The Wild Side - Catalina Island Conservancy

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 Calendar20
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,
[email protected] 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
[email protected].
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
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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