TOMORROW!/ 10am/WED July 16/ SB Beaver Brigade Field Trip & Meetup w/ Paul Jenkin at Ventura River Preserve-Oso Trailhead
Margie
Hi again, just a reminder of our field trip tomorrow morning with Paul Jenkin, 10am Wed July 16, see details below. Bring hats, good walking shoes, sunscreen, water.
We will follow by meeting for lunch (self-pay) at the Farmer & the Cook in Meiners Oaks if you have time. Hope to see you there! Margie & Wes
On Wed, July 16, we will meet Paul Jenkin at the Ventura River Preserve-Oso Trailhead, near Meiners Oaks (not far from Ojai). We will do a walk-about, talking about the health of the river for steelhead, and possibility of beavers having been a part of that ecosystem in the past, more and more evidence suggesting they were.
Paul Jenkin is an activist and longtime member of Surfriders, Ventura Chapter, working on critical issues concerning the Ventura River, and exploring strategies for removing the Matilija Dam, which among other things, impedes travel of native Steelhead trout as they return from the ocean to travel up the river to their spawning sites. We have shared Paul’s work with SB Beaver Brigade in the past, we are excited to meet him in person: https://www.venturariver.org/.
We will meet at 10am, at the parking area for the Ventura River Preserve-Oso Trailhead, 1298 Meyer Rd, Ojai, CA 93023 (N. Rice Rd, to Meyer Rd, click on live link)
All participating must provide their own transportation. Margie & Wes
SB Beaver Brigade July 2025 Newsletter:
SANTA BARBARA BEAVER BRIGADE
Location: South Coast Watershed Resource Center, Arroyo Burro County Park (Hendry’s Beach)
2981 Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93109.
Hi everyone, just a reminder, NO meeting this month (we don’t have meetings in July).
Great news, we submitted a proposal last week to present at the annual UCSB Central Coast Sustainability Summit, our title: California Beaver: Allies in Promoting Climate Resiliency. We were just notified we have been selected! We’ve pulled together a great team to present. The conference takes place on Wed, Oct 15, 2025, please mark your calendars, the public is welcome (with registration) to attend.
Our Title: California Beaver: Allies in Promoting Climate Resiliency 75-minute session
Team of Presenters:
· Dr. Emily Fairfax: Ecohydrologist; University of Minnesota; preeminent researcher on beavers & wildfires. Focus: beaver & wildfires
· Audrey Taub: Founder & Executive Director of the SLO Beaver Brigade, who recently initiated a proposal for a River Center on the upper Salinas River in Atascadero, host of the Annual SLO Beaver Festival in San Luis Obispo, CA. Focus: Community interaction & education.
· Molly Alves: Wildlife Biologist, Calif Dept of Fish & Wildlife/Beaver Restoration Program Supervisor. Focus: policy & legislation
· Cooper Lienhart: President & founder of Nature’s Engineers, a process-based restoration company. Focus: jobs & career paths involving beaver & wetlands
· Dave Fortson: founder of Regen Network Development PBC. Focus: building carbon market infrastructure on the Regen Network blockchain to help the world finance climate action; with local beaver project suggested
Presentation goals:
Government agencies, federal and state agencies, tribal governments, and state legislators are joining nonprofits, scientists, individuals, ranchers, farmers, and other landowners in new partnerships with the shared goal of harnessing what beavers do to help restore ecosystems and create watershed resiliency. Our presentation will share recent developments in ecological research and previous case studies which indicate beavers are able to provide vital ecosystem services that encourage climate resiliency through wildfire protection, flood prevention, and water conservation. By sharing this information, we hope to connect private, state, and federal stakeholders with resources for beaver restoration, coexistence and stewardship. In addition, we hope to build relationships with local agencies and entities that are facing challenges due to climate issues, so we can discuss the possibility of beaver stewardship as a low cost and ecologically-friendly solution. Potential jobs and career paths involving beaver and unique strategies for financing beaver projects will be explored.
Looking forward to seeing you again in August, Margie Bushman & Wes Roe, SB Beaver Brigade Chapter & Santa Barbara Permaculture Network
Volunteer opportunities: someone to manage SB Beaver Brigade email list
Upcoming events of note:
- 2025 State of the Beaver conference, November 18-20th, at the Seven Feather Conventions Center, Canyonville, Oregon
- 13th Annual Central Coast Sustainability Summit UCSB, Wed, Oct 15, 2025
SB Beaver Brigade Meetings always the 2nd Tuesday of the month (no meetings in July or December)
Location: South Coast Watershed Resource Center, Arroyo Burro County Park (Hendry’s Beach)
2981 Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93109.