Whispers of scales sliver through wildflower duff, like a knitting pin through soft alpaca wool. Weaving between woodlands, thickets of shrubs and across open grasslands, the California kingsnake embodies transformation and persistence.

Jon Hill started his journey with OVLC in 2021 and has quickly become an essential part of our volunteer community, contributing over 400 hours of service. He’s done 200 of those hours in the past year alone. Jon’s dedication to trail work, combined with his background in construction and aerospace, has made a significant impact, especially with projects like the rock check step on John’s Fox Canyon Trail. Jon’s love for the outdoors, active lifestyle, and ability to build cross-generational friendships have elevated the volunteer experience for all involved. In this interview, Preserve Manager Linda Wilkin sits down with Jon to discuss his motivations for volunteering, his favorite projects, and the sense of community he’s found through OVLC. Join us as we explore the stories and connections that make Jon’s contributions so valuable to our mission.

If you have been following the story of the OVLC Nursery and Rewild Ojai, no doubt you have heard the phrases “seed collecting season” or “watershed local genetics”. If you have read plant newsletters, there is not a mention of a plant without referencing the seed bank, or the implications of future seeded generations. And if you are my friend, I am sure you have heard me trail off while unlacing a boot, thinking about a species of native plant I have dived into that particular week, drifting off into the world of ancient phenologies.