The Wild Side Catalina
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FALL 2014 Catalina: The Wild Side ARTISTS CAPTURE ISLAND’S CONSERVATION PAGE 2 Message from the President e are by nature storytellers. We tell each plein air painters, who are capturing the Island’s other about our work, our families, our Conservancy-led restoration in their art, this issue Wdreams and our aspirations. tells some of their Catalina stories. We invite you to see how the artists tell their own stories through Most of us who know and love the Island have their paintings at Catalina: The Wild Side Art our own Catalina story. Like most, my Catalina Show & Sale on October 26 in Balboa. story starts with boarding a boat, where I begin to relax as my mind’s eye quickens. It is always the In this issue, we also describe how we are creating beginning of an adventure, the leaving behind of the future of the Conservancy with Imagine one world and the embracing of another. Catalina, a long-range strategic vision and master plan. Developed over several years of study and When I first came to the Island as a marine planning, Imagine Catalina serves as a blueprint ecology graduate student, Catalina provided life- for the future of the Conservancy. It aspires to changing experiences as I was both challenged use the good work, resources and success of the and rewarded in many ways: physically with a past 42 years to serve as a sustainable model for rigorous underwater field research program; conservation in a lived landscape. intellectually with my course work, research Conservancy Times is a and teaching responsibilities; and, perhaps most We’re also recounting our work over the past year biannual publication of the importantly, emotionally as I was lucky enough in a new and more engaging Annual Report. For Catalina Island Conservancy, a to meet my life partner, Jack, and begin my the first time ever, we included the Annual Report 501c(3) nonprofit organization leadership journey as the Director of the Wrigley in the Conservancy Times so that it will reach far established in 1972 to protect Marine Science Center. more readers than in the past, and we are using and restore Catalina Island for infographics to convey our accomplishments. Like many of you, I have had many adventures present and future generations and created fond memories with family, As always, you are an integral part of the to experience and enjoy. friends and colleagues on Catalina Island. For Conservancy’s past and its future. Your support is generations, Catalina has inspired artists, writers, essential to the important mission we share on the One of California’s oldest private scientists, adventurers and explorers. So join me Island we all love. Once again, thank you for your land trusts, the Conservancy as we are inspired by the many stories in this issue dedication and your passion for Catalina Island protects the magnificent natural of Conservancy Times. and the Conservancy. Please let us know how you and cultural heritage of Santa think we’re doing. Catalina Island, stewarding From the important work of the Conservancy’s dedicated wildlife biologists, whose innovative approximately 42,000 acres of bison management is protecting the herd and Ann M. Muscat, PhD land and 62 miles of rugged the Island, to the awe-inspiring works created by President and CEO shoreline. Twenty miles from the mainland, Catalina Island is home to more than 60 plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world. BENEFACTORS EMERITUS CONTACT US Conservancy Times is printed Paxson H. Offield, Chair Rose Ellen Gardner P.O. Box 2739, Avalon, CA 90704 on Endeavour gloss, which is The Conservancy operates Anthony F. Michaels, PhD Robert Thorne, PhD 310-510-2595 Forest Stewardship Council- the Airport in the Sky, Wrigley Maria Pellegrini, PhD 330 Golden Shore, Suite 170 compliant and made from 30% EXECUTIVE TEAM post-consumer recycled fiber Memorial & Botanic Garden, Alison Wrigley Rusack Long Beach, CA 90802 Ann M. Muscat, PhD 562-437-8555 and is chlorine free. Endeavour two nature centers and BOARD OF DIRECTORS President and CEO catalinaconservancy.org is produced following the quality campgrounds. It provides John P. Cotton, Chair Joe Kalla islaearth.org and environmental management standards set forth by the Stephen Chazen, PhD, Vice Chair Chief Operating Officer 50 miles of biking and nearly International Organization for Victoria Seaver Dean, Past Chair Larry L. Lloyd EDITORS Chief Finance & Business Bob Reid Standardization via a “clean” mill 150 miles of hiking opportunities Ann M. Muscat, PhD, President Development Officer with a sustainability charter. within its road and trail system. and CEO Laura Mecoy Norris Bishton John J. Mack Printed using soy-based inks. Chief Conservation & GRAPHIC DESIGN Robert Breech For additional information, Education Officer Robin Weisz Design Gordon T. Frost, Jr. please visit Bob Reid Henry Hilty Chief Development & FOLLOW US ON: catalinaconservancy.org Kellie Johnson Communications Officer Marie Knowles Lisa Moss Roger Lang Director, Human Resources George Pla COVER PHOTO: JACK BALDELLI Geoffrey Claflin Rusack CONTENTS FEATURES 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. PAGE2 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. PAGE6 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. PAGE12 Special Insert DEPARTMENTS Our 2013 Annual Report highlights the Conservancy’s accomplishments during the past year. NATURE’S NOTEBOOK Restoring Catalina’s Native Habitats 14 VOLUNTEERS A Life of Giving 16 EDUCATION BECOME A CONSERVANCY MEMBER Keck Foundation Launches NatureWorks Program 17 Not a member of the Catalina Island Conservancy? CONSERVANCY CELEBRATION Don’t miss out on the opportunities and adventure. Preparations Begin for the 20th Annual Ball 18 Join today! Leaving a Legacy to Catalina 10 Help us to preserve this great natural resource. Donor Honor Roll 11 Go to: catalinaconservancy.org or call 562-437-8555 ext. 224 Conservancy Calendar 20 PHOTOS: JACK BALDELLI, LAURA MECOY 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. 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 TCatalina 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 Plein air painter Paquet, Jesse Powell, Matt Smith, and Kate Starling. John Budicin Plein air, a French term which means “in the open air,” is painting nature while being in explains his art to nature. The artists participating in Catalina: The Wild Side Art Show & Sale are providing a rare the Conservancy’s and beautiful portrait of the Conservancy’s protection and restoration of the Island. guests at the May 17 Salon. “This is an exceptional opportunity to preserve a rich visual history of the Island’s con- servation 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 ben- efit the Conservancy, including establishing a permanent collection of plein air art that docu- ments the organization’s conservation efforts and progress in habitat restoration. Many of the PHOTOS: JACK BALDELLI, LAURA MECOY 2 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 Catalina: The Wild Side 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.