ANNUAL REPORT: 2023 FISCAL YEAR
Fiscal year 2023 (July 2022-June 2023) can be best summarized as a year of growth and planning. Early in the year we completed our new five-year strategic plan, that can be found on our website. Refining the organization’s mission: To protect and restore the natural landscapes of the Ojai Valley, forever; and putting forward a new vision: To lead the Ojai Valley’s response to climate change. The strategic plan lays out the strategies and the role for the organization to help secure a more resilient future for our valley.
One of these strategies is to focus on protecting our waterways. This year the OVLC protected a 9.55-acre parcel located between the Confluence Preserve and San Antonio Creek Preserve. OVLC views this as a new piece of the San Antonio Creek Preserve. This strategic purchase not only solidifies current conservation efforts, but also sets the stage for potential future acquisitions along the creek. Restoration and protection of the Ojai Valley’s creeks and rivers are important nature-based steps to enhance the valley’s resilience to the changing climate.
A powerful indicator of our changing climate is the incredible storms we experienced this winter. The January storms turned the Ventura River and its tributaries into raging torrents that took down everything in their path, including mature trees, and sent boulders rumbling down the flood plains. It was a humbling display of nature’s strength. The destruction to the trail system was extensive, but the community came out in force and helped us raise over $200,000 to repair the trail damage in our most successful spring campaign to date—the Give or Get Muddy Challenge. A record setting 6,000 volunteer hours were logged this year and every penny raised was spent on the trails. Thanks to the efforts of our community the trails are in better shape than before. We are humbled by the community’s generosity and support.
Since the purchase of the Ojai Meadows Preserve, OVLC has pursued restoration in the valley along with protecting our special places. Adding “restore” to our mission signifies the importance of this work that for many years happened quietly in the background. Following on the heels of a successful year raising nearly a million dollars for restoration in the valley last year, Restoration Program Director Vivon Crawford raised an additional $1,656,459 for restoration to be spent over the next several years. Roughly a million dollars of this will be dedicated to our streams and rivers for planning and permitting for an “Arundo free” watershed, along with seed funds for removal and restoration.
In addition to Arundo removal, restoration funds will continue to be dedicated to restoring oaks to our valley, supporting the soon to be launched Rewild Ojai program, expanding our native plant nursery infrastructure and staff, and restoration work on private lands funded by land owners.
Fiscal year 2024 is in full swing already. We look forward to kicking off the year with Mountainfilm on Tour and the announcement of several big projects to come. A heartfelt thank you to the long list of donors in the following pages for your support and dedication to the OVLC and helping make it our most successful year yet!
THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS
VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTE ASTOUNDING 6,113 HOURS THIS YEAR!
In the wake of the extraordinary storms and flooding that swept through our region this winter, leaving trails ravaged and restoration zones overcome by invasive plants, the resilience of our community truly shined. This year witnessed an inspiring surge of support as dedicated volunteers stepped up in remarkable ways. Shoulder to shoulder, moving boulder after boulder, whether in the field, the office, house mailing parties, or at events, volunteers collectively contributed a staggering 6,113 hours throughout the fiscal year. These unsung heroes poured their hearts into restoring trails and removing invasive species. As we venture into another year united in purpose, our hearts brim with gratitude for the positive transformation dedicated volunteers bring to both our community and its invaluable ecosystem.