Having spent my professional career in conservation nonprofits, I was deeply moved and encouraged by the Chouinard family’s recent decision to dedicate nearly all of their wealth from Patagonia to conservation and climate advocacy. The stunning news broke in September that the family was giving their company shares to two separate entities: the Patagonia Purpose Trust and the Holdfast Collective. Together, this represents a truly unprecedented commitment to the company’s mission of being in “business to save our home planet.” 

Look closely at the decisions they make, as the careful branches twist among paths—unseen made known. The orange branches and peeling bark tell a tale millions of years old. 

Every week we receive feedback from someone in the community letting us know how we are doing. While most of these comments are glowingly positive, we are not immune to negative comments. Earlier this year we received a thumbs down in the Ojai Valley News for removing trees from the Ojai Meadows Preserve.