OVLC Welcomes our new executive director!

Open SpacesOJAI VALLEY LAND CONSERVANCY NEWS

Spring 2009Volume 16number 1

The Ojai Valley Land Conservancy is pleased to announce the appointment of Greg Gamble as Executive Director. Greg is a highly qualified individual who joins the OVLC from the Desert Foothills Land Trust of Cave Creek, Arizona where he was Executive Director. For ten years prior to that he held several positions with The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, San Fran-cisco, and in Phoenix. Greg holds an undergraduate degree in petroleum engineering from Stanford, an M.S. in natural resource management from Colorado State, and

a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan. He has also traveled widely both in the U.S. and abroad. Greg is excited about relocating with his family to the Ojai Valley in early May. “My wife, Darcy, and I look forward to raising our 2 year old daughter, Scarlett, and 5 month old son, Gates, in such a wonderful com-munity,” said Gamble. The staff and board of directors look forward to his arrival, having spent four months to find the right individual for the organization and for the com-munity. Roger Essick, OVLC Board President, stated, “Greg is a very talented and able individual who will bring strong leadership to the OVLC as we seek to move our organization to a new level. We are delighted to welcome him and his family to Ojai

and feel confident that he will make a major contribution to OVLC and to the community.” When asked about joining the OVLC, Greg stated, “ I have a great deal of respect for this organization and what it has accomplished. I am humbled and excited to be working with the talented and dedicated staff and Directors of the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy. I look forward to work-ing with the community to build on the Conservancy’s past success and protect much more of this special place.”

We are excited to be rolling out a new website SOON. The site, to be launched in late May will help save resources and offer a better way to READ GREEN! We’ll have blogs on our projects, preserves and community issues so that we can hear from you. Look for monthly e-news, invites for hikes, events, Wild About Ojai programs, volunteer days and more.

PLUS, we’ll be holding our first fund-raiser on the new site, a raffle for a SMART car. Imagine the gas you’ll save and the fun you’ll have driving this little car around town! Not your style? Then choose to win $5,000 in cash instead! Raffle tickets will be available on our new website just as soon as it launches. Be sure to send us your current email address if we don’t have it yet, so we can send you an announcement of the site’s launch and the start of the raffle!

Email us at www.ovlc.org today!

NEW WEBSITE TO LAUNCH SOON!

Greg Gamble will join the OVLC staff on May 5th.

You may have heard or read re-cently that the entrance to the Ventura River Preserve was being considered for disposal of 2 million cubic yards of sediment from behind the Matilija Dam as part of the dam removal project. OVLC supports the removal of the dam as it has become structurally unsound, prevents sediments from re-plenishing sand at our beaches, will be completely filled with sediment within the next 15 years, and blocks passage of endangered southern steelhead trout to critical spawning grounds upstream. The project has been in planning stages for the better part of a decade. The plan for sediment disposal has been to stabilize 4 million cubic yards of the larger sediments at the dam and trans-port 2 million cubic yards of the fine sediments to a point south of the Robles Diversion Facility to minimize impacts to Lake Casitas. Since 2003 OVLC has advocated for a disposal location that was approved by the lead agencies during the project’s Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Report back in 2004. Designed with temporary storage in mind, the site located on the north and south of the Baldwin Road bridge would allow most of the sediment to wash down river to the ocean during heavy storms. Over the past year the lead agen-cies of the project (Ventura County Watershed Protection District and Army Corps of Engineers) expressed a prefer-ence to use an alternative site at the entrance to the Ventura River Preserve as it is closer to the dam resulting in lower costs to transport the sediment. This site would have encompassed 74 acres of Ventura River floodplain along Rice Road near El Roblar.

Most of the land on the site is owned by the Church of the Living Christ who generously grants a trail easement to OVLC and the Ojai community for recreational use of the preserve. The church recently voted against leasing the property to the County for sediment disposal having considered concerns from the community and other agencies. The Church’s decision came as a relief because floodplain impacts at this location would have been permanent. Use of the floodplain by the river would have been lost, valuable alluvial habitat buried, many native trees destroyed, wildlife displaced and trail access to the Ventura River Preserve reduced or eliminated for three years during con-struction. Currently the lead agencies are exploring other disposal alternatives for the sediment. It is our philosophy that the disposal location for these sediments should be selected based on what is ecologically healthiest for the river and all those, including us, who depend on it. We feel that a storage site which results in per-manent loss of Ventura River floodplain is contrary to the ecosystem restoration goal of the project and may result in costly negative environmental impacts. To learn more, visit www.matili-jadam.org the official Matilija Dam website, or Matilija Coalition’s site,venturaecosystem.blogspot.com. We welcome your comments and questions. Feel free to email ovlc@ovlc.org.

2

What’s New On The Preserves?oVlC board of direCtorSRoger Essick, PresidentLarry Rose, Vice PresidentBarbara Washburn, SecretaryVicki Breen, Treasurer

Jan Blakslee Cari GuerreroStefanie Coeler Paula PowerJim Combs Kira RyderJesse Grantham

StaffStevie Adams, Project Managerstevie@ovlc.org

Rick Bisaccia, Preserve Managerrick@ovlc.org

Sherry Doyle, Office Managersherry@ovlc.orgGreg Gamble, Executive Directorgreg@ovlc.org

Lynn Malone, Member Serviceslynn@ovlc.org

Sheri Mayta, Project Coordinatorsheri@ovlc.org

Derek Poultney, Project Managerderek@ovlc.org

ojai Valley land ConSerVanCyP.O. Box 1092 • Ojai, CA 93024

Office location • 370 Baldwin Rd. A-4Tel. 805.649.OVLC • Fax 649.8913

Web • www.ovlc.orgEmail • ovlc@ovlc.org

Ventura River Preserve

Baldwin Rd.

Matilija Dam Removal ProjectSediment Disposal Update

OVLC gladly partners with sev-eral schools and colleges to help students fulfill service-learning requirements and earn school credit for volunteering. In addi-tion to connecting local youth to nature, students provide much needed support to our restoration efforts on the preserves. While it is our pleasure to provide outdoor learning opportunities, we are also most grateful for their help and for the chance to get to know these delightful students.

3

Nordhoff High School students plant acorns.

Had a nice experience last Saturday morning. I was walking along Highway 33 where the culverts come un-

der the road and into the preserve. I stopped to look down into the cattails right there, and movement caught my eye. It was a terrific Sora

Rail about 10’ away picking through the duckweed. I had heard them call before in the large cattail marsh, but this was my first visual. Nice bird. Saw

lots of Lark and Chipping Sparrows today on the meadow too. Replaced all the woodpecker-damaged fronts on the bluebird boxes, and saw pairs of Western Bluebirds at four of the boxes.

Had a couple good birds at the meadow Saturday.... at least two were new on the meadow for me. A Vesper Sparrow, and a Drake Pintail. Also, three Cinnamon Teal in one of the small ponds adjacent to the cattails. What a great day!

Notes from a Master BirdwatcherJesse Grantham - Preserve Neighbor, OVLC Board Member, and local birding expert shares his latest sightings on the recently restored Preserve.

Sora Rail in the cattails

Service Learning Students

Help Make it Happen!

The Ojai Meadows Preserve Restoration

Foothill Technology High School service-learning volunteers plant

oak trees and acorns on the Meadow.

A remarkable transformation from a degraded property to a thriving natural habitat.

come see the progress for yourself - take a tour with us!The meadow is alive with the sights, sounds and smells of spring, and we would love to share it with our members and friends. We have docents standing by on Saturday mornings in April and May at 8:30am to show you the project. Just show up at the turnout on Maricopa Highway, for a guided tour. If you have a group you would like to arrange a private tour for, please give us a call or an email. We’ll be happy to arrange one for you. 805 649-6852 ext. 7 or ovlc@ovlc.org.

Saturday, May 30th 4pm till dusk

Getting together

4

Join OVLC friends for your next vacation! Join us on one of our Ojai Valley Land Conservancy adventures, kayaking, snorkeling and just having fun with friends. We have teamed up with two nature tour companies to offer exciting vacations that also benefit OVLC.

Costa Rica Expeditions offers an amazing trip to this jewel of a country. The trip begins on November 4, 2009, as we fly to San Jose, Costa Rica and are met by a naturalist guide who will accompany us to such natural wonders as the Monteverde Cloud Forest, Arenal Vol-cano, the turtle nesting grounds of Tortuguero then on to Puerto Viejo de Limon for kayaking and snorkeling. The cost excluding airfare, is $3,443. This price will be reduced if a larger group registers to go. For more information, visit www.costaricaexpeditions.org. For a free DVD from Costa Rica Expeditions, or information on reserving your trip, call the OVLC office at 649-6852 ext. 2.

Another wonderful vacation offered by Sea Kayak Adventures, is our Baja Sea of Cortez Quick Adventure, a kayak tour. $1010/per person, includes airport pick up in Loreto, 2 nights hotel double occupancy, 4 days sea kayaking and 3 nights camping, taxes, guides, in-struction and activities. We’ll be sea kayaking in stable double sea kayaks out to the islands of Carmen and Danzante in Loreto Bay National Marine Park in Baja’s Sea of Cortez - novic-es welcome! Snorkeling is great...and there is always a chance to see dolphins and fin whales. For this trip, fly into Loreto (LTO) on or before Oct 25 Sunday, and fly out on Oct 30 Fri-day, or stay for a few days to enjoy Loreto. For more information, visit www.SeaKayakAd-ventures.com. or call us, 805 649-6852 ext. 2 for reservation information or a brochure.

Saturday, May 30th 4pm till dusk

Join OVLC’s family of friends for a lovely day of

spring merriment

Members and friends welcome!

Ojai Valley Land Conservancy members are invited to our annual get together picnic

A MAY DAY ON THE MEADOWBring your own picnic dinner or or-der one in advance and we’ll have it ready for you when you arrive.

$20.00 adults, $10 kidsIncludes BBQ, salads, sides, & dessert.Beer, wine, soft drinks & lemonade available for purchase.

Picnic style, BYOC (bring your own chairs and/or a picnic blanket)

Meet our new Executive Director!

FUN AND GAMES FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES!

-Meadow restoration tours-Bird walks and birdhouse building -A treasure hunt-Wheelbarrow races-A raffle for a beautiful painting

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED-PLEASE CALL 805 649-6852 ext. 0

Parking located at the St. Thomas Aquinas church

(on Maricopa Hwy at El Roblar.) Please leave pets at home.

A MAY DAY ON THE MEADOW

Meet our new Executive Director!

Join OVLC’s family of friends for a lovely day of

spring merriment

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED-PLEASE CALL 805 649-6852 ext. 0

WILD ABOUT OJAI - Environmental Learning Series a Free ovlc member benefit

Birds of the Ojai ValleyFriday evening, May 1st at 7pm at the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy 370 Baldwin Road, Ojai Jesse Grantham, California Condor Project Manager, OVLC board member and local birding expert, with Allen Bertke, Ventura Audobon member and bird photographer extraordinaire will present a slideshow of stunning bird photographs identifying migratory birds frequently seen in Ojai. Many of Allen’s photos have been taken in his own back yard where he has counted 102 different birds and photographed nearly as many. Participants will learn to identify Ojai’s many feathered friends, where

to look for them, how to plan a habitat within the home landscape, and also gain valuable information on birding supplies and publications.

Bird walk on the ojai meadows preserve Saturday, May 9th at 8:30am Join Jesse, Allen, fellow birdwatch-ers, OVLC and Audubon members for a birding tour of the Ojai Meadows Preserve. This is a great chance to see first-hand how the newly created habitat for local migratory birds and wetlands species on the Meadow has attracted several previously absent birds and waterfowl. Meet at the Nordhoff High School parking lot, wear sturdy shoes and bring binoculars.

for the birds!with Jesse Grantham & Allen Bertke

Birds of the Ojai Valley Friday evening

presentationMay 1st at 7pm

Bird walk on the

ojai meadowspreserve

Saturday morningMay 9th at 8:30am

Seeing into the

wildwith Chad Ress

Landscapephotography

at piedra blanca

Saturday, June 20th 2:30 - 7:30pm

www.chadress.com

landscape photography workshopSaturday afternoon, June 20th at-Piedra Blanca along Sespe CreekJoin professional landscape photogra-pher Chad Ress on an exploration of the “white rocks” of Piedra Blanca. Meet at the Riverview Trailhead on the VRP (Rice Rd. just south of El Rob-lar) to carpool up to the Piedra Blanca trailhead near Rose Valley. After a short presentation, we’ll hike in, (about 20 minutes) to the magnificant rock formations. Chad will share the secrets

of light and shadows, composition, framing, and the magic of capturing nature’s beauty through the eye of the camera. Participants will also learn to photograph people in nature as they themselves are both the photographers and the models. Be prepared to hike, move around on the rocks and get your feet wet at the creek crossing. Sturdy shoes and an extra pair of dry shoes recommended. Digital or film cameras ok. Bring ample water, a sack dinner, snacks, a flashlight and a tri-pod if you have one.

Programs are FREE for OVLC members, $10 for non members. Become a member today!RESERVATIONS REQUIRED! 805 649-6852 ext. 7 or ovlc@ovlc.org.

5

And getting involvedHike to the top of the Ventura River Preserve! Saturday, April 18th 8am to noon

Join Preserve Manager, Rick Bisaccia on a Spring nature hike on the Ventura River Preserve. Starting at the Oso Trailhead parking lot, hike up Rice Canyon and down Wills Canyon through the El Nido Meadow and the shady Live Oak Forest. This will be a moderate to strenuous 4 hour hike with several stops along the way to see the OVLC’s upcoming restoration, the US Forest Service’s fuelbreak project and to identify spring wildflowers. View wildlife and birds during an active time of the year before summer heat sets in. If you’re up for a good hike and to learn more about the VRP, this one’s for you! Bring a hat, sunscreen, good hiking shoes, a snack and ample water. Bring a camera and/or binoculars if you like. This hike not recommended for young children. Please leave pets at home. Meet at the Oso Rd. trailhead at the intersection of Oso and Meyer Roads. FREE for members - $10 for non-members. Reservations required at rick@ovlc.org

OVLCwould like to extend special thanks to good friends who give the gift of a lasting legacy of the preservation of natural places in Ojai in memory of friends and loved ones.

In Memory of dear friends...

Want to leave a lasting legacy?Stock Market

getting you down?Here are 3 ways lifetime

giving may benefit you... and WILL benefit the future of

Ojai open spaces.

1 Receive high interest, fixed pay-ments for life for or you or other

family members.

2 Enjoy tax benefits and minimal-ize capital gains.

3 Know you have made a contribu-tion to the preservation of Ojai

for future generations!

Through a charitable gift annuity or a charitable remainder trust, you may be able to enjoy all of the ben-efits of lifetime giving by donating a portion of your estate to the OVLC. We invite you to explore the bene-fits of lifetime gift planning to learn more about how these plans work.

OVLC member and Attorney Allan Jacobs has generously offered a no cost consultation to anyone inter-ested in including OVLC in their estate plans. Call for your appoint-ment today. 805 646-7263.

What does open space in Ojai have to do with your business? EVERYTHING! It’s why we live here It’s why they visit and shop hereIt’s the landscape of life in OjaiIt’s worth protectingPlease contribute what you can this year to help keep Ojai a special place. Business sponsorships start at only $250 a year and include great benefits. Call today to learn more.

Many thanks to our 2008 sponsors!ventura river levelRabobankojai meadows levelBank of AmericabitVision Heritage FinancialOld Creek Ranch WineryT.O.P.A. GroupWells Fargo BankSan Antonio levelBio Resource ConsultantsBSTColdwell Banker Property Shoppe Lulu Bandha’sOjai Community Bank Ojai Valley DirectoryOjai Valley InnOjai Valley News Rains Department StoreShanbrom, Casey and Associates VenocoWaite, Jacobs & Atkinson Attorneys sulphur mountain levelALCO PlumbingBarnhardt Insurance Bostrom & AssociatesDavid Bury and Co.Coastal Restoration ConsultantsForbess Consulting Group Grove Care Index FreshLos Padres Bank Meiners Oaks Hardware Ojai Valley InsuranceOso RanchRicky Smith HorseshoeingRiverview RanchSoundNEyesOjaiEyes Optometry Sprinkmatic, Corp.The WharfWild Land Fire Specialists, LLC

Manny Sprague

Hope Frazier

2008 Memorial GiftsRebecca Adams in memory of Dr. Charles AdamsDoug Adrianson in memory of Hope FrazierSusan Bee in memory of John BeeMarqui Bury in memory of Robert BuryMaggie Garrett in memory of Donald GarrettAllan & Janet Jacobs in memory of Harry SmithTim Peddicord & Marlene Malin in memory of Wayne SelfElizabeth Martin in memory of Gerald MurphyMaruja Real in memory of Frank RealAllan & Joyce West in memory of Manny & Chilant SpragueThe estate of Mansfield and Chilant Sprague

So many ways to help

6

Thanks to OVLC Supporters

David Allen & Co. - David & Kathryn AllenJohn & Lisa Adair - Wild Ox, Inc.Doug AdriansonPatty Albert-LeisDolli AlexanderBrook & Everard AshworthRobert Auric & Anna Jacobs AuricBriana & Steve BeebeDave & Tracy BettlesJulie Bloomer & Scott RabeMarlyn Bodo & Chuck WoodMarcia Borgeson & Dick SykesRoberta & Bob BoschanSandy & George BuechleyGene &Dianne BullardJim & Myrna CambianicaJames & Terri CapitoMartha ChurchyardGarrett CliffordAustin R. ClineJohn & Harriet CliseWilli & Stefanie CoelerCharlie, Tracey & Charlie Jr. CrofootDuane Dammeyer & Marty BonvechioEvelyn & Bain DaymanSally & David DiscoCynthia DuncanAndrew & Sharon EngelGarold & Joyce FaberRuth FarnhamRay & Sylvia FaulstichDick & Kay FeltonJoel & Katie FrazierMaggie GarrettWilliam GirvetzDonn Gladstone & Kelly NewmanCari GuerreroLouisa Hagen & Terry ThompsonJane HandelRae HanstadIrshad Ul & Linda G. HaquePhilip & Margaret Harvey

Greg & Penny HerringNorma C. HughesKaren F. JenkinsSuzanne JosephBrett & Denise KantrowitzNancy Kochevar & Michael LurieTod & Carolyn KuhnJonathan & Linda LambertTom & Rebecca LoweTeri MacKeyLynn MaloneTed & Pearl MalosJane & Dennis McCarthyWalter & Franna McClellandMcDaniel Insurance Services Moses & Charlene SpretnakSonia NordensonMichael & Kathy OgdenJeff & Elisabeth OtterbeinDietrich & Jackie PahnkeWilliam H. Painter, Jr.Carol Peterson & Curt MossestadLinda & Landis PotterMaruja RealKathleen RichardsJoan RobertsPoly Assoc. Landscape-Paul & Kathleen RogersLee & Katherine RosenboomJoan & Herman RushAmy & Sara SchneiderLinda & Charles SimonCharles & Sandra SleddMarianne Staudt-StolzTony & Anne Thacher - Friends RanchJohn & Caroline ThacherAnna ThomasDoug & Liz VernandMargaret J Vigil & Dennis WoodAllan & Joyce WestCatherine WilcoxTerry & Cindy WrightRobert & Katy ZappalaDudley Zoll

Robert & Carole AdamsGeorge Ball & Amanda McBroom BallDonna Deitch Banky- Laroque FoundationVera Carbaugh & Judy DuffAlice ChesleyGary & Mackay CramptonNancy EldblomFarr & Associates - Gary & Brenda FarrPatsy & Harold GlennFrank & Linda GranatDonald & Ruth HauserChester & Bernadette JagielloHoward KaytonMrs. Dorothy LoeblPhil & Maren LongLyn & Don LuxmoreDeven MayJoy MillsCharles & Therese MontagJim & Susan MorelandEdwin & Claire PaulsonRonald & Linda PhillipsMarty & Barbara PopsTom & Vickie RobertsonFred & Ila RothenbergRuth SayreHeather Shoup & James CalkinsDaniel Silver, M.D.

President’s CircleYvon & Malinda ChouinardMargot GriswoldWyatt & Claudia HarrisJerry Jones - So Hum FoundationStuart Meiklejohn & Mary Ann O’ConnorMichael Newkirk and Olivia GarfieldOliver Wilson & Kaarina Tienhaara

Friends of the Ojai ValleyMary BergenCarol BishopJohn Davis & Lorraine BrownSandy & George BuechleyMarqui BuryJean ColonomosDancing Tides foundation - Pete MullerPaul & Patricia DoodyConnie Eaton & William HartRoger & Pat EssickRobert J. GeresDavid & Sarah (Sally) HackelThomas & Barbara MalleyKenneth Niessen & Susan GuyLarry & Laura RaganLarry Rose & Lisa LarramendyDewey V. SchorreScott Silver & Jill Greene-SilverSteven Anthony VelkeiVintage Production California LLCHuora L.Williams

We are pleased to thank the following members for their loyal support from Nov. 15, 2008 through February 15,2009. Renewing Members

7

Annual Fund Gifts

Employer Match AGIA- Association Group InsurancePatagoniaWellPoint Foundation

Gifts In HonorJessica Colby in honor of Ed & Diane ColbyLia Benedetti in honor of Barbara Washburn

Welcome New MembersCarol DayCharlotte WilliamsCindy BowerDarwin McCredieFrank & Carrie WalkerJessica ColbyJohn GravesKenyon TaylorMarilyn K Whitford

Raymond BransfieldRobin GerberSteven and Kim RapholzStuart & Kyle CrownerTerri and Alex LaineTerry & Jan LewisThe Arvizu FamilyThe Clark FamilyValerie Greenberg

Gift MembershipsTo Cindy Bower from Karen Christensen

To Darwin McCredie from Gail McCredie

To the Arvizu family and the Clark family from the Rapholz family

Special

Thanks!To Roger Dick-ens for unwaiver-ing volunteerism

To the Church of The Living Christ for protecting the river and the VRP.

To Jan Blakeslee for heading up an exemplary executive director search committtee, donating his professional recruitment skills, and generously giving so much of his time!

To Roger Essick, OVLC board presi-dent, for filling in as interim execu-tive director for 4 months.

Thanks to Bud Hartman of Taft Electric and Jim Pendleton for all their great help in making the new cattle gates on the VRP a reality.

What’s Happening at OVLC?May 1st 7 to 9pmWild About Ojai ProgramFOR THE BIRDS - with Jesse Grantham and Allen Bertke.Friday evening slide show at the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy headquarters. 370 Baldwin Rd.RSVP 649-6852 or ovlc@ovlc.org

9th 8:30 to 11:30amWild About Ojai ProgramFOR THE BIRDS - Bird Walk with Jesse Grantham and Allen Bertke.Saturday morning bird walk on the Ojai Meadows Preserve.RSVP 649-6852 or ovlc@ovlc.org

30th 4pm till duskA MAY DAY ON THE MEADOWFamily picnic and fun day for members and new members. RSVP 649-6852 or ovlc@ovlc.org

Sign up to receive email updates on hikes, tours, Wild About Ojai programs and volunteer opportunities and special events. Email ovlc@ovlc.org to let us know that you want to know

WHat’S Happening at oVlC.

Ojai Valley Land ConservancyPO Box 1092Ojai, CA 93024

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 351

Ojai, CA

VOLUNTEER WORK DAYSWatch for emails about volunteer work days on OVLC preserves throughout the spring. With funding cutbacks from the state, we can use all the help we can get with weeding and mulch-ing on the restoration projects. Thanks for helping when you can!

printed on recycled content paper

June 20th 2:30pm to 7:30pmWild About Ojai ProgramSEEING INTO THE WILD with Chad Ress, Landscape Photographer. Meet at the OVLC officeCarpool to Rose Valley, return to OVLC office for a light din-ner and review and critique of digital photos.RSVP 649-6852 or ovlc@ovlc.org

April 18th 8:00am to noonVENTURA RIVER PRESERVE HIKE with Rick BisicciaRice Canyon/Wills Canyon loop.Meet at the Oso Trailhead off Meyer Rd. at Oso Rd.RSVP rick@ovlc.org

18th & 25th 8:30am to 9:30amOJAI MEADOWS PRESERVE RESTORATION TOURSDocent led tours of the Meadow restoration project. Meet at the turnout on Maricopa Hwy. Or, call the OVLC office to schedule a private tour for someone you think might be interested.

SEE INSIDE FOR DETAILS ON ALL EVENTS.