2022 Summer Outlook

Ventura Land Trust

UTLOOK SUMMER 2022

GIVE TODAY EXPLORE FOREVER

HARMON CANYON PRESERVE SPECIAL EDITION

Fundraising Goal Nearly Complete

CAMPAIGN CHAIR MESSAGEXX

Harmon Canyon Preserve Forever

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entura’s location between two rivers, the ocean, and the hillsides is unique and highly valued in shaping the identity of our community. Preserving and restoring these natural landscapes is vital to our community’s long-term health and sustainability. As a former Ventura Mayor and City Councilmember, I have for decades heard from residents about their vision for protecting open space, wildlife, and outdoor recreation. The acquisition of Harmon Canyon Preserve

by Ventura Land Trust has been enthusiastically celebrated and supported.

My family has enjoyed exploring Harmon Canyon Preserve on foot and bicycles, helped to build trails, and marveled at the quiet and beauty and scents of each season. Especially fascinating has been watching the regrowth of Thomas Fire-damaged oak trees and appreciating the resilience of the ecosystem through drought and fire.

Harmon Canyon offers miles of trails, panoramic views of mountains and ocean, shady oak groves, flourishing wildlife, and native plant regeneration. Conservation of this open space is a promise to care for our planet and a gift to future generations. Please join me in giving to the Harmon Canyon Campaign. Your support ensures this biologically diverse and life-giving land continues to serve as a foundation for the local environment and the health of our residents.

Every donation, large or small, is important to our success. Give today — let’s do this together!

Christy Weir Chair, Harmon Canyon Campaign

Harmon Canyon: Give Today, Explore Forever You may not know that when Ventura Land Trust (VLT) opened Harmon Canyon Preserve to the public in June 2020, we had yet to complete our fundraising goal to cover trails and other amenities and an endowment fund to assure proper care for the preserve in perpetuity. We opened Harmon Canyon early to serve the community when the need for natural accessible space in Ventura was especially high during the early lockdowns of the COVID19 pandemic.

Only two years later, Harmon is estimated to have approximately 175,000 visitors annually. During this time VLT has continued fundraising toward our $11.6 million capital campaign to purchase, open, and maintain Harmon Canyon Preserve. Only $685,000 remains to reach the campaign goal. Now is the time for the community to pitch in and assure that Harmon Canyon will welcome visitors for decades to come.

In this final stretch of the Harmon Canyon Preserve fundraising effort, we are asking all visitors, hikers, bikers, and nature lovers of Harmon Canyon to make a donation for this “Jewel of Ventura.” Help VLT complete the funding needs for Harmon Canyon Preserve.

Please donate today—your donation will directly support the enhancement and care of Harmon Canyon Preserve. Use the QR code to give online or complete the provided envelope to donate.

PHOTO BY LESLIE VELEZ

Add Your Name to the Preserve’s New Art Installation To commemorate Harmon Canyon Preserve’s generous and remarkable donors, Ventura Land Trust has commissioned a breathtaking iron art installation by local artist Tyronne McGrath depicting the plants and animals found in the hills of Ventura. Dispersed throughout this piece will be commemorative leaves with the names of each donor who contributes $1,000 or more to the fundraising effort. Crafted by hand, these personalized iron leaves will form a beautiful donor wall for all visitors to admire upon entering the preserve.

Your Harmon Canyon Campaign Donation Doubled Two generous donors have stepped up to match every dollar donated to the Harmon Canyon Campaign up to $50,000. Give today and be part of this opportunity to double your impact to the Harmon Canyon Campaign.

For more information on giving to the Harmon Canyon Preserve Campaign, the donor wall, or any questions, contact Development Director Chris Chaleunrath at chris.chaleunrath@venturalandtrust.org SmPat ith

Artist rendering, Tyronne McGrath If you donate or pledge $1,000, VLT will add your name to a leaf on the donor wall where it will be honored for generations to come. You can donate $1,000 in ten installments of $100 per month.

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FEATURE C

Harmon Canyon Preserve:

A Beacon of Biodiversity

By Melissa Baffa, Executive Director “There can be no purpose more enspiriting than to begin the age of restoration, reweaving the wondrous diversity of life that still surrounds us.”

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-- E. O. Wilson he science of ecology is a fairly new branch on the tree of knowledge.

Founded in the mid-19th century, the discipline has revealed tantalizing nuggets of information, but is nowhere near “settled.” The more we learn, the more questions arise.

Because we understand so little about the ways organisms interact with each other and with their environments, the rapid destruction of open space and ecosystems across the globe is especially alarming. Scientists who study biodiversity predict that we still have many millions of organisms to discover and describe; at the current rate of habitat destruction, we will lose many before we even realize they were there.

The human footprint on our planet continues to grow, stamping out habitat along the way. It will only be through the deliberate conservation and restoration of remaining open space that we can preserve our planet’s remarkable biodiversity.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS RYAN CHRISRYANPIX.COM EXCEPT AT LEFT, BEETLE PHOTO

BY JASON FAKOUR

Not only is it important to preserve open space; it is equally important to do so thoughtfully, and to ensure linkages between these hotspots of biodiversity.

Otherwise, populations end up trapped within a genetic island; a shortage of resources and space, aggression between juveniles and dominant adults, and inbreeding are some of the issues caused by this isolation.

The preservation of Harmon Canyon Preserve as open space is a great first step for our organization and our region. The canyon provides vital habitat for many species, including coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, raccoons, skunks, kangaroo rats, and many types of reptiles and birds. Surprisingly, confirmed sightings of badgers and a bear have occurred here too!

Your support of the capital campaign for Harmon Canyon Preserve will enable us to continue to study and to steward this land, to protect its natural inhabitants, and to restore these habitats degraded by human use. With your help, Ventura Land Trust will “reweave” the web of diversity, for the benefit of our land, our water, our wildlife, and our scenic beauty, for current and future generations.

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Harmon Canyon, My Family’s Story

By Linda Hadlen

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armon Canyon was owned by my family for 137 years.

Happily, after a decade of hard work by my brother, David Hadlen, and by Ventura Land Trust then-Executive Director Derek Poultney, Senior Conservation Advisor Brooke Ashworth, and many others, VLT’s dream of a nature preserve on the ranch became a reality.

The property first came into the family in 1883, when brothers William and Joseph Sexton purchased ~6,000 acres of Rancho Ex-Mission San Buenaventura for the sum of $14,000 in gold coins. My family is descended from William Sexton.

Elizabeth Walker

The Sexton brothers were born in Ohio and the family moved to California in 1852. The brothers and their father were nurserymen and farmers, starting out growing peaches from pits gathered in the streets of San Francisco, according to family lore.

Lydia Hearne

family picnics and parties in a grove of oak trees. The cabin was one room surrounded by a screened porch, a stone barbecue nearby.

Many cookouts and games were enjoyed at the cabin by family and friends. During Prohibition, I suspect the gatherings involved alcohol!

My cousin Binney Moss remembers lots of fun times at the cabin, including her high school graduation party. There was a piano and always someone playing the fiddle, she recalls.

Among the family activities were panguingue (pan) card games, shooting skeet and targets, hunting quail and dove, and gathering wild mushrooms.

Upon William’s death in 1892, the 6,000 acres were divided between his estate and brother Joseph. Harmon Canyon went to William’s estate. When William Sexton’s wife Hattie passed 12 years later, the ranch was bequeathed to her five living children. By 1927 all shares of the ranch had passed to sisters Elizabeth Sexton Walker and Agnes Lydia Sexton Hearne (my grandmother), hence my family’s name for Sadly, over time trespassers vandalized the the property, Walker-Hearne Ranch. cabin and our family was forced to dismantle From the original 6,000 acres of Walk- it so that today only part of the foundation reer-Hearne Ranch, pieces were subdivided mains. and sold, becoming today’s Ondulando and Now the ranch is in the hands of Ventura Clearpoint neighborhoods. Property was sold Land Trust so everyone can enjoy the natuto Ventura Missionary Church as well. ral respite Harmon Canyon provides.— Linda A typical gathering of friends and family, circa May 1944, including the author’s mother, Virginia Hadlen (far right).

Lima beans, once a major county crop, were dry farmed in Harmon Canyon from the late 1890’s through the 1940’s. Following lima beans, the canyon’s meadows and hillsides were used for grazing cattle.

Hadlen lives in Ventura and is one of the family members who donated 326 acres to make Harmon Canyon Preserve possible.

— Linda Hadlen lives in Ventura and is one of the family members who donated 326 acres to Around 1910, the family built a cabin for make Harmon Canyon Preserve possible.

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PHOTO BY ADRIENNE STEPHENS

Find Yourself in Nature

WHIP Coordinators: Kris Ohlenkamp and Terri Burgess at Harmon Canyon Preserve

WHIP-ing Harmon Canyon Preserve into Shape

WHIP’s long-term goal is to restore Harmon Canyon Preserve to its natural state where native California plants, insects, animals, and birds can thrive. Kris, a former occupational health and safety consultant and Terri, who served as Director of Oncology Research for twenty years at Amgen, are the perfect people to “free the natives.” They are adept at plant identification and well-versed on science-based habitat restoration techniques. The foundation of their work is to remove non-native plants before they go to seed, which prevents them from propagating and allows the native plants to take root.

Over the past eighteen months, their shared passion has grown into leadership of a hard-working volunteer group who removes invasive plants for 2-3 hours each Sunday and Monday morning. To date, WHIP volunteers have cleared along more than 2.5 miles of trails. “There are immediate positive effects,” said Terri.

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Ventura Land Trust • Outlook

• Guided nature hikes (Spanish language available) • Cycling program • Plein air painting, photography, writing, and poetry workshops • Nature immersion programs with Ventura Wild including: ○ Preschool

“Our current goal is to remove the most harmful non-native invasive species, like mustard, Russian thistle (tumble weed) and fennel, within three years California peony (Paeonia californica) – the time it takes to deplete the seed bank,” said Kris. “Once phase one is complete, we will concentrate on maintaining invasive plant control, native seed harvesting, and propagating, and planting of locally-derived native plants.”

“We welcome the help of individuals as well as youth, community, and civic groups,” said Terri. “The only requirements are a pair of sturdy shoes, gloves, and the desire to make Harmon Canyon even more beautiful and wild.” To volunteer with WHIP, sign up at: https://www.venturalandtrust.org/events or just show up at the entrance kiosk at 8:00 AM on Sunday or Monday morning and follow Kris and Terri’s lead!

○ After school ○ Parent/child ○ Summer day camp ○ Adult retreats • New volunteer opportunities Much of the programming is family-friendly.

Free and fee-based programs are offered and Ventura Land Trust members enjoy the benefit of reduced fees.

To learn more and sign up for programs go to www.venturalandtrust.org/events.

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NIGHTTIME HALLOWEEN HIKE, OCTOBER 29!

PHOTOS BY LESLIE VELEZ

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on-native invasive plants don’t stand a chance when Kris Ohlenkamp and Terri Burgess are hiking at Harmon Canyon Preserve. In June of 2020, when this active retired couple began exploring the 2,100-acre property, they quickly recognized dozens of native plants that were hiding amongst weedy plant species that “didn’t belong.”

What started literally from the ground up with two people pulling out weeds on a hike has grown into the Ventura Land Trust’s vitally important volunteer Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP).

To encourage our community to spend more time in nature, Ventura Land Trust has added a number of new programs at Harmon Canyon Preserve:

• Birding, wildlife tracking, and butterfly events

PHOTO BY LESLIE LEAVENS

By Adrienne Stephens

“When native habitat is restored, the benefits ‘branch up’ and we begin noticing larger and more diverse populations of native insects, birds, and mammals.”

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aybe you have already noticed in your own life that it’s rejuvenating to spend time in nature. This effect is backed up by scientific study documenting that time spent outdoors stimulates “happy” neurotransmitters and decreases stress hormones and blood pressure. An investment in nature is an investment in ourselves.

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New to the VLT Team

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he development and outreach teams of Ventura Land Trust are growing to meet the needs of the organization and the community. Leslie Velez, who has served as Development Director since 2019, was recently named Outreach Director. Ventura Land Trust welcomes Chris Chaleunrath as new Development Director and Heather Burton in the new role of Development Coordinator.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Mark Watkins • President Jill Shaffer • Vice President John Hankins • Secretary Sylvia Schnopp • Treasurer Steve Doll Russell Galipeau Dennis Kulzer Jane Montague Osmania “Ozzie” Rios Doug Trapp Don Wood

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 Editors: Brooke Ashworth, Adrienne Stephens Contributors: Melissa Baffa, Linda Hadlen, Adrienne Stephens, Leslie Velez, Mark Watkins, Christy Weir Design: T Christian Gapen Cover photo by Maria Zamri 805.643.8044 PO Box 1284 Ventura, CA 93002 venturalandtrust.org

STAY CONNECTED

Find us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube Copyright 2022 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.

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CHRIS CHALEUNRATH, DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Born in Washington D. C. to Lao and French parents, Chris gained an early awareness of service through the impact of a non-profit founded by his father. After receiving his finance degree from the University of Mary Washington, Chris worked in investment banking before returning to nonprofit service. In the past 20 years, he has held development roles at Heifer International, New Tech Network, the International Campaign for Tibet, and Earthjustice. As a Ventura resident with his wife Ana-Maria, dog Scotty, and cat Jordi, Chris is honored to help preserve local open spaces. He spends his free time hiking, camping, cycling, snowboarding, on motorcycle rides, or cooking for friends.

HEATHER BURTON, DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR Heather grew up in Napa Valley working on her family’s ranch and exploring the outdoors. After graduating from CSUCI with a degree in Environmental Science and Resource Management, she worked at Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency, managing volunteer groups, developing trail systems, removing invasive species, running educational programs, and maintaining open space facilities. Heather has worked on environmental projects worldwide, including mangrove forest and coastal reef preservation in Jalisco, mapping and removing invasive species in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and reviewing sustainable environmental policies in Japan. In her spare time, she is an avid trail runner and backpacker.

Two Trustees Join the Board DOUG TRAPP grew up in the West San Fernando Valley, where he often explored local hills that had no official public access. That experience fueled his desire to support responsible public access to open spaces.

Doug began his career in construction in Seattle in 1990, where he raised his daughter Jessie. In 2013, he married his long-time friend and schoolmate Mary, moved to Ventura, and gained two great bonus children, Kate and Kyle. As General Superintendent for a Venturabased general contractor, Doug has become further connected in the community. As a member of VLT’s Stewardship Committee, he has helped develop trailhead enclosure areas and trails at Harmon Canyon.

RUSSELL GALIPEAU worked for the National Park Service from 1978 until 2018, when he retired as Superintendent of Channel Islands National Park. His career brought him to work in seven of the most iconic national parks, including Everglades National Park and Yosemite National Park.

He has been honored for his work in conservation by the National Parks and Conservation Association with the Stephen Tyng Mather Award and as a recipient of the National Park Service Director’s Award for Superintendent of the Year for Natural Resources Management. Russell serves as a lecturer at California State University, Channel Islands, and on the Executive Council for the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEXX

WHAT A YEAR WE HAVE HAD! As we have struggled to deal with a global pandemic, Ventura Land Trust has been busier than ever. We are proud to have opened Harmon Canyon, our first large publicly-accessible preserve, and excited about the opportunity it provides for people to recreate outside safely and obtain much-needed fresh air, exercise, and time with nature. Please join me in giving to the campaign to build more trails in Harmon Canyon and fund a stewardship endowment for the preserve’s forever care.

Last August we welcomed a new Executive Director, Melissa Baffa. Melissa is a long-time non-profit leader and VLT supporter.

She brings a professional and passionate approach to her new role. The VLT Board of Trustees could not be more pleased with Melissa and the direction she is taking the organization.

As President of the Board of Trustees I am often asked about Ventura Land Trust, who we are and what we do. Simply put, we are an independent non-profit organization formed nearly 20 years ago to permanently protect the land, water, wildlife, and scenic beauty of the Ventura County region for current and future generations. Ventura Land Trust believes that preserving open space and providing public access enhance our economy, quality of life, and public well-being. We serve the entire county and own or manage lands from Lockwood Valley to Simi Valley to Ventura and conduct educational programs across the county.

We would love the opportunity to give a brief presentation and introduce ourselves to any interested community groups and organizations. This is a time of change for VLT— we are growing, we are excited about it, and we want you to be a part of it!

Mark Watkins President, Board of Trustees

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGEXX Land really is the best art. —Andy Warhol If you’ve ever stood at one of Harmon Canyon’s high ridgelines, or studied the way the light plays over the water’s surface at Big Rock Preserve, you might know what Andy Warhol was getting at.

Nature is infinitely unique, and interesting, and inspiring. And this is one of the many reasons I am drawn to it.

I am one of those people who delights in nature and its many forms; I marvel at the shape of a stately oak tree, wondering what history it’s witnessed. I coo at the tiny frog that makes its appearance along the riverbank. I twist my neck to peer at the raptor soaring overhead. I delight in the ephemeral wildflowers that burst forth with exuberance in spring.

As a lifelong fan of nature’s many works of art, I am honored to lead Ventura Land Trust, and thrilled to be a part of the team preserving our precious open spaces for the good of our community, for now and for the future.

Your support has brought VLT to where it now stands, and with your continued assistance through membership and giving to the Harmon Canyon Preserve campaign, we will be empowered to do even more. Thank you for being a mutual “art lover,” for appreciating the wild spaces, for exploring and cherishing and telling your friends. The work we do now has forever impact, and we are thankful for your partnership.

Melissa Baffa Executive Director

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Ventura Land Trust

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

Saturday August 20, 2022 Ventura County Credit Union HQ

presents

where activism gets inspired

LIVE AND VIRTUAL FESTIVAL EXPERIENCES

5:00 PM Gates open 7:45 PM Films begin

Environmental & Adventure Films Food & Drink Raffle A benefit for

Tickets

www.venturalandtrust.org/wsff2022 12 Ventura Land Trust • Outlook