As people start talking about the future of Rancho Cañada Larga, one question is on many minds: what will happen with the cattle? It’s a fair question. These hills have supported cattle for generations, and grazing remains part of the landscape’s identity. Conservation practitioners have learned the hard way that one has to be very thoughtful and deliberate when altering land management practices that have been around since before statehood. Cattle will continue to be part of the picture as the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy studies how best to care for and restore the property’s diverse habitats. To better understand the current operation, OVLC staff sat down with Kim Perkins and his daughter, Sarah Perkins, who have worked cattle here, on and off, for decades. Their story offers a look at the practical work behind grazing and how it might evolve alongside conservation goals in the years ahead. 

We kicked off Arundo removal season in September and are on track to make great progress this year. We have about 20 contractor crew members and four biological monitors working on Arundo and other invasive species treatments across Lion Creek, San Antonio Creek, and the mainstem Ventura River (alongside OVLC restoration staff). We started with re-treatments of sites we’ve been working on over the past few years, and are working our way downstream each reach, with the goal of treating 40 acres of Arundo and many other invasive species across 200 acres through January 2026. 

As fall settles over Ojai, the landscape begins to slow. Plants and animals alike prepare for dormancy as the days grow shorter and cooler. Most blooms fade away, saving their energy for spring’s return—but as we near winter, a few hardy native plants continue to thrive. Ragweed, coyote brush, manzanita, and mistletoe to name a few, all of which mammals and pollinators depend on to get them through the season.