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Newsletter of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance Volume 19 Number 1 I Spring 2018

Timber Top, © 2005 by Tom Killion I tomkillion.com

You Can’t Get There 2017 Frogs and Toads From Here Annual Report of the Ventana Region

Protecting the Big Sur Backcountry VENTANA WILDERNESS WATCH I Volume 19 Number 1 I SPRING 2018

VENTANA WILDERNESS WATCH Newsletter of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance Message from the Executive Director It’s been almost two years since the Soberanes Wildland Fire; and more than a year since one of the heaviest winters in PO Box 506 I Santa Cruz, 95061 recorded history dumped record rainfall (831) 423-3191 I ventanawild.org on denuded slopes. That “perfect storm” The mission of the reshaped the backcountry severely enough Ventana Wilderness Alliance that familiar places may be barely recogniz- is to protect, preserve and restore able. Road and trail closures, fallen trees, the wilderness qualities and biodiversity of the public lands and fire-prompted regrowth have rendered within California’s northern many destinations unappealing, others Santa Lucia Mountains nearly inaccessible. As is the boom and and Big Sur coast. bust reality of a rapidly changing climate, BOARD of DIRECTORS 2018 is an entirely different story. Unless Tom Hopkins, President we’re blessed with unseasonal levels of late David Jacobs, CPA, Treasurer Maria Ferdin, Secretary spring precipitation, more months of this year will be spent in fire season than out. Betsy MacGowan, Director at Large Al Budris, Director at Large Regardless, spring has sprung! It’s prime time to get out and give back; and in the spirit of Greg Meyer, Director at Large the season, VWA field programs are in full swing. Volunteer and contract trail crews are Elizabeth Thomas, Director at Large working hard to improve and restore access. Youth in Wilderness expeditions are booked John Tilley, Director at Large Dottie Massey, Director at Large solid, with Field Instructors doing their best to pay it forward and inspire a brand-new generation. Volunteer Rangers are protecting Wilderness character by cleaning up camps STAFF Toan Do, Youth in Wilderness and helping the Forest Service manage an ever-increasing number of visitors with fewer Program Manager and fewer places to go. Amy Patten, Administrative Assistant For some of us, it’s enough to know that these wild places exist. We’d stand up and fight Richard Popchak, Communications and Development Director for Wilderness simply for its intrinsic value—as a bastion where natural processes prevail, Mike Splain, Executive Director and as habitat for the millions of species with whom we share this fragile planet. Other Trevor Willits, folks prioritize self-reliance, primitive recreation, solitude, or spiritual values. Still others Stewardship Program Coordinator (including many VWA youth program participants) have yet to encounter landscapes as NEWSLETTER PRODUCTION awe-inspiring as the Ventana and Silver Peak Wildernesses. To know these places is to love Editor: Richard Popchak Design: Lynn Piquett them; to love them is to rise to their defense. Printing: Community Printers, Santa Cruz This issue of Ventana Wilderness Watch begins by highlighting an especially hard-working Printed on 30% post-consumer waste recycled paper with agri-based inks. cadre of Wilderness defenders. And whatever your motivation, if you’re seeking someplace wild, read on for an overview of current conditions and worthwhile destinations. Assuming ON THE COVER your aim is reasonable hiking with some semblance of solitude, we’ve also included The rugged scenery of recommendations of some places to avoid. We’ll examine some of the fascinating critters Northern California that, like us, cannot live without wild places. Last but definitely not least, we’ll acknowledge inspired Tom Killion from an early age to the partners, funders, and members who make this labor of love a reality. Our hope is that create landscape prints using linoleum you’ll be inspired to join their ranks and to roll up your sleeves and get involved because, and wood, strongly as Ed Abbey famously recognized, “The idea of wilderness needs no defense. It only needs influenced by the traditional Japanese ukiyo-ë style of Hokusai and Hiroshige. A long-time supporter of more defenders.” VWA, Tom’s image of is the centerpiece of our logo. Tom has been producing block prints of the Ventana region since the late 1970’s. Many of his striking Big Sur prints are included in his most recent collaboration with poet Gary Snyder, California’s Wild Edge: The Coast in 2 Prints, Poetry, and History, published by Heyday Books. Mike Splain I [email protected] Please visit tomkillion.com for more information. Rangers Defend Wilderness

We all have the right to visit our public lands. We also have the Volunteer Wilderness Rangers have completed 438 patrols since duty to enjoy them responsibly. Backcountry visitors need to at the program’s inception. some point learn how to prepare for a visit into the wild. Once there, someone has to teach them the actions and behaviors neces- sary to protect the resources. But not everybody is getting this training. That is why VWA organizes and funds the Volunteer Wilderness Ranger (VWR) program in conjunction with the US Forest Service (USFS).

VWRs patrol the backcountry, greet visitors, instill Leave No Trace ethics, and teach people how to minimize their impacts. Oh, and they clean up after previous visitors, most of whom are more unenlightened than they are malicious. The program is serious business. VWRs wear a uniform and are certified in Wilderness First Aid. They carry a radio and maintain contact with USFS dispatch on each patrol. They are courteous and intimately Since 2010, VWRs have donated 15,091 hours of service, an familiar with the Ventana region. in-kind contribution of $390,827 to public lands in the Big Sur backcountry. Until such a time when the USFS is properly staffed and funded to deliver this service, the VWR program will remain essential. The We would like to thank Steve Benoit, Lead Volunteer Wilderness following graphs illustrate the progress made since the program’s Ranger, for managing the program from its nascent stages to where founding in 2010. it is today. Leading this program requires tremendous attention to detail and follow-through. We can’t thank Steve enough. Steve reminds us that without the dedication, creativity, and resolve of Beth Benoit and Lynn Moncher, he’d be in over his head. Thanks to Beth, Lynn, and all the other Rangers for their amazing work.

Please contact us at [email protected] or 831-423-3191 if you’re interested in becoming a VWR. Candidates need to be self-motivated, familiar with the Big Sur backcountry, and willing to join the group on a one-year probationary trial period. ■

2017 RANGERS and ASSOCIATES: (kneeling left to right) Joe Radoslovich, Steven Moore, Sharol Sevilla, Steve Benoit, Cynthia Grall, Anne Canright, Stuart Carlson, Vince Silva, Beth Benoit (standing left to right) Josh Rude, Andrew St. Cyr, Maria Ferdin, Trevor Willits (VWA staff), David Hirsch (Trail Crew Leader), Betsy MacGowan, Bob Stallard (Trail Crew Leader), Lynn Moncher, Mike Grall, Bobby Steger, Steve Cypher, Dave Wachtel, Roger 3 Beaudoin, Darlene Felsman, Gary Felsman, Mike Heard, Tom Murphey (USFS). VENTANA WILDERNESS WATCH I Volume 19 Number 1 I SPRING 2018

‘You Can’t Get There From Here’ I by Mike Splain We’ve heard it from songs, poems and, sadly, the U.S. Forest Service. Fire, flood, and pestilence (read: Sudden Oak Death) have wrought havoc on favorite camps and trails. Many access roads are in bad shape, some have been closed for years. The good news is that, generally speaking, you can get there from here. It just might take some extra work. The bad news is that there’s a major exception, and it’s the single most popular backcountry destination. The severely damaged Pine Ridge Trail remains closed between and the Big Sur Trail. Terrace Creek Trail is also closed, which means no access to Ventana, Terrace Creek, Barlow Flat, Sykes, or Redwood camps. The VWA is helping the Forest Service devise a repair plan but that could be a long time coming. Despite some difficulties, hundreds of miles of backcountry trails are “open for business.” So where should you go? Here’s a regional overview of the Los Padres National Forest, Monterey Ranger District. Northern Big Sur Coast I Everyone loves to witness the “greatest meeting of land and sea” and therein lies the problem. Solitude is rare on the crowded Big Sur coast and road The De Angulo Trail ascends steeply from Highway 1 near Partington closures complicate access. For instance, Palo Colorado Road is Ridge. closed 3.3 miles from Highway 1, so just getting to the Skinner Ridge Trail involves four miles of road walking. The Little Sur and campsites are often full by midmorning. Originating from Trail is similarly challenged, as 3.7 miles of Old Coast Road must Nacimiento-Fergusson Road about a mile from Highway 1, the Mill be walked merely to reach the trailhead. The Mount Manuel Trail Creek Trail ascends its namesake creek amid a lovely redwood ascends from Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park to grand views atop its forest. Although water is abundant, the trail is camp-less and best namesake peak but difficult conditions and a lack of water make suited for day hikes. The Prewitt Loop Trail has north and south it best for day hikes. The Boronda Trail and De Angulo Trail trailheads about a mile apart on Highway 1 in Pacific Valley. Both originate as ranch roads just north and south of Torre Canyon ends have their charms and access camps near fairly reliable on Highway 1. Both involve steep, demanding climbs to stunning springs, but the middle of the trail is a difficult mess of deadfall ocean vistas; the latter is often tangled with tanoaks killed and damaged tread. Out-and-back hikes from the north or south by Sudden Oak Death. Combine these trails for an excellent trailhead are strongly advised. semi-loop or use them to access remote trailheads along North Due to the Mud Creek slide Coast Ridge Road. I blocking Highway 1, the coast side of the Silver Peak Wilderness is and Pacific Valley I The Kirk Creek limited to two trailheads, both accessible only by way of Cambria Trail departs from Highway 1 to traverse some of the steepest (i.e., from the south). The Buckeye Trail ascends northward from coastal terrain in the Lower 48. It’s a spectacular place but bears Salmon Creek Station through coastal scrub and open slopes on its the brunt of excess foot traffic displaced from the north. The area way to Buckeye, Cruikshank, and Villa Creek camps. The Salmon is best avoided on weekends and holidays, when trailhead parking Creek Trail departs from Highway 1 just south of the station.

The trailhead parking lot at Big Sur Station remains closed due to the impassability of the lower Pine Ridge Trail.

4 Bulldozers severely damaged the top of the Camp Cawatre Trail during the but views like this make it a worthwhile hike nonetheless. Know Before You Go These trails can be combined with others for a fine loop hike, but use is extremely Los Padres National Forest heavy. Trailhead parking and backcountry camps fill up fast and are best avoided on Monterey Ranger District holidays and weekends. Alternative access points for this small but scenic wilderness 831-385-5434 spur from remote back roads to the north and east. Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics lnt.org Carmel River Watershed I From the parking lot at the end of primitive Nason Road, one can cross Los Padres Dam and traverse its west side to meet the VWA Discussion Forum Big Pines Trail. This trail ascends Blue Rock Ridge toward the Skinner Ridge and ventanawild.org/forums Ventana trails, from which longer wilderness expeditions are possible. South of the VWA Meetup Big Pines trailhead, the road meets the Carmel River Trail. Although not without meetup.com/ventana- difficulties, this idyllic path fords the river 30 times before ascending Hiding Canyon wilderness-alliance-meetup into Pine Valley and beyond. Folks with sturdy vehicles can drive rugged Tassajara Road to the eastern Pine Ridge Trail, a fine point of departure for longer hikes into VWA Plan a Trip Resources the Carmel, Arroyo Seco, and Big Sur watersheds. Check trail conditions ahead of time; ventanawild.org/plan-a-trip you’ll likely want to avoid the severely damaged Miller Canyon Trail. VWA Trail Conditions Reports ventanawild.org/trails Arroyo Seco and San Antonio Watersheds I Farther along Tassajara Road, trails depart into the hinterlands of the Arroyo Seco drainage, but the best all-weather approach lies at the end of paved Arroyo Seco Road. There’s a daily parking fee, but easy access to the Camp Cawatre Trail, Santa Lucia Trail, and Marble Peak Trail is well worth the cost of admission. Farther south, convoluted navigation through (U.S. Army) Fort Hunter Liggett earns one entry into the Milpitas Special Interest Area. From here, unpaved spur roads access the Carrizo Trail, Santa Lucia Trail, and Arroyo Seco Trail. The Carrizo and Arroyo Seco trails can be combined with the North Coast Ridge Trail for a challenging semi-loop hike. The Santa Lucia Trail ascends to a spur that accesses the highest peak in the . Happy trails! I Conditions and fire restrictions change quickly. Contact the Monterey Ranger District and check the VWA website for the latest updates. Join the VWA Meetup group and we’ll invite you to trail restoration outings. Most importantly, with so many of us visiting so few accessible destinations, it’s critical that we all practice Leave No Trace ethics. Check out the sidebar for more information. ■

The Carmel River Trail wends its way through lovely Pine Valley. VENTANA WILDERNESS WATCH I Volume 19 Number 1 I SPRING 2018

Best Monterey County Gives! Campaign Ever Thanks to the generosity of 188 donors, the 2017 Monterey County Gives! campaign raised $83,749 for the VWA to protect our local public lands. This infusion of cash will be used to support VWA programs like Volunteer Wilderness Rangers and Youth in Wilderness, as well as our efforts to improve trail access throughout the Big Sur backcountry. Thank you very much! We also extend our gratitude to campaign organizers—Monterey County Weekly, the Community Foundation for Monterey County, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Neumeier Poma, Cannery Row Company, and several local sponsors­—for generating the matching funds that benefit so many area nonprofits. 2017 Monterey County Gives! Campaign by-the-numbers:

Total VWA donors: 188 Amount raised: $76,736 Match generated by campaign: $7,013 (a 9.1% bump) Grand VWA total: $83,749 The northern Santa Lucias provide tremendous benefits to all living things in Monterey County. They give us fresh air, clean water, pollinators, carbon sequestration, and places for wild plants and animals to thrive. Thanks again for helping keep them wild! ■

ABOVE RIGHT: Jan McAlister (left) of the Community Foundation for Monterey County presents VWA Executive Director Mike Splain with a check in the amount of $83,749.

Why I Support the VWA I by Elizabeth Quinn M.S., D.C. As an avid hiker and backpacker for many years in the Central Coast and the Sierra, my support of wilderness preservation is very personal. Early on, John Muir’s words touched my soul: “Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.” Climbing trails into the rugged Santa Lucias with breathtaking views of the Pacific at my back, sleeping on the ground in coast live oak woodlands, waking to the raucous chatter of acorn woodpeckers—these are vivid and cherished memories. My grandchildren have been my camping and hiking companions throughout their childhoods, and I have taught them to be safe hikers and careful stewards of wilderness in our many adventures together. I care deeply that public lands be protected, be preserved, and remain available for all to enjoy, and I applaud and support the work of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance. ■

The VWA welcomes other businesses in the community to become members of our Business Council. Demonstrate to the community that protecting our public wildlands is important to you and your customers not just today, but for generations to come. Please call 831-423-3191 for more information.

Community Foundation Funds Enable Sustainability Multiple endowments are in place for you to support VWA activities now and in perpetuity. Each fund is structured so that the principal amount of your donation is kept intact while investment income is available for use. Anybody is welcome to make contributions to the funds, and many of you have! A gift of any size to the endowments helps improve VWA’s sustainability as well as our visibility in the philanthropic community. So please consider a gift today.

■ The purpose of the Youth in Wilderness funds at both Community Foundation for Monterey County (CFMC) and Community Foundation Santa Cruz County is to connect underserved young people of the Central Coast to their public wildlands.

■ The purpose of the Ventana Trails Forever Fund at CFMC is to maintain and restore the public trail network of the Ventana region.

■ The purpose of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance Fund at CFMC is to support the general operations and programs of VWA consistent with the organization’s mission and purpose (available at ventanawild.org/about-the-vwa/mission-purpose).

6 QUESTIONS? Give us a call at 831-423-3191 or send an email to [email protected]. ■ Building a Bigger Tent Our board and staff have always relied on VWA membership for financial support, sweat equity, and inspiration. While we remain a small, grassroots organization, the importance of our work continues to grow as the multiple threats to our public lands just won’t go away. A growing, engaged, and financially supportive constituency is essential if we are to meet current and future challenges. We are proud of our membership growth and look forward to VWA Membership Growth 2010 – 2017 building an even bigger tent. 1000 One might ask, “What do I get for my membership? What is 900 the quid pro quo?” Good question. With your membership 800 dues, you receive this biannual newsletter and invitations 700 to VWA events. But, more importantly, you have the 600 opportunity to be part of a unified and resolute force 500 400 engaged in stewardship and advocacy efforts. Your member- 300

ship also makes the organization more competitive when 200

applying for grants. 100

0 In essence, by virtue of your membership, you are poised to 2010 2011 2010 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 make a difference. Many members, new and old, have done so. Thank you for stepping up when called to action! ■

Make Wilderness Your Legacy We ask that you help ensure the future of local public land conservation by considering a charitable bequest to the Ventana Wilderness Alliance in your will. Bequests to the VWA can come in many forms and demonstrate your passionate and forward-thinking commitment to leaving a Wilderness legacy. We can help. Please call 831-423-3191 or email [email protected] if you’d like to learn more about how you can make a gift from your will or trust. ■

7

VWA staffer Amy Patten captured the unique and sublime beauty of the Ventana from the North Coast Ridge Trail in December. VENTANA WILDERNESS WATCH I Volume 19 Number 1 I SPRING 2018

Frogs and Toads of the Ventana Region I by Amy Patten If you’ve been out camping in the Los Padres during winter and spring, you’ve probably been lulled to sleep by a peaceful chorus of calling Sierran Treefrogs. Or perhaps you’ve been lucky enough to encounter a Western Toad slowly hopping through the grass on its way to the river. We have four native and one non-native species of frogs and toads in the Ventana and Silver Peak Wildernesses. Let’s meet them!

Sierran Treefrog I Pseudacris sierra The most common frog found in central California is the charismatic and versatile Sierran Treefrog. This small frog is only one to two inches long fully grown and is easily recognized by its distinctive black mask. As a habitat generalist, they are equally at home in city parks, backyards, and wilderness and they can be found from sea level up to nearly 12,000 feet in elevation. You can see treefrogs in watersheds throughout the entire Santa Lucia Range in grasslands, forests, oak savannah, and chaparral. During the rainy season, males assemble en masse in breeding ponds, where they chorus loudly with a familiar “ribbit” call to advertise to females. Their coloration ranges from deep green to light brown, and the frogs have the ability to adjust their body color to match their background! This further enhances the treefrogs’ aptitude for thriving in a wide variety of habitats, as green coloration absorbs more solar radiation in cold, aquatic habitats, and brown body color absorbs less radiation in more arid locations.

Sierran Treefrog

California Red-legged Frog I Rana draytonii The California Red-legged Frog (CRLF) is California’s largest native frog. The frogs can be red, brown, olive, or gray on their dorsal side and are typically patterned with dark spots and stripes. CRLFs are named for the pale red coloration on the underside of their legs. They are capable of moving great distances between water sources, and have been documented traveling over two miles. Females lay an average of 2,000 eggs at a time in a loose cluster. Once numerous in the Coast Ranges from Mendocino down to Baja and in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, CRLFs have disappeared from over 70% of their historic range and are now listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Many factors have led to their decline, including disease, pesticide use, introduced predators such as bullfrogs and non-native fish, and habitat loss through water diversion, urbanization, and agriculture. Today, the Carmel River watershed is a stronghold for the local CRLF populations, and the frogs are also found in coastal streams around Big Sur.

American Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus (Non-native) One major factor in the decline of native amphibians in California has been the introduction of the invasive American Bullfrog. These frogs, which are native to the southeastern United States, were first introduced into California in the early 1900s as a food source. Bullfrogs can grow up to eight inches long, and with their large size comes a voracious appetite. Bullfrogs eat a wide variety of invertebrates and have been documented eating rodents, birds, fish, reptiles, and other amphibians. Their large size allows them to outcompete native frogs for food and disrupt breeding as they prey on young frogs and tadpoles. Bullfrogs can be found in the San Antonio Valley, around Carmel Valley, and in ponds surrounding the Arroyo Seco River.

American Bullfrog Foothill Yellow-legged Frog I Rana boylii Western Toad I Anaxyrus boreas The Foothill Yellow-legged Frog (FYLF) is a denizen of rocky Northern California’s most common toad is the Western Toad. The streams, rivers, and spring-fed pools. This medium-sized frog is Western Toad can be distinguished from local frog species by their well camouflaged with mottled gray, olive, or brown skin that dry, warty skin, short legs, and pale dorsal stripe running down the matches their rocky substrates, while their undersides are covered back. During the breeding season, males establish territories in in a bright yellow wash. Although once common across the Los ponds or slow-moving pools in streams, and will fiercely defend their Padres, the FYLF has experienced declines throughout central territories by kicking at other males that swim by. The toads take and southern California and is now extirpated in its former refuge from heat and exposure in rodent burrows and beneath logs. range south of Monterey County. Many of these declines are When disturbed, the toads can produce mildly poisonous secretions attributed to water diversion and degradation of breeding from the glands behind their heads, which are unpalatable to habitat, although the causes of their declines in some many predators. The toads lay their eggs in long areas are unknown. The FYLF was historically strings with paired rows of eggs, and the eggs documented in watersheds throughout are equipped with some of the toad’s toxins coastal Big Sur and in the Ventana and to protect them from predators. ■ Silver Peak Wildernesses, but there is little data available on the current status and distribution of their populations in the northern Santa Lucia Range. They are currently listed as a “California Species of Special Concern.”

Foothill Yellow-legged Frog

Western Toad VENTANA WILDERNESS WATCH I Volume 19 Number 1 I SPRING 2018

We Can’t Thank You Enough: Our 2017* Members and Funders BUSINESSES April Ballesteros Barbara Crum Alan French Bonnie Hotz Marcia & Robert Jackson & John Gerhardt 1st Capital Bank Rabia Barkins Jose & Roya Cruz Calvin French Wayne Howard Pamela Lowry Michael Newman Big Sur Salts Bruce Barnes Jesse Cude Gernot Friederich Nancy Howden Katie Lueders Jeanette Nicely Chiorini, Hunt and Jacobs Kristen Barnhisel Sheilah Cummings Timothy Fuller Peggy Howell William Lutz Ron Nichols Community Printers Nola Barnick & Mark Burden Valerie Gaino Susan Hubbard Valera Lyles Mark Nicolson Dharmas Natural Foods Roger Beaudoin Mary Cunningham-Welsh Mary Gale Thomas Hughes Jacqueline Lynch Britney Nielsen Restaurant Doug Beck Mary Cunov Shelby Gallagher & Catherine Rivera Mari Lynch Douglas Nienhuis Down Works Krista Beck Jane Curtner Bill Gammons Walter & Patty Hughes Barbara Lyon & Twylla Erickson Frame Circus Corie Beer Jay Cutler Angelica Garcia Boon Hughey Betsy MacGowan Pamela Nolan Google Mary Begtrup Carmella Cuva Dan Gearhart Ivan Humphreys Brian Mack David Norris Great Expeditions Leif Behrmann Steve Cypher Rich Gellert Grace Hurley Chris Mack Julie Oates Intel Edward Bennett Ernest Daghir Brian George William Hyman Sherry Mack Daniel O’Brien Juniper Ridge Beth & Steve Benoit Denise Danaher Gina Gianfala Kyoko Ikemoto Carol Maehr Doug O’Brien & Marcia Lo National Geographic Maps Andrea Benson Bonnie Dankert Siobhan Gibbons Ruani Ilangakoon Theo Maehr Cynthia O’Connell North Coast Vision Optometry Jacquelyn Bergner Janice Davis Bonnie Gillooly Carol Imwalle Diane Maez Colette O’Connor Otter B Books Paola Berthoin Raziel Davison John Glendening Malcolm Jack Salem & Laurie Magarian Gerry O’Connor Parks Project Simon Bertrang Amy Dawe Michele Goins David Jacobs Dario & Katherine Malengo Jaime Oden Patagonia Brian Bingham Christine Dawson Ged Goodheart Shell Jacobs Larry Manes Helen Ogden Elizabeth Quinn, MS DC Thomas Birnbaum Elaine Dawson Rory Graetch Lindsay Jeffers Christopher Manke Maria Ogden REI Mary Blackler & Phil Wagner June Dawson Benjamin Grainger Bill Jeffery Lisa Manning David Ohanesian & Susan Krivin Ristorante Avanti Dan Blakely Alexandra De La Vega Mike & Cindy Grall Katherine Jenkins Melissa & Bob Mannix Emily O’Hara Rustic Pathways Steve Blalock Arthur & Anne Schwartz Stephen Graner Daniel Jensen & Carolyn Donlin John & Margaret Marcroft Kristin Olafson Scharf Investments Joe Blau Delibert Dick & Lyn Graybill Jesse Jensen Charles Martin Josie Oliver Scudder Roofing Sun Dan Blunk Tyson Denherder Edward Greene Laura & Dru Jensen Flo Martin Amelia Olson Energy Systems Kathleen Bonner Susan Denny Matt Greenfield Tim Jensen Frank Martin Jean Olson The Treadmill Michael Boone Ian Deville Kenneth & Debbie Griest Diana Johns M. 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the Redwoods League David Casterson Keith & Meg Evans Michael Hawk Brian Krone Harriet Mitteldorf Katie Pofahl Tassajara Zen Mountain Center Cameron Chabre Sharon Evans Anne Hayes Susan Kubica Cynthia Miyamoto Joe Pokrifka UCSC Arboretum Sarah Chaney Steven Evans Jamie Hays Peter Kwiek & Robin Cohen Mark Moehling Mary Pommerich USDA Forest Service Max & Cynthia Chaplin Jim Fairchild Lois Hazard Anna Ladas Camille Moitozo Nancy Popchak Banicia Chatkara Suzanne Fanch Liam John Headley Gena and Jerome Lapointe Ma Mon Rich Popchak INDIVIDUALS Alex Chau Craig & Debby Farmer Daniel Heaston Don Latimer Lynn Moncher John Puccinelli Robert & Donna Adamson Clair Cheer Catherine Farrant Matthew Heath David Laurits Richard & Judith Montgomery Charles Pugh Patricia Addleman Pamela Chrislock & Mary Dainton Gero Heine William & Katherine Lauster Andrea Moore Elizabeth Quinn, MS DC Sue Addleman Carl Christensen Diane Farrow-Lapin Sandra Heller Jacqueline Lautzenhiser Karen Moore John Radford James 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Hillard Brian & Carol LeNeve Judith Mostyn Megan Reilly Niklas Andersson David Collins Richard Fitzgerald Lisa Hindley Nicole Lenggenhager Caroline & David Moyer Paul Reilly Carlota Andrews Andy & Marilee Cominos Karen Flagg David Hirsch Elizabeth Lerer Teresa Mrvichin Martha Renault Carol Andrews Phylis Conlan Bruce Flatow Laurel Hogan Mabel Lernoud Christine Muegge David Reneau David Anthony Lisa Connally Paul Fleischman Astrid Holberg Judy LeRoy Richard Mueller Katherine & Ben Reneker Willow Aray Christopher Connery Natalie Flightner Breta Holgers Mark Levine David Mullally Ellen Reyes Robert Armstrong Mark Conover Patrick Foley Mark & Roxane Holman Valerie Levulett Laura Murphy Sylvia Reyes Ryan Armstrong Jack Corrigan Leslie Foote Christina Holston Jon Libby & Kate Cunningham Holly Naylor Julianne Rhodes Jesse Arnold David & Susan Courrejou James Foran Patricia Holt Geraldine Lieby Nicole Nedeff Taryn Rianda Allison Arteaga Carol Courtney Chris Ford Laura Hooper Suzanne Limbird Kerry Neece George Richardson Patricia Ashe-Woodfill Janet Covell Emily Forzani Victoria Hoover Mark Lippert Steve Neff Neil Richman Molly Attell Kailey Cox Michael & Vivian Foster Phil Hopfner Kirsten Liske Kim Neill Richard Riedl Richard & Linda Averett Tom & Karla Cravens Sam Foster Bill Hopkins Skip & Mary Anne Lloyd Axelle Nelson Bruce Rienzo Elayne Azevedo Diane Creasey Suzanne Francoeur Taunt Heidi Hopkins & James Merz Janice Longaker David Nelson James Ringland Don Baccus Alan & Wendy Crockett James Franks Tom & Julie Anne Hopkins Jerry Loomis Thomas Nemes Max Ritchie 10 Larry & Sharon Bacon Ian Crosno Melissa Freebairn Heather Horton Gary Lopez Kenneth Nemire Eugene & Maya Rizzo Nelson Balcar Betty Crowder Maya Freedman Laura Horton Caitlin Lorenc Thomas Neu David Roberts Alan Baldwin Christine Crozier Katherine Freitas Mary Hostetler Chris & Debi Lorenc Janet Newman Elliott Robinson

*For donations received January 1, 2017, through March 15, 2018. Our apologies if we somehow missed you. Please notify us at [email protected]. ­— Members and Funders continued Gary Robinson Laura Seidenberg Joe & Mary Lou Sortais Meredith Stricker Daniel Tichenor Bill Vogt Brianna Williams Terri Rock Patrick Semonelli Renee Sosa & Thomas Cowen John Tilley Einar Vollset Gordon & Beverly Williams Terry Rockwood Stephanie Sendell William Soskin & Marian Penn Paulette Struckman Cathy Toldi & Gene Bush David & Rosann Wachtel Holly & Ken Williams Bill Rodgers Sharol Sevilla Matt Spiegl Abigail & Morgan Stryker Francis Toldi Richard Wadsworth Mark Willison Martin & Joan Rosen Mike Shannon David Spilker Carol Stuart Brian Tomasini Ann Louise Wagner Scott Wilson Lynn Roth Aloyce Shaw Jim & Jane Spisak Noelle Suh Maxine Torres Elissa Wagner Lynnelle Wing & Derek Williams Marianne Rowe Greg Shawver Terry Spitz Dennis Sullivan Breck Tostevin Danielle Walker Tracy Winkleblack Brian & Michele Rowlett Kelly Sheehan Mike Splain Anneliese Suter Catherine Traub Philip Walker Karla Wolf Sara Rubin Sabrina Shirazi Kimber Spooner Paula Suttle Chuck Tremper & Sue Thomas Kymm Ann Wallin Philip Wolff Steve Rubin Burkhard Siedhoff Robin Spring Kim Swan Mark Tribbey John & Priscilla Walton Bobby Wood Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts Richard Silva Alexa Squire Bernice Swartley Mary Trotter Scott Waltz Reid & Karen Woodward Josh & Anastasia Rude Vince Silva George St. Clair Melissa & Robert Swedberg Hillary Trout Jane-Ling Wang Darby Worth Najoo Ruediger Jan & Mary Simek Sarah & Chad Stacy Sean Swezey Johnathon Turner Thomas Ward Barbara Woyt Markus Ryan Anne Simmons Lee Staley Sherry Sybertz Riley Twohig Lisa Wartinger Joan Wright Nina Ryan Gary Sims Bob Stallard Peter & Marie Szydlowski Ellen Uhler Christina Watson Christy Wyckoff Melissa Sadowsky Laurie Singer Erin Stanfield Reno Taini John Umnus William & Diana Waycott Harry & Karen Wyeth William & Diane Salmon Ron Sissem Richard Stanley Brent Taylor Ruth Updegraff Patrick Webster William Wyman Jim Sandor Mary Skipwith John Staples Ken Taylor Rachel Uschock Bill Weigle Vern Yadon Parker Santiago Sidney Slade Brian Steen Debra Ternullo Doris Vail Joseph Weintraub Robert Yang James Sapia Giuseppi Slater Bobby & Kim Chi Steger Antony Tersol Lois Van Buren Michael Wellborn Rei Yoshinobu Lesli Savelberg Alan Smith Rita Mae Steger Brian Thayer Joyce Vandevere Christopher Wells Ann Young Jeffrey Schaffer David Smith Annette Steiner Reed Thayer Keith Vandevere Douglas Wenger Carol Young Sharon Schimmoller Henry Smith Ryan Steuk Judith Therrien Michele Vanhentenryck Deborah Wenzler James Yurchenco Daniel & Betty Schlothan Jennifer Smith & Doug Joyce Stevens Chris Thomas Mary Ann Vasconcellos Kimberley Werr & Amy Lauterbach Robert Schuh Holtzman Kelli Stewart Donna & Peter Thomas Tony Vastola Gordon Wheeler Marsha Zelus Robert Schumacker Leland Smith Winona Stewart Elizabeth Thomas Dalton Vaughn Dave Whipple Bradley Zeve Paul Sciuto Timothy Smith & Austin Keegan Cathy Thome & Barry Farrara Francesca Verdier Jackie Whiting Darryl Zimmerman Peter & Celia Scott Violet Smith James Stiefel Cheryl Thompson Clay Vernon Markin Whitman Patricia Zuniga ■ Pauline Seales Nataliya Soloveva Karolyn Stone Cole Thompson Richard Veum Laura Wilkerson Jacqueline & Michael Sedgwick James Sommerville Karin Strasser Kauffman Ralph Thompson Paul & Cindy Vizza Maryanne Will Margaret Seibert Melissa Sorenson Brian Stratman Stephen Thompson Hillary Voge Constance Willett

2017 Annual Report In 2017, the VWA continued to build on the successes of its “Scaling for Sustainability” initiative. Despite the challenging aftermath of wildfire and heavy winter storms, staff members, contractors, and over 200 volunteers made significant progress caring for our public lands, advocating for their conservation, and inspiring the next generation to do the same. Diversifying funding streams was a focal point (and will continue to be in the year ahead). For every dollar raised, over 88 cents went to programs on the ground. Thank you for your ongoing support. ■

SUPPORT AND REVENUE 2017 PERCENT CONTRIBUTIONS OF TOTAL Current Grants Grants - Current $283,194 49.4% Prior Grants Grants - from Prior Years $136,682 23.8% Member Dues $53,742 9.4% Member Dues Annual Appeal $51,105 8.9% Annual Appeal Events $30,242 5.3% Endowment Distributions $15,431 2.7% Events Interest $2,921 0.5% Endowments TOTAL $573,317 100.0% Interest

PROGRAM EXPENSES 2017 PERCENT 450000 EXPENDITURES OF TOTAL 400000 Stewardship $401,044 69.7% Advocacy $108,239 18.8% 350000 Fundraising $34,700 6.0% 300000 Management & Governance $31,659 5.5% 250000 TOTAL $575,642 100.0% 200000 150000 100000 STATEMENT OF ASSETS Cash $100,036 50000 Certificates of Deposit $316,923 0 Stewardship Advocacy Fundraising Management TOTAL $416,959 & Governance 11 NON PROFIT ORG Post Office Box 506 I Santa Cruz, CA 95061 US POSTAGE PAID SANTA CRUZ, CA ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED PERMIT NO. 150 EVENTS May 5 BioBlitz Milpitas Special Interest Area www.meetup.com/Ventana-Wilderness- Alliance-Meetup/ June 16 Annual Gathering Toro Park, Salinas Details TBA September 20 and 22 Wild & Scenic Film Festival Del Mar Theatre, Santa Cruz and Golden State Theatre, Monterey Details TBA

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Partnering to Inspire the Next Generation 2017 was a banner year for the VWA’s Youth in Wilderness program. Despite much adversity due to the combined effects of fire and rain, the program served 484 students on 24 expeditions and day adventures. Local kids were introduced to their public lands, learned about local conservation efforts, and rediscovered themselves while immersed in nature. We’ve carried this momentum into 2018 and are honored to share such great success with our dedicated education partners. ■

Thank you 2017–18 Education Partners Community Partnership for Youth, Seaside Greenfield Community Science Workshop Digital NEST (Watsonville and Salinas) Gonzales Youth Council King City Science Camp / USFS Migrant Out-of-School Youth Program, Salinas MTNS2SEA, Santa Cruz Ponderosa High School, Ben Lomond Rancho Cielo Youth Campus, Salinas California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo California State University, Monterey Bay Youth in Wilderness Program Manager Toan Do (far right) works closely with José University of California, Santa Cruz Sánchez of the Greenfield Community Science Workshop (back row, third from left) to ensure that expeditions are fun, safe, and educational.