by Candice Meneghin, Friends of the Santa Clara River Board Member
Friends of the Santa Clara was formed in 1993 with the mission of protecting and preserving the biological and cultural resources of the Santa Clara River Watershed, which spans Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. The Friends have promoted all aspects of river health, including public outreach, water quality monitoring, wetland restoration, opposition to floodplain development, and advocating for the protection of several threatened and endangered species that call this watershed home. On Sunday September 16, we will be celebrating the Friends’ 25th Silver Streams Anniversary Gala and Fundraiser at Rancho Camulos in Piru from 3:30-6:30p.m.
Come immerse yourself in the heart of the Santa Clara River Watershed its beauty and its history, with appetizers and sustainably grown eats from our own Santa Clara River valley. Enjoy local wines and beers while perusing the silent auction. Meander beneath the majestic river valley mountain views to live music. We invite our friends – new and old, and watershed community members to come share in our history and learn about our future endeavors. Your support will make possible our ongoing efforts to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of this magnificent river for future generations. Tickets are available at https://fscr.org/25th-anniversary/.
We will be honoring our founder and outgoing board chair, Ron Bottorff as he hands over the chairmanship to Jim Danza after 25 years of service. We will also be celebrating the work of several watershed Champions that include: Ventura County Supervisor’s Steve Bennett and Linda Parks for their instrumental role as co-authors of the Ventura County Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources initiative, and its recent extension until 2050. SOAR is a series of voter initiatives that require a vote of the people before agricultural land or open space areas can be rezoned for development. Dr. John Puglisi, Superintendent of the Rio School District, for the new Rio Del Sol STEAM school on the banks of the Santa Clara River. The goal of the school is to integrate the STEAM framework into all Common Core subject to engage students in authentic learning experiences. We believe these opportunities foster a stewardship ethos in our community and give rise to the next generation of Friends on the Santa Clara River. Paolo Perrone, Trust for Public Lands, for the acquisition of the 51.4-acre Robin’s Nest property in Acton, CA, in the San Gabriel Mountains and 864 acres of Temescal Ranch, a 6,006 acre site, more than nine square miles of hillside terrain east of Lake Piru, that straddles the Ventura County line to the west and Los Padres National Forest land to the north. Two streams on the Temescal Ranch property drain into Piru Creek and ultimately the Santa Clara River downstream. The protection of these properties will allow for the restoration of land which contains tributaries, creeks, and the Santa Clara River, one of the few remaining free-flowing riparian systems in southern California.
Read our summer newsletter, Watershed News at: https://mailchi.mp/0827f9ac69a4/friends-of-the-santa-clara-river-watershed-news-summer-2018?e=945ee1de94. More information on Friends of the Santa Clara River can be found at www.fscr.org.
