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. 

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.