Magazine: Conservancy Times

FALL 2014

Catalina: The Wild Side ARTISTS CAPTURE ISLAND’S CONSERVATION PAGE 2

Message from the President

Most of us who know and love the Island have our own Catalina story. Like most, my Catalina story starts with boarding a boat, where I begin to relax as my mind’s eye quickens. It is always the beginning of an adventure, the leaving behind of one world and the embracing of another.

Conservancy Times is a biannual publication of the Catalina Island Conservancy, a 501c(3) nonprofit organization established in 1972 to protect and restore Catalina Island for present and future generations to experience and enjoy.

One of California’s oldest private land trusts, the Conservancy protects the magnificent natural and cultural heritage of Santa Catalina Island, stewarding approximately 42,000 acres of land and 62 miles of rugged shoreline. Twenty miles from the mainland, Catalina Island is home to more than 60 plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world.

The Conservancy operates the Airport in the Sky, Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden, two nature centers and campgrounds. It provides 50 miles of biking and nearly 150 miles of hiking opportunities within its road and trail system.

For additional information, please visit catalinaconservancy.org

When I first came to the Island as a marine ecology graduate student, Catalina provided lifechanging experiences as I was both challenged and rewarded in many ways: physically with a rigorous underwater field research program; intellectually with my course work, research and teaching responsibilities; and, perhaps most importantly, emotionally as I was lucky enough to meet my life partner, Jack, and begin my leadership journey as the Director of the Wrigley Marine Science Center.

Like many of you, I have had many adventures and created fond memories with family, friends and colleagues on Catalina Island. For generations, Catalina has inspired artists, writers, scientists, adventurers and explorers. So join me as we are inspired by the many stories in this issue of Conservancy Times.

From the important work of the Conservancy’s dedicated wildlife biologists, whose innovative bison management is protecting the herd and the Island, to the awe-inspiring works created by

BENEFACTORS Paxson H. Offield, Chair Anthony F. Michaels, PhD Maria Pellegrini, PhD Alison Wrigley Rusack BOARD OF DIRECTORS John P. Cotton, Chair Stephen Chazen, PhD, Vice Chair Victoria Seaver Dean, Past Chair Ann M. Muscat, PhD, President and CEO Norris Bishton Robert Breech Gordon T. Frost, Jr. Henry Hilty Kellie Johnson Marie Knowles Roger Lang George Pla Geoffrey Claflin Rusack

EMERITUS Rose Ellen Gardner Robert Thorne, PhD EXECUTIVE TEAM Ann M. Muscat, PhD President and CEO Joe Kalla Chief Operating Officer

plein air painters, who are capturing the Island’s Conservancy-led restoration in their art, this issue tells some of their Catalina stories. We invite you to see how the artists tell their own stories through their paintings at Catalina: The Wild Side Art Show & Sale on October 26 in Balboa.

In this issue, we also describe how we are creating the future of the Conservancy with Imagine Catalina, a long-range strategic vision and master plan. Developed over several years of study and planning, Imagine Catalina serves as a blueprint for the future of the Conservancy. It aspires to use the good work, resources and success of the past 42 years to serve as a sustainable model for conservation in a lived landscape.

We’re also recounting our work over the past year in a new and more engaging Annual Report. For the first time ever, we included the Annual Report in the Conservancy Times so that it will reach far more readers than in the past, and we are using infographics to convey our accomplishments.

As always, you are an integral part of the Conservancy’s past and its future. Your support is essential to the important mission we share on the Island we all love. Once again, thank you for your dedication and your passion for Catalina Island and the Conservancy. Please let us know how you think we’re doing.

Ann M. Muscat, PhD President and CEO

CONTACT US P.O. Box 2739, Avalon, CA 90704 310-510-2595 330 Golden Shore, Suite 170 Long Beach, CA 90802 562-437-8555 catalinaconservancy.org islaearth.org

Larry L. Lloyd Chief Finance & Business Development Officer

EDITORS Bob Reid Laura Mecoy

John J. Mack Chief Conservation & Education Officer

GRAPHIC DESIGN Robin Weisz Design

Bob Reid Chief Development & Communications Officer Lisa Moss Director, Human Resources

Conservancy Times is printed on Endeavour gloss, which is Forest Stewardship Councilcompliant and made from 30% post-consumer recycled fiber and is chlorine free. Endeavour is produced following the quality and environmental management standards set forth by the International Organization for Standardization via a “clean” mill with a sustainability charter.

Printed using soy-based inks.

F O LLOW U S ON :

COVER PHOTO: JACK BALDELLI

W

e are by nature storytellers. We tell each other about our work, our families, our dreams and our aspirations.

CONTENTS F E ATURES

Catalina: The Wild Side Join us on October 26 to see how 10 talented plein air painters have captured the Island’s magnificent natural heritage in works of art.

PA G E

2

Imagine Catalina Building on the Conservancy’s work, this long-term strategic vision and master plan imagines how the organization can evolve to best serve the Island and the broader community.

PA G E

6 Protecting the Herd Having proven the Conservancy’s leading-edge bison contraception program can prevent births, biologists are now testing to see if they can reverse its effects to sustain the herd.

12

PA G E

Special Insert Our 2013 Annual Report highlights the Conservancy’s accomplishments during the past year.

DE PART ME NT S NATURE’S NOTEBOOK

Restoring Catalina’s Native Habitats

14

VOLUNTEERS

A Life of Giving

Not a member of the Catalina Island Conservancy?

Don’t miss out on the opportunities and adventure.

Join today!

Help us to preserve this great natural resource.

Go to: catalinaconservancy.org or call 562-437-8555 ext. 224

EDUCATION

Keck Foundation Launches NatureWorks Program

17

CONSERVANCY CELEBRATION

Preparations Begin for the 20th Annual Ball

18

Leaving a Legacy to Catalina

10

Donor Honor Roll

11

Conservancy Calendar 20

PHOTOS: JACK BALDELLI, LAURA MECOY

BECOME A CONSERVANCY MEMBER

16

Catalina: The Wild Side Artists Capture Island’s Conservation

From depicting waves crashing on a secluded beach to a quiet scene of dappled hillsides, the collection of plein air paintings displayed at the Conservancy’s May 17th Catalina: The Wild Side Solo Salon encompassed the breadth and beauty of the Island’s wildlands.

T

PHOTOS: JACK BALDELLI, LAURA MECOY

hey were the work of one artist, John Budicin, a master of the plein air style who has been traveling from his San Bernardino home to Catalina to paint for more than 15 years. The soft-spoken painter told guests attending the salon in Avalon that Catalina has cast its spell on him.

“After 15 years, you think you don’t want to go back to Catalina,” Budicin said. “But I love Catalina. It keeps drawing me back here.”

Catalina’s appeal to Budicin is apparent in both his art and his participation in Catalina art shows over the past 15 years. He will be back on October 26 as one of ten featured artists presenting their work at the Catalina: The Wild Side Art Show & Sale at Newport Harbor Yacht Club.

Now in its fourth year, this is the first year the show will be held on the mainland. In addition to Budicin, the show will highlight new Catalina Island works of nationally-renowned plein air artists Kenn Backhaus, Bye Bitney, John Cosby, Andy Evansen, Kim Lordier, Joe Paquet, Jesse Powell, Matt Smith, and Kate Starling.

Plein air, a French term which means “in the open air,” is painting nature while being in nature. The artists participating in Catalina: The Wild Side Art Show & Sale are providing a rare and beautiful portrait of the Conservancy’s protection and restoration of the Island.

“This is an exceptional opportunity to preserve a rich visual history of the Island’s conservation for this generation and future generations to enjoy,” said Ann M. Muscat, PhD, the Conservancy’s president and CEO. “We are fortunate to have such nationally acclaimed artists participating in our annual Catalina: The Wild Side Art Show & Sale.”

In a unique use of art for conservation’s sake, proceeds from the sales of the artworks benefit the Conservancy, including establishing a permanent collection of plein air art that documents the organization’s conservation efforts and progress in habitat restoration. Many of the

2

Plein air painter John Budicin explains his art to the Conservancy’s guests at the May 17 Salon.

CATALINA ISLAND CONSERVANCY

“This is an exceptional opportunity to preserve a rich visual history of the Island’s conservation for this generation and future generations to enjoy.”

Ann M. Muscat, PhD Conservancy’s president and CEO

paintings acquired during previous shows are on display for the public in the Conservancy’s Nature Center in Avalon Canyon.

CONTRIBUTING TO CONSERVATION

For the artists, Catalina: The Wild Side gives them an opportunity to contribute to conservation as well. Matt Smith, a signature member of the Plein Air Painters of America, said his participation “can bring attention to environmentally sensitive areas like Santa Catalina Island.”

He pointed out that landscape artist Thomas Moran’s paintings of Yosemite and Yellowstone in the early 1900s “helped give birth to one of our greatest assets, our national park system.”

Kate Starling, an oil painter who lives and works in the canyons of southern Utah, sees her art as an opportunity to help advance conservation in her own “small way.”

“Catalina: The Wild Side and the Catalina Island Conservancy were a perfect fit for me as a painter and as someone who cares about the Island,” she said.

Kim Lordier, a northern Californian who came to Catalina for the first time last year to create her pastel plein air art, said “the opportunity to paint the protected lands of this Island is an honor—a slice of California in her natural finery, where artists have captured her grandeur and intimate nooks for over 100 years.”

For the artists, the partnership with the Conservancy also gives them unique access to the Island. The Conservancy and its volunteers provide transportation to the wildlands, where the artists can accurately document the Island’s restoration and experience its wildlife firsthand.

Andy Evansen, the first watercolorist to participate in Catalina: The Wild Side, enjoyed a brief encounter with the elusive Catalina Island fox when one appeared just in time to become part of his painting.

CONSERVANCY TIMES

FALL 2014

3

PHOTOS: JACK BALDELLI

PORTRAYING THE WILDLANDS & WILDLIFE

Catalina: The Wild Side continued from page 3

Evansen said he had left one area of the canvas blank, planning to finish it last because it was a simple rock formation. Then, the fox wandered into the scene in front of those rocks. If he had painted the rocks earlier, he said he would not have been able to include the fox because watercolor does not allow for painting over an area.

“The Island is such a special place and trying to capture its beauty in a painting is a challenge that I find very rewarding,” the Minnesotan said. “I’m inspired by how many people truly care about the legacy of

the Island and their efforts to preserve it for future generations. Combining two of my passions, art and environmental conservation, makes Catalina: The Wild Side my favorite exhibition of the year.”

Joe Paquet, who also lives in Minnesota, recently had his first close encounter with one of Catalina’s iconic bison. The award-winning painter said he was so absorbed in his painting that he did not realize a bison had come within a few feet of him—until he heard the massive animal snorting and pawing the ground.

Paquet avoided eye contact and stood very still—as he had been told to do.

Within minutes, the encounter was over, and Paquet returned to his painting. But he has never forgotten this face-to-face encounter with the shaggy behemoth.

The artist has been painting Catalina since 1997, and he has seen significant changes in the landscape and the wildlife.

“The Conservancy has done really amazing things,” he said. “The Island has been really lucky to have the Conservancy here.”

THE ARTISTS Catalina: The Wild Side Art Show & Sale will feature works by the following plein air artists: KENN BACKHAUS Robesonia, PA

 Grew up on the family farm in Wisconsin and love of nature is the catalyst for his art  Signature Member of the Oil Painters of America and the Plein Air Painters of America; President of the Plein Air Painters of America from 2000 to 2001  Catalina: The Wild Side Featured Artist since 2011

BYE BITNEY

JOHN COSBY

ANDY EVANSEN

 Fourth generation Montanan

N ative of Southern California, worked with the White House as a communications advance man from the Nixon administration through the Ford administration

 Largely self-taught watercolorist with paintings featured in American Artist Watercolor, International Artist and American Art Collector magazines

Somers, MT

 Largely self-taught painter with a keen draftsman’s eye  Catalina: The Wild Side Featured Artist in 2011 and 2013

JOHN BUDICIN

San Bernardino, CA  Born in Italy, moved to Southern California at age 11, former freelance illustrator  Signature Member of the Plein Air Painters of America; President of the Plein Air Painters of America from 2005 to 2007

San Clemente, CA

 Founding Member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, Signature Member of the California Art Club and a founder of the Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational held at the Laguna Art Museum

Vermillion, MN

 Signature Member of the Plein Air Painters of America and Past President of the Minnesota Watercolor Society  Catalina: The Wild Side Featured Artist since 2012

C atalina: The Wild Side Featured Artist since 2011

 Catalina: The Wild Side Featured Artist since 2011 4

CATALINA ISLAND CONSERVANCY

JOIN US!

Catalina: The Wild Side Art Show & Sale

DATE: Sunday, October 26

TIME:

1:30–3:00 p.m. VIP Preview Reception 3:00–5:30 p.m. Show & Sale

PLACE:

Newport Harbor Yacht Club 720 West Bay Avenue Balboa, CA 92661

TICKETS: VIP Reception & Show $140 Conservancy Members $150 General Admission

Art Show Only $40 Conservancy Members $50 General Admission

REGISTRATION: catalinaconservancy.org 562-437-8555 ext. 239

New this year  New Location—Newport Harbor Yacht Club  VIP Preview with artists and an exclusive opportunity to purchase artists-selected works before the show

JOE PAQUET

 Native of San Francisco and graduate of the Academy of Art University

 Graduate of the School of Fine Arts in New York

Saint Paul, MN

San Francisco, CA

 Artist Member of the California Art Club, Signature Member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association and the Pastel Society of America and Distinguished Pastelist in the Pastel Society of the West Coast  Catalina: The Wild Side Featured Artist since 2013

 Signature Member of the Plein Air Painters of America and the Salmagundi Club, Out-of-State Artist Member of the California Art Club

MATT SMITH Scottsdale, AZ

 Born in Missouri, moved to Arizona and later lived in France and Switzerland

JESSE POWELL

 Inspired by the landscapes of the American West and has been painting Catalina for more than 20 years

Pacific Grove, CA

 Artist Member of the Oil Painters of America and the American FALL 2014

N ew Catalina: The Wild Side Artist

 Catalina: The Wild Side Featured Artist since 2011

 Third generation artist, son of artist John Powell

CONSERVANCY TIMES

Impressionist Society, Signature Member of the California Art Club and the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association

 Catalina: The Wild Side Featured Artist since 2011

KATE STARLING Rockville, UT

G eologist turned award-winning oil painter M ember of the Plein Air Painters of America  New Catalina: The Wild Side Artist PHOTOS: JACK BALDELLI

KIM LORDIER

 Signature Member of the Plein Air Painters of America 5

IMAGINE CATALI A STRATEGIC VISION AND MASTER PLAN

6

INA

IMAGINE CATALINA is the Catalina Island Conservancy’s long-range strategic vision and master plan. Developed over several years with expert guidance and a wide-range of feedback from Island residents, partners and others, Imagine Catalina builds on the Conservancy’s work of the past 42 years. It imagines how the organization can evolve and advance its expertise, experience and resources to serve the Island and a greater good beyond its shores through the following four goals:

PHOTOS: JACK BALDELLI

1

Protect and restore Catalina Island by modeling SCIENCE-BASED CONSERVATION in a lived landscape

As steward for nearly 90% of Catalina, the Conservancy has made remarkable progress in protecting and restoring the land under its stewardship. Its staff—in partnership with some of the world’s most dedicated and able scientists, conservation managers and volunteers—has identified the most significant threats to Catalina’s plants and animals and worked diligently to address and eliminate them.

“We have brought the endangered and endemic Catalina Island fox back from the brink of extinction, helped to reintroduce bald eagles to the skies above Catalina and removed thousands of invasive plants that were choking out native Island chaparral populations,” said Ann M. Muscat, PhD, the Conservancy’s president and CEO. “All of this work has been done in the context of a lived landscape—from thousands of years ago when up to 4,000 Tongva Native Americans lived on the land to today when 4,000 residents live on the Island and almost a million visit each year.”

But much more remains to be accomplished, and Imagine Catalina provides the roadmap for addressing the challenges ahead—from climate change to managing the urban-wildland interface and sharing these best practices and lessons learned with other organizations and conservation managers.

CONSERVANCY TIMES

FALL 2014

7

2

Train today’s and tomorrow’s stewards of the natural world through LIFELONG LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Mobile Nature Station

3

Connect people to the land and sea through NATURE-BASED RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Hiking, biking, camping and other recreational opportunities in Catalina’s wildlands provide a vital connection to nature. From the Island’s quiet coves to its stunning ridge-top vistas, the sights, sounds and experiences inspire and create understanding for the long-term protection and restoration of one of the world’s great living laboratories.

Imagine Catalina envisions ways to make these experiences more accessible and more meaningful, ranging from improved campgrounds along the Trans-Catalina Trail to the Trailhead, a new portal for visiting the wildlands. The Trailhead will be located at the site of Avalon’s former Catherine Hotel. It will be designed to inform and educate the public about Catalina’s ecological treasures, its important conservation programs and the opportunities to explore the Island’s wildlands.

PHOTOS: JACK BALDELLI, ALEXA JOHNSON

The Conservancy is focused on the present and the future, arming visitors and residents with knowledge about the Island’s ecology and natural history through its Naturalist Training program, nature centers, trained naturalists and the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden.

The Conservancy launched the Mobile Nature Station in 2012 as its first Imagine Catalina initiative to reach more people in different locations on the Island.

Staffed by naturalists, this movable outpost features interactive displays and information on Catalina’s unique plants, animals and conservation programs.

The Conservancy also has initiated NatureWorks (See story on page 17), a K-12 career track program in ecotourism in partnership with the Avalon schools that will prepare the next generation of Island stewards. And it is moving forward with a proposed project to turn the historic Eagle’s Nest Lodge into an interpretive and educational hub for hikers and visitors to Catalina’s wildlands.

Imagine Catalina creates a framework for naturebased education for people of all ages and all stages of understanding to learn about the natural world and island ecologies.

8

CATALINA ISLAND CONSERVANCY

“Through IMAGINE CATALINA, the Conservancy has articulated its vision for a future that will demonstrate that lifelong learning, enriched experiences in nature and science-based conservation can come together to protect and enhance the beauty and ecological health of our environment.”

Ann M. Muscat, PhD Conservancy’s president and CEO

4

MODEL SUSTAINABILITY in facilities, operations and finances so that the long-term protection and enjoyment of Catalina is ensured

The Conservancy’s sustainability as an organization is based on its entrepreneurial spirit and unique business model. It has strengthened and expanded its financial base through its fundraising and the growth of its income-producing activities, such as its Jeep® Eco Tours. Due to its unique financial model, 100% of charitable giving goes directly to support programs in conservation, education and recreation.

The Conservancy is also modeling sustainability in its programs and facilities. The Trailhead will be Avalon’s first LEED certified building. It has conducted sustainability assessments of camps and coves, and it has implemented changes to conserve energy and water in its facilities. With Imagine Catalina, modeling sustainability and achieving the other goals in the strategic vision and master plan will continue to be the guiding forces in charting the Conservancy’s course in future years.

“Imagine Catalina is about California as it once was, and California as it can be,” said Muscat. “Catalina is at the leading edge of a grand experiment to demonstrate how people and nature can thrive together and create a model for ecological and economic sustainability. We urge you to join us in realizing this vision of a healthier future for Catalina Island and the world by enabling nature and people to thrive together.”

CONSERVANCY TIMES

FALL 2014

Artist’s rendering of the proposed Trailhead in Avalon

IMAGINING the Future The Catalina Island Conservancy launched a comprehensive strategic planning process several years ago in which it:

▶▶Engaged some of the nation’s leading experts in land management and sustainable design

▶▶Convened a wide range of people, including Island residents and partners and other nonprofit organizations

▶▶Developed Imagine Catalina, a long-range strategic vision and master plan, to guide the future of the Conservancy

Artist’s rendering of the proposed Eagle’s Nest Lodge at Middle Ranch 9

Legacy

CREATE A CATALINA ISLAND

T

he late Carroll L. Grace made a very generous donation to the Catalina Island Conservancy as part of her estate plan. She designated the Conservancy to receive a share of the funds remaining in her IRA account after her passing.

Designating the Conservancy as an IRA beneficiary is a quick and easy way to make a bequest. Many times people have sufficient retirement income from other sources and IRAs are not tapped and continue to grow. If circumstances change, beneficiaries can be easily changed and having the Conservancy as a beneficiary does not prevent the use of the IRA during the donor’s lifetime.

“Carrol Grace loved Catalina and, like many others, left a living legacy by designating the Conservancy to receive a portion of her estate,” said Bob Reid, the Conservancy’s chief development and communications officer. “By remembering the Conservancy in their estate plans, these generous donors have helped restore and protect Catalina. In this way, anyone who loves Catalina can leave an enduring legacy for their children and future generations to enjoy. After all, what better legacy than knowing you are securing the future of the Island we all treasure?”

“Carrol Grace loved Catalina and, like many others, left a living legacy by designating the Conservancy to receive a portion of her estate.”

HOW TO CREATE YOUR LEGACY Gift, estate and legacy planning is an extraordinarily flexible and simple way to meet your philanthropic goals. It may also provide tax advantages for you or your heirs. Please consult a financial advisor to determine your individual tax benefits. There are many ways to designate a share of your estate to the Conservancy, including: Designating a gift to the Conservancy in your will. This allows you to support its work without parting with assets today. It is simple to set up, the amount can be changed at any time and the donation could provide estate tax relief.

Designating a portion of your retirement plan assets or life insurance to benefit the Conservancy. The advantages of this approach include: you can leave other, less-taxed assets to your family and you can change your mind at any time.

Donating stock, savings bonds, real estate or other holdings to the Conservancy. There may be tax benefits, depending on the size of your estate.

Setting up a charitable remainder trust in which you can receive income each year for the rest of your life from the assets—cash, stock or real estate—you give to the remainder trust. After your lifetime, the remaining balance of your gift supports the Conservancy’s mission.

Arranging a charitable gift annuity in which the Conservancy makes fixed annual payments to you, or someone you name, for life.

Payments are based on your age on the date of the gift. After your lifetime, the remaining balance of your gift supports the Conservancy.

Some advantages to this approach include a partial charitable deduction when you itemize, payments for life (starting now or deferred) and capital gains income reportable over your life expectancy.

The Conservancy will work with your advisor to help develop the best plan that works for you. For more information, please call Bob Reid at 562-437-8555 ext. 228.

Leave your own lasting memory on Catalina

Remember the Conservancy in your estate plans.

Call 562-437-8555 ext. 228

10

CATALINA ISLAND CONSERVANCY

2013 ANNUAL REPORT 

HONOR ROLL OF DONORS

(Conservancy Ball auction purchases and auction donations and Catalina: The Wild Side art purchases not included) $250,000 and Above Geoffrey Claflin and Alison Wrigley Rusack Steve and Pat Chazen $100,000 – $249,999 Blanny Avalon Hagenah James H. Ackerman Family and the Evalyn M. Bauer Foundation $50,000 – $99,999 Victoria and Dorn Dean Natural Resources Conservation Service Debi and Norris Bishton Anonymous Offield Family Foundation

Ryan Family Charitable Foundation $5,000 – $9,999 Hank and Diane Hilty Lynne Brickner and Jerry Gallard

Ruth Caryl Blair

Rob and Diane Jarvi

Philip and Maureen Ramer

Mutual of America

Jack and Shirley Herron

Jonathan Weiner and Diane Silvers

Tony and Claire Michaels Bob Reid Scott and Tammie Stuart

Mike and Gloria Sullivan

Doug and Audrey Bombard

Andy and Gaye Saxon

Tim and Sheila Collins

Todd and Kathy Hallenbeck

James and Diane Connelly

Gary and Sandy Hill

Jeanne Frost

Douglas West and Irene Ziebarth

Gary Gray

David and Pat Lamb

Howard Higholt

John and Barbara Anglin

In Defense of Animals

Capital Guardian Trust Company

Paulie Jenkins and Ted Carlsson

Connolly-Pacific Co.

January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2013

Caroline and Michael Hackman

Jim Johnson Lisa and Steve McLennan

Jim and Sally McClure BBJ Linen Steve and Amanda Calhoun Geraldine Knatz Willis and Judith Longyear Southern California Edison Jack and Kingsley Croul Mary Lou Jefferson Ron and Cheryl Roberts Gretchen and Jim Simpson Bruce and Barbara Goldreyer Rusty and Mary Lynn Turner Steven Myles and Cecilia Samartin

$25,000 – $49,999

Elliott Family Foundation

Maria Pellegrini

Jared Ficker

Paxson H. and Susan Offield

Gardner Grout Foundation

Helen Rich

Ted and Joyce Griffith

Phil and Susan Hagenah

Hexberg Family Foundation

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

John W. Carson Foundation Doug and Judy Levi

Richard and Elizabeth Steele Fund

John and Cindy Cotton

Frank and Joann Randall

Shaun and Katy Tucker

Melissa and Trevor Fetter Family Fund of the Dallas Foundation

Norris Foundation

San Diego Yacht Club

Pamela Turbeville

John Ganahl

Roger Lang

Laura and Carlton Seaver

Bob Voit

Frank and Lonnie Gialketsis

Bob and Mai Breech

Toyota Motors Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Tod and Linda White

Sue Huston

Richard Woodward

Dick and Alison Johnston

Harold McAlister Charitable Foundation Edison International

$2,500 – $4,999 Ali DeGray

William and Kathleen Mudd Jim and Dorothea Park Anonymous Richard Sahroian Donald Schoellerman

$1,000 – $2,499 Ken and Robin Scheiderman

Bill and Judy Banning Jonathan and Marie Boggs Sue and Stephen Chandler Marian Cormie John and Julie Dixon

Mike Kilbride Todd Marshall Mike and Antonia Massie

$10,000 – $24,999

Patricia and William Hagenah

Boone Family Foundation

Steve and Deborah Ginder

Richard and Marie Knowles

Steve and Stephanie Hathaway

Jim and Vicki Warmington

Terry and Paulette Chapman

Galkos Corporation Randy and K.C. Boelsems

Catalina Island Yacht Club Foundation

John Hagenah Family Fund

Kristi Clarkson

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Nelson and Mimi Jones

C.M. and Edna Peyton Cotton Foundation

Lisa and Bruce Gelker

Bob and Mary Longpre

Alex and Janet Boggs

Earl B. Gilmore Foundation

Tom and Gerda Sparks

G.T. and Shannon Frost

Trent and Linda Anderson

Jeanne Beesley and Andrew Tao

Beyster Family Foundation

Martin and Bernardine Curtin

Guided Discoveries

Graham Tingler

Erickson Family Charitable Foundation

Sylvia Jarvi

Los Caballeros

Kleiner Cohen Foundation

Alan Glazer

Western Exterminator Company

Mrs. Dan Stuart

Roger and Sarah Chrisman

Channel Islands Park Foundation

Corix Utilities

Stephen and Ann Hinchliffe The Estate of Mary Muth George and Gail Pla

Gary and Kellie Johnson

Janice Rutherford Hinds CONSERVANCY TIMES

FALL 2014

Basil and Judith Witt Ann Muscat and Jack Baldelli Jaynee and Robert Eitel Drew and Jane Lanza Little Garden Club of Newport Beach The Lighter Side Anthony and Michelle Salcido Julia Banning Santa Barbara Equine Practice Robert Woolley

Patrick and Mari McAlister Muench Workshops Ann Mullins Jed Petrick Shaun Rance and Alexis Poledouris David and Kathleen Renton Hudson Saffell Ann and David Scheppers Kokki and Hazel Shindo Charlie and Ellen Steinmetz Deanna Stone-Human

Michael Wilkins Gifts listed in order of amount

Rick and Candace Emsiek 11

Protecting the Herd and the Island BISON CONTRACEPTIVE PROGRAM ENTERS NEW PHASE

W

“

We need to ensure the female bison can produce calves to sustain the herd on the Island and to gather the information needed to help guide other bison management programs. We are confident that female bison that have been on the program will again produce calves once the vaccine antibodies subside, and our study will specifically document how long that process will take.

”

PHOTO: TYLER DVORAK

WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST CALVIN DUNCAN

12

ildlife biologist Calvin Duncan walked slowly through the tall grass, determined not to startle the six bison gathered atop a small hill in Catalina Island’s wildlands. He searched for the identifying tags and familiar markings that would tell him which female bison were scheduled for a dose of contraceptives and which ones were not.

Having proven the success of the Catalina Island Conservancy’s novel contraception program in preventing births to manage the size of the herd, the biologists are now testing to be certain that the effects of the contraceptive can be reversed by choosing not to administer the contraceptive to a small number of female bison. They will then let nature take its course.

“We need to ensure the female bison can produce calves to sustain the herd on the Island and to gather the information needed to help guide other bison management programs,” said Duncan. “We are confident that female bison that have been on the program will again produce calves once the vaccine antibodies subside, and our study will specifically document how long that process will take.”

NEW PHASE IN BISON PROGRAM

The current study is the second phase in the contraception program the Conservancy launched in 2009. The goal of the program is to keep the Island’s bison population around 150 to keep the herd healthy and ensure it doesn’t grow so large that it endangers the health of the Island. Wildlife biologists dart the female bison with porcine zona pellucida (PZP), a contraceptive that had proven effective for fertility control in zoos, wild horses, elephants and white tail deer. The Conservancy is the first to use the contraceptive in a wild bison herd.

The bison were first brought to the Island in 1924 for a movie. Their numbers grew and, in recent years, more than two-thirds of the female bison delivered calves every year.

With PZP, the calving rate dropped to 10.4% in the first year and 3.3% the following year.

In 2013, just one calf was born.

CATALINA ISLAND CONSERVANCY

Bison management programs in Yellowstone National Park and at Camp Pendleton in Southern California are watching the Conservancy’s work to determine if the contraceptive program will help manage their herds.

“The success of the Conservancy’s bison contraception program demonstrates the innovative approaches our scientists undertake in fulfilling our commitment to being responsible stewards of the land and the Island’s resources,” said Ann M. Muscat, PhD, the Conservancy’s president and CEO. “By proving the effectiveness of this humane approach to herd management, this research will be a benefit to bison herds throughout the U.S. It also lays the groundwork for further contraceptive studies in other wild species.”

Bison management programs in Yellowstone National Park and at Camp Pendleton in Southern California are watching the Conservancy’s work to determine if the contraceptive program will help manage their herds.

Duncan, in conjunction with California State University, Fullerton, is planning to begin a third phase of the research later this year to monitor what, if any, effect the contraceptive has on the female bison’s reproductive cycles.

With PZP, the females still ovulate. The contraceptive prevents pregnancy by working with the body to block the sperm from attaching to the egg.

Duncan said he plans to monitor the female bison’s behavior and assess hormone levels in their feces to determine when they are ovulating. He’s seeking this information to help guide management programs on both Catalina and the mainland.

“When the females are ovulating, bulls often forgo feeding and spend their time tending to receptive females and battling against rival bulls,” Duncan said. “Bison need to bulk up to survive in places, like Yellowstone, where food is scarce in the winter. A longer ovulation period prior to winter might leave the male bison undernourished for those times of year when food is scarce.”

Most recently, Conservancy biologists, along with a group of veterinarians, captured and briefly immobilized five bison cows in order to fit them with satellite linked global positioning system (GPS) collars. These collars will allow biologists to locate bison systematically in order to facilitate behavior monitoring and fecal sample collection.

Location data also will be analyzed to determine activity levels, movement patterns and resource use.

“The bison are a major attraction for the nearly 1 million tourists who visit Catalina Island, the Channel Island’s most popular destination, every year,” said Donna Harris, Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce marketing director. “We appreciate the Conservancy’s dedication to maintaining the herd and protecting the Island’s natural resources.”

(Above) Calvin Duncan, Conservancy wildlife biologist, and Julie King, Conservancy director of conservation and wildlife management, identify the female bison scheduled for PZP. (Left) Duncan fits a GPS collar on a female bison.

13

PHOTOS: LAURA MECOY, SCOTT WELDY

BISON NOW ON GPS

N AT U R E ’ S N O T E B O O K

Restoring Catalina’s Native Habitats A decade of accomplishments

T

he spindly stick lined with leaves doesn’t look like much on the vast hillside on Catalina’s west end.

But this stick and the others nearby are native plants that will grow and restore this part of the Island to its natural state, re-creating the habitat that supports Catalina’s native species. The hillside is one of the latest restoration projects in a comprehensive plant management effort called the Catalina Habitat Improvement and Restoration Program (CHIRP).

This year, the Conservancy is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of CHIRP’s intensive management of plant species.

CHIRP can claim a decade of accomplishments because of the dedicated CHIRP crews and volunteers, who have been treating hillsides, like this one, and other areas across the Island to remove or control invasive plants and planting native plants where needed.

“The Conservancy has distinguished itself with its successful invasive plant program, earning recognition for its remarkable achievements in restoring native habitats,” John Mack, the Conservancy’s chief conservation and education officer, said. “CHIRP is protecting the Island’s unique ecosystem from priority invasive plants and ensuring the long-term conservation of species richness and habitat integrity on Catalina, which along with the other Channel Islands, is one of the world’s biodiversity hot spots.”

PHOTOS: JACK BALDELLI, CINDY LAZARIS

INVASIVE PLANTS THREATEN BIODIVERSITY

Decades of importing non-native plants to feed grazing animals and to landscape homes have introduced hundreds of non-native plants to Catalina Island.

Some of these are considered “invasive” plant species and are the focus of the Conservancy’s management efforts, like fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), flax-leaf broom (Genista linifolia) and Harding grass (Phalaris aquatica).

Left unmanaged, these invaders can overrun plant communities and also deprive animals of the native plants on which they rely for food and shelter.

Invasive plants are considered one of the 14

Volunteers and Conservancy staff help remove invasive plants from Catalina’s hillsides.

greatest threats to biodiversity and to islands everywhere. Scientists have identified invasives as one of the leading causes of species extinctions in island ecosystems.

In 2003, Conservancy staff initiated an extensive survey and analysis of the threats from invasive plants on Catalina Island.

More than 70 non-native species were eventually targeted for removal or management based on the threat they posed to the Island’s ecosystems. With this critical information, the Conservancy began its intensive invasive plant management effort in 2004.

With funding and volunteers from several governmental programs and private foundations (see list in box), the Conservancy has removed several species altogether (e.g. yellow star thistle) and is close to eliminating several other species (e.g. tamarisk, pampas grass). As the Conservancy moves into its next decade of invasive plant work, it will be focusing on reducing invasive plants to low levels in

The Catalina ironwood is one of the plant species found only on Catalina.

CATALINA ISLAND CONSERVANCY

Two Harbors

Invasive flax-leaf broom plant

Airport in the Sky

Middle Ranch

Avalon

Yellow areas on map show parts of Catalina that have been treated for invasives.

Conservancy’s Partners in Restoring Native Plants American Conservation Experience Natural Resources Conservation Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service American Recovery and Reinvestment Act The Seaver Institute The Wildlife Conservation Board James H. Ackerman Family and the Evalyn M. Bauer Foundation

CONSERVANCY TIMES

FALL 2014

areas mapped as still having large amounts of invasive plants. It will also be attempting to eradicate additional highly invasive plant species.

BANNER YEAR FOR INVASIVE REMOVAL

This past year was a banner one for CHIRP with 1,604 populations of invasive plants treated and more than 4,000 acres surveyed for new or previously removed invasive plant populations. CHIRP crews and volunteers also surveyed and treated invasive plants in a 400-foot wide corridor along 75 miles of roads in 2013.

The Ackerman Native Plant Nursery at Middle Ranch also provides plant and seed material for re-vegetation of the Island. By eliminating and managing invasive plant and animal species, the Conservancy has encouraged native species to grow and flourish.

“Restoring native plant communities provides habitats that offer shelter and food

to the Island’s endemic and native animals, like the Catalina Island fox, Catalina quail and many other species,” said Mack. “The Conservancy has had great partners working with it to remove invasive plants, and we look forward to continued progress in this important program.”

Scientists have identified invasives as one of the leading causes of species extinctions in island ecosystems.

15

VOLUNTEERS

A Life of Giving

Conservancy remembers volunteer Steve Story

W

ith the Catalina Island Conservancy’s volunteers earning 50 cents in Explore Store credit for each hour worked, one of the organization’s most dedicated volunteers, the late Steve Story, joked that eventually he would work enough hours to buy one of the Conservancy’s Jeep® Eco Tour vehicles.

Not quite. But his donated hours added up to almost two years of 40-hour work weeks.

The Conservancy recognized Story’s unflagging and selfless dedication with a posthumous presentation to his widow, Mary, at the Conservancy’s annual Volunteer Awards Celebration in June. Fittingly, the Volunteer Services Department presented Mary with its first and only Golden Jeep Recognition Award.

“Steve did just about everything you could possibly do as a volunteer,” said Lesly Lieberman, the Conservancy’s individual volunteer coordinator.

Story passed away on January 18, 2014, in Scotts Valley, California, near Santa Cruz. He was 72. The posthumous presentation of the toy replica of the Jeep attached to a plaque is a small recognition of how often and enthusiastically this retiree to Catalina had volunteered between 1998 and 2013 for the Conservancy.

“Anyone who ever worked with him will tell you that he was one of the sweetest, nicest guys,” said Scott Dennis, the Conservancy’s director of visitor and volunteer services. “He is truly missed.”

The Conservancy couldn’t do its job without the countless contributions of dedicated volunteers like Steve,” Lieberman said.

“We all felt fortunate to have had the opportunity to know Steve and to present Mary with this honor. We thank Mary and the rest of his family for sharing Steve with us.”

16

In all, Story gave 1,671 hours to volunteer services, 60 to the education department, 17 to development, 91 hours to facilities and 2,008 to conservation for a total of 3,847 volunteer hours.

Interested in Volunteering? n

J oin us Thursday mornings at the James H. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery

n

ign up for the Windward Beach Clean-Up every S second Saturday of the month

n

ake a Volunteer Vacation: Stay and volunteer T on the Island

n

L et us know about your group’s or organization’s availability to volunteer

n

ffer your administrative skills for our office O work

n

ackle outdoor tasks ranging from trail T maintenance to fence repair

n

ake our Naturalist Training to help educate T Island visitors

n

isit the website, catalinaconservancy.org, or V contact Lesly Lieberman, 310-510-2595 ext. 112, llieberman@catalinaconservancy.org to learn about even more opportunities

CATALINA ISLAND CONSERVANCY

E D U C AT I O N

Keck Foundation Grant to Launch NatureWorks Program T

he W.M. Keck Foundation, one of the nation’s largest philanthropic organizations, recently awarded a generous grant to the Catalina Island Conservancy to initiate NatureWorks, an innovative school program to serve Avalon students from kindergarten through 12th grade with hands-on learning about ecology and the environment.

With the foundation’s $200,000 grant, NatureWorks will expand the Conservancy’s current kindergarten to middle school program into an integrated program that extends through the 12th grade. It will provide the critical scientific learning needed to excel in today’s demanding job market while enhancing regular curricula.

NatureWorks will serve as a workforce development program by helping prepare Catalina students for an ecotourism career track, if they are interested in the Island’s most important industry.

“We thank the W.M. Keck Foundation for its generous grant award to develop the Conservancy’s NatureWorks program so that all of Avalon’s students can benefit from this innovative ecological literacy and career track program,” said Ann M. Muscat, PhD, the Conservancy’s president and CEO. “This grant helps the Conservancy continue to fulfill its commitment to partnering with the Avalon community to enrich the lives of its young people and residents.

“Through NatureWorks, the Conservancy’s trained naturalists and educators will take students into the field, where they can see firsthand how nature works and have those lifelong memories of discovery that will enrich their lives and prepare them for successful careers on and off the Island.”

LINKED LEARNING

The Avalon schools are part of the Long Beach School District, and the Conservancy’s NatureWorks program is a partnership with the district’s Linked Learning Program. Linked Learning is a high school program designed to make learning exciting, challenging and relevant.

The W.M. Keck Foundation gift will make it possible for the Conservancy and CONSERVANCY TIMES

FALL 2014

the Avalon schools to connect strong academics to field experiences on Catalina and build a model for how school systems and conservation organizations can collaborate to expand environmental stewardship training and Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) education, with a particular focus on underserved youth.

“The Conservancy already plays a vital role in STEM learning for our students through the Education Department’s partnership with our schools,” said Avalon Schools Principal Angelica Gonzalez. “We are very pleased the W.M. Keck Foundation’s generous gift will make it possible for all Avalon students to continue to benefit from NatureWorks in a more strategic format.”

ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION

NatureWorks will pair customized portions of the Conservancy’s environmental education program with Avalon schools’ curricula to deliver a powerful set of teaching tools for all of Catalina’s students. By creating this curriculum, then reviewing and refining it, the Conservancy will create the model for school systems and conservation organizations to work together to augment both STEM and environmental stewardship learning.

“As we know at Long Beach Unified School District, the opportunity for students to experience science through nature and see the relevance of their education in the

real world can help them accomplish even more in school and in life,” said Principal Gonzalez. “Expanding NatureWorks will enhance the school district’s Linked Learning philosophy, and we know that these types of programs will lead to higher graduation rates, increased college enrollments and higher earning potential.”

BRINGING SCIENCE TO LIFE

NatureWorks uses the beauty of Catalina Island to provide the experiences through which real, measurable academic and workforce skills will be acquired over the course of a student’s academic career. Its curriculum addresses the broad themes and stories necessary to understand what it means to live in Southern California, Mediterranean climates and the world.

“NatureWorks creates these experiences and these feelings by taking classrooms into the Island landscapes, where lessons on plant and animal biology, geology, physics, chemistry and statistics come alive for students,” said John Mack, the Conservancy’s chief conservation and education officer. “The partnership between the Avalon school teachers and the Conservancy’s naturalists gives us the unique ability to provide these hands-on learning experiences that can educate our young people and help create future conservationists who make a difference on Catalina and beyond.”

17

20th Annual Catalina Island Conservancy Ball Preparations Begin

W Dancing under the one-of-a-kind Tiffany & Co. Chandelier PHOTO: SHANA CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY

ith a successful Conservancy Ball under wraps for 2014, planning is already in full swing for the 20th Annual Catalina Island Conservancy Ball, set for April 11, 2015.

The Conservancy is pleased to announce that Corsair Yacht Club, which has called Emerald Bay its Island home since 1961, will be the co-host for the 20th Annual Catalina Island Conservancy Ball. The Corsairs started the Conservancy Ball in 1996 with Randy Boelsems, the Club’s commodore at the time, at the helm. The Corsairs also led a successful reprise for the 10th Annual Conservancy Ball.

“We look forward to celebrating with all of our supporters and to partnering with the Corsair Yacht Club for the 20th Annual Catalina Island Conservancy Ball,” said Ann M. Muscat, PhD, the Conservancy’s president and CEO. “The Conservancy Ball is one of the highlights of the Conservancy’s year. Over the past 19 years, it has raised more than $4.5 million to support the Conservancy in fulfilling its mission of protecting and restoring Catalina Island’s natural environment for all to enjoy. We look forward to celebrating another big Conservancy Ball milestone in partnership with the Corsairs, a group of dedicated supporters of the Conservancy and the Island they love.”

For information about participating in the 20th Annual Catalina Island Conservancy Ball, please visit catalinaconservancy.org or call 562-437-8555 ext. 239. To ensure you receive a formal invitation in the mail, please send your contact information to ball@catalinaconservancy.org.

The aqua colors in the lighting and décor mimicked the gently lapping waters one might experience while relaxing on a boat in one of Catalina’s many spectacular coves.

PHOTO: SHANA CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY

18

2014 Conservancy Ball: Fun for All More than 400 people celebrated the work of the Conservancy at the 19th Annual Catalina Island Conservancy Ball at the historic Avalon Casino Ballroom on April 5, 2014.

The theme, Catalina’s Coves: All Ashore, Let’s Explore!, evoked the spirit of days spent in the Island’s sparkling coves and hiking its rugged trails with spectacular views—a perfect complement to the ball’s co-host, the Conservancy Marineros.

The Conservancy’s largest support group, the Marineros are members of Southern California’s boating community and yacht clubs who are passionate about Catalina Island.

CONSERVANCY TIMES

Guests danced to the sounds of Society Beat.

PHOTO: SHANA CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY

Guests enjoyed a beautiful view of Avalon from the balcony of the Casino Ballroom.

PHOTO: SHANA CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY

Steve Denning, a Conservancy Ball volunteer since 2004 from Avalon (and World Masters Bench Press Champion with a best lift of 545 pounds!) showed off the beautiful, hand-etched Balthazar of Rusack Santa Catalina Island Vineyards 2011 Pinot Noir during the Live Auction

Members of Balboa Yacht Club hosted four United States Marine Corps couples from Camp Pendleton’s 1st Battalion 1st Marines (1/1) as guests at the Conservancy Ball.

PHOTO: SHANA CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: LONGPRE PHOTOGRAPHY

FALL 2014

19

CONSERVANCY CALENDAR MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR ADVENTURE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THESE EVENTS, GO TO CATALINACONSERVANCY.ORG OR CALL 562-437-8555

Explore California’s Santa Rosa Island September 14, 2014 Each year, the Conservancy provides a day-long sojourn with naturalist guides to one of the other fascinating Channel Islands. Santa Rosa Island is this year’s destination. The trip is limited to 40 explorers, so please reserve early. Transportation, naturalists and lunch provided.

(This trip is currently sold out.

Wait list only)

10 categories, including the prestigious Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation’s “Great Communicator” Award and the Isla Earth Award, presented by the festival’s beneficiary, the Catalina Island Conservancy. For more information, please visit catalinafilm.org.

Las Caballeras Catalina Ride September 30 – October 5, 2014 Las Caballeras will celebrate their 20th annual Island week of camping, camaraderie and cowgirl fun on this year’s ride. Las Caballeras are all enthusiastic members of the Conservancy. For more information, please visit lascaballeras.com. This is a private event for the organization’s members.

Los Caballeros Catalina Trek September 17 – 21, 2014 Members of Los Caballeros, accomplished horsemen who are also members of the Conservancy’s Catalina Caballeros support group, will enjoy the 65th Annual Catalina Trek. For more information, please visit loscaballeros.org. This is a private event for the organization’s members.

of these unique paintings help to support Conservancy programs and establish a permanent collection of plein air artwork documenting the Island’s “wild side” and the Conservancy’s restoration efforts. Special VIP Preview added this year.

Fourth Annual Catalina: The Wild Side Art Show & Sale October 26, 2014 New date and new location!

Ten plein air artists will display their interpretations of Catalina’s rugged wildlands and natural beauty at the fourth annual Catalina: The Wild Side Art Show & Sale at the Newport Beach Yacht Club. Proceeds from the sale

Conservation & Education Symposium November 14, 2014 Join the Conservancy’s biologists and educators, as well as invited researchers and scientists, for this insider’s view of the latest Catalina Island natural history discoveries and scientific advances at this annual, daylong series of presentations.

34th Avalon Harbor Underwater Cleanup February 21, 2015

Conservancy Eco Marathon & Half Marathon November 8, 2014 Runners World rates the Eco Marathon as the “best island run” because it travels through beautiful landscapes where, the magazine notes, “you can see bison, bald eagles, seals and palm trees during a single run.” Runners traverse single-track trails, ridgelines and vistas that afford endless views of the Pacific Ocean. To register, please visit the Conservancy’s website.

Don your dive gear and help keep Avalon Harbor free of debris! Join hundreds of divers as they compete for trash-collecting honors in this eagerly anticipated and fun annual Southern California dive event. The traditional dive spots are Casino Point, Green Pier and Step Beach.

Catalina Film Festival September 24 – 28, 2014 The Catalina Film Festival in Avalon features more than 75 films, nightly events and entertainment. This third annual competitive festival includes awards in up to

20

CATALINA ISLAND CONSERVANCY

Catalina Island Marathon March 14, 2015 This event will feature the exciting marathon course used historically on the Conservancy’s lands, including much of the rugged terrain, spectacular vistas and special challenges enjoyed by noted runner Hans Albrecht and friends in the earliest days of the event. For more information, please visit runcatalina.com/index.php/ catalina-island-marathon

20th Annual Conservancy Ball April 11, 2015 The 20th annual Conservancy Ball will again be held in the Avalon Casino Ballroom.

Known to many as the Island’s “event of the year,” this year’s ball will be bigger than ever.

To request a mailed invitation, please send an email to ball@ catalinaconservancy.org or call 562-437-8555 ext. 239.

Catalina: The Wild Side Salon May 17, 2015 Save the date for this opportunity to meet two distinguished plein air painters, Jeff Horn and Michael Obermeyer, at Castillo del Mar in Avalon. The Salon offers a rare glimpse into the artists’ creative processes, how they choose the landscapes they paint on Catalina and what is so special about the Island that keeps bringing them back.

Catalina: The Wild Side Salon at Castillo del Mar featured works by John Budicin

! d l i W o G

E D I S D IL !

A W N E I H L T A T A RE C O L F P O X E  Naturalist-led JEEP ECO TOURS.

See the Island your way! ®

 WILDLANDS EXPRESS to Airport in the Sky, hike Airport Loop trail, lunch at DC-3.

NEW! Go to Shark Harbor and Little Harbor for a great full day getaway.  Stroll through the beautiful WRIGLEY MEMORIAL & BOTANIC GARDEN. Call 310-510-2595 ext. 100 for information.

GO WILD and see the Catalina most visitors miss! www.catalinaconservancy.org

CONSERVANCY TIMES

FALL 2014

Discounts with membership 21

NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID MERCURY MAILING SYSTEMS, INC.

P.O. Box 2739 Avalon, California 90704

20TH ANNUAL

Catalina Island Conservancy Ball April 11, 2015 JOIN US FOR A GLAMOROUS EVENING OF DINING AND DANCING Co-host Corsair Yacht Club

SAVE THE DATE