The Ojai Valley Land Conservancy

PERMANENT PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE WILDLIFE AND THE COMMUNITIES OF THE OJAI VALLEY

OVLC PROTECTS AND RESTORES THE OPEN SPACE, WILDLIFE HABITAT, WATERSHEDS, AND VIEWS OF THE OJAI VALLEY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. THESE PRESERVED LANDS PROVIDE COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION, EDUCATION AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE. EACH YEAR, HUNDREDS OF LOCAL STUDENTS VISIT OVLC PRESERVES FOR OUTDOOR EDUCATION PROGRAMS, IN ADDITION TO THE TENS OF THOUSANDS VISITORS WHO ENJOY HIKING, BIKING, HORSEBACK RIDING AND MORE. THE OVLC CURRENTLY MANAGES OVER 2,300 ACRES OF PROTECTED LANDS AND 27 MILES OF TRAILS. OVLC HAS SEVERAL NEW PROJECTS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO ADD ADDITIONAL PROTECTED LAND. IN THE PAST YEAR, WE MAINTAINED OVER 5,000 NATIVE TREES PLANTED IN 2017, MOSTLY ICONIC COAST LIVE OAKS, AND SHRUBS TO RESTORE AND ENHANCE HABITATS ON OVLC PRESERVES. ALONG THE STREAMS, OVLC CONTINUED THE REMOVAL OF 23 ACRES OF INVASIVE ARUNDO DONAX FROM 5 MILES OF THE LOCAL STREAM TO IMPROVE FISHERIES HABITATS AND PREVENT THE LOSS OF WATER TO THESE INVASIVE PLANTS. AT THE OJAI MEADOWS PRESERVE WE EXPANDED OUR WORK IN A NEW RESTORATION AREA. THE OVLC'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS REACHED THOUSANDS OF PARTICIPANTS THIS PAST YEAR AT OUR NUMEROUS OUTREACH EVENTS, SHARING OUR CONSERVATION MISSION. IN ITS FIFTH YEAR WE GRADUATED ANOTHER CLASS OF CERTIFIED CALIFORNIA NATURALISTS THROUGH OUR CALIFORNIA NATURALIST PROGRAM. IN DECEMBER 2017, THE THOMAS FIRE BURNED 80% OF THE VENTURA RIVER WATERSHED, INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 1,500 ACRES (65%) OF THE PRESERVED LANDS OWNED BY THE OVLC. THE WORK TO REPAIR THE LAND AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE CONTINUED THROUGH FY2019. THIS YEAR, OVLC FINISHED CONSTRUCTION ON THE ALLAN JACOBS TRAIL ON THE VENTURA RIVER PRESERVE AS A REROUTE FOR A TRAIL THAT WAS CLOSED TO PROTECT SENSITIVE RESOURCES. THE OVLC IS STILL WORKING DILIGENTLY TO REPLACE THE BRIDGE OVER THE CANAL. NEW GRANTS, INCLUDING ORANGES TO OAKS, HAVE HELPED FUND THE REPLANTING OF THE BURNED RESTORATION AREA. WHILE WE STILL HAVE SEVERAL MORE YEARS IN THE PREDICTED 4-6 YEAR RECOVERY FROM THE FIRE, THE OVLC HAS MADE ASTOUNDING HEADWAY IN REPAIRING THE TRAILS AND REPLANTING RESTORATION AREAS THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS DONORS AND HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS THIS PAST YEAR.