Emmie Pinedo
Please Welcome Our New Executive Director!
The staff and Board of the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (OVLC) are excited to introduce Tom Maloney as our new Executive Director. His background in Economics and Resources Management and Administration, along with 25 years of conservation experience, make him the ideal candidate to lead the OVLC. “We are fortunate that Tom will be joining […]
All About Ojai: Winter Migration Bird Walk
Winter Migration Bird Walk with Jesse Grantham
Event is Full
From the Field / February ’20
Here at the OVLC rain is a very exciting event—it kicks off the start to planting season for our field crew! We are out and about on all of the preserves, but we are especially proud of our plantings along San Antonio Creek, where native plants have successfully replaced invasive arundo, and at the old […]
MOB SHOP MOVIE NIGHT 2019
MOB SHOP Movie Night
Saturday, August 31
Doors open at 7:00 pm, Films start at 7:30 pm
From the Director / June ’20
At the OVLC, we think about community, because quite candidly we couldn’t be here without the support of our generous community. OVLC preserves are the places where the community comes to rejuvenate, exercise, or simply reflect. While COVID-19 has altered how we gather, with physical distancing in place and community and volunteer events on hold, […]
From the Director / February ’20
Ojai is an extraordinary place filled with remarkable people in an amazing natural setting. It seems that the valley exerts a persistent pull on anyone who has spent any time here. In addition to these distinctive qualities, increasingly the Ojai Valley faces many challenges all too familiar to communities throughout California and the West. Perhaps […]
Mountainfilm ’19 Recap
We want to say thank you to our amazing OVLC community for joining us at the 5th annual Mountainfilm on Tour Ojai. We are so grateful to everyone who told a friend, showed up, volunteered, posted on social media, and helped make this year’s fundraiser so incredibly successful. We had 2,000 people in attendance this […]
Film Line Up
Under the Open Sky Friday, September 20 Broken Jon Wilson lost a leg to cancer at 23. He found joy some years later by developing a solitary routine of skinning and climbing up a ski mountain on his remaining leg, at night, and skiing back down. Wilson wrote and narrates this tone poem about perseverance […]
Brian Stark Has Left The Building
Brain Stark, Executive Director and employee of 9 years, leaves the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy.
Tania Parker Named Deputy Director of the OVLC
In recognition of her critical role in the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s growth and success, the OVLC has named Tania Parker as Deputy Director. Tania Parker has been with the OVLC for over 5 years, and in that time she’s made a sizable impact on our fundraising and community outreach programs, including doubling our membership […]
From the Field
It has been another busy season for the field crew! This three-person team installed a recording breaking number of plants this season. While the final count has yet to be tallied, the number is in the thousands. The primary focus for restoration this season was the 36-acre orange grove project on the Ventura River Preserve […]
Hike and Picnic with OVLC Stewardship Director
Stewardship Director Hike & Picnic
Saturday, March 30
8:30 am- 1 pm
Ventura River Preserve
We are your local land trust, and we want to hear from you!
Brendan Taylor, OVLC Stewardship Director, is in the process of creating a 5-year plan for the stewardship of the preserves. We recently sat down with him to learn more about this plan, and why feedback from the community is so important. Q: Why are you embarking on a 5-year plan for the preserves? A: A […]
Kathy’s Commitment
Kathy Bennett loves to look out her window at the mountains that the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (OVLC) has protected forever. She is “paralyzed by the beauty of it all,” and has included the OVLC in her estate planning because “she wants to make sure that it is there for future generations.” While Kathy loves […]
Welcome, Baby Juniper!
Please join us in congratulating Jill Lashly (OVLC Conservation Director) and her husband Evan on the birth of their beautiful daughter Juniper Jean Lashly. We are so excited to have a new member join the OVLC family. Here’s to the next generation of conservationists! Click here to make a gift in honor or in memory […]
Congratulations, Xena!
As the weather gets warmer, Xena wants to remind everyone that the ground can get very hot for paws. She recommends getting out on the trail early in the morning or in the evening, or investing in some shoes for your furry friends. Otherwise, you might end up carrying them on the trail. Photo: Xena […]
Annual Fire Clearance
On May 20, the OVLC will begin routine fire clearance on parts of our preserves that border structures or roads. Thanks to a grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), this work will be completed by the local Concerned Resources and Environmental Workers (the CREW) and an additional contractor. They […]
Thank you and we wish you the best, Natalie!
For the last two years, the OVLC has had the honor of counting Natalie Everton as a member of the field crew. While she will be leaving the OVLC to start her next adventure, she has certainly left her mark on the preserves. We will truly miss this wonderful woman, from her wealth of knowledge […]
Benefit Concert
Benefit Concert with Grammy Winning Artist: Peter Kater
Friday, May 17 at 7 pm
Private Address
All About Ojai: Springtime Bird Walk with Jesse Grantham
All About Ojai: Bird Walk with Jesse Grantham
Saturday, May 11 at 8:30 am
Ojai Meadows Preserve
All About Ojai: Herb Walk with Lanny Kaufer
All About Ojai: Herb Walk with Lanny Kaufer
Saturday, April 13
9:30 am—12 pm
Ojai Meadows Preserve
Green Beers!
Green Beers with Topa Topa Brewing Co & California Solar Electric
Monday, March 18. 5:30-7 pm
Topa Topa Ojai
Planting on the Preserves
A huge thank you to Ojai West and International Rotary for the donation of 100 5-gallon coast live oaks that are being planted at the Ventura River Preserve. The oak circle in the photo, and many others, were re-planted in December a year after burning in the Thomas Fire. In addition, 35 OVLC supporters grew […]
In Defense of the Trees
Invasive Beetle in Ojai What do beautiful communities, rich wildlife habitats, parks, bird nests, our global climate, and tire swings all have in common? They all depend on trees, a notable symbol representing a healthy environment. Much of the conservation and restoration work undertaken by the OVLC has revolved around the planting and protection of […]
Restoration at Work
Some history of the Ojai Meadows Preserve At a quick glance, it is obvious that the Ojai Meadows Preserve is doing what it’s meant to—connecting people to the natural world. However, unless you remember the way Highway 33 used to flood during a rainstorm, you may not realize the important role the preserve plays in […]
Thank You, Volunteers!
In the field, in the office, at events, and wherever else we need help—our amazing volunteers put in 4,214 hours last year! We are so grateful for every minute you take to help us conserve Ojai. You make it possible for us to do all that we do and we are excited for another year […]
Directions to the OVLC Office
The OVLC office is located at 370 Baldwin Rd, Bldg A4, Ojai, CA 93023 on the old Honor Farm After the main entrance, when you come in the gate, stay to the left and follow the signs for the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy. You will drive by the farm and the road will wrap around the old […]
All About Ojai: The Buzz About Bees
All About Ojai: The Buzz About Bees
Saturday, February 16. 1–3pm
OVLC Office
Protecting What He Loved
Bequest from Peter Noone Peter Kinnoch Noone embodied the down-to-earth style of the outdoor industry and is credited with shaping the development of the outdoor retail store as a commercial force, customer refuge and the forefront for the protection of wilderness. He laid the foundation for his career by skiing, climbing and fly-fishing his way […]
Save The Planet, Wear Sustainable with Toad&Co and Topa Topa Brewing Co
Save the Planet, Wear Sustainable with Toad&Co and Topa Topa Brewing Co
Tuesday, January 22. 5:30–9 pm
Topa Topa. 345 E Ojai Ave.
The Importance of Native Gardens
In a drought-ridden state like California, it’s so important to do everything that we can to preserve water and take care of wildlife. There are many ways to do this, but one you may not think about is growing native plants in your own yard. This video from Wild Yards Project speaks to all the amazing […]
Allan Jacobs Trail Update
The progress continues on building the newest OVLC trail in the Ventura River Preserve. As of October, we’ve had 108 people, both volunteers and staff, working on the Allan Jacobs Trail. So far we have created 791 feet of trail! This averages out to about 1.94 feet of trail built per person per hour. Why […]
All About Ojai: The Bear Essentials
All About Ojai: The Bear Essentials
January 12. 10 am.
OVLC Office
Farewell Marti!
Thank you to everyone that came out to celebrate Marti and her retirement! Photos by Stephen Adams. At the end of December, the OVLC will be bidding a fond farewell and happy retirement to our long-time office manager Marti Reid. Marti joined the OVLC in November 2009, as our part-time bookkeeper, and over time assumed […]
Property Donation Among Largest One-time Gifts to the OVLC
In August 2018, the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy received one of its largest gifts ever with a donation of property in the City of Ojai. The property, appraised at $515,000, is an undeveloped one-acre parcel in an Ojai neighborhood that was donated with the intention that it be sold to generate funds to support local […]
Fundraising Campaign with HELIO Solar Lights
Get a great solar light and support the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy! HELIO is an ultra-efficient 100% Solar Flashlight, Lantern, and Powerbank all-in-one. This handy tool is great for camping, hiking, emergencies, charging your gear, and much more. HELIO is a true off-the-grid solution for portable light and power. Makers4Good is a proud sponsor of […]
Annual Turkey Trot Hosted by the Ojai Valley Inn
Turkey Trot Fun Run
November 23. 8am.
Ojai Valley Inn
Nathan Wickstrum Art Show
The Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s very own Field Crew Supervisor is having a photography show this Sunday! So many of the photos on our newsletters, website, and social media are Nathan Wickstrum’s beautiful work. Grab a cup of coffee and appreciate this talented local artist! Photos will be for sale at the event. Sunday, September […]
