THE OJAI VALLEY LAND CONSERVANCY

OVLC'S CONSERVATION ACTION CONTINUES TO EVOLVE. CLIMATE CHANGE IS FUELING LANDSCAPE-SCALE SHIFTS IN OUR WILDLANDS. REVERSING THESE TRENDS REQUIRES PROACTIVE WORK AT ALL SCALES. WHILE CLIMATE CHANGE IS GLOBAL, CLIMATE RESILIENCE REQUIRES A LOCAL STRATEGY. RESTORING NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS ENHANCES NATURE'S ABILITY TO REBOUND FROM EXTREME CLIMATE EVENTS (HEAT, FIRE, DROUGHT, FLOOD). WHILE OVLC HAS DONE EXTENSIVE WORK PROTECTING AND RESTORING NATIVE OAK WOODLAND AND RIPARIAN HABITATS, WE REALIZE THAT THESE EFFORTS NEED TO EXPAND TO ENHANCE HABITAT AND BUILD CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN PROTECTED LANDS. IT IS THIS UNDERSTANDING THAT HAS LED OVLC TO CONTINUE TO GROW THE REWILD OJAI PROGRAM. OUR GOAL IS TO EMPOWER PRIVATE LANDOWNERS ACROSS A MOSAIC OF LAND-USE TYPES TO RESTORE THEIR LAND FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE. BY TAKING STRATEGIC STEPS TODAY, OVLC CAN BENEFIT THE ECOLOGY OF THE VALLEY FOREVER. INVESTMENTS IN OUR NATURAL CAPITAL ARE NO-REGRETS ACTIONS THAT PROTECT THE ATTRIBUTES THAT MAKE THE OJAI VALLEY SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE.TODAY, OVLC HAS PROTECTED ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE VENTURA RIVER AND MANAGES OVER 2,600 ACRES OF OPEN SPACE IN THE OJAI VALLEY. WITHIN THIS GEOGRAPHY, 2,000 ACRES ARE OPEN FOR FREE PUBLIC ACCESS. ON THESE LANDS, OVLC MAINTAINS 27 MILES OF TRAILS, GUIDES HUNDREDS OF VISITORS, AND HOSTS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SCHOOLCHILDREN, HIKERS, EQUESTRIANS, BIKERS, AND MORE EACH YEAR.NOW, NEW THREATS FROM A CHANGING CLIMATE THREATEN THE ECOLOGY, LIVABILITY, AND CHARACTER OF THE OJAI VALLEY. AS THE LEADING CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION IN THE VALLEY, OVLC IS TURNING TO NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO RESPOND TO THESE THREATS.WATER:IN THE OJAI VALLEY, WATER IS SCARCER THAN LAND. THE CITY OF VENTURA'S THREATENED ADJUDICATION OF WATER USES AND THE NEW FOCUS ON GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY (TWO ACTIVE GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCIES HAVE BEEN FORMED) ARE EVIDENCE THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS ALTERING WATER REGIMES AND THREATENING WATER SUPPLIES. THE UNCERTAINTY AROUND OUR ONGOING DROUGHT COUPLED WITH THE COST OF WATER ARE CAUSING FARMERS AND LARGE LANDOWNERS TO CEASE OR CURTAIL THEIR ORCHARD OPERATIONS. OVLC HAS GROWN ITS ABILITY TO INTERVENE IN THE ADJUDICATION WITH LEGAL REPRESENTATION. OVLC IS ACTIVELY SUPPORTING THE MEDIATION PROCESS TOWARDS A PHYSICAL SOLUTION OF THE THREATENED ADJUDICATION.OVLC IS ALSO EXPANDING ITS ROLE IN SUPPORT OF THE REMOVAL OF THE MATILIJA DAM. OVLC ACQUIRED A PARCEL THAT MAY BE INSTRUMENTAL IN MITIGATING DOWNSTREAM RISK TO PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PROPERTY AFTER DAM REMOVAL. OVLC'S COUNSEL IS PLAYING AN INCREASING ROLE IN IDENTIFYING WAYS TO EXPEDITE DAM REMOVAL BY IDENTIFYING NON-STRUCTURAL MEANS TO MITIGATE RISK TO LANDOWNERS.IN ADDITION TO THE SCARCITY OF WATER, THE CHANGING CLIMATE PRESENTS A POTENTIAL INCREASE IN EXTREME RAIN EVENTS WITH HIGH POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING. FOR FLOOD MITIGATION, WE ARE "PLANNING FOR FLOOD DURING THE TIME OF DROUGHT" WITH A FOCUS ON PURSUING SOLUTIONS TO RETAIN WATER AND ATTENUATE FLOWS FROM HEAVY CLIMATE EVENTS. AT OVLC'S PARKWAY PRESERVE WE RECEIVED GRANT FUNDS TO CREATE A PLAN THAT COMBINES FLOOD PROTECTION WITH HABITAT RESTORATION AND PUBLIC ACCESS OBJECTIVES. OVLC WILL SEEK FUNDS TO CONTINUE THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION.FOR CENTURIES, BROAD CANOPIES OF NATIVE OAKS SLOWED AND DISPERSED DRENCHING RAINS, REDUCING EROSION AND RUNOFF, WHILE THEIR DEEP ROOTS SANK WATER INTO OUR AQUIFERS. BY RESTORING OAK WOODLANDS IN OUR PRESERVES AND WORKING WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO RESTORE LAND BACK TO NATIVE HABITAT, WE HOPE TO SHIFT THE ECOSYSTEM BALANCE BACK TOWARD ONE THAT IS BETTER SUITED TO HANDLE EXTREME WATER EVENTS. OVLC HAS ENGAGED WITH SEVERAL PRIVATE LANDOWNERS ON THE RESTORATION OF THEIR LANDS.HABITATS & BIODIVERSITY:OVLC HAS BECOME THE OJAI VALLEY'S LEADER IN RESTORING OUR RIVER AND CREEK HABITATS. OVLC HAS RECEIVED SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING TO LEAD EFFORTS TO ERADICATE NON-NATIVE GIANT REED AND OTHER INVASIVE PLANTS FROM THE VENTURA RIVER WATERSHED. AS PART OF THIS EFFORT, OVLC HAS RECEIVED FIRST-OF-THEIR-KIND STATE GRANTS TO EXPEDITE RESTORATION PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS. REMOVING NON-NATIVE GIANT REED AND RESTORING NATIVE RIPARIAN VEGETATION RESTORES WATER TO OUR CREEKS, PROVIDES VITAL HABITAT, AND ENHANCES NATURAL FIREBREAKS. OVLC INTENDS TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND ITS ROLE AS THE LEADING ORGANIZATION FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION IN THE OJAI VALLEY.FIRE:OVLC CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE ADOPTION OF PRESCRIBED FIRE TECHNIQUES IN THE OJAI VALLEY. OVLC HOSTED A 20-ACRE TRAINING AND RESEARCH BROADCAST PRESCRIBED FIRE AT ITS VENTURA RIVER STEELHEAD PRESERVE.OVLC PRESERVESOJAI MEADOWS PRESERVE - ESTABLISHED IN 1999/2000, THIS 58-ACRE PRESERVE CONSISTS OF OAK WOODLAND, GRASSLANDS, AND WETLANDS. THE MEADOWS HAD BEEN HEAVILY DISTURBED BY FARMING, BUT THE OVLC HAS DONE EXTENSIVE RESTORATION TO THE WETLAND AND SURROUNDING LAND. WALKING TRAILS ARE OPEN DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, THUS CREATING AN IN-TOWN PARKLAND FOR THE PUBLIC. FOUR SCHOOLS ARE ADJACENT TO OR WITHIN A SHORT WALKING DISTANCE OF THE PRESERVE AND TEACHERS USE THE AREA FOR OUTDOOR AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION. SAN ANTONIO CREEK PRESERVE THIS CONSISTS OF TWO SEPARATE PARCELS. A NINE-ACRE PRESERVE ALONG SAN ANTONIO CREEK THAT BOASTS DRAMATIC VIEWS OF SULPHUR MOUNTAIN. THE PROPERTY IS VISITED BY WRITTEN PERMISSION.THE SECOND PARCEL IS A 9.55-ACRE TRACT OF LAND 2.5 MILES DOWNSTREAM ON SAN ANTONIO CREEK. THIS PROPERTY FURTHER PROTECTS THE CREEK FROM INCOMPATIBLE USES. ACCESS IS ALSO LIMITED TO "BY PERMISSION ONLY."VENTURA RIVER-CONFLUENCE PRESERVE - THE VENTURA RIVER CONFLUENCE PRESERVE IS A 13-ACRE PARCEL NAMED FOR ITS LOCATION AT THE MERGING OF THE VENTURA RIVER AND SAN ANTONIO CREEK. LARGE STATURE COTTONWOOD AND SYCAMORES TOWER OVER LUSH UNDERGROWTH, PROVIDING ONE OF THE BEST LOCAL EXAMPLES OF RIPARIAN FOREST. THE RICH RIPARIAN HABITAT IS HOME TO A WIDE VARIETY OF WILDLIFE SUCH AS THE FEDERALLY ENDANGERED CALIFORNIA RED-LEGGED FROG AND SOUTHERN STEELHEAD TROUT. WHILE THIS PRESERVE DOES NOT HAVE AN OFFICIAL TRAIL NETWORK, IT CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE OJAI VALLEY TRAIL/VENTURA RIVER TRAIL.RIO VISTA PRESERVE - THE 54-ACRE RIO VISTA PRESERVE IS LESS THAN A HALF MILE FROM THE CONFLUENCE PRESERVE ON THE VENTURA RIVER. THE PRESERVE IS THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE LONG AND ABUTS THE OJAI VALLEY TRAIL/VENTURA RIVER TRAIL. THE OVLC HAS SUCCESSFULLY REMOVED NON-NATIVE INVASIVE GIANT REED TO RESTORE NATIVE HABITAT.VENTURA RIVER PRESERVE - LOCATED IN THE WESTERN OJAI VALLEY, THE VENTURA RIVER PRESERVE PROTECTS 1,516 ACRES INCLUDING THREE MILES OF THE VENTURA RIVER AND SURROUNDING CANYONS. DIVERSE TOPOGRAPHY CREATES IDEAL CONDITIONS FOR A VARIETY OF PLANT COMMUNITIES. STEEP NORTH-FACING SLOPES IN WILLS CANYON AND MATURE OAK CANOPY OFFER REFUGE FOR SHADE-LOVING PLANTS, WHILE SOUTH-FACING, CHAPARRAL-COVERED HILLSIDES ARE EXPOSED TO SUMMER SUN. POCKETS OF GRASSLANDS AND MEADOWS SUPPORT A COLORFUL VARIETY OF SPRING WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES. THIS LAND IS A HAVEN FOR OVER 300 PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES. THE PRESERVATION OF THIS PROPERTY IS MADE EVEN MORE SIGNIFICANT BY ITS LOCATION ADJACENT TO THE LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST AND THE VENTURA RIVER WATERSHED. OVLC HAS RESTORED A 40-ACRE ORANGE GROVE BACK TO NATIVE OAK WOODLANDS. THIS PRESERVE IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS AND OFFERS OVER TWELVE MILES OF MIXED-USE TRAILS FOR HIKERS, MOUNTAIN BIKERS, AND EQUESTRIANS TO ENJOY. OVLC ESTIMATES THAT THERE ARE OVER 120,000 VISITS TO THE PRESERVE EACH YEAR. ILVENTO PRESERVE - THE 77-ACRE ILVENTO PRESERVE WAS DONATED TO OVLC AND WAS ITS FIRST ACQUISITION. THE PARCEL MAINLY CONSISTS OF A CHAPARRAL RIDGE LOCATED NEAR THE THACHER SCHOOL IN THE EAST END OF THE OJAI VALLEY. THE PRESERVE HAS DIVERSE NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES DUE TO ITS DISTINCTLY NORTH- AND SOUTH-FACING SLOPES.VENTURA RIVER STEELHEAD PRESERVE - THIS 63-ACRE PRESERVE OFFERS WHAT IS PERHAPS THE RIVER'S BEST REFUGE FOR THE ENDANGERED SOUTHERN STEELHEAD TROUT, AS WELL AS A HOME FOR SEVERAL OTHER RARE, THREATENED, OR ENDANGERED SPECIES. THE VENTURA RIVER STEELHEAD PRESERVE ALSO HAS A HISTORIC RANCH HOUSE AND OUTBUILDINGS WHICH ARE CURRENTLY OCCUPIED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UNDER A LEASE AGREEMENT. THIS ARRANGEMENT HAS ENABLED FREQUENT USE OF THE STRUCTURE AND GROUNDS FOR DONOR EVENTS, OUTREACH, AND MEETINGS.OVLC HAS ACQUIRED THE NEIGHBORING 20.55-ACRE PARCEL WITH STATE FUNDING. THE ACQUISITION INCREASES THE CONTIGUOUS PROTECTED OPEN SPACE BY 30%, AND THE PROPERTY INCLUDES A LARGE BARN SPACE WHICH HAS BEEN RENOVATED TO ACCOMMODATE EVENTS, WORKSHOPS, AND MEETINGS, IN ADDITION TO STORAGE FOR OVLC'S RESTORATION WORK. ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY IS LIMITED TO INVITEES AND GUESTS.VALLEY VIEW PRESERVE - A 195-ACRE PRESERVE NEAR DOWNTOWN OJAI. THE SOUTH FACING CHAPARRAL COVERED HILLS OF THE VALLEY VIEW PRESERVE SERVE AS THE NATURAL SCENIC BACKDROP TO THE CITY. THIS PRESERVE PROVIDES HIKING TRAILS WITH SPECTACULAR VIEWS LESS THAN ONE MILE FROM DOWNTOWN OJAI AND