February Newsletter

Welcome to the Team

Last month VCRCD welcomed a new staff member, Mason Thurmond. Mason Thurmond is an environmental educator, researcher, and recent alumna of the California Climate Action Corps Fellows serving with the California Fire Safe Council. She spent over nine years educating youth in the outdoors, as well as a couple of years researching algae and honeybee learning at UC San Diego and agroecology at the Monteverde Institute in Costa Rica. Along with assisting VCRCD staff on a variety of programs, Mason is providing significant contributions and guidance to our wildfire programs.

Drought Relief Program for Small and Underserved Producers

With the ongoing drought crisis in California, farmers face increased costs ranging from higher water and energy bills, to installing new equipment. This is especially difficult for smaller farms, and farmers from BIPOC, immigrant, and other socially-disadvantaged farmers & ranchers. These farmers often fall through the cracks of traditional government aid so CARCD with funding from CDFA is stepping in to offer direct financial support to farmers who have experienced losses due to drought.

Learn More

Announcing the Ventura County Wildfire Coordinating Group

The Ventura County Wildfire Collaborative will be launching a Coordinating Group to help identify needs and gather input which will inform future projects and outreach for the Ventura County Wildfire Collaborative. If you or your organization are interested in becoming more involved with the Ventura County Wildfire Collaborative please sign up with the link below.

Ventura County Wildfire Speaker Series:

Prescribed Grazing in Ventura County

February 23, 2023 6pm - 7pm

Featuring Michael Leicht of Ventura Brush Goats and Cole Bush and Dylan Boeken of Shepherdess Land & Livestock Co.

Ventura Brush Goats is a family-owned weed abatement and soil improvement service based in Ventura County that grazes fire-breaks and eliminates invasive brush while restoring natural fertility with their goat herd. Shepherdess Land & Livestock is a 100% woman owned and operated business providing contract grazing services for vegetation management using holistic prescribed grazing methods with goats and sheep.

Come learn about how prescribed grazing can mitigate wildfires in a way that benefits soil health, native habitat, and water systems from local businesses right here in Ventura County!

Students Learn How to Use iNaturalist

The CNRA-funded Youth Access classes with Fillmore, Santa Paula and Piru Boys & Girls Clubs (BGC) continue with an indoor lesson on how to use iNaturalist to capture field observations of species. All ages caught on quickly, had many questions, and practiced indoors and out with the app. Photo taken at Fillmore BGC clubhouse classroom with Desirae and Heidi, educators from VCRCD.

Learn More About the iNaturalist

Improvements to Monarch Butterfly Sites

Deb and Desirae from RCD staff and loyal volunteer, Pat Malloy, met at Point Mugu State Park where VCRCD has a grant to improve the historic monarch butterfly overwintering site. Populations have gone down and VCRCD is improving sites to attract and retain overwintering monarchs by adding critical native flowering nectar plants for their nourishment. The photo shows the newly weeded nectar site near the campground. Even highly protected and maintained land parcels are homes for invasive plants.

If you love gardening and helping threatened pollinators consider becoming a pollinator protector and adopting one of our monarch locations. To learn more please email Heidi.Ortloff@vcrcd.org

Thank You To Our Community Partners

Much thanks goes out to Agromin for a generous donation of mulch that will help us tackle the deep weed seedbank at the Fillmore Hatchery Garden site.

Also, appreciation to Alonzo Landscaping, who went above and beyond when we asked them to complete a 100-ft ADA-accessible pathway to the garden so we can welcome all abilities to enjoy the native plants and wildlife species that will make it their home.

Home Wildfire Assessments

VCRCD staff and Wildfire Volunteer, Robin visited several properties throughout Ventura County last month in order to help homeowners identify potential ignition sources around their home. These assessments are free to homeowners!

Driving throughout Ventura County is one of the most enjoyable aspects of offering home assessments. Our volunteer Robin loved the view so much she snapped a few photos.

Request An Assessment

Learn About Home Ignition Zones

VCRCD offers several planting and weeding events throughout the year. To receive emails when these events arise please sign up at the link below.

Become a Volunteer

If you can't volunteer your time consider making a donation to the VCRCD. Donations can help pay for resources that may not be covered by grant funds.

Donate

VCRCD Has A Demonstration Garden

The VCRCD office is home to a wildfire demonstration garden. This garden provides examples of proper planting and home hardening techniques that can help protect your home.

Stop by our office or request a tour

Share This Email