, features, and location to fulfill the vision, a quest that went on for over two years.

When the building came on the market in late 2024, we knew it would be a perfect fit. We envision this place as a community hub, where we and other nonprofits can host programs and events, where locals and tourists can learn more about our preserves and the nature they protect, and where our staff and volunteers can gather to do the important work we are committed to.

The move makes fiscal sense for the organization. With an on-site cell tower that generates monthly revenue for the land trust, the operating costs for the new building are almost fully covered. The building will also host EV chargers and landscaping featuring native and firewise plants. We will take every opportunity to make our operations greener, and to educate the public about our mission and how they can also take personal action to benefit our environment.

VLT will host a Grand Opening and second ribbon cutting at the Welcome Center after the downstairs remodel and exhibit installation are completed in 2026.

Since then, VLT staff have been studying the preserve’s unique challenges and opportunities: sweeping coastal sage scrub habitat bordered by an active oil field, laced with public utility easements, and visible from nearly every corner of Ventura.

This careful work has shaped a detailed management plan and paved the way for the preserve’s long-awaited public opening in early 2026.

Before January 2026, the preserve will see a series of key improvements. The finishing touches will be added to a new 56-space parking area in Hall Canyon. A natural-surface trail will soon link the parking area to the preserve’s heart, complemented by wayfinding and directional signs to guide visitors. Where sensitive habitats or natural hazards exist, new fencing and gates will help protect both the land and its guests.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Ventura Land Trust is proud to announce that we have been reaccredited by the Land Trust Alliance, earning this national mark of excellence for the second time.

Accreditation is awarded to land trusts that meet the highest standards for ethical conduct, sound finances, and lasting conservation results. This rigorous review process affirms that VLT operates with transparency, integrity, and a permanent commitment to protecting the lands we steward.

Our reaccreditation reflects the trust our community places in us and our dedication to preserving Ventura’s open spaces forever. It’s a rigorous process involving hundreds of hours of work

by VLT staff. Boy, we are glad we don’t have to do that again for another 5 years!

Meanwhile, VLT is recruiting and training volunteer docents, engaging with community members, and continuing the stewardship needed to safeguard this remarkable place—formerly known as Mariano Rancho—for generations to come.

Opening a preserve of this scale is a complex endeavor with many moving parts, but the reward will be extraordinary: safe, sustainable public access to one of Ventura’s most iconic landscapes.

Stay tuned to VLT’s communication channels for updates as we get closer to welcoming you. The Ventura Hills Nature Preserve will make our already amazing city even better—and we can’t wait to see you on the trails!

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LEND YOUR SUPPORT

Your Year-End Gift: An Investment in the Future

By Chris Chaleunrath

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s we look ahead to 2026, Ventura Land Trust is on the cusp of two historic milestones that will forever change the way our community connects with the land we love.

First, the long-awaited Ventura Hills Nature Preserve will open its trails to the public, transforming 1,645 acres of breathtaking wildlands into Ventura’s second-largest publicly accessible nature preserve.

For the first time, generations of Ventura families will legally hike, explore, and find peace in a landscape once out of reach— an enduring legacy of conservation made possible by people like you.

Later in the year, we will welcome our community into the brand-new Ventura PHOTO CREDIT: LIAM PICKHARDT Sprawling across the hillsides above Ventura, the Ventura Hills Nature Preserve features coastal sage scrub, Land Trust Welcome challenging climbs, and breathtaking views.

Center, opening mid-2026.

This vibrant hub will be a place to gather, learn, and community, and conservation deepen our shared commitment to protecting open space • Ensure these projects are not only completed, but are and our nonprofit community. sustainable and thriving for decades to come These projects are bold. They are transformative. They We invite you to stand with us during this season of are exactly what Ventura needs to protect its beautiful giving. Your gift to our annual campaign will help us with open space in perpetuity, serving as major steps forward these bold and important projects. Every donation, large for Ventura’s accessibility, education, and engagement and small, builds the foundation for Ventura’s wild future. with our treasured natural spaces. As always, they are only Together, we can open doors to discovery, connection, possible through the generosity and vision of our supporters. and stewardship.

As we enter this giving season, your gift plays a vital role in Let’s make 2026 the year Ventura takes its helping us achieve some ambitious goals: biggest step yet for nature. Use the QR code • Build trails and perform habitat restoration projects at the here to make a contribution, or visit https:// Ventura Hills Nature Preserve www.venturalandtrust.org/donate/EOY2025 • Equip the Welcome Center as a space for education,

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WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL

A Memorable Night for Ventura Celebrating Our Community

By Chris Chaleunrath

PHOTO CREDIT: GRACE QUANDT The members of Par Avion not only provided the festival’s musical entertainment – they also starred in one of the most popular films of the festival!

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his year’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival was extraordinary, attended by over 1,100 attendees, sixteen community partners, and representatives from two local films (Cycling Without Age and Don’t Doubt the Trout). Bernard and Rebecca, stars of the latter film, pulled double-duty, opening the festival with their surf-rock band Par Avion.

This event would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of over 100 volunteers and the generosity of our sponsors, including our venue sponsor, PHOTO CREDIT: GRACE QUANDT Ventura County Members of the Ventura Wild education team Credit Union. A very provided fun, hands-on activities for kids. special thank you goes out to Ventura Citizens for Hillside Preservation, who matched all event donations, helping us amplify the impact of every gift made that night!

As we look back on this incredible evening, we are filled with gratitude. Together, we are building a stronger, more connected community—one that values nature, celebrates each other, and takes action for the future. We can’t wait to see you at next year’s Wild & Scenic celebration on August 22, 2026! Save the date!

BEHIND THE SCENES Crafting the Film Festival Lineup

By Kate Larramendy, Board of Trustees and Film Selection Committee Chair VLT’s goal for the Wild & Scenic Film Festival (WSFF) is to inspire, activate, educate, entertain, delight, and surprise our community through film. It’s also a great excuse to spend a summer evening outdoors with friends, music, food & drink, and local like-minded groups, all while supporting the work of VLT. The “parent” WSFF is hosted annually by the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) in Northern The 2025 Film Selection California. Then Committee, front row: Lillith, many of its films hit Karen Bednorz, Jane Montague Back row: Kate Larramendy, the road as part of the On Tour program, Kevin Landeros, Gary Bednorz, Marcos Vargas Not Pictured: visiting more than Heidi Volpe, Max Yost 100 locations across the country, raising funds and awareness, building community, and providing an opportunity to showcase film gems broadly.

This year the nine-person VLT film committee watched 90 films to create a unique line-up for our local audience, whittling down the program to just under 100 minutes of run time. The final lineup supports VLT’s focus on conservation, restoration, protecting the natural environment, providing public access for recreation, and celebrating the joys of connecting to the beauty and adventure only found in the natural world.

Gleaned from 113 scorecards turned in at the end of the festival, this year’s top-rated film was Cycling Without Age; #2 was Don’t Doubt the Trout, and #3 was Wild Hope: Cougar Crossing.

Tied for #4 were Above Sinai and Friends of the Frogpool Lane. Overall, attendees rated the festival most excellent. Thank you for showing up and thank you for voting.

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Ventura Land Trust

UTLOOK Ventura Land Trust PO Box 1284 Ventura, CA 93002 www.venturalandtrust.org

THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS!