OJAI WILD!
March 27, 2010

Mark your calendars for our third annual Ojai Wild! gathering on Saturday, March 27. Join us at the picturesque Diamond Hitch Camp along the foothills of the Los Padres National Forest for an afternoon of guided hikes, gourmet barbeque, benefit auction, live music, and presentation of the Wilderness Legacy Award. All proceeds benefit ForestWatch - this is our most important fundraiser of the year. See you at Diamond Hitch Camp!

Click here for event info.

 

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WILD & SCENIC ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL
presented by Ventura Hillsides Conservancy

March 12-13, 2010
Poinsettia Pavilion, Ventura

The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy will present the first-ever Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival in Ventura County in March 2010. The land trust has been awarded a grant from national tour sponsor Patagonia to present a program of beautiful and inspiring cinema highlighting environmental issues. The event will be held at the Poinsettia Pavilion in Ventura over the course of two evenings; Friday and Saturday, March 12-13, 2010 from 7 to 10 PM. Custom selections made by a Conservancy team and drawn from the 2010 National Tour will be screened in a program of films designed to motivate people to make a difference in their communities and around the world.

The event will involve a number of community partners, including the Ventura Visitors and Convention Bureau, the Ventura Film Society, the Ventura County Star, the Ventura County Reporter, and the Ventura Breeze. Several nonprofit organizations will host information booths at the event, including ForestWatch, which hosts the film festival in San Luis Obispo each year in October.

Film goers can join the Conservancy or purchase tickets from the Conservancy’s web site at www.venturahillsides.org . Tickets, only $10 per person per evening, are also available at the Ventura Visitors and Convention Bureau at 101 South California Street, Great Pacific Iron Works at 259 W. Santa Clara Street, Simone's Coffee & Tea at 7818 Telegraph Road and the Conservancy office located in the Poinsettia Pavilion. The price of a ticket can be applied toward a membership at the event.

At the festival, you will learn new ideas from a selection of inspiring environmental films with topics including wilderness preservation, water issues, citizen activism, and more. Everyone will experience the adrenalin of surfing the wildest rivers, climbing the highest peaks, and trekking across the globe with adventure films from around the world. You’ll explore conservation projects with leading environmental activists and professionals, filmmakers, and others. A full program listing will be released very soon.

 

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SPRING WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL & WINE TASTING
Saturday, March 20
Noon to 5pm
Cuyama Valley

Join our friends at Condor's Hope Ranch in the Cuyama Valley for their first Spring Wildflower Festival featuring a barbecue lunch, wine tasting and botanical tours.

Condor's Hope is a small family-owned vineyard nestled in Cottonwood Canyon, 40 miles east of Santa Maria. We combine ecological farming methods with old-world dry farming techniques in a head-pruned system that produces bold zinfandels, a hearty shiraz and delightful rosé.

The Spring Wildflower Festival includes wine tasting, a complimentary Condor's Hope wine glass, a glass of wine, a delicious barbecue lunch with choice of chicken or Portobello mushrooms; fresh garden salad; pinquito beans; and homemade sourdough bread served with Condor's Hope olive oil. We'll finish with a Dutch Oven "Cuyama River Mud Cake" drizzled with Condor's Hope zinfandel-chocolate wine sauce.

The festival includes a botanical tour of Cottonwood Canyon's wildflowers led by vineyard owner and California plant expert, Steve Gliessman. Above normal rainfall and ash fallout from last summer's La Brea fire promises a spectacular display!

Reservations are required and space is limited. Wine club members:$35.00*/person (up to 4 guests/member at this price.)
Non-members: $50.00* per person. RSVP by March 15. To make your reservations and for more information, visit www.CondorsHope.com

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Los Padres ForestWatch for preservation of condor habitat.
 

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CHAPARRAL, GRIZZLY BEARS and CONDORS
the secrets of Ojai's remarkable shrubland wilderness
presented by Richard W. Halsey

Saturday, February 20th from 3:30 - 6:30pm
Meet at the Riverview trailhead
(on Rice Road just south of El Roblar)

On Saturday, February 20th, the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy will host a two-part presentation by Richard Halsey, chaparral ecologist, writer, and director of the California Chaparral Field Institute. Halsey will lead a field excursion on the Ventura River Preserve at 3:30pm, then present "Chaparral, Grizzly Bears and Condors, the Secrets of Ojai's Remarkable Shrubland Wilderness" at the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy headquarters afterward.

Once home to the California grizzly bear and where the last California condors were able to hold off extinction, the chaparral remains one of the most misunderstood and underappreciated ecosystems on earth. Chaparral found in every county in the state, supports a wild variety of animals and plants, and is being threatened by too many fires. Protecting the chaparral is essential to preserve what is left of California's priceless biodiversity. Join this exciting exploration of the chaparral's unique natural history, discuss its fascinating wildlife populations, and discover why it represents such a vital link to nature for all Californians.

Ojai Valley Land Conservancy members will be admitted at no charge, a $10 donation is suggested for non members. To reserve your spot, call 805 649-6852 or email info@ovlc.org. Be sure to bring water, a snack, sunscreen, gloves and wear sturdy hiking shoes.

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October 9, 2009
FORESTWATCH PRESENTS: The Wild & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL
Spanos Theatre, SLO • Reception 6:30, Films 7:30

The largest environmental film festival in the U.S. is coming to San Luis Obispo! Join Los Padres ForestWatch as we host the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival on Tour at Cal Poly's beautiful Spanos Theatre on Friday evening, October 9, 2009.

The Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival brings together award-winning environmental and outdoor adventure films in a spirit of inspiration and education. It will leave you feeling inspired and motivated to go out and make a difference in your community and around the world.

This year's films were chosen from among the favorites at the annual film festival held in the Sierra Nevada foothills each January. The festival will also include a pre-film reception, raffle and information booths staffed by local nonprofit conservation organizations.

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JULY 9-12, 2009
CENTRAL COAST WINE CLASSIC
Avila Beach & Dolphin Bay Resorts
San Luis Obispo County

The 25th Annual Central Coast Wine Classic is our region's premier charitable benefit event, taking place over four days in July at various locations in San Luis Obispo. Proceeds from this year's event will benefit Los Padres ForestWatch and twelve other Central Coast nonprofit organizations.

The Wine Classic kicks off on Thursday, July 9 with a barrel tasting and dinners (including an exclusive dinner at Hearst Castle). Friday includes a bicycling event followed by wine symposiums and dinners at restaurants and wineries throughout SLO County. Saturday features the famed live and silent auctions offering some absolutely amazing and unique items including rare wines, local and international getaways, fine art, celebrity dinners, and more. A symposium and wine tasting round out the event on Sunday. Do not miss this opportunity to wine and dine like never before while supporting a cause that supports ForestWatch!

Click here to visit the official site of the Central Coast Wine Classic!

 

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APRIL 4, 2009
OJAI WILD! Creekside Barbeque and Benefit Auction
Diamond Hitch Camp, Thacher School

Gather with family and friends for our Second Annual celebration at Diamond Hitch Camp, a picturesque site near Thacher Creek along the foothills of the Los Padres National Forest. Enjoy a gourmet barbeque supper under the oaks, live bluegrass music, wagon rides and nature walks, followed by a spirited live auction and presentation of the Wilderness Legacy Award. Join us in celebrating the coming of Spring and the fifth anniversary of ForestWatch. See you there!

 

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FEBRUARY 24, 2009
Exploring Pinnacles National Monument: Crags, Caves, Condors, and More
REI Marina in Monterey County, 7:00 PM, free!

Its 36 miles of hiking trails, 800 established climbing routes, and campground offer hikers, rock climbers and wildlife enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy its diverse habitats. In tonight's slide presentation, Carl Brenner, Chief of Interpretation and Education at Pinnacles, will introduce you to the unique natural history and geology of the park, as he discusses great ways to get out and explore its 26,000 acres. Come find out best places for viewing spring wildflower displays and the endangered California condor, as well as the many bat and butterfly species, which make Pinnacles their home.

For more information, contact REI Marina at 831.883.8048
 

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NOW THRU FEBRUARY 10, 2009
Ancestral Landscapes: Photographs by Rick Bury
The Easton Gallery, Santa Barbara

The Ancestral Landscapes photographs are dedicated to exploring the connections between marks left by ancient people and the still breathing landscapes to which they are fixed. Rick Bury is project coordinator for the Rock Art Documentation Group, consultants in cultural resources management and preservation of rock art sites on public and military lands in California and the Southwest. As a photographer and rock art specialist, Rick Bury has traveled to remote locations throughout the world to document and preserve prehistoric rock art, including several sites in and around the Los Padres National Forest, the Carrizo Plain National Monument, and the Windwolves Preserve. His photographs have been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout California and Arizona.  In 1996 Rick was the first recipient of the American Rock Art Research Association's Oliver Award for rock art photography.

For more information, visit The Easton Gallery website.  Located at 557 Hot Springs Road in Santa Barbara, open weekends 1-5pm and by appointment.  (805) 969-5781

 

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FEBRUARY 14-15 (Sat-Sun), 2009
FENCE REMOVAL TO BENEFIT PRONGHORN ANTELOPE
Carrizo Plain National Monument

Show some love for the pronghorn on Valentine's Day weekend! A vast network of old ranching fences criss-cross the Carrizo Plain, and native pronghorn antelope are not able to jump over them. Join us to work on a fence removal project so that the pronghorn (North America's fastest land mammal) can run free on the plain. We'll also plan an optional hike for Saturday and/or Sunday afternoon. Work starts early Saturday morning, so many people arrive Friday evening and camp. Potluck Saturday night. More details will be provided to registered participants.
 

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FEBRUARY 17, 2009
Wildflowers of Monterey County: A Professional Photographer’s Perspective, a presentation by David Gubernick
REI Marina in Monterey County, 7-8:30pm, free!

Imagine the beauty of a grand landscape… or the extraordinary delicacy of a flower, seen up close. Award-winning nature photographer David Gubernick delights in revealing the magnificence of the natural world through his images. Join David for a visual feast of flowers, including sky lupines, red larkspur, poppies, and more. As David takes you to some of his favorite locations in Monterey County and beyond (Ventana Wilderness, Big Sur, Carmel Valley, the Gabilan Mountains, and the Indians), he’ll show you where to find great wildflower displays, which make spring outings so magical. Come learn helpful tips for photographing flowers at their best.

For more information, contact REI Marina at 831.883.8048

 

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FEBRUARY 21 (Sat), 2009
GROW SITE CLEANUP
Chews Ridge, Monterey Ranger District

Los Padres National Forest

Join our friends at the Ventana Wilderness Alliance as they clean up a former marijuana grow site in the Los Padres National Forest that is littered with trash, irrigation tubing, and old pesticide and herbicide containers. This site, in the Miller Fork drainage of the Carmel River, was eradicated by law enforcement in late September. Lots of trash and toxics were left on site, so in January, several volunteers began to clean it all up and there's still a lot of work to be done. They hope to return to the site again later in March to pack out all of the trash (50 backpack loads and counting) a half-mile to the mule staging area. The hike to the actual grow site is 4.5 miles round trip with about 1,000 feet of elevation gain and descent with some very steep sections. In the event of rain, this event will be rescheduled for the following Saturday, February 28. Photo by John Fedak.

 

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JANUARY 30, 2009
Fire and Chaparral: The Myths, the Reality and the Balancing Act

Blaksley Library, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Free Lecture

 

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden presents the first of its Brown Bag Lecture Series of 2009 on January 30 at 12:00 in the Blaksley Library.  Dr. Bob Muller, Director of Research will talk on Fire and Chaparral.  This free lecture will address issues relating to the wildland/urban interface, chaparral as an important and dynamic ecosystem, and its recovery following fire.

 

According to Dr. Muller, Santa Barbara’s chaparral is home to many endangered species. At least fifty of the 109 endangered plant species in Santa Barbara County occur in chaparral, including some found only in the foothills above Santa Barbara.  His talk will discuss ways of reducing the risk of fire while being sensitive to the unique and important ecosystems in our region, and avoiding illogical and impractical steps that are often taken regarding vegetation.

 

Dr. Muller received his PhD from Yale University in plant ecology.  He spent 24 years in the Department of Forestry at the University of Kentucky where he taught dendrology, forest ecology, and ecosystem analysis of forestry.  Muller is currently the Director of Research at the Botanic Garden and is the author of Trees of Santa Barbara.

 

For more information, contact the Botanic Garden at (805) 682-4726. 

 

JANUARY 31, 2009
REMEMBERING WILLIAM STAFFORD: A COMMUNITY READING
First Crossing Day Use Area, Paradise Road, Santa Barbara, Los Padres National Forest

You are cordially invited to our third annual reading to honor the life and work of William Stafford.

LOCATION: First Crossing Day-Use Area, Paradise Road, Los Padres National Forest. (In case of rain, indoors at the Los Prietos Ranger Station, also on Paradise Road.) No day-use fee or Adventure Pass is needed to attend.

SUMMARY: A chance to gather on the site of the Los Prietos Civilian Public Service Camp, where William Stafford served as a conscientious objector during World War II. Local poets Lois Klein and Phil Taggart will read a number of Stafford poems, and each of those attending are invited to read a favorite Stafford poem as well.

SPONSORS: Westmont College and The Friends of William Stafford

OF INTEREST: This past year saw the publication by Graywolf Press of ANOTHER WORLD INSTEAD: THE EARLY POEMS OF WILLIAM STAFFORD, 1937-1947, ed. Fred Marchant, which includes perhaps 40 poems that Stafford wrote at Los Prietos.

DIRECTIONS: Allow a half hour of driving time from Santa Barbara. From 101, take Hwy. 154 to the top of San Marcos Pass. Descend the other side of the pass 3.5 miles to Paradise Road and turn right. The First Crossing Day Use Area is 5.5 miles up Paradise Road, just past the Los Prietos Boys Camp. (The Los Prietos Ranger Station is a mile closer to Hwy. 154.)

CONTACT: Paul Willis
willis@westmont.edu
(805) 565-7174
 

SAT, OCT 18, 2008
BENEFIT: WILD & SCENIC ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL ON TOUR
San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly's Spanos Theatre
7:00pm
Tickets: $10
The largest environmental film festival in the U.S. is coming to San Luis Obispo! Join Los Padres ForestWatch when it hosts the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival on Tour at the Cal Poly Spanos Theatre on Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.

The Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival on Tour brings together award-winning environmental and outdoor adventure films in a spirit of inspiration and education. It will leave you feeling inspired and motivated to go out and make a difference in your community and around the world. The festival's first annual tour stop in San Luis Obispo includes seven films featuring topics such as sustainable farming, runaway oil development in rural communities, alternative fuels, whitewater kayaking and surfing, and restoring steelhead in our local rivers.

Click here for more information or to purchase tickets.

SAT, SEP 13, 2008
BENEFIT: VENTURA HILLSIDES MUSIC FESTIVAL
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura, 1-5pm (gates open at 11:30am)
Join ForestWatch at our booth at the fifth annual Ventura Hillsides Music Festival, an all-afternoon benefit concert for the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy. The afternoon will feature an all-star lineup of musical talent with Little Feat, Taj Mahal, and Mason Jennings, rounded out by Todd Hannigan and the Heavy 29s and Rey Fresco. Features family fun with food, drinks, educational displays from ForestWatch and other conservation organizations, and a children's area. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit the Ventura Hillsides website.

 

FRI, AUGUST 8, 2008
Thank Goodness It's Friday!
A Happy-Hour Gathering for ForestWatch Members and Supporters

Where: EDC Courtyard, 906 Garden Street @ Canon Perdido, downtown Santa Barbara

When: 5:30pm to 7:30pm

Cost: $10, includes two drinks, food, live music, and good company!

Come celebrate the peak of summer by joining ForestWatch as we sponsor EDC's monthly Thank Goodness It’s Friday (TGIF) celebration.

Guests may also enter a raffle for the chance to win some great items!

SAT, AUGUST 9, 2008
LECTURE: "Finding a Balance: Protecting Your Home From Wildfire While Still Enjoying the Chaparral" by Richard Halsey, Director, California Chaparral Institute

Where: San Luis Obispo, Cuesta College Student Center, Room 5402

When: 1pm to 2pm, with a docent-led tour of the garden's fire-resistant plants from 2:15 to 3:15pm.

Of all the distinct, natural communities in California, chaparral is the only one found throughout and is the only one that can be said to represent the state’s most characteristic wildland. Yet the chaparral ecosystem remains an unknown place to most. Few are aware that it was once the home of the California grizzly bear and provides a vital natural resource to our communities.

Chaparral is also inherently flammable. Since California has one of the most fire prone environments on earth, it is important to understand how to manage fire risk around your home if you live near a wildland area. A balance can be reached between fire risk reduction and the protection of natural resources if the entire fire safety equation is properly understood.

Come join renowned writer and biologist Richard W. Halsey as he shares with us the chaparral’s unique natural history, how to best protect your home from wildfire risk, and why the chaparral represents such a vital link to nature for all Californians.

Richard W. Halsey has taught natural science for more than 30 years, conducts research and educational programs through the California Chaparral Institute, and has been trained as a wildland firefighter. His most recent book is “Fire, Chaparral, and Survival in Southern California.”

 

MAR 29 - APR 27, 2008
EXHIBITION & ART SALE:
BACKCOUNTRY MAJESTY
a benefit for ForestWatch
Marcia Burtt Studio, downtown SB

The Oak Group, a collective of local artists who dedicate their work to the preservation of open space throughout the Central Coast, launches its 2008 season with landscape paintings of the varied and majestic backcountry of the Los Padres National Forest. This exhibition, titled "Backcountry Majesty," will begin with an artists' reception on Friday, March 28th, and then run through Sunday April 27th. Both the reception and exhibit will be held at the Marcia Burtt Studio in Santa Barbara, and the exhibit will be on display on weekends from 11 AM till 5 PM. Proceeds from the sale of the artwork will benefit Los Padres ForestWatch.

Through both the sale of their artwork and increased public awareness of the threats to natural lands throughout California, The Oak Group, in its 20 years of existence, has raised nearly $1.5 million for nonprofit organizations and helped preserve numerous ecologically-valuable lands, including the Carpinteria Bluffs, the Douglas Family Preserve, and the Sedgwick Ranch. We hope you will be able to join us for the reception on March 28th, and will find artwork that encourages and inspires the continued protection of the Los Padres National Forest.
 

APR 16, 2008
Rare Plants and Fire
Part Three in a Series on Fire Ecology in the Los Padres

7:00 p.m.
Botanic Garden Blaksley Library
1212 Mission Canyon Road
Santa Barbara
Free!

Los Padres ForestWatch, in conjunction with the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, is pleased to sponsor a three-part series: Fire Ecology in the Los Padres National Forest.

The first presentation in this series, Conifers and Fire, was held on February 20, 2008, and included talks by Dr. Bob Haller, Botanic Garden Research Associate and expert on conifer forests in California, and Mark Borchert of the US Forest Service, who has conducted extensive research on conifers in the Los Padres National Forest.

The second presentation in this series, Chaparral and Fire, featured a talk by Richard Halsey, director of the California Chaparral Institute.

The final presentation in this series, Rare Plants and Fire, is scheduled for April 16, 2008 and includes talks by Dr. Dieter Wilken, Vice President for Programs and Collections at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, and Dr. Lloyd Simpson, Forest Botanist for the Los Padres National Forest.

SAT, MAR 15, 2008
Habitat Restoration - Microtrash Cleanup in Condor Country

Whitaker Peak, near the Sespe Wilderness and the Ventura/LA county line at 10:00am

Biologists are concerned about large amounts of trash recently discovered in an area frequented by endangered California condors. Several condors have died or required surgery after ingesting these small trash fragments.

ForestWatch has organized a volunteer trash cleanup day on Saturday, March 15 at Whitaker Peak. We've already removed more than 400 pounds of tiny trash from this site - but there's still more work to be done. Join us! Call (805) 617-4610 or use our on-line volunteer form to sign up today.

Click here to read about last year's successful cleanups at this site!

NOV 11, 2007
PATAGONIA'S 14th ANNUAL SALMON RUN
A BENEFIT FOR LOS PADRES FORESTWATCH

Runners, walkers and families are invited to join Patagonia, Great Pacific Iron Works, Real Cheap Sports and a long list of co-sponsors for a 5K run/3K walk benefiting Los Padres ForestWatch! This morning of fun will include great prizes, post-race entertainment, environmental exhibits and refreshments for the whole family. The run takes place on a certified course along the Ventura River.

WHEN: Sunday Nov 11. Check in at 7:30am
           Race begins at 8:30am.

WHERE: Patagonia's upper parking lot
            (Main & Olive St), Ventura

COST: Adult pre-reg $25
          Students 17 & under $20
          Day-of-race $30
          Children 8 & under FREE

Paid registration includes a beautiful 100% organic cotton Salmon Run t-shirt, runner's bag and drawing ticket. Make checks payable to ForestWatch.

ANOTHER OPTION: A $35 contribution will cover your registration and also pay for a one-year membership with Los Padres ForestWatch. You'll get a race tshirt and runner's bag, and we'll kick in another 10 drawing tickets for some great prizes.

DEADLINE: Pre-registration must be postmarked by Wed, November 7. Click here to download and print the entry form.

PRIZES: Patagonia gear awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers in each age/gender category.

REFRESHMENTS: Yes, yum!

SILENT AUCTION & RAFFLE: An amazing array of offerings! Preview the beautiful artwork that will be auctioned off on race day by clicking here.  Everyone is eligible to win great prizes after the race. Entrants receive a ticket for the drawing. You may also purchase tickets. Proceeds will benefit ForestWatch.

INFO: Call Great Pacific Iron Works at 643-6074 for more info.

REGISTER TODAY! Click here for the entry form.

MON, NOV 19
LECTURE: Chaparral Fire Ecology
UCSB Marine Science Auditorium, Rm 1302, 6-7pm
The Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration continues its Fall restoration ecology seminar with a series of lectures on Chaparral Fire Ecology and Wildfire Management Issues in Southern California.

Lectures in the series include:

October 8 - Wayne Chapman, CCBER: Chumash use of fire to manage landscapes

October 15 - Rick Halsey, Ph.D. Chaparral Institute: Firefighting in
the chaparral: where scientific truth meets the fireline and Chaparral Ecology

October 22 - Jon Keeley, Ph.D, UCLA & USGS; Fire as an Ecosystem Process: Past, Present and Future.  Plants have evolved over hundreds of millions of years with fire.

October 29 - Scott Stephens, Ph.D.; UC Berkeley: Prescribed Fire and mastication in Northern California chaparral. Plant, invasive, and bird responses to treatments in three different seasons.

November 5- Marti Witter, Ph.D.; Fire Ecologist: Santa Monica Mountains Wildfire Management Plan Design and Considerations

November 19 - Jan Beyers; USFS - Responses of invasive and native
plant species to mechanical fuel reductions

November 26 - Lloyd Simpson; USFS: Zaca fire management, future and lessons learned

December 3 - Max Moritz, Ph.D.; UC Berkeley: Spatial patterns of fire in southern California shrublands and lessons learned


 

WED NOV 14
PRESENTATION: Return of the Condor
Borders Books, Santa Barbara
7:00pm

Return of the Condor is a riveting account of one of the most dramatic attempts to save a species from extinction in the history of modern conservation. Join the author, John Moir, for a book talk and signing. Downtown Santa Barbara, 900 State Street. For more info, call (805) 899-3668. Support ForestWatch - buy the book from our Trading Post by clicking here.

SUN, NOV 4
FIELD WORK: Microtrash Cleanup in Condor Country

Where: Sespe Wilderness,
Mt. Pinos Ranger District

When: all day

Biologists are concerned about large amounts of trash recently discovered in an area frequented by endangered California condors. Several condors have died or required surgery after ingesting these small trash fragments.

Click here for more info...

SAT & SUN, NOV 3-4, 2007
FIELD WORK: Arroyo Toad Habitat Conservation
Hardluck Campground, Los Padres National Forest

Our annual work in this special habitat takes place after the toads are hibernating for the winter. Visit beautiful Hardluck Campground, closed to the public, while day hiking the rugged and gorgeous Piru Creek drainage, in search of the invasive tamarisk plant, which we shall slay where we find it. The starry-starry night sky, toasty fire and live blue grass music will reset our souls for the holiday season ahead.

Off the I-5 Corridor in northern Ventura County. Sturdy kids and up welcome. Directions come out a few days before to registered participants. For more information, visit the Habitat Works website.

 

SAT, OCT 20, 2007
FIELD WORK: Tamarisk & Barbed Wire in Los Lobos Canyon at the Wind Wolves Preserve

We’ll be whacking tamarisk in Los Lobos Creek and
modifying fences for pronghorn reintroduction at the Wind Wolves Preserve, the largest private nature preserve on the West Coast (adjacent to the Los Padres National Forest in Kern County). We will provide drinking water, a barbeque dinner, and a warm campfire. Those who wish may camp at "The Crossing" in San Emigdio Canyon on Saturday night.

MEET AT 9:00am, at The Crossing. Please bring your lunch, a water bottle to keep hydrated, leather work gloves, sturdy boots, a good hat, and layered clothing.

YOU MUST RSVP BY THE MORNING OF October 18th, IF YOU WANT TO PARTAKE OF THE BARBECUE!! Call (661) 858-1115 or (661) 747-0374 to RSVP. Sponsored by Wind Wolves Preserve.

 

WED, OCT 10, 2007
PRESENTATION: THE EFFECTS OF THE ZACA FIRE
Faulkner Gallery, Santa Barbara Public Library, downtown SB
7:00pm, free
Join us for an evening of vivid photography and firsthand accounts of firefighting and restoration efforts in the aftermath of the Zaca Fire. On Wednesday, October 10th at 7:00 PM, Los Padres ForestWatch, a local nonprofit working to protect the Los Padres National Forest, is sponsoring a town meeting on the effects of the Zaca Fire on our local backcountry, wildlife, and watersheds. The event will take place at the Santa Barbara Public Library’s Faulkner Gallery, at 40 East Anapamu Street in downtown Santa Barbara.

The event will include talks by Ray Ford, one of our region's most noted backcountry enthusiasts, who documented the Zaca Fire first-hand in a series of captivating news reports. Forest Service wildlife and watershed experts will also discuss the impacts of the fire. This event is sponsored by Los Padres ForestWatch. For more information, call us at (805) 617-4610.

THU, SEP 27, 2007
PHOTO EXHIBIT: CONDORS ON THE COAST
Big Sur Lodge, 5:00 - 7:30pm, free
Join us for Condors on the Coast, a photographic exhibit by Daniel Bianchetta at the Big Sur Lodge, featuring 40 photographs of the California Condor along the Big Sur coastline. The reception at the Big Sur Lodge is hosted by Heller Estates Winery of Carmel Valley. Joe Burnett, Senior Biologist with the Ventana Wildlife Society, will talk about the condor reintroduction project at the reception. Nature photographer Daniel Bianchetta will also be present.

SUN, SEP 30, 2007
BENEFIT: VENTURA HILLSIDES MUSIC FESTIVAL
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura, 1-5pm (gates open at 11:30am)
Join ForestWatch at our booth at the fourth annual Ventura Hillsides Music Festival, an all-afternoon benefit concert for the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy. The reggae band Toots and the Maytals will lead an all-star lineup of musical talent, rounded out by Jack Johnson, Robert Cray Band, and Chris Pierce. Features family fun with food, drinks, educational displays from ForestWatch and other conservation organizations, and a children's area. For more info, visit the Ventura Hillsides website. This event is SOLD OUT!!

THU, OCT 4, 2007
LECTURE: CHUMASH ETHNOBOTANY
Fleischmann Auditorium, SB Museum of Natural History, 7:30pm, $10
Jan Timbrook is one of the leading experts in Chumash studies and ethnobiology. The publication of her book, Chumash Ethnobotany: Plant Knowledge Among the Chumash People of Southern California, (available at the ForestWatch Trading Post) represents a lifetime achievement. Based on three decades of research and illustrated with botanical watercolors by Oak Group artist Chris Chapman, this long-awaited book explores the fascinating relationships between native plants and the first people of the Santa Barbara region. Ms. Timbrook will describe some of the plants used by the first people of the Santa Barbara region. In one way or another, everything the Chumash people made involved plants. Traditional foods, medicine, clothing, tools and utensils, religious paraphernalia, and other items essential for existence were derived from the natural world. For tickets, call 805-682-4711 ext. 170 or go online to www.sbnature.org/tickets . Tickets will also be available at door.

 

SAT, SEP 22, 2007
Habitat Restoration - Microtrash Cleanup in Condor Country

Where: Whitaker Peak, near the Sespe Wilderness and the Ventura/LA county line.

When: 10:00am - ?

Cost: free!

Biologists are concerned about large amounts of trash recently discovered in an area frequented by endangered California condors. Several condors have died or required surgery after ingesting these small trash fragments.

ForestWatch has organized a volunteer trash cleanup day on Saturday, September 22 at Whitaker Peak.

Click here for more info...

SUNDAY, AUG 26
BENEFIT CONCERT - WILCO
Santa Barbara Bowl, 7:00pm

Los Padres ForestWatch, a nonprofit forest watchdog organization based in Santa Barbara, has been selected as the charity recipient for the Wilco concert on Sunday, August 26th, 2007 at the Santa Barbara Bowl.

Wilco is an American rock band formed in 1994 and based in Chicago.  The band's latest (and sixth studio) album, Sky Blue Sky, was released by Nonesuch Records in May of 2007 to their highest debuting U.S. chart position at #4 on the Billboard album chart and held the #1 spot on college radio for six straight weeks.  Sky Blue Sky follows the band’s 2004 record—the two-time Grammy Award-winning A Ghost is Born.

The "Wilco Show Posters for Charity" program donates all proceeds from sales of limited edition posters to local charities in select cities on the 2007 Sky Blue Sky Tour. Posters specific to the Santa Barbara show will be on sale at the concert and afterwards on the Wilco website at www.wilcoworld.net

FRI, JULY 13, 2007
Thank Goodness It's Friday (the 13th)!
A Happy-Hour Gathering for ForestWatch Members and Supporters

Where: EDC Courtyard, 906 Garden Street @ Canon Perdido, downtown Santa Barbara

When: 5:30pm to 7:30pm

Cost: $10, includes two drinks, food, live music, and good company!

Come celebrate the return of long, sunny Santa Barbara days by joining ForestWatch as we sponsor EDC's second Thank Goodness It’s Friday (TGIF) celebration.

Guests may also enter a raffle for the chance to win great items donated by Horny Toad, Transformative Healing Arts, Scott Chatenever, and Wilson Environmental Landscape Design, Inc.

SAT, JULY 14, 2007
Habitat Restoration - Microtrash Cleanup in Condor Country

Where: Whitaker Peak, near the Sespe Wilderness and the Ventura/LA county line.

When: 10:00am - ?

Cost: free!

Biologists are concerned about large amounts of trash recently discovered in an area frequented by endangered California condors. Several condors have died or required surgery after ingesting these small trash fragments.

ForestWatch has organized a volunteer trash cleanup day on Saturday, July 14 at Whitaker Peak in Ventura County.

Click here for more info...

LECTURE & SLIDE SHOW:
RETURN OF THE CONDOR
Wednesday, May 23 at 7:30pm, free
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Farrand Hall, 2559 Puesta del Sol, SB

Award-winning science writer John Moir will tell the riveting story of the California condor's dramatic rescue from the brink of extinction. By 1982 the bird's numbers had fallen to just 22 individuals. Moir, who is author of the new book Return Of The Condor: The Race To Save Our Largest Bird From Extinction, will recount how a remarkable team of scientists carried out a plan to save the species that flew in the face of traditional condor conservation methods. The presentation includes rare photos that take you deep inside the world of the condor and the biologists who are working to save this iconic bird. Moir will also discuss the current effort in California to require the use of alternative ammunition to replace lead bullets that are harmful to condors, other wildlife, and humans.

John Moir has written about the condor recovery effort for years and is a member of the National Association of Science Writers and the Northern California Science Writers Association.  For more information, visit www.returnofthecondor.com

This book is available for purchase at the online ForestWatch Trading Post. Click here to buy. Proceeds help protect condor habitat in the Los Padres National Forest.

PUBLIC HEARING: DIAMOND ROCK SAND & GRAVEL MINE
Wednesday, May 30 at 9:00am
Santa Barbara County Planning Commission
Betteravia Government Center, 511 E Lakeside Pkwy, Santa Maria

At this special public hearing, the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission will consider approving the controversial Diamond Rock Sand & Gravel Mine and Processing Facility. The proposed mine could send up to 138 trucks per day through the heart of the Los Padres National Forest on Scenic Highway 33. Help us pack the hearing room with concerned residents and forest users during a lively and exciting hearing!

EARTH DAY 2007

Visit us at the ForestWatch booth during one of the following Earth Day events around the forest:

Ojai - Sunday, April 15 from 11am to 4pm
The Oak Grove School, 220 W. Lomita Ave
Join us for environmental, educational and wellness exhibits, an arts & crafts marketplace, and hands-on art and action activities—like a climbing wall and bio-balloon toss, and petting zoo. Visit the sustainable demonstration gardens, learn about solar energy, and enjoy live entertainment from two stages. Meet the Ojai Green Coalition and learn how Ojai is thinking and acting green. Plus you’ll find world foods, massage & yoga, a silent auction, student art market, an eco-vehicle showcase and much more!

San Luis Obispo - Saturday, April 21 from 10am to 4pm, Mission Plaza
Earth Day Alliance invites businesses, government agencies, schools, nonprofit groups, artist, authors, and individuals to join the celebration with an exciting fun-filled educational fair for the community. We invite you to present your concerns and offer solutions as an exhibitor or vendor. Event includes kids' zone, food booths, entertainment, and information booths.

Santa Barbara - Sunday, April 22 from 10am to 5pm, Courthouse Gardens
The best of the fest returns again this year, from a fun and educational children's activity area to live music from the solar-powered stage. Event includes a green car show, alternative energy village, booths and informational displays, live music, free bike checkups, and more.

Ventura - Sunday, April 22, 2007 from 11am to 3pm, Patagonia's Great Pacific Iron Works
The Great Pacific Iron Works store is hosting several informational booths for their 2006 grantees, including ForestWatch. Join us during store hours, find out more about our work, and grab some gear or clothing to prepare for your summer adventures.

MARCH 31 - APRIL 1, 2007

Habitat Restoration Work

Bittercreek National Wildlife Refuge

The Bittercreek National Wildlife Refuge is a condor sanctuary along the northern boundary of the Los Padres National Forest in the Cuyama Valley, and is an integral part of the California Condor Recovery Program. We have the opportunity to work in this spectacular habitat, removing old cattle fencing so wildlife can run free, posting new signs on existing poles, and clearing a section of vital watershed of tamarisk, an invasive weed.

This is a good one for your 4WD vehicles, (though 4WD is not required) camping gear and desire to help wildlife on this significant refuge. We'll be camping under the stars in a beautiful, rugged canyon, catching wildlife on the run and taking in nature's wildflower passion.

Between Pine Mtn. Club & Maricopa. Directions come out a few days before the event to registered participants. Sturdy teens and up welcome. This event is sponsored by Habitat Works of Southern California.

MARCH 24, 2007
BUS TRIP: CARRIZO PLAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT
Leaving Santa Barbara at 8:00am, returning around 6:30pm
Leaving Los Olivos at 9:00am, returning around 5:30pm
Cost: $60 members, $80 nonmembers, includes bus, picnic, and assorted snacks and beverages along the way.

Travel with other friends of Los Padres ForestWatch and the Wildling Art Museum in an air-conditioned bus from either Santa Barbara or Los Olivos to visit the Carrizo Plain National Monument, a unique desert-like ecosystem of some 250,000 acres adjacent to the Los Padres National Forest in southeastern San Luis Obispo county. The trip will include a stop at the Salisbury Canyon Ranch in Cuyama, a stop at the CPNM Visitor Center where we will enjoy a picnic lunch, a visit to Painted Rock, "one of the more significant examples of Native American rock painting in the world," as well as a visit to the historic Goodwin Ranch, now managed by the Nature Conservancy, as well as unscheduled stops along the way for photographing wildflowers and other interesting flora and fauna.

This trip is full. Call the Wildling Museum at (805) 688-1082 to get your name on the waiting list.

MARCH 24-25, 2007

Pronghorn Antelope Protection

Carrizo Plain National Monument,  Camp Selby campground

Join us in this remote area by removing fencing to benefit the beautiful pronghorn antelope. Work hard Saturday, enjoy the Carrizo Plain National Monument on Sunday. Bring food, water, heavy leather work gloves, camping gear. Potluck dinner Saturday night. Contact project leaders and ForestWatch members Cal & Letty French for more information at ccfrench@tcsn.net
 

JANUARY 30, 2007
TOWN MEETING: STOP THE TRUCKS!
Chaparral Auditorium, 414 E. Ojai Ave, Ojai
7:00pm, free

JANUARY 27, 2007
CARRIZO PLAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Carrisa Elementary School, Hwy 58 in SLO County
10am to 5pm

The Carrizo Plain National Monument Advisory Committee will meet January 27, 2007, at the Carrisa Elementary School to discuss management planning for the monument and other issues.

The school is located approximately two miles northwest of the Soda Lake Road turn-off on Highway 58. The meeting will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be a public comment period from 3 to 4 p.m. Please bring a sack lunch.

The nine-member committee advises the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Land Management, on a variety of public land issues associated with the public land management in the Carrizo Plain National Monument in Central California. At this meeting, monument staff will present updated information on the progress on the draft Carrizo Plain National Monument Resource Management Plan, and discuss other coordination opportunities. This meeting is open to the public, who may present written or verbal comments.

JANUARY 27, 2007
REMEMBERING WILLIAM STAFFORD: A COMMUNITY READING
First Crossing Day Use Area, Paradise Road, Santa Barbara, Los Padres National Forest

2:00 pm, Saturday, January 27, free

Featured Readers: PERIE LONGO and JACKSON WHEELER

Members of the audience are also invited to read their favorite Stafford poems.

Sponsors: The Friends of William Stafford, Westmont College, and Poets & Writers, Inc.

Host: Paul Willis (willis@westmont.edu)

Directions: From Hwy. 101 in Santa Barbara, turn onto Hwy 154 and travel N over San Marcos Pass; 2.7 mi beyond the pass, turn right on Paradise Road and continue 5.3 mi E to the day use area, which is on the left. The site is just 0.1 mi past the entrance to the Los Prietos Boys Camp, 3900 Paradise Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. The reading will take place at a large collection of picnic tables on the far side of the day use area.

Driving time from Santa Barbara: 30 minutes. Bring cushions and blankets, as seating will be on concrete benches. Hot drinks will be provided. The reading will last about an hour.

By arrangement with the USFS, no Adventure Pass is needed for this event.

William Stafford (1914-1993) was born in Kansas and spent most of his adult life as a poet and teacher at Lewis and Clark College in Oregon. He won the National Book Award in 1963 and served as Poet Laureate of the United States from 1970-1971. As a conscientious objector, he also served his country for the duration of World War II in civilian public service camps, spending much of that time at the Los Prietos camp in Los Padres National Forest, where he built trails and fought fires. The First Crossing Day Use Area is located on the site of the old Los Prietos camp.

Each year, the Friends of William Stafford rolls out the red carpet to celebrate the late poet's birthday (January 17, 1914) with a full month of Birthday Celebration Readings. These events are held in communities throughout the country, and each year more are added. Free and open to the public, they offer literary friends, old and new, a chance to share in the spirit of William Stafford. Most events feature guest poets.