Tag: OVLC
Mountainfilm on Tour 2023 Virtual Auction & Raffle

In conjunction with Mountainfilm on Tour, we are hosting a virtual auction that closes on Monday, September 19 at 10 am. The auction is open to the public (no Mountainfilm on Tour ticket purchase required) and features a six-night stay at a 15th-century Tuscan hilltop house, a tour of the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve led by OVLC’s Executive Director, Tom Maloney, a tour of the world-renowned Turtle Conservancy, a Fletcher Chouinard Designs surfboard and a whole lot more!
Strategic Plan – Ojai Valley Land Conservancy
Alternatively you can download a PDF of the Strategic Plan here.
Mountainfilm on Tour 2023

Lights, camera, conservation! Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (OVLC) proudly presents our 9th annual Mountainfilm on Tour. Dig out your blankets and low-back chairs and join us on the field at Ojai Valley School’s Lower Campus Sports Field for another fantastic year of films and fun! Experience the beauty of nature, the thrill of adrenaline-pumping adventures, and the power of environmental storytelling as we showcase a carefully curated selection of films from the Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride. From breathtaking landscapes to heartwarming stories of human resilience, these films will leave you with a profound love for our planet and a renewed commitment to its preservation.
OVLC ACQUIRES 9.55 ACRES IN SAN ANTONIO CREEK

Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (OVLC) announces the purchase of 9.55 acres of land in San Antonio Creek. The acquisition signifies a milestone in the ongoing efforts to protect and restore the Ventura River watershed and the natural landscapes of the Ojai Valley forever.
National Trails Day: June 3, 2023

In celebration of American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day, OVLC is hosting a number of volunteer opportunities including good old trail maintenance, trail cleanup, and some trail restoration work too. Projects will run from 8:30 am – 12 pm and range from easily accessible and not physically demanding to requiring a nice hike in with some rigorous work.
This is the perfect opportunity to get out in nature with the people you love, give back to the trails that bring us together, and make sure no one is left out. Our National Trails Day volunteer projects are fit for all ages and skill levels. We encourage you to invite the whole family!
SPRING NATIVE PLANT SALE 2023 – PLANT LIST
Need help identifying the native plants you purchased at the OVLC Spring Native Plant Sale?View the pdf below to identify your natives. OVLC Spring Native Plant Sale – Plant List » Wildflower Seed Mix Species »
All About Ojai: Ojai’s Dark Skies

Join us for an awe-inspiring evening as we delve into the wonders of the pristine night sky! Often overlooked, the star-filled sky above us is a precious natural resource that plays a crucial role in maintaining the health of our natural and human ecosystems. In the Ojai Valley, we are fortunate to have a Dark Sky Ordinance that safeguards the ecological and aesthetic value of our surrounding natural landscapes, including Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s majestic preserves and the Los Padres National Forest.
OVLC NATIVE PLANT NURSERY INTERNSHIP

OVLC in partnership with Green Valley Project are looking for Native Plant Nursery Interns! This is a wonderful learning experience for high school students in the valley. All are encouraged to apply!
Procura el Arroyo

La organización ambientalista Ojai Valley Land Conservancy está realizando una consulta pública para identificar la visión de las comunidades con respecto a la futura eliminación de la presa Matilija y la subsecuente restauración del arroyo Matilija a su flujo original.
Reserve la fecha de nuestros Talleres Comunitarios el 25 de febrero del 2023. La organización ambientalista Ojai Valley Land Conservancy está realizando una consulta pública para identificar la visión de las comunidades con respecto a la futura eliminación de la presa Matilija y la subsecuente restauración del arroyo Matilija a su flujo original.
H20: Artist’s Reception & Silent Auction

Over the past few months, artists from the Pastel Society of the Gold Coast have been out on the preserves, connecting with nature through the art of painting. On March 4, 2023 from 5-8 pm at the Ojai Art Center the artists’ works will be exhibited and auctioned off. This is a wonderful opportunity to bring the beauty of the preserves to your home and support OVLC and artists. The paintings will be displayed until March 29, 2023
Flood Damage Assessment: Ventura River Preserve

Damages to trails and infrastructure at Valley View Preserve have been completed. The following report provides a brief summary of our reconnaissance.
Flood Damage Assessment: Valley View Preserve

Damages to trails and infrastructure at Valley View Preserve have been completed. The following report provides a brief summary of our reconnaissance.
All About Ojai: Diurnal Raptor Identification and Ecology

On Thursday, January 26 Lizzy Chouinard will be presenting, “Diurnal Raptor Identification and Ecology: Ojai Valley Edition.” Learn the basics to identify and differentiate our local raptors with some intermediate to expert tips!
In this presentation we will learn all about the raptors of the Ojai Valley. We will cover the basics of what raptors are, how they live in our local environment, and how to identify them. This presentation will have a ton of photos, as well as time for questions and answers, and a list of resources to help support you in raptor study and identification. Saturday, January 28, Lizzy will lead a small group field trip to search out and identify raptors around the valley. This field trip will be limited to 12 participants.
Seek the Creek

The Ojai Valley Land Conservancy is conducting a community visioning process for the future removal and restoration of the Matilija Dam. This is an exciting project that will return the critical waterway of Matilija Creek to its original flow, providing much needed public open space to our region.
Join us for a community meeting on February 22, 23 or 25, where we’ll discuss potential use of the land around the Matilija Dam, as well as opportunities to provide more immediate improved access to existing open space in our region.
Native Plant Month

This November, OVLC is celebrating Native Plant Month to highlight the vital role native plants play in our local ecosystems and community. The Ojai Valley is currently experiencing landscape-scale shifts in our oak woodlands, chaparral, riparian, and agricultural lands. While climate change is a global issue, climate resilience requires a local strategy; and restoring ecosystem functions of native habitats will support the system’s ability to rebound from these extreme climate events.
Join us this month for any and all of the following events as we discuss the importance of native plants and how they benefit our local ecosystems and help strengthen our community’s resilience to climate change.
All About Ojai: Rick Ridgeway, Life Lived Wild

Join us Friday, October 14 from 5—9 pm at the historic Ventura River Steelhead Preserve for an evening with legendary mountaineer and author, Rick Ridgeway, as he discusses the adventures from his latest book Life Lived Wild.
Art in Nature’s Wonderland

The Ojai Valley Land Conservancy and Ojai Studio Artists invite you to experience Art in Nature’s Wonderland. Come and enjoy dinner, cocktails, art installations, silent auction, raffle, handcrafted party favors, and the music of Amanda McBroom, Alan Thornhill and Laura Walters. Be surprised and amazed by the art hidden in nature as you wander through the preserve and dance under the stars
Stewardship Hike with Brendan Taylor

Take advantage of this opportunity to hike with our Director of Field Programs, Brendan Taylor. The hike will be roughly 5.5 miles long and includes hiking a trail that is in the works to become an official OVLC trail in the near future. On this hike, Brendan will discuss the planning process that goes into making a trail official, along with answering any questions you might have about land management, stewardship, and preserve use. All you need to bring is your curiosity, water, hiking shoes, and sunscreen.
Herpetofauna of the Ojai Valley

The Ojai Valley Land Conservancy and the Turtle Conservancy are offering a field trip to introduce participants to the reptiles and amphibians of the Valley. Dr. Chris Evelyn, from the Vertebrate Zoology Museum at UC Santa Barbara, will lead this introduction to the frogs, salamanders, lizards, snakes, and turtles of the Valley. This trip is a mix of presentation and field exploration.
2021 FISCAL YEAR* ANNUAL REPORT

June 30, 2021 marked the end of our first full fiscal year since we changed our fiscal year to start in July. OVLC also restructured our accounting and simplified our chart of accounts. As a result, the staff and board have a deeper understanding of the role that each program plays in OVLC’s financial condition. In particular, these changes provide comprehensive insights into the costs of stewarding the preserves, and help OVLC plan for new acquisitions and budget for preserve improvements.
UNDER THE OPEN SKY – PADDLE RAISE

Thank you for attending our Mountainfilm on Tour and Under the Open Sky at the Ventura River Steelhead Preserve. Friday night’s paddle raise was wildly successful and we are incredibly grateful for your support. If you didn’t have a chance to donate during the paddle raise, you can help us continue to protect and restore the lands we all love by using the donate box below:
Temporary Forest Closure & What This Means For OVLC Adopted Trails

Forest Service trails adopted by OVLC will be closed effective 8/31/21 at 11:59 p.m. More than 6,800 wildfires have burned a total of 1.7 million acres across all jurisdictions in California, and the National Wildfire Preparedness Level (PL) has been at PL5 since July 14, 2021; only the third time in the past 20 years […]
OAK RESTORATION AT THE OJAI MEADOWS PRESERVE

On June 20 and 21, OVLC hired The C.R.E.W. to remove 7 non-native trees at the Ojai Meadows Preserve as part of a greater conservation effort to restore oak woodlands and savannas in the Ojai Valley.
Trail User Etiquette

Due to an increasing interest in outdoor recreation, OVLC trails are receiving more traffic than ever before. OVLC trails are primarily multi-use trails, open to equestrians, mountain bikers, and hikers/runners. Please be courteous to other users, share the trail, and follow these guidelines when you are using OVLC trails:
More Than Just Your Pretty Views

From almost anywhere in Ojai, you can look out at the undeveloped hillsides and know you are home. In addition to conserving Ojai’s scenic backdrop, the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s protection and restoration of land has a myriad of benefits that go beyond beauty. The diverse and rich habitats that thrive in these open spaces provide the following essential ecosystem services that increase our resilience to a changing climate.