OVLC launched Rewild Ojai about two years ago and the community reception has been tremendous. The term “rewild” has come to mean many things. Typically, “rewilding” efforts are really targeted at the recovery of charismatic wildlife species like wolves, peregrine falcon or beavers. The direct and ancillary benefits from these efforts are well documented and successful rewilding projects can lead to landscape scale transformations. 

If you have been by the Riverview Trailhead lately, you will have noticed a fresh new look. This trailhead has been in need of major updates for years. Following years of leasing the property, we secured full ownership last year and prioritized enhancing the trailhead as a key first step. The major goals were to improve the parking area, correct drainage issues, replace the old fencing, and consolidate all trailhead signage and the kiosk around a single, improved trailhead entrance. 

I am an Ojaian, born and raised. Summertime always makes me particularly nostalgic, since I grew up swimming in the pools of the Ventura River, driving to Bates Beach when it was too hot to do anything else, and picking fruit from friends’ trees.