Ojai Meadows Preserve is a living example of what sustained community commitment and thoughtful stewardship can accomplish. Since the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy acquired the property in 2000—thanks to the vision and hard work of dedicated local residents—thousands of volunteer hours have gone into restoring this landscape into a thriving ecosystem that supports a rich diversity of native plants, wildlife, and pollinators. But restoration doesn’t end when the planting is done or when grant funding runs out. True ecological recovery takes time, persistence, and ongoing care. That’s where our Stewardship team and dedicated volunteers step in. 

Thanks to a mix of showers, sunshine, and perseverance, spring is here and our two wonderful interns, Celeste and Lilac, are blooming right alongside the wildflowers! Just like the pollinators drawn to the sweetness of a hard-earned reward, they’ve been transforming the nursery into a season of growth, organization, and emerging leadership. 

Last creature feature, we were acquainted with our native ‘blue jay,’ the California scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica). This time, we’re trading feathers for scales. Known to many as ‘blue-bellies,’ the western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) is a critter most of us are likely familiar with from time spent at any of our preserves—or really, anywhere in California and our neighboring states. They’re a jack-of-all-trades, found from sea level to dizzying heights above 10,000 feet! Western fence lizards inhabit a variety of habitats, from woodlands, forests, and grasslands to suburban gardens and farmlands. In these varied settings, they play an important role in nutrient cycling, pest management, and disease control.