The goal of the docent program is to provide information and to engage in conversation with visitors of the Foothills. We need your help with explaining this restoration project to people visiting the West Mesa.
The Thomas fire burned 440 square miles - roughly the size of the City of Los Angeles – and broke the record as the largest California wildfire in recorded history. In its wake it left scorched and barren hillsides. Seemingly before any-one could react, disaster struck again, and heavy rainfall sent floods and mudslides down the exposed slopes.
One special element of the San Marcos Foothills West Mesa is the perennial spring in the northwest corner that provides the only natural, year-round water source on the entire San Marcos Foothills. The spring was likely used to provide water for cattle during ranching times. At some undetermined point in the past, a long metal pipe was inserted in the hillside at the top of a small arroyo. This pipe apparently converted a natural seep into a controlled stream of water that falls into a bathtub, perhaps placed there at the same time. Water accumulates to as much as 7 to 10 inches in depth, depending on the state of repair of the tub that has cracks in the bottom.
Channel Islands Restoration is coordinating a trail maintenance program that will provide easier trail accessibility, stable footing, and designated walking paths for visitors, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts at the San Marcos Foothills West Mesa Preserve located in Santa Barbara. This series of Santa Barbara based volunteer opportunities is a great opportunity to learn about trail maintenance and join a new program on how to maintain trails in the local community.
Painted Cave is a sea cave on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island, thought to be the fourth largest sea cave in length in the world and second largest in volume in the US. With weather and tides permitting, Island Packers Captains can make the decision to immerse the boat completely within the cave. The entrance is over 130 feet high, over 100 feet wide and over 1200 feet in length. Naturally occurring algae and lichens give Painted Cave its artist’s palate appearance.
What’s CIR doing that I can actually see? (Or, thanks Doug, this is a great place for a date!) A lot! CIR has gotten a reputation of working in places most people don’t regularly get to, we’re sort of like ‘Restoration Hotshots’. We are usually working so far off the beaten path that it takes some logistical effort to see us in action. Well, that is no longer the case in Santa Barbara at Elings Park!
KEYT Santa Barbara news covered Channel Islands Restoration’s 20th anniversary gathering at Manning Park in Montecito on October 22nd, 2022. The event was held in celebration of CIR’s 20 year history as an environmental organization and habitat restoration contractor, providing a variety of services to the Central Coast, Santa Barbara County, Ventura County, and of course the Channel Islands. Watch KEY’s full coverage of the 20th Anniversary event below.
Thank you to the Santa Barbara Noozhawk team for covering our 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit in your latest news story. Written by Ray Ford, the Noozhawk article covers the history of Channel Islands Restoration and our growth as a nonprofit organization over the last 20 years.
Channel Islands Restoration invites you to join us at Manning Park in Montecito for this in-person community event to celebrate 20 years of environmental restoration and education!
We'll have a selection of snacks; plus wine, beer, soft drinks, and good company to boot, including members of CIR's staff and Board of Directors.
This fun-filled afternoon is a small way for us to say thank you for your support over the last 20 year! As a community oriented nonprofit, we recognize your generous contributions that allow us to protect habitat along the Central Coast and on the Channel Islands. Come out and meet fellow CIR supporters and friends of the community.
Channel Islands Restoration invites you to make a splash during our silent kayak auction. It’s now your chance to own this beautiful custom made recreational kayak. The winner will be announced on October 22, so make your bid today! All proceeds will directly benefit native habitat restoration.
From a single volunteer project removing invasive plants on Santa Cruz Island, Duke and Ken's years of experience in environmental restoration and educational services helped them to grow and establish Channel Islands Restoration!
We help support local Santa Barbara businesses through our sponsorship programs! Channel Islands Restoration puts together educational events every year that bring together volunteers, supporters, students, and friends who are interested in furthering the sustainability of our natural world on the Central Coast.
Channel Islands Restoration has partnered with Island Packers to bring you the second annual Autumn Equinox Cruise to the beautiful and remote Santa Rosa Island on September 22.
You'll enjoy spectacular views, great company, exciting hikes, and ample time to enjoy island life. Learn about the island history, geology, and ecology with friends and like-minded environmental enthusiasts!
All proceeds will go toward CIR's conservation work and helping to restore the native plant and animal communities found on the Channel Islands and adjacent mainland. CIR has subsidized any fees or tax otherwise included in your ticket purchase.
We’re always excited to share our story with a broader community of friends and supporters! Channel Islands Restoration was recently featured on KCET’s #SoCalWanderer blog highlighting how you can join organizations like Channel Islands Restoration, Positional Projects, The Bay Foundation, Friends of the Inyo, Friends of California Condors Wild & Free, and more in the outdoors for all of volunteer opportunities!
At some point toward the end of a busy 2021, I rather suddenly realized that CIR had been in existence for nearly 20 years. One-third of my life had gone by in that time, and it was the most productive and personally satisfying time of my nearly 60 years.
The island fox is only found on six of California’s Channel Islands. In 2000, these rare canines faced extinction on four islands. Today populations are recovered, but drought and introduced disease pose new threats. Survival of the island fox is vital to restoring healthy island ecosystems because these tiny foxes control plant predators and are themselves important seed dispersers. New research is also revealing that island foxes may provide a link between marine nutrients and island vegetation. Join us for a discussion on the intricate interconnections between island species and an unprecedented new research effort this summer.
Each spring the Channel Islands Restoration crew head into the Los Angeles National Forest to treat invasive species on the western edge of the Sierra Pelonas just east of I-5. To the west is the inaccessible Sespe Condor Sanctuary and to the east it is just as rugged. A few miles north, the San Andreas fault bisects this path.
A preview of our May 2022 Island Insider Newsletter, that includes this wide-ranging interview from Greg Giloth, Channel Islands Restoration Vice President and Board Member. Greg explains why Channel Islands Restoration is so important and his thoughts on our next 20 years of restoration and education..
20 years in, CIR enters a new era marked by managing the West Mesa, strengthening our internal operations, creating new docent programs, and so much more. This new era means your support is as critical as ever as we face the ever-growing challenges climate change produces. You can help us restore the natural beauty of our region now and for generations to come. Thank you for supporting Channel Islands Restoration and making our 20th year even more impactful.
We’ve been celebrating all month long, touring and walking the San Marcos Foothills to educate the public on their importance and sharing why we worked so hard to save this land from development.
The Foothills symbolize a new phase in our history. While we continue to restore native habitats, recruit volunteers, and educate communities, we are also responsible for managing the West Mesa.
Protecting these 101 acres ushers in a new dimension to our work and adds to our 20 years of restoration, education, research, and collaboration experience.
This new era is especially important on Earth Day!