Vol. 11 No. 1 Spring 2015

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Willoughby Restoration Benefits Community – And Wildlife

by Lee Sherman / Photos by Derek Poultney

Conservation Manager Derek Poultney and I were between the Highway 101 overpass and the railroad trestle when we heard the footsteps. We returned to the area a few days after our most recent volunteer workday to

make sure no one returned to the campsite we had just cleared. As we stood in the clearing, we heard the sounds of something moving in the brush between us and the estuary - something big. Expecting another meeting with a camper, we began announcing our presence, but there was no reply. Instead, the sound grew louder and closer. Suddenly there emerged three mule deer, led by a young buck with tiny budding antlers about the size of my thumbs. Stunned and elated, we each began fumbling through our pockets to snap a quick pic with our camera phones, but our movements were quickly noticed and they bounded off north along the trail toward the Main Street Bridge, where pedestrians have reported multiple deer sightings.

A few months earlier on our weekly patrols, Poultney and Conservation Assistant, Dashiell Dunkell, kept waking up the same bobcat along the trails of the Willoughby Preserve. At one point, the bobcat actually sat and posed for Derek. Other notable sightings include the endangered least Bell’s vireo, Swainson’s hawk, belted kingfisher, king snake, and the return of egrets and herons now that the preserve is being restored and is unburdened by illicit camping.

“One of the goals of our efforts is to make the public feel safe and use the trails we’ve created, for bird watching, hiking or biking,” said Poultney. “We’ve seen about seven or eight deer down in the river that we didn’t see when the camps were there. I’ve seen a bobcat, kingfishers, blue herons and egrets. When we go down there, we’re on guard because you never know what’s going to happen. Once we heard some rustling in the bushes and we said, ‘Oh, great. Who’s in there?’ and

The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a North American mammal of the cat family. The bobcat is an adaptable predator that inhabits wooded areas, as well as semidesert, urban edge, forest edges, and swampland environments. It is about twice as large as the domestic cat. Seen here in our Willoughby Preserve.

6th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival Will Awe and Inspire

For the sixth consecutive year, the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy won a grant to host the popular

and growing Wild & Scenic Film Festival. Wild & Scenic is a national tour of independent short and feature films celebrating outdoor adventure and human interactions with Earth’s natural places and creatures. The Festival is produced by Nevada City-based South Yuba River Citizens League. Twenty-one films - from a two minute short to a 26-minute feature - will be screened at Ventura’s Poinsettia Pavilion over two evenings: Friday and Saturday, March 13th and 14th. Most of the films were drawn from the 2015 national tour and selected by the Conservancy’s volunteer

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2 Ventura Hillsides Conservancy Outlook Spring 2015

President’s Message

Poised for Success in 2015

VHC News Briefs

The recent rains brought much needed moisture to our hills and watershed areas. With that, the Ventura River, which had stopped flowing above ground, again came to life. This is important because now the plants and animals

indigenous to our area are returning. So begins a new chapter in the life of the Ventura River watershed.

The relationships VHC strengthened in 2014 with local landowners, government officials, local organizations and potential grantors promises to bring land acquisition opportunities and continued stewardship projects closer to reality in 2015. Armed with an updated strategic plan, a invigorated board and staff, and potential funding for land acquisition, your conservancy is on the verge of something big.

VHC recently received $135,000 to remove invasive non-native vegetation and $87,000 for local students to plant trees and beautify the stretch of the Ventura River Parkway just south of Foster Park. We’ve also received funding to construct a large interpretive kiosk near the Main Street Bridge to showcase the river parkway and our massive clean-up efforts restoring the recreational trail to a healthier estuary. We are honored to continue translating your continued support into greater conservation benefits for all area residents.

I want take a moment to sincerely thank two trustees who will be cycling off the board this spring: Tim Coonan, who has served on the board since 2011 and as president the past three years. As a wildlife biologist, Tim’s expertise has been invaluable to the conservancy during his tenure.

I want to also thank Tom Weisel, who joined the board in 2009 and has served as vice president of the conservancy. Tom has brought an important guiding hand to the organization. Together, Tim and Tom have been a dynamic duo and will surely be missed.

Finally, thank you to the many dozens of hard working volunteers and hundreds of members who help to keep your conservancy vital and moving forward.

I’ve been involved in the conservancy for over 10 years, first as a member, then as an advisor, trustee and now as president. Please let us know if you have questions, comments or ideas about the work that we are doing – we want to hear from you!

David ComdenPresident, Ventura Hillsides Conservancy

Ventura Hillsides Conservancy OutlookTel: 805-643-8044 • P.O. Box 1284, Ventura, CA 93002 www.venturahillsides.org

Stephen Svete, Editor / email: editor@venturahillsides.orgContributors: David Comden, Joe Cahill, Dashiell Dunkell,

Richard Francis, Derek Poultney, Lee Sherman, Layout/Design Frank Boross Media Services

q

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

Story submissions and ideas welcomed. Copyright ©2015 Ventura Hillsides Conservancy. All rights reserved.

Conservancy Readmitted as a Member of the California Council of Land Trusts

The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy has re-attained full membership

status with the California Council of Land Trusts (CCLT). CCLT is a unified voice for more than 150 land trusts working in local communities throughout California. VHC’s membership was suspended in 2010 related to differences over the details of a land donation accepted that year. Under the guidance of President Tim Coonan, the Conservancy spent the better part two years upgrading its policies and practices to meet CCLT’s membership qualifications.

Its qualifications ensure that CCLT membership consists only of land trusts that are engaged in and dedicated to sustainable land conservation, that conduct themselves in accordance with legal and equitable principles appropriate for non-profit organizations operating solely in the public interest, and that implement the highest standards and practices of charitable management. The Conservancy has been a member of the national corollary organization, the Land Trust Alliance, since 2003.

Thanks to the loyal support of our members, volunteers, board and staff, VHC has proven its ability to properly acquire and effectively manage conservation lands in a challenging urban setting. With full membership status in these important organizations, VHC is poised to compete at the highest level for state and national funding to increase our land holdings for the benefit of people and wildlife in and around Ventura.

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But there are other benefits, and we are seeing those now. The area is safer and cleaner for visitors to explore. Wildlife has returned in noticeable numbers. Since acquiring the Willoughby property in July of 2012, VHC volunteers have collectively removed over 10 acres of invasive vegetation and over 900 tons of trash left by illicit campers. The native plant life is rebounding and we are noticing a lot more wildlife on the preserve.

Last April, when the Willoughby Preserve had been cleared of camps, trash, and Arundo for about a 18 months, several volunteers, including local botanist Ken Niessen, ecologist Matt James, and biologist Jamie King, gathered on the property to conduct a “Bio Blitz.” A Bio Blitz establishes a documented inventory of all the different species of flora and fauna onsite at a particular moment and results in a baseline condition. The data the team gathered tells the story of how bad conditions had become in the years prior to VHC’s acquisition and restoration of the property, how much better they are now, and how much better they’ll be in the coming years.

Conservancy staff patrols the entire estuary area twice weekly. Thanks to our dedicated volunteers, we are proud to report that the entire east side of the Ventura River bottom between the Main Street Bridge and the ocean is free of campers and trash and ready for trail and interpretive improvements to enhance the Ventura River Parkway.

We encourage everyone to visit the Willoughby Preserve and wander the paths of this newly restored area. Visitors will enjoy great views of the estuary, ocean and when looking directly north up the main channel of the river, the mountains above Ojai. You never know when you’ll get lucky and see an endangered steelhead passing through – like we often do at the Big Rock Preserve, just downstream from Foster Park.

Willoughby Restoration

Continued from page one

a couple of deer popped out. It was awesome.”

As a requirement of the Federal Clean Water Act, the State Regional Water Quality Control Board has mandated a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program. The term refers to the maximum levels of trash that can enter waters of the United States. The Ventura River is one such regulated watershed, and the Conservancy has been at the center of a strong collaboration with the Ventura County Watershed Protection District, City of Ventura, State Parks, Caltrans, County Fairgrounds, The CREW, California Conservation Corps, and Resource Conservation Partners to assist responsible local agencies in complying with these important environmental laws safeguarding our water supplies and quality. Our impressive cadres of volunteers that have participated in countless cleanups on our Willoughby Preserve and in other downstream Ventura River estuary waters have significantly improved water quality.

The great blue heron (Ardea herodias) is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North America and Central America. The great blue heron can adapt to almost any wetland habitat in its range. They may be found in numbers in fresh and saltwater marshes, mangrove swamps, flooded meadows, lake edges, or shorelines. Spotted in our Willoughby Preserve.

The snowy egret (Egretta thula) is a small white heron. Protected in the United States by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, its numbers have rebounded. Their breeding habitat is large inland and coastal wetlands from the lower Great Lakes and southwestern United States to South America. Viewed at our Willoughby Preserve.

Lee Sherman served as Membership and Development Coordinator for over four years. We thank him for his many contributions.

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4 Ventura Hillsides Conservancy Outlook Spring 2015

film committee. In addition, VHC will present a short subject film of mountain biking by local adventure sport filmmaker Maxwell Frank, and a documentary about Ventura Water’s Take 1 Festival. Frank will be on hand to address the audience.

Filmgoers will be introduced to environmental action on four continents. In addition to providing informative and engaging cinema, the Wild & Scenic Film Festival serves as the land trust’s annual membership drive. New members can join and former members (if lapsed before September 1, 2014) can re-join at the $35 level and receive two free tickets. Join or renew at the $50 level and receive four free tickets. Join or renew at the $100 level and receive 10 free tickets or four Silver Circle tickets. Individual tickets are $10 each night. Silver Circle tickets are $25 each and offer reserved seating in the first four rows plus one drink ticket!

The event is locally sponsored by Ventura County Credit Union, Cal Am Water, City of Ventura Environmental Services, Ventura Water, REI, Poseidon Brewing Company, Two Trees Brewing Company, and many others.

“Wild and Scenic is always a huge success” said Gary Bednorz, film festival committee co-chair. “Wild & Scenic is inspiring because it connects the work of our local land trust to similar efforts of community and environmental projects around the globe. It is also just plain fun, as citizens from around the region join to celebrate in the iconic Poinsettia Pavilion.”

For updated and additional info about the film festival, please visit out our website: venturahillsides.org.

Friday Night Films, March 13 I Heard — Michael Ramsey Director, Abbey Smith Producer, Stacy Bare Executive ProducerA Seuss-esque journey into some of the 110+ million acres of designated American wilderness that we have to enjoy. Award-winning filmmaker Michael Ramsey’s short film celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act which ensures that we will have places “...where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” (2014, 3 min.) Monarchs and Milkweed — Steven M. BumgardnerTake a microcosmic safari through a field of milkweed and discover a whole world of life, from bees to wasps to hummingbirds to butterflies. The charismatic Monarch butterfly

is completely dependent on milkweed for its survival, and places like Yosemite National Park offer protection for this often overlooked plant. (2014, 8 min.)

Catch It — Sarah Menzies, Let MediaLéa Brassy grew up surfing the warm waters of Southern France. Accustomed to a life on the road, her nomadic lifestyle takes a pause at the Unstad break in the Lofoten Islands in Northern Norway. Trading in her bikini for a thick wetsuit, she connects with the surrounding mountains, Arctic surf, and simple living. Whether it’s paddling hard for a wave, or chasing after a passion - Léa reminds us that if the timing is right, we have to Catch It. (2014, 10 min.) The Edge of Impossible — Conor Toumarkine, Roy Tuscan In the spring of 2014, the High Fives Foundation gave a Winter Empowerment grant to provide the team with the tools and travel necessary for Tony Schmiesing to accomplish “The Edge of Impossible” trip to Points North Heli-Adventures in Cordova, Alaska! This uplifting and truly inspirational video was produced to showcase the human spirit and allow Tony to accomplish the life-long goal of experiencing the weightlessness of pure Alaskan powder skiing. (2014, 13 min.)

Brilliant Darkness: Hotaru in the Night — Emily DriscollThis film explores the importance of darkness through the study and preservation of firefly habitats in Japan and the United States. Fireflies are reportedly disappearing, as artificial night lights disrupt their ‘language of light’. This film features artists and scientists on different continents working to understand firefly flash patterns and how to live among wildlife in urban settings. (2014, 12 min.)

Bird Songs of Yosemite — Steven M. BumgardnerYosemite National Park’s beautiful landscapes also contain unique soundscapes, and birders and ornithologist flock to the park to see and hear over 250 species of birds. Open your eyes and ears to the birdsongs of Yosemite! (2014, 6 min.)

The Colorado River —Jeff LittonThe Colorado River is more than beautiful, it sustains life for 11,000 species including us. Seasoned Expedition Leader Dave

Edwards shares a funny story and what he takes away after almost 40 years of rowing down the Grand Canyon. visit ChangeTheCourse.us (2014, 5 min.)

River of Eden — Peter McBrideJoin filmmaker Pete McBride, a National Geographic Freshwater Hero, on a journey into the Fijian Highlands to discover why the locals said “no” to easy money from resource extraction, and how they turned to tourism to fund a conservation area that protects one of the most beautiful rivers on Earth. (2014, 5 min.)

Sufferfest 2 — Cedar WrightAfter The original Sufferfest, in which Professional Climbers Alex Honnold and Cedar Wright enchained all of the 14k peaks in California by bike, they swore they’d never do

ilm Festival

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Become a Sustaining Member: It’s easy!

Becoming a Sustaining Member to the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy

is an easy way to ensures that more of your membership dollar goes directly to support land acquisition, habitat restoration, and natural resources education programs. A Sustaining Member’s monthly contribution is deducted automatically from your credit or debit card, which means no renewal dates to remember, no checks to write, no stamps to buy, and no reminders from us – so we spend less time and money printing and posting.

By reducing administrative costs, more of your contribution goes to support work that makes a real difference in our community. Your membership is always current, and you can increase, decrease or suspend your monthly contribution at any time by contacting our staff by mail, phone or email.

Spreading your support over time is easier on your budget and gives VHC the security of a steady, reliable stream of support. You’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you are playing a key role in helping to preserve our precious open space for generations to come.

Contact us or visit www.venturahillsides.org to learn more. Become a sustaining member today!

something like that again. But... with selective memory being one of this quirky duo’s strengths, less than a year later, they were planning Sufferfest 2, and ambitious bike powered journey to climb 45 of the most iconic Desert Towers in the American Southwest, by bike. This time Alex and Cedar are also finishing the trip with a Solar Project on the Navajo land where they plan to finish their trip... but will they finish? (2014, 26 min.)

Front Country Descent — Maxwell FrankExplore the Santa Barbara front-range along with professional mountain bike rider Jeff Kendall-Weed as he makes a dramatic

descent from Lizard’s Mouth to the gorgeous Santa Barbara Channel, displaying his unique riding skills. (USA, 2015, 2 min.)

Saturday Night Films, March 14 Spaceship Earth Passenger Safety Briefing — Dave GardnerWhat if every passenger on our planet, Spaceship Earth, had to watch a quick safety video before takeoff? What advice would we get to avoid a crash or other disaster? Fasten your seatbelt and watch! (2014, 2 min.)

Pride of Namibia — Andy Maser, Jenny Nichols Namibia is home to one of the greatest wildlife recovery story ever told. “Pride of Namibia” tells the story of communities committed to protecting wildlife,

of a nation that has enshrined conservation into its constitution, and of the future of responsible travel – tourism that directly benefits the people who give wildlife freedom to roam. (2014, 6 min)

Twenty Eight Feet: Life on a Little Wooden Boat— Kevin A Fraser, Melani WoodA short documentary about David Welsford, who has given up the luxuries of land in search for happiness and adventure on a 50 year old wooden boat he restored from a scrap heap. (2013, 8 min.)

Love in the Tetons — Amy Marquis, Dana RomanoffFifteen years ago, Juan Martinez, an at-risk teenager from south-central Los Angeles, stepped off a bus in Grand Teton National Park and saw the stars for the first time in his life. The experience inspired him to connect more diverse and urban youth to nature, and in the process, he met Vanessa Torres, a park ranger, and fell in love all over again. This debut film of NPX’s 10-part series reveals the compelling journey that led Juan to the Tetons, to Vanessa, and to his renewed vision of the American Dream: one that blooms out of love, inclusion, and our living, breathing national parks. (2014, 9 min.)

Bounce — Guillaume BlanchetI am not a good freestyle player, but I love to give it a try. For two years now, I’ve been lucky enough to visit a few countries with a ball as a faithful companion. (2014, 4 min.)

The Wilderness Act: 50th Anniversary — Mark DecenaTo celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, this film captures what drove us as a nation to create the Wilderness Act. Those motivations are partially rooted in the fight to protect, but also the wonderment of seeing and feeling these lands and realizing their priceless value to not only nature, but human nature. One of the contemporary themes addressed is wilderness as an antidote to our device-addicted culture. (2014, 8 min.)

Common Ground — Alexandria BombachSeveral ranching and farming communities living against the stunning landscape of the Rocky Mountain Front in Montana are faced with the decision of what is to become of this unprotected public land. When the people begin to raise their voices, they come to find that what is feared most is change. (2014. 18 min.)

Dream — Skip ArmstrongI wonder... if... one day... When a newbie kayaker goes paddling, he discovers a posse of pros on the river and wonders whether someday he could be that cool. A daydream in the eddy transforms the purple-helmeted rookie into a whitewater Adonis. Join kayaker Ben Marr as he takes us to a world where a paddler’s wildest fantasies come true. (2014, 5 min.) 

DrydenThe Small Town that Changed the Fracking Game — Chris Jordan-Bloch, Kathleen SutcliffeThe industry kept saying: ‘We have the power; you have none. We are coming. Get out of the way or leave,’’ said Joanne Cipolla-Dennis, recalling what happened when the oil and gas industry came to her town of Dryden, NY. But Joanne and her neighbors came up with a plan. This is the true story of people who discovered their shared strength and turned the tables on a powerful industry. (2014, 11 min.)

The Story of Place — Sinuhe Xavier, Justin Clifton Deep into the unprotected territory of Southeastern Utah, Author Craig Childs narrates the story of this grand landscape, how it has shaped each and every one of us, and the threats this wild landscape is currently facing. (2014, 8 min)

The Ridge — Danny Macaskill For the first time in one of his films Danny climbs aboard a mountain bike and returns to his native home of the Isle of Skye in Scotland to take on a death-defying ride along the notorious Cuillin Ridgeline. (2014, 8 min.)

6 Ventura Hillsides Conservancy Outlook Spring 2015

ANNUAL PICNIC FETES VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR: Lindsey Svete

“Arundo Man” sculpture by Mike Batt made from bamboo cane collected in our Willoughby Preserve.

Lindsey Svete, Volunteer of the Year 2014

A Fond Farewell to the Tierra Dominguez Property

In late 2007 a friend of the Conservancy named Luis Dominguez generously donated a one-acre property to VHC, making it the first property we assumed responsibility for since becoming a land trust in 2003. William B. Smith, then a VHC Trustee who managed the transaction, said at the time “I truly hope that this generous donation of land will inspire other landowners and community members to work with VHC to conserve Ventura’s open space… for future generations.” Indeed it has, as the Conservancy currently owns and manages about 25 acres of Ventura River riparian and upland property donated.

Continued on page 8

This past November, the Conservancy hosted its annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic

at the Redwood Glen in Arroyo Verde Park. Over 50 staff, volunteers, trustees, members, and friends enjoyed a lunch BBQ. Quite a few folks rode their bikes, which was very pleasing for our Volunteer of the Year, Lindsey Svete.

“I am almost neurotic about reducing my carbon footprint. I ride my bike everywhere, take a bus to work, am super proud of my backyard compost efforts, and LOVE thrift stores and everything they give to

energized our work crews. “I love to volunteer with the Conservancy on the Ventura River because water is the foundation of life, and to reconnect a community with its watershed and encourage stewardship of natural resources is a beautiful thing.” We couldn’t agree more!

On behalf of the Conservancy, Lindsey received a Certificate of Appreciation from Congresswoman Julia Brownley as well as a sculpture from Mike Batt of Crazy N’Ocean, whose “Arundo Man” sculpture

(pictured) stole the show. Mike uses nothing but reclaimed and recycled material in his environmental

friendly art works: The arundo for “Arundo Man” came from our Big Rock Preserve in the Ventura River! Check out his

work at https://www.crazynocean.com. If you are interested in becoming

a volunteer please call the VHC office at 805-643-8044 or send an email to volunteer@venturahillsides.org.

society!’ remarked Lindsey, who works in Water Conservation at California American Water in Thousand Oaks. A Southern California native, she received her undergraduate degree in Hydrologic Sciences at UCSB. Lindsey then spent several years abroad, earning a Master’s Degree in Environment and Natural Resources at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, where she met her husband. They lived in Europe for four years, working as conservation volunteers in England and on organic farms in Italy through the WWOOF program (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, www.wwoof.net).

Lindsey has been a constant presence at all of our Ventura River clean ups since returning to the area and her spirit and enthusiasm have really

Sandwiched between two residential properties and containing less than a quarter-acre of walkable land between the edge of Grant Park and Cedar Place just east of Ventura Avenue, the Tierra Dominguez property could never really fulfill VHC’s mission of providing public

recreational access on important aesthetic or natural resource lands. It was small, steep, and too close to the adjacent residences, and zoned for residential use. VHC contemplated hosting a community garden there, but even this idea met opposition from neighbors. Even without public access, it became a place where folks dumped miscellaneous debris and yard waste.

Under federal tax law, VHC is required to keep the donated land for at least three years before using the sale money toward other land acquisition projects that better fulfill our mission. So we cleaned up the property, installed a gate (thank you Lucas Overton!), worked hard to pass weed abatement inspections every year (thanks John and Theresa Darling and Ken Merideth!), and waited for the economy to recover. In the summer of 2014, VHC teamed Photo by Richard Francis

Former Trustee Bill Smith surveys the lowland portion of the Tierra Dominguez parcel in 2008.

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VHC wins $87,000 grant to reestablish trees in Ventura River Parkway

Helping close out 2014 on a high note, the Conservancy learned in December that it

was awarded a grant from the County of Ventura’s Tree Mitigation Fund to plant protected trees on and near our Big Rock Preserve in the Ventura River Parkway. We plan to restore over 450 California sycamore (platanus racemosa), valley oak (quercus lobata), and coast live oak (quercus agrifolia) trees to areas that are currently bare ground or contain invasive species. Planting these beautiful native trees will benefit wildlife, improve water quality, and encourage public visitation and use of the area. The tree planting will also enhance our ongoing invasive species removal project by restoring native species into and around the affected areas. Included in the $87,080 grant is funding to bring local schoolchildren to the preserve to help plant trees and to learn about the benefits of restoration.

In addition to plantings on Conservancy property, the tree plantings will occur on Caltrans right-of-way, city of Ventura and county of Ventura lands adjacent to the Ventura River Trail south of Foster Park. The target areas have been cleared of invasive Arundo donax on our Big Rock Preserve. We are enthusiastic

Ventura Botanical Gardens Demonstrates Demand for Hillside Hiking

By Richard Francis

Demonstrating the long-latent desires to hike our precious

hills, Venturans and visitors have been making a success story of the Ventura Botanical Gardens. Begun in approximately 2005, citizens from all over Ventura County gathered to discuss the possibility of locating a botanical garden that would inspire and educate visitors of all ages. In 2007, they formed the non-profit corporation with tax-benefits for donors under the IRS Code, §501(c) (3) designation. While finding the perfect site was exhausting, eventually the search committee settled on Grant Park which was offered by the City of Ventura when they were asked for a mere 12 acres.

Utilizing a concept developed by the acclaimed landscape architect Mia Lehrer, a long-range plan for the site will include world class gardens representing the five major Mediterranean climate environments of the world, including the California coast. The gardens will provide interpretive educational, cultural, historic and aesthetic experiences for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.

about the benefits of tree planting along the bike trail because as large canopy native trees, these species will provide shade, improve air quality, and diminish the effects of road noise from the nearby State Highway 33. As they mature and grow, these trees will also sequester atmospheric carbon, offsetting the green house gases emitted by vehicles using the Highway 33 as well as those generated by heavy equipment and machinery used at nearby petroleum extraction sites.

VHC believes strongly in involving the public in our conservation efforts. Through direct hands-on involvement in conservation we hope to reconnect the people to the neglected yet vital natural resource that is the Ventura River. The funding for youth outreach will enable us to reach children from disadvantaged neighborhoods who otherwise would not have the opportunity to participate in outdoor projects such as this one. We will also need plenty of volunteer help in order to implement this grant-funded project, so keep your eyes out for upcoming opportunities!

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Ventura Hillsides Conservancy

— OUR MISSION —The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy is a land

trust operating in the Ventura region to protect and conserve open space resources

through acquisition of land and easements, stewardship of protected lands, and public education about local natural resources.

Board of TrusTees

David Comden, PresidentPaul Meehan Vice-President Jennifer Montoya, Secretary

Lynn BartoshTim Coonan

Richard FrancisGerhardt HubnerJens Reddeman

Tom Weisel

VHC is a proud member of the Land Trust Alliance — Visit www.lta.org

Continued on page 8

Photo by Richard Francis

Sycamore (platanus racemosa) grows in Cañada Larga. Photo by Stephen Svete

8 Ventura Hillsides Conservancy Outlook Spring 2015

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

PERMIT #602

OXNARD, CAwww.venturahillsides.org • Printed on recycled paper.

www.venturahi l ls ides.org

Ventura Hillsides Conservancy

PO Box 1284 • Ventura, CA 93002

A D D R E S S S E R V I C E R E Q U E S T E D

VENTURA HILLSIDES CONSERVANCY 2015

CALENDARMarch 13-14 Wild & Scenic Film Festival 7 PM – 10 PM Poinsettia

PavilionMarch 21 Volunteer fieldwork morning 9 AM-NoonApril 9 VHC Presentation at the

Agricultural Museum, Santa Paula, 2 PM

April 16 Volunteer fieldwork morning 9 AM-NoonApril 18 Volunteer fieldwork morning 9 AM-NoonMay VHC's Annual MeetingMay 16 Volunteer fieldwork morning 9 AM-NoonJune Annual River Picnic: Tours,

booths, food, music June 20 -- Volunteer fieldwork morning 9 AM-Noon

July 18 Volunteer fieldwork morning 9 AM-Noon

August 15 Volunteer fieldwork morning 9 AM-NoonSeptember Annual fundraiser

September 19 -- Volunteer fieldwork morning 9 AM-Noon

October 17 Volunteer fieldwork morning 9 AM-NoonNovember 21 Volunteer fieldwork morning 9 AM-NoonDecember 19 Volunteer fieldwork morning 9 AM-Noon

up with Realtors Judy Fairchild and Tina Comden of the Fairchild/Ridgway Re/Max Gold Coast Real Estate Group who generously agreed to take on this sales project pro bono. Thanks to their efforts, we found the perfect westside couple to purchase the property and call it their home. The money from the sale has been invested into our growing stewardship endowment and earmarked for a future hillside land acquisition. But that first land gift will always be remembered. A heartfelt thanks to Midge and Luis Dominguez for their generous donation, which has primed the pump for VHC to continue its land conservation work.

Farewell to the Tierra Dominguez Property (cont. from page 6)

In 2012, the group was able to obtain a License Agreement with the City of Ventura, and commenced its “Trail Demonstration Project.” Hikers have been enjoying the demonstration trail since 2014. Later that year, the trail was voted by VC Reporter readers as “Best Hiking Trail in Ventura County.” It traverses the first plantings in the “Chilean” Garden section of the park. In January of this year, the Ventura Planning Commission unanimously recommended a zoning change and a use permit to enable the Gardens to proceed with their long-range plan.

Hosting between 1200 to 1500 people per week, it is clear that the garden trail addresses a profound pent-up demand for hiking in Ventura’s glorious hills that is barely being met. The Hillsides Conservancy applauds the work done by the Ventura Botanical Gardens, and respects it as a kindred spirit in the conservation world. At VHC, we support the Gardens organization and enjoy watching it develop into a finished product with gardens, designed view sites, trails and bridges. Also, prepare to enjoy hiking the hills behind Ventura as the Conservancy closes in on its plans to make recreational hiking available in the precious hillsides of Ventura – an activity we know is growing in popularity.

Botanical Gardens (cont. from pg. 7)

Photo by Joe Cahill

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