Mark Silbernagel started volunteering with OVLC in 2019. Over the past five years, he has logged more than 450 hours of volunteer work across an array of projects including Allan Jacobs Trail, engineering nursery upgrades, and most recently leading restoration projects! We are proud to highlight Mark’s contributions to the OVLC, in an interview he had with Preserve Manager, Linda Wilkin.

Stewarding the Ventura River is a delicate balancing act: we must protect the natural environment while also ensuring that people can enjoy it. The OVLC’s mission is to protect and restore the natural landscapes of the Ojai Valley forever. A crucial part of achieving that mission is connecting people with the land, including the Ventura River. 

This season, our staff is going through a transition, welcoming new faces and saying goodbye to others. Coraylln Moss, a graduated senior at Nordoff High School, is now leaving her position at OVLC after 3 years as a nursery intern. Her work was outstanding. She was our quickest transplanter, and always had a good song to share while working. By the end of her time at OVLC, she knew every native plant in the nursery and where they belonged in their natural environment. It is clear she has a deep relationship with the ecosystems around her.