2024 Summer Outlook

Ventura Land Trust

UTLOOK SPRING 2024

VLT IS PEOPLE-POWERED

TURNING PASSION INTO ACTION

PROMOTIONS DAN HULST has been promoted to DEPUTY DIRECTOR

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Mark Watkins • President Sylvia Schnopp • Vice President Doug Trapp • Secretary Meridith Thompson • Treasurer Brian Clark Russell Galipeau John Krist Kate Larramendy Jane Montague Drew Powers Osmany (Ozzie) Rios

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, Dom Maderal, Laura Pavliscak.

Design: T Christian Gapen Cover photo by Dan Hulst 805.643.8044 PO Box 1284 Ventura, CA 93002 venturalandtrust.org

STAY CONNECTED

Find us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube Copyright 2024 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.

Dan started volunteering with VLT in 2016 and first joined VLT staff as Stewardship Manager in 2018. In that time, he has proved to be a driven, compassionate, and trustworthy member of the team. Dan’s promotion to this new role is a natural progression in his tenure with VLT, and he has shouldered the new responsibility with grace and enthusiasm. “It has been an absolute pleasure to play a small role in the evolution of VLT over the past 6 years.

I am hopeful that I can continue to push the envelope for the organization in the Deputy Director role. I am lucky to be part of such a passionate team and am grateful for this community every day.”

HEATHER BURTON has been promoted to DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR II Heather joined VLT as a Development Coordinator in 2022. In this role, Heather holds an integral part of the Development team, including managing the recent transition of VLT’s database and revamp of its website. Heather’s infectious energy and can-do attitude make her a beloved team player. Heather shares, “I feel incredibly fortunate to get to do what I love every day and be surrounded by such a passionate and hard-working team.

Witnessing the remarkable growth of VLT within just two years of my tenure has been truly gratifying. I’m excited about all the new projects we have on the horizon and helping bring them to fruition. Being part of this dedicated community that values open spaces and preserving what makes Ventura special has truly been a wonderful experience.”

NEW TO THE VLT TEAM OUTREACH COORDINATOR THEO SUBBOTIN grew up in Santa

Clarita, enjoying from an early age the many benefits of spending time in nature. Some of his fondest memories include exploring his grandparents’ ranch, family backpacking trips in the Sierras, and hiking with friends. Throughout his childhood, Theo developed a strong appreciation for civic engagement through family volunteerism: trail maintenance projects, neighborhood meetings, and volunteer events.

Theo earned his bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Law from American University in Washington D.C. He returned to California to be closer to the ocean and the hiking trails he missed.

He spent several years working as a qualitative researcher, specializing in interviews, focus groups, and surveys. From his time working on the events staff at an organic farm, he developed a passion for events and education.

In his free time, you can find Theo testing new recipes or reading in Cemetery Park. He also enjoys running, browsing for books at Timbre, and taking a stroll with his film camera.

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Ventura Land Trust • Outlook

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

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onprofit organizations are an important part of modern American society. They fill the gap between what’s needed by our community and what’s provided by the government and for-profit sectors.

Operating on slim margins, nonprofits are always hustling: scrappy, creative, and frugal.

Instead of striving for profits to distribute to shareholders, nonprofits deliver services and improved quality of life to stakeholders.

The vitality of a nonprofit organization is derived from the passion and involvement of the people that support it. Volunteers, donors, members, program participants, advocates, and staff members work in concert to produce fairy tale results: spinning time and talent into gold.

This issue of Outlook is dedicated to all the people who power our work. We salute the founders who embraced a challenge, created a vision, and made it reality. We honor the staff members who rise early to take to the land or the office, who work long hours and sometimes nights and weekends to push the organization ever forward. We thank the donors who have provided the vital funds to protect and restore the land we all hold so dear. We thank the volunteers, whether they serve for a day, a season, or a set of years.

As I think about the work we do, and the collective impact we make, I am reminded of a quote from Ryunosuke Satoro, the “Father of the Japanese short story” who wrote, “Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” I am so thankful to swim this ocean alongside you, to feel the swell of support, and to know the strength of our collective power. As always, I would like to thank you for your partnership in this effort.

Yours in nature, Melissa Baffa Executive Director

Make Your Mark: Limited Number of Leaves Available We are now issuing the final call for donors who want to make their mark on the donor wall at Harmon Canyon Preserve. From now through September 30, or until the final slots are filled, donors of $1,000 or more to Harmon Canyon Preserve will be recognized with a custom leaf on the metal art installation at the main trailhead.

This is a beautiful and long-lasting way to honor a loved one, to support the work of Ventura Land Trust, and to show your commitment to supporting Ventura’s first large-scale nature preserve.

A limited number of leaves are still available; visit venturalandtrust.org/namingopportunities and claim your space on this timeless piece of art before time runs out!

SPRING 2024

3

COVER STORY

VLT is People-Powered Turning Passion Into Action

By Melissa Baffa

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onprofit organizations, no matter the size and scope, rely upon a similar and singularly important asset: people. For most nonprofits, the origin story is similar: passionate community members gathering together, in town squares and around kitchen tables, trading ideas and devising strategies, building support for the cause.

Longtime supporter Gary Bednorz was one of those early, passionate volunteers who worked hard to create and grow the movement. He first got involved with the efforts to preserve Ventura’s hillsides in 2000, organizing around Ventura Measure P (Hillsides Voter Protection Act), and re-engaging a few years later when Measure A revived the possibility of hillsides development. Then Ventura Hillsides Conservancy was founded in 2003 to start to work with the owners of the coveted hillsides, with the goal of acquirIf you want to go fast, ing and managing the land. go alone, if you want to Bednorz says, “After [Ventura go far, go together”.

Hillsides Conservancy] started, — African proverb I worked to bring attention and community support to the organization. I volunteered nearly every Saturday morning from 8am - noon for several years … telling folks about us, how we are membership fueled and mission driven!”

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Since Ventura Hillsides Conservancy (later to be rebranded as Ventura Land Trust) did not yet own its own property, Bednorz turned to public service at another popular outdoor recreation destination to drum up support. He organized weekly cleanups at Arroyo Verde Park on Sunday mornings.

“We had wonderful volunteers regularly doing this, [with] several bringing their kids and friends! People were out in nature having a good time doing a great thing!”

Those dedicated, early efforts paid off, and VLT acquired properties in the Ventura River corridor. These properties required a lot of volunteer assistance. Choked with nonnative and highly invasive Arundo and littered with trash, the properties that became the Willoughby and Big Rock Preserves received thousands of hours of volunteer service.

In the twenty years since VLT’s founding, more than 500 tons of garbage has been removed from the Ventura River watershed, an impressive collective effort of VLT staff and

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Ventura Land Trust • Outlook

PHOTO CREDIT: VLT Karen and Gary Bednorz brought the Wild and Scenic Film Festival to VLT. At first, the event was held indoors at the Poinsettia Pavilion.

volunteers.

As an organization grows and evolves over time, so does its needs and its makeup. As Ventura Land Trust has acquired more acreage, it has also seen the growth of its staff. As a nonprofit organization becomes more staff-driven, the face of the organization changes. The staff team segments into departments, and at the volunteer level, committees form.

Ideas become long-running programs.

At VLT, those long-running programs still include regular cleanups of the river properties; this vital service effort has been joined by the WHIP (wildlife habitat improvement program) at Harmon Canyon Preserve. WHIP is led by Kris Ohlenkamp and Terri Burgess; they meet twice weekly and utilize the help of volunteers to identify and remove invasive species.

“The first time we went to Harmon Canyon Preserve we walked up the ranch road and I found myself parting the weeds and pointing out all of the many beautiful native plants that were there but couldn’t be easily seen - and they were being crowded out,” says Kris Ohlenkamp. “Right there and then we declared that we should ‘free the natives.’ That remark is now our motto.”

Terri adds that they work “to free as many native plants as possible to promote and preserve the spectacular biodiversity at Harmon. Removing the weeds not only opens up space for the native plants to thrive, but provides habitat for creatures, from the tiniest insects to the apex predators that all evolved together here.”

GET INVOLVED Now seeking: community members passionate about conservation and environmental protection Ventura Land Trust offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities with varying degrees of commitment. Whether you have a few hours a week or a few hours a month to contribute, VLT has a niche available for you.

Docents comprise a public-facing volunteer group that supports VLT’s work while visiting our preserves. Docents help maintain trails; they also gently remind visitors about preserve rules and regulations. Docent applications are considered on a rolling basis - if you are passionate about conservation and interested in joining the VLT docent corps, please email docent@venturalandtrust.org.

PHOTO CREDIT: VLT WHIP co-founders Terri Burgess and Kris Ohlenkamp with members of the team, working hard to remove invasive plants at Harmon Canyon Preserve..

WHIP and river cleanups produce highly visible, tangible results. Participants can immediately appreciate the volume of trash being hauled from the river or the patch of land, now cleared of mustard and other invasives, where natives can now claim their share of light, space, and water.

But restoration work, especially passive restoration like this, is slow-going. Kris said that he and Terri “knew it would take 5+ years to make a significant permanent difference. In the last 3 1/2 years we have engaged more than 365 individuals who worked in excess of 4300 hours. Many of those volunteers are now our good friends and show up nearly every week. We share a love for Mother Earth, are doing our small part to erase the negative impacts of past generations, get plenty of exercise, and learn something new almost every day. And … we can see (and enjoy) the results of our work.”

Many people know the satisfaction of a job well done. But for a volunteer job well done, that’s something truly special.

Gary Bednorz and his wife Karen are proud of their founding, longtime commitment to VLT. “Whenever I meet someone and I mention [that] Karen and I volunteer with VLT and have since before the beginning, I frequently hear ‘Thanks for doing that’…the joy that brings is overwhelming!”

We want to share that joy with you too! Throughout this edition of Outlook, we have worked to highlight a myriad of ways for people to get involved and further power the work we’re doing. If you’re inspired to embrace our work more deeply as a volunteer, a donor, or advocate, please reach out. Together, we will go farther and faster than we ever could have imagined.

VLT Ambassadors commit to a specific need or project and serve for a period of six months to one year. Projects align with the volunteer’s experience, career, or passions.

Current Ambassador projects range from representing VLT at community events and assisting with marketing to adopting a section of the preserve to maintain. Ambassador applications are considered on a six-month basis; the application for the next cycle is live on the website at venturalandtrust.org/volunteer and closes on September 1, 2024.

VLT committees meet on a regular basis; members provide input and help guide organizational decisions. If you have a skillset that could be helpful in a behindthe-scenes capacity, consider becoming a VLT committee member. Current standing committees include Development, Stewardship, Finance, Land, and Education.

Committees meet monthly or quarterly. For more information, contact VLT Executive Director Melissa Baffa at melissa@venturalandtrust.org

SPRING 2024

5

ADVISORY COUNCIL

More than just advice: VLT’s Advisory Council offers connection, continuity, and advocacy

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The Ventura Land Trust Advisory Council (AC) provides guidance, expertise, and support to our organization.

Comprised of community leaders, environmentalists, conservationists, and business professionals, the AC plays a crucial role in advising VLT on strategic decisions, fundraising efforts, conservation projects, and community engagement initiatives.

In 2023, Ventura Land Trust dramatically expanded its Advisory Council. The group, now 41 members strong, is comprised of former VLT board members, longtime supporters, and community leaders from throughout Ventura County. Even though the full group only meets twice per year, VLT staff and board members reach out to these advisors throughout the year for assistance and advice on a variety of issues.

The Advisory Council serves as a hub for community connection. As Executive Director of the Ojai Raptor Center, AC member Kim Stroud points out, “Serving on the VLT Advisory Council opens up partnership opportunities with other members of the community. Ojai Raptor Center’s mission to return wildlife to the wild needs protected lands to ensure they survive. VLT protects that land for not only wildlife, but also for our community of people to enjoy!”

The AC also brings continuity; some of its members have been with VLT since its inception. One of those people is Brooke Ashworth, who still serves as VLT’s Senior Conservation Advisor. When asked about the AC, Brooke said, “The advisory council is such an interesting and diverse group of people from our community. Each one brings their experience and expertise to discussion of issues facing the land trust.”

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Ventura Land Trust • Outlook

Advisory Council members join for many reasons, including their interest in helping to shape the future of the organization and the community it serves. Jim Hines, a passionate advocate for wildlife, shares that he is most interested in “guiding future land use decisions regarding the great hillsides and Ventura properties…VLT now owns.”

environment and ensure a sustainable future for Ventura County.

ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS •

Mike Anderson, Founder / Financial Advisor, Maranantha Financial

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Sean Anderson, Professor, California State University, Channel Islands

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Claudia Armann, Executive Director, McCune Foundation

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Brooke Ashworth, Senior Conservation Advisor, Ventura Land Trust

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Marlyss Auster, President & CEO, Visit Ventura

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Gary Bednorz, College Counselor / Public Speaker

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Joseph Brandt, Senior Biologist, US Fish & Wildlife Service

Having smart, influential, and passionate community members on its Advisory Council is one way that VLT strives to better understand and connect with the community it serves. Banks Pecht revealed her strength in advocacy when she said, “Ever since its inception in the early 1980’s, the land trust model has provided an apolitical, mutually respectful, practical, and just plain smart approach to land conservation and stewardship. VLT is among the best of the best, and I am honored and privileged to support it and its team to set aside and protect the natural resources that make Ventura County a rich (and fun!) place to call home. I wear my Harmon Canyon trucker hat with pride!”

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Barbara Brown, Co-founder, Ventura Tree Alliance

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Margo Byrne, President & CEO, Channel Islands YMCA

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Craig Carey, Outdoorsman, author, teacher

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Russ Charvonia, Senior Wealth Advisor & Estate and Charitable Planning Attorney

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David Comden, Planning Commissioner, City of Ventura, Former Trustee, Ventura Land Trust former owner/publisher, Southland Publishing

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Lorelle Dawes, Director of Expanded Learning at Ventura Unified School District

VLT thanks the Advisory Council for their unwavering support and active participation. Their dedication, insights, and contributions are invaluable in helping VLT to protect and steward our natural resources for future generations. Together, we will continue to make a positive impact on the

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Steve Doll, Owner, Doll Real Estate Services, Former Trustee, Ventura Land Trust

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Jim Eisenhart, President, Reset Partnering

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Jim Friedl, Conejo Recreation & Park District, General Manager

AC members also serve as ambassadors to the community at large. David Comden has a long list of ties to the community, including once serving as board president at VLT. His connections throughout the community make him an excellent ambassador: “The work that VLT does is important to the people, county, and environment. I volunteer to help our community understand the value of their land trust.”

PHOTO BY HEATHER BURTON | VLT Ventura Land Trust’s Advisory Council is drawn from across the county, and represents a variety of experience, interests, and valuable insight.

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Cary Glenn, Economic Development Associate, City of Ventura

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John Hankins, County News Service, Former Trustee Ventura Land Trust, Advisory Council Co-chair

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Frank Hein, Ecologist and Exhibit Designer at Large Jenise Wagar-Hernandez, Executive Director at Pier into the Future

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Mary Looby, IT Solution Architect, Patagonia

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Michelle Stevens, Founder & CEO, The Refill Shoppe

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Steve Offerman, Senior Assistant to County Supervisors, retired

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Kim Stroud, Executive Director, Ojai Raptor Center

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Fran Pavley, Former State Senator; Environmental Policy Director USC Schwarzenegger Institute

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Banks Pecht, Executive Coach/ Founder, Banks Coaching

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Paolo Perrone, Project Director, The Nature Conservancy

Marcos Vargas, Retired - former Executive Director of the Fund for Santa Barbara and former founding Executive Director of the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy.

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Heidi Volpe, Photography Director, Patagonia

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Eric Wallis, Product- Snow and Mountain Bike, Patagonia

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Mike Watling, Director, Technical Operations; Agilent Technologies

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Tom Weisel, Engineer, Arch Day Design, Former Trustee, Ventura Land Trust

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Don Wood, Retired executive, Former Trustee, Ventura Land Trust

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Jim Hines, Advocate, Sierra Club Protecting Wildlife and Wild Places Campaigns across the U.S.

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Sonia Kroth, Community Relations Manager, Ventura County Human Services Agency

Sabrena Rodriguez, President, Board of Education, Ventura Unified School District

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Kat Selm, Stewardship Project Manager, The Nature Conservancy

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Dennis Kulzer, Retired - Fleet maintenance supervisor at City of Ventura, Former Trustee, Ventura Land Trust

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Michelle Sevilla, Director of Communications, Assemblymember Steve Bennett’s Office

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George Leis, President & Chief Operating Officer, Montecito Bank & Trust

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Jill Shaffer, Executive Director, Alzheimer’s Association California Central Coast ; Former Trustee, Ventura Land Trust

SPRING 2024

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MAKING IMPACT

Embracing the Bloom VLT’s Spring Appeal Unveiled!

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ust as the vibrant hues of spring begin to grace our landscapes, exciting things are emerging at Ventura Land Trust! This season provides more than just a visual spectacle; it’s an invitation for all of us to come together and preserve the stunning landscapes that define Ventura County.

Cultivate Your Connection with Nature: Membership Opportunities Ventura Land Trust beckons you to deepen your connection with our work by becoming a member. For as little as $5 per month, members gain access to exclusive events, guided nature walks, and early notifications about upcoming conservation initiatives.

When you become a member, you are an active participant in our ongoing journey of conservation.

Explore the various membership levels online, including the new Dog Membership, each with special gifts and benefits. Find the one that resonates with your dedication to preserving Ventura County’s natural treasures. venturalandtrust.org/membership

DOUBLE THE IMPACT: ANONYMOUS MATCHING GIFT This spring, every donation and membership gift has the potential to have double the impact. Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, every contribution made to our Spring Campaign, up to a total of $50,000, will be matched. Your support, now doubled, preserves our landscapes while unlocking additional resources for future initiatives.

Members and donors play a pivotal role in sustaining the mission of Ventura Land Trust. Supporting a community organization like ours is not just about preserving land; it’s about investing in the collective wellbeing of our community. Your generosity fosters a sense of belonging, unity, and pride in our shared commitment to environmental stewardship.

Let’s embrace the bloom together! Join us in making this spring a season of growth, preservation, and connection. Your support is an investment in nature, and a commitment to a sustainable and flourishing Ventura County.

Thank you for being a vital part of Ventura Land Trust.

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Ventura Land Trust • Outlook

PHOTO CREDIT: BETH O’ROURKE Purple owl’s clover (Castilleja exserta) at Harmon Canyon Preserve.

Foster Conservation Leadership: Sponsorship Options Sponsorship of Ventura Land Trust events and programs is a powerful way to demonstrate your alignment with VLT’s values and your commitment to the health and wellbeing of our environment and our community.

Sponsorship provides numerous benefits throughout the year, including VIP tickets to our annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival, sponsor highlights in our marketing and media productions, and more!

Discover the power of partnership by visiting the sponsorship page at venturalandtrust.org/sponsorship and explore how your support can shape the future of Ventura County’s natural legacy.

FUN & LEARNING

Upcoming programs to pique your interest

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ne of the most beautiful things about nature is the variety of ways to enjoy it.

Whether you enjoy a strenuous hike or a leisurely stroll, capturing the scenic beauty with a camera or with a paintbrush, or appreciating nature up close or from a distance, VLT’s diverse programs and events strive to meet you where you’re at.

Ventura Land Trust offers fun, educational enrichment opportunities for people of all ages, interests, and abilities. For those looking to learn a little more about the natural environment, guided hikes are offered throughout the year, in English and in Spanish. The Environmental Speaker Series features extraordinary environmentalists sharing their adventures in conservation. Held at the Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center at Channel Islands National Park, these quarterly lectures are free thanks to a generous sponsorship from SoCal Edison.

PHOTO CREDIT: VLT The annual Summer Solstice drum circle at Harmon Canyon Preserve is a fun way to build community and mark the changing of the season

Programs blending the arts and nature are another way to explore and connect more deeply with the natural world. VLT’s annual Summer Solstice Drum Circle will be held at Harmon Canyon Preserve on Friday, June 21. Open to all ages and musical abilities, this event is a fun way to build community, participate in an ancient method of communication and connection, and celebrate the changing of the season through music and rhythm. Participants can bring their own drum or borrow one.

Visit venturalandtrust.org/events to sign up.

The Wild and Scenic Film Festival, taking place on August 24, 2024, is Ventura Land Trust’s largest annual event. This year's theme is Reel Action, with films exploring different ways to take action to help the environment. Tickets will go on sale in April, and sponsorships are available now (see page 8 for more information). Volunteers are essential to the success of this event - if you are interested in volunteering please contact communications@venturalandtrust.org.

Love to Read?

Join the VLT Environmental Book Club!

The VLT Environmental Book Club meets monthly and discusses personal connections to nature through reading. Monthly book club meetings cycle between in-person hikes at a VLT preserve, in-person gatherings at Timbre Books, and virtual meetings, to offer diverse and accessible options for all. And if you purchase the month’s selection from program sponsor Timbre Books, 10% of your purchase is donated to VLT!

SPRING 2024

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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Mike Watling Sharing the Secrets of Wildlife

By Melissa Baffa and Dom Maderal

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f VLT is people powered, volunteers are the engine that drives us. One of these key volunteers is Mike Watling.

Mike found his love for the outdoors and conservation while growing up near the woods in New England. He moved to Ventura in the mid-80s and was drawn to its abundant regional open spaces. Involved with VLT since 2015, he has served as a VLT docent since 2020, helping to greet visitors to Harmon Canyon Preserve and educate them about its natural wonders.

You might already know Mike through his contributions to citizen science. Going by the handle @foxtracker805 on Instagram, Mike contributes to the understanding of the diversity of wildlife that calls our preserves home. Since 2021, Mike has set up and monitored numerous wildlife cameras on the property at Harmon Canyon Preserve. These wildlife cameras help the conservation team identify the often shy and frequently nocturnal or crepuscular species that live on the preserves. You might have enjoyed some of the videos Mike has captured, showcasing seasonal changes in the landscape and rare sightings of secretive animals, such as the badger he captured on video two years ago. These sightings not only help us to understand which animals are visiting or living within the preserves; they also give fascinating glimpses into behavior we don’t often get to witness. For example, did you know that just like your own dog companion, coyotes also get the zoomies?

In addition to his service as a docent, wildlife tracker, and Advisory Council member for Ventura Land Trust, Mike volunteers as a naturalist with Channel Islands National Park and the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. He sits on the advisory board of Friends of the Island Fox and helps to protect this unique species.

Mike hopes that community members understand the importance of getting involved and recommends finding opportunities to volunteer. He says, “If we can help people appreciate what we have and understand the importance of it, then we can make our communities better places.” His work has helped us to tell the stories of our wildlife neighbors, and we hope you have enjoyed his contributions as much as we have!

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Read More Go in depth with the new VLT Blog - scan this QR code or visit venturalandtrust.org/blog

WILDLIFE

Who’s there?

Stories of wildlife on our preserves

By Laura Pavliscak

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LT is deeply indebted to passionate volunteers like Mike Watling, who have utilized their time and talent to help us learn more about life on our preserves. Mike’s work maintaining wildlife cameras for three years in Harmon Canyon has allowed us to catalogue 64 species in remote canyons of the Preserve, including charismatic residents like bobcats and great horned owls, less common transients like black bear and bats, and ecologically concerning non-native species such as house cats and invasive feral pigs. With generous support from donors, VLT has secured a small pot of funds to begin building on Mike’s efforts and expand wildlife camera monitoring across the Preserve to address questions big and small—what species are present and where, how does public access change wildlife behavior, and how do highly localized special resources like perennial surface water support biodiversity?

PHOTO CREDIT: MIKE WATLING Images of bobcats are often captured by wildlife cams at Harmon Canyon Preserve

Mike isn’t alone in his enthusiastic support of wildlife monitoring.

We are also lucky to partner with devoted local volunteer birder Kris Ohlenkamp, who has catalogued observations from over 250 avian surveys over the last 3.5 years in Harmon, documenting 116 species and providing a wealth of nuanced information, such as timing of spring migrant arrivals and the presence of rare birds.

While wildlife cameras are a powerful tool to capture candid observations of many forms of wildlife, we employ additional methods to target other animals that aren’t best detected using cameras. Coverboards help us catalogue diversity and distribution of reptiles and amphibians. Strategically placed pitfall traps help us form a baseline of invertebrate species diversity. As we expand our monitoring efforts and build a more systematic understanding of what species are present and how they are distributed across the Preserve, we can modify our management to enhance habitat for wildlife.

Please consider following Kris and Mike’s example and lend us your time or treasure to support our small but growing program to better understand the complex ecology of our preserves and how we can best support them using conservation science. One easy way to contribute is to take quality photos or audio recordings of interesting or unexpected animals, plants, and fungi, and upload them into iNaturalist, an online community science platform that helps identify and share life forms in an open access forum. Check our website for instructions on how to get started: venturalandtrust.org/natural-resource-monitoring. And while you’re there, consider donating to support our efforts—we (VLT and the birds and bees) thank you for your help!

PHOTO CREDIT: MIKE WATLING Feral pigs are a very destructive invasive species across the Ventura hillsides

PHOTO CREDIT: LAURA PAVLISCAK Coverboards serve as a predictable place where reptile and amphibian species can be found; they assist VLT conservation staff with identifying species on our preserves

SPRING 2024 11

Ventura Land Trust

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

August 24th, 2014 FROM 5 - 10 PM Ventura County Credit UInion - 2575 Vista Del Mar Dr. Mark your calendar for the annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival. Enjoy live music, camaraderie, and a lineup of inspiring short films, while supporting Ventura Land Trust’s conservation efforts.

Ticket Sales Start in April VenturaLandTrust.Org Volunteer: We are looking for volunteers to help the of the event.

Please sign up at venturalandtrust.org/volunteer

Sponsorship: If you or your company are interested in joining as a sponsor please reach out to sponsorship@venturalandtrust.org

THANK YOU TO OUR 2024 SPONSORS