One of my personal heroes is the late, great Edward O. Wilson. In addition to being the father of the field of conservation biology, Wilson was also a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning author and professor/mentor to a legion of noteworthy biologists who quite literally shaped conservation practice. 

This June and July have been the two hottest months in the history of weather observation globally. This winter’s floods also provide evidence of more severe climate extremes. In California, each successive year also seems to bring another massive wildland fire that is the largest in history. Any one drought, heat wave, or flood is “the weather” but successive years of extreme weather indicates a changing climate. 

Throughout the pandemic it became abundantly clear that OVLC’s preserves provide a vital source of solace and emotional resilience to our community. We received numerous heartfelt testimonials from folks all over the valley about how important a certain preserve was to their emotional well-being during lockdowns, cancellations, and travel restrictions.