Working with the Marineros supportgroup, the CCD “dive with a purpose,”helping to discover the secrets of theunderwater world.

SCUBA diver Cindy Lipthay felt atug on her fin. Her dive buddy,

James Logan, indicated that there wassomething big hovering amid the giantkelp in the offshore waters of ItalianGardens last summer. “Kicking like crazyto swim over there, I was lookingthrough the viewfinder of myunderwater video camera when three of five giant sea bass came into view! Ibegan filming as I swam a little closer.”

A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E

CATA L I NA IS L A N D CO N S E RVA N C Y

Winter/Spring 2006

The mission of the

Catalina Island Conservancy

is to be a responsible steward

of its lands through a balance

of conservation, education

and recreation.

I N S I D E . . .

FROM THE PRESIDENT 2

NEWS BRIEFS 4

FACES AND PLACES 8

BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE 10

CALENDAR 11

LIFE-LONG LEARNING 12

DONOR APPRECIATION 14

MAKING A DIFFERENCE 16

OUT AND ABOUT 18

NATURE’S NOTEBOOK 20

A rare nose-to-nose encounter with aschool of giant black sea bass is just oneof the thrills Lipthay has enjoyed as amember of the Catalina ConservancyDivers (CCD). The organization wasformed in 1991, joining the Caballeros,Pilots and Marineros as a group ofsupporters defined by a shared passionwho help sustain the Conservancy, notonly through their annual dues and fundraisers, but by active participation inconservation projects. Events held by theCCD include the Annual Avalon HarborClean-up Day, Casino Night, andSCUBA Trail at the Casino PointUnderwater Park.

Face-to-Face – Giant sea bass closely studies CCD Research Divers at Italian Gardens, just west of LongPoint. Now protected, this gentle giant may grow up to 7 feet long and weigh as much as 550 pounds.

Photo by Cindy Lipthay, CCD Site Leader, Italian Gardens

continued on page 3

Catalina Conservancy Divers DeliverData from the DeepBy Bob Rhein

R. Pelouze

TheConservancy Times

is a publication of the

Benefactor Members

Robert GivenPaxson H. Offield

Alison Wrigley Rusack

Board of Directors

Geoffrey Rusack, ChairMarie Knowles, Vice Chair

Don BeaumontNorris Bishton

Jim BrownVictoria Seaver Dean

Jane FetterClifford HagueRichard Harp

Robert MeistrellAnn MuscatDave Parker

Calvin ParsonsMaria Pellegrini

Executive Team

Ann MuscatPresident/Chief Executive Officer

Mel DinkelChief Operating Officer/Treasurer

Leslie BaerChief Communications Officer

Jackie McDougallChief Development Officer

Carlos de la RosaChief Conservation and Education Officer

Department Heads

Lenny AltherrDirector, Facilities Management

Scott DennisDirector, Visitor and Volunteer Services

Steve DawesSupervisor, Special Projects

Mark HoefsDirector & Curator, Wrigley Memorial

and Botanical GardenPaul Moritz

Director, Airport OperationsJane Pulsinelli

Assistant TreasurerCharles Wright

Director, Development

Contact Us

(562) 437-8555 x221editor@catalinaconservancy.org

Editor: Bob Rhein Production Manager: Jeanne McKayGraphic Design: 2B Communications

Contributors to This Issue

Erica Cushing, Scott Dennis, Mike Herrera,Denise Knapp, John Knapp, Jenny McCune,

Jackie McDougall, Jeanne McKay,Ann Muscat, Bob Rhein, Frank Starkey,

Rich Zanelli, Chuck Wright

From the President

COVER STORY • 3

Conservancy Times — Winter/Spring 2006

Hallmarks of Effective Conservation Practice

The practice of conservationinvolves a complex set of activities

that bring together ecological, social andeconomic concerns. One hallmark ofeffective conservation is scientificresearch that generates data to informour conservation management decisions.

But scientific data is not enough. Weneed that link between the science andthe rest of society that environmentaleducation provides. To that end, I havedecided to combine the conservation andeducation departments of theConservancy to facilitate optimalcoordination between our conservationmanagement practices and oureducational outreach messages.

In this issue you will be introduced totwo new staff, our Chief of Conservationand Education, Dr. Carlos de la Rosa,and our Outreach Programs Specialist,Aaron Morehouse. If our conservationefforts on Catalina are to be mosteffective, we must help peopleunderstand the complexity ofconnections between species (includinghumans) and their environments, andprovide a pathway that leads fromawareness, to understanding, to decisionmaking and changed behaviors that doin fact benefit the environment.

I am also convinced that traditionaleducational outreach is not enough. Intoday’s rapid-paced information-intensive society, we in the conservationfield need to become more sophisticatedabout our messaging and use the tools ofsocial marketing to develop a sharedsense of conservation values in societythat lead to behaviors that aresustainable over time.

This type ofwork should alsobe grounded insound socialscience research,just as we wantto ground ourrestoration andecologicalmanagementdecisions in

sound science. To that end we conductedan extensive survey of Catalina’s visitorsand residents and will use the results toinform our communication strategies.

As another feedback tool, we haveinstituted a process of dialoguing withstakeholder groups regarding importantconservation challenges and howmanagement practice may interface withtheir lives. The Windward BeachesWorking Group (WBWG), our first“Conservation Council,” is an example ofthat dialoguing process in practice. [Seean update on implementation of WBWGrecommendations, page 7.]

So another hallmark of effectiveconservation is constant and consistenteducational outreach andcommunication—sharing andlistening—with involvement of all partsof society in the conservation process.

Conservation must become anonpartisan, multicultural,multigenerational endeavor if we are tosucceed in ensuring the quality of lifethat we would like for our children andtheir children.

Catalina Island Conservancy

“It’s easy to see what is happening on land—to see the fox recovery and the plight ofthe bald eagles,” Lipthay commented. “Butwho is really aware of what’s happeningunderwater?”

For thirteen years, specially trained CCD Scientific Research Divers have been conducting long-term projectssuggested by the CCD’s Scientific AdvisoryBoard. The Board consists of experts from Channel Islands National Park, theUniversity of Santa Barbara MarineSciences Institute, the CaliforniaDepartment of Fish and Game,and the Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies.

Before a CCD member can participate inthese dives, he or she must earn aResearch Diver Certificate by takingcomprehensive training sessions offeredtwice a year by the CCD at the CabrilloMarine Aquarium in San Pedro. Diversmust then complete two checkout dives atCasino Point—one in species identification,the other on data collection protocols.

CCD projects include the Key SpeciesMonitoring Project that takes place atseven offshore sites around the Island:Cactus Bay, Church Rock, Casino Point,Eagle Reef, Italian Gardens, Little Harborand Pumpernickel Cove. Data collected onmore than 50 marine species, including

fish, marine algae and marineinvertebrates common to the SouthernCalifornia kelp forest, is sent to the USCWrigley Institute for EnvironmentalStudies (WIES) for further analysis.

Another endeavor undertaken by the CCDis the Kelp Forest Monitoring Project. Thiseffort is conducted within the protectedmarine refuge at the USC/WIES outside ofBig Fisherman’s Cove near Two Harbors.CCD Research Divers have been studying

kelp densities and growth rates at depthsof 15, 30 and 60 feet.

The third project of the CCD divers is theMarine Thermograph Project. Divers have

deployed marine temperature recordingdevices at four locations around Catalinaat three different depths to record watertemperature on an hourly basis.

Lipthay, a research site leader, stressed thatthe support of the Marineros is crucial toCCD’s work. “While the Marineros enjoytaking us to the dive sites, we love researchdiving, and the scientists at WIES gain thereliable data we collect for their studies,”she remarked. “Everyone wins!”

“Marinero Phil Doane, whom we affection-ately call ‘Captain Phil,’ took us diving offthe Hukilau when we saw the giant seabass. Imagine swimming side-by-side witha sea creature that outweighs both youand your dive buddy combined,” she exclaimed. “Some may doubt our big fishtale, but I have pictures to prove it!”

Catalina Conservancy Divers Deliver Datafrom the Deep (continued from page 1)

Taking the Ocean’s Temperature –CCD members have completed a full decadeof recording hour-by-hour temperaturechanges in waters around Catalina.

Tons of Junk! – CCD members participate in the Annual Avalon Harbor Clean-up

Monitoring the Ocean’s Ecosystem Divers

count samples of ocean life as part of the

CCD’s Key Species Monitoring Project

The Catalina Island Conservancy isgrateful to the volunteers who makeup the Catalina Conservancy Divers,the Marineros, the Caballeros and thePilots. To join a support group, pleasecall (562) 437-8555 ext. 228.

NEWS BRIEFS • 5

continued on page 6

“Green Cancer” Invades Islands

In Hawaii, it’s called the “Green Cancer.” Miconia (Miconiacalvescens), in the melastome family (Melastomataceae), is a tree40-50 feet tall and with large leaves, native to the neotropics. Ithas a reputation as the most invasive and damaging of alienplant species to wet forests of Pacific islands. This Miconia specieshas become widespread and overwhelmingly dominant on Tahiti,an island with rain forest habitat very similar to that of Maui.Because of its attractive purple and green foliage, it wasintroduced to Hawaii as an ornamental in the 1960s. Now that it

is in Hawaii, it ultimatelyposes a threat to allhabitats receiving 75-80inches or more of annualprecipitation. Miconiahas been found on fourHawaiian islands —Maui, Hawaii, Oahu, andKauai.

Source: Oahu Chamber of

Commerce Bulletin Excerpt

CATALINA FACT

On Catalina Island, the three most prolific invasive plantspecies are flax-leaf broom (Genista linifolia), fennel(Foeniculum vulgare), and Cape ivy (Delairea odorata). LikeMiconia in the Pacific islands, if these species are leftunmanaged they will continue to wreak havoc with Catalina’snatural heritage. Fortunately, the Conservancy has beenawarded several grants to address control of these and otherinvasive plants.

4 • NEWS BRIEFS

Conservancy Times — Winter/Spring 2006

A Prickly Situation

A non-native prickly pear-eating moth, Cactoblastis cactorum, wasfirst recorded in 1989 in the Florida Keys, where it has alreadysignificantly reduced the native prickly pear cactus (Opuntia spp.).Since then it has moved northward up the coastline of Florida,and is moving rapidly around the Gulf Coast. As of July 2002, themoth had been documented as far north as Charleston, SouthCarolina along the Atlantic coast and as far northwest asAlligator Point, Florida (south of Tallahassee, and about 200 mileseast of the Alabama state line) along the Gulf coast.

The distribution of the invasive moth is currently unknown.Researchers with the United States Department of Agriculture

(USDA) areworking todevelop a programto release sterilemales that mightslow or stop themoth’s dispersal.However, morework needs to bedone by the USDAto understand its pattern of

dispersion so they can act quickly when the technique using thesterile male moths is fully developed.

Source: Bulletin from The Nature Conservancy Excerpt

Conservation Group Names NineNew Biodiversity“Hotspots”

Washington, D.C.-basedConservation International hasnamed an additional nine new“biodiversity hotspots”—areas ofexceptional species richness thatare suffering degradation fromhuman activity. The hotspotdesignation highlights the regionsas priorities for the world’sconservation efforts.

One of the new hotspots is acrucial stopover for migratingmonarch butterflies. Another hasthe highest tree richness of anytemperate region on the planet.And yet another is a mountainrefuge for vultures, tigers, and wildwater buffalo. All the newly namedhotspots have lost at least 70 percent of their original natural habitat.

The organization now recognizes a total of 34 biodiversity hot-spots. About half of all plant and animal species on Earth are found in the hotspots, which originally covered 15.7 percentof Earth’s surface area. Only about a tenth of that original habitatremains.

Source: National Geographic News Excerpt

CONSERVATION NEWSAROUND THE WORLD

CATALINA FACT

Opuntia littoralis, better known as prickly pear cactus, is animportant, dominant component in Catalina’s coastal sage scrubcommunity, and is listed as “vulnerable” by NatureServe, anonline scientific source for rare and endangered species andthreatened ecosystems. Prickly pear provides cover for nestingbirds and for other wildlife from predators and is an abundantfood source for birds and the endangered Catalina Island fox. Ifthe Cactus moth eventually disperses to Catalina, this importantplant community may be negatively affected.

CATALINA FACT

Catalina Island is located in the California Floristic Province,one of the 34 biodiversity hotspots identified by ConservationInternational. The Province comprises most of westernCalifornia down into Baja California. It’s a zone ofMediterranean climate and has the high levels of plant endemism characteristic of other Mediterranean climatic regions.

The Los Angeles County Regional Planning Department hasalso named portions of Catalina Island SEAs, each a“Significant Ecological Area.” SEAs are defined as “ecologicallyimportant or fragile land and water areas, valuable as plantand animal communities.” These areas are classified as one ormore of the following: (1) habitats for rare and endangeredspecies of plants and animals; (2) restricted naturalcommunities - ecological areas which are scarce on a regional basis; (3) habitat restricted in distribution in the county; (4)breeding or nesting grounds; (5) unusual biotic communities;

Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia littoralis)

Catalina – A Biodiversity HotspotPrickly Pear moth eggs anchored to a prickly pearCourtesy of Don Herbison-Evens

➔

Catalina Island Conservancy

➔

➔

“Green Cancer.” Miconia (Miconia calvescens)Photo courtesy of The Nature Conservancy, www.forestryimages.org

(6) sites with critical wildlife and fish value; and 7) relativelyundisturbed habitat.”

Thirty-two SEAs have been identified on Catalina Island, insuch areas as the Windward Beaches, Middle Canyon theBlack Jack and Mount Orizaba areas, Avalon Canyon,Gallagher’s Canyon, and the West End. These SEAs total3,937 acres, or 8 percent of Catalina’s 48,000 acres.

NEWS BRIEFS • 7

Windward Beaches Working Group

In 2003, the Windward Beaches Working Group (WBWG) wasconvened by the Conservancy with the help of the City of Avalon totackle issues like the realignment of Ben Weston Road, amenities atthe Windward Beaches, and beach management. WBWG participants,including Conservancy staff, Island residents and representativesfrom Two Harbors Enterprises met in October to review progress onimplementation of WBWG recommendations.

Conceptual Master Plan for the Windward Beaches • New pop-up campsites at Little Harbor • Realigned road to Ben Weston Beach • Ranger station and interpretive center and educational

amphitheater at Little Harbor• A retaining wall at Shark Harbor and, wooden boardwalks to

enhance the visitor experience and protect sensitive habitat at BenWeston and Little Harbor

Fund Raising • Two financial gifts have been received• Pending request for funds include:

– Replanting at Ben Weston, Little Harbor and Shark Harbor;– Erosion repair at Shark Harbor, including repairing existing

damage on the lower terrace, service road and parking areas;prevention of further erosion with berms, barriers, and curbs

Management• The curfew for minors in the interior was changed from 10 p.m. to

dawn to dusk to dawn .• Two Harbors Enterprises is now providing reservation services and

coverage by employee rangers at Shark Harbor. (Conservancy memberscamp for 50 percent off, resulting in $6 per person per night.)

The Ben Weston Beach realignment is a key feature of the ConceptualMaster Plan.

6 • NEWS BRIEFS

CONSERVATION NEWS (continued from page 5)

FROM THE CONSERVANCY

Orange County Boy Scouts “High Adventure Campers” work on Black JackCampground’s new Welcome Center.

Project Rosebud volunteers were welcomed to the Reservation as part of the Grand Entry of the annual Rosebud Fair.

Right: Volunteer Kay Hague with Lakota dancer.

Conservancy Times — Winter/Spring 2006Catalina Island Conservancy

Boy Scouts Prepare Black JackWelcome Center

This summer marked the third year of service by the Orange CountyBoy Scout Council’s “Catalina High Adventure Campers” out ofWhites Landing. Of note is their hard work establishing the plantingbeds in the proposed Welcome Center at Black Jack Campground toprepare for this winter’s outplanting season. The camp, rich withhistory, was named “Black Jack” after the nickname given to theblack silver/lead/zinc ore that was mined from the area in the mid-1920s. Since then, the camp has been used as a hunting lodge inthe late ’20s, a cattle ranching depot in the early 1930s to ’50s,and finally, in 1972, was the first parcel of land deeded to form the Conservancy that protected and managed this 600 acres as arecreational campground for outdoor enthusiasts.

Catalina High Adventure Campers also worked on the Bison LoopTrail that starts from the Black Jack Welcome Center and climbs out of the campground with views of San Clemente Island and,hopefully, bison.

Islanders Make Bison Pilgrimage

Twenty-six volunteers trekked up to the RosebudReservation in South Dakota last August to look in onthe 98 Catalina bison that were moved from CatalinaIsland in December 2004 to the Great Plains, theirancestral home. The bison roam on 50,000 acres andare healthy, fattened up and getting along with theirplains-bred cousins. Only about one-third of theIsland’s bison were taken to Rosebud, leaving between150 and 200 of the animals on the Island, asrecommended by a scientific study.

In addition to visiting the bison, the group, broughttogether by Volunteer Network International andconsisting of Avalon residents, Conservancy staff andconstruction volunteers, also performed humanitarianwork for members of the Lakota tribe, who live in theUnited States’ second-poorest county.

Health screening and optometry clinics were held, andconstruction on a new ceremonial lodge was begun.

Island resident Karla Parsons co-coordinated the field clinics whichfocused on screening for diabetes, checking blood pressure, andpreventative health education. The building of the ceremonial lodgewas aimed at helping to preserve and restore traditional practices.Rosebud Elders claim that youth who have become involved insacred traditional practice respond favorably, build self-esteem, andin some cases, overcome addictions to drugs and alcohol.

Although I have only returned to Catalina for several brief visits over the last 40years, the roots of my birthplace have always been especially treasured. I fondly

remember many weekend visits to the interior with my dad, Reyn McCullough.Whether on the dusty road to the Isthmus or into Cape Canyon, the Catalina

interior has always held a special place in my heart.

I can remember Reyn’s satisfaction when he learned of Catalina’stransfer to the Conservancy. Inspired by our family’s lifelong

personal appreciation of Catalina, and the wonderful accomplishmentsof the Conservancy, I have developed our newest Reyn Spooner®

Catalina Island wearable art shirt design, “Conserving Catalina.” Depictingnoted landscapes, landmarks and endemics all surrounding or contained on

Catalina Island, it’s printed on 100% cotton broadcloth and stitched with high qualitycraftsmanship needlework.

As 10% of the sale proceeds of each shirt will be donated to the Catalina Conservancy to fuel efforts to protect and restore Catalina Island and the diversity of life it supports,it’s an honor for me to design and manufacture the initial special release of “ConservingCatalina” and participate in this process with our exclusive Avalon purveyor, Buoys & Gulls.The shirts may also be pre-ordered by calling Conservancy House at (310) 510-2595.

– Tim McCullough, President and CEO, Reyn’s/Reyn Spooner®

$69 plus tax

REYN SPOONER RELEASE OF NEW SHIRT DESIGN

“CONSERVING CATALINA”New Design Will Benefit Conservancy

FACES AND PLACES • 9

Conservancy Times — Winter/Spring 2006

8 • FACES AND PLACES

New Faces and Hard-Working Volunteers Make the Conservancy Go ’Round

Catalina Island Conservancy

New Executive Assistant

Alene Dean joins the Conservancyteam as Executive Assistant to Ann

Muscat. The youngest of 17 children, herfather was the local schoolteacher withmore than 65 students encompassingeight grades, many of them his own. Shewas a partner in her own business,International Cash Register, for 18 yearsand has held positions in accounting,purchasing, office and time management.She has lived in Germany and Oahu, andnow resides in Avalon. Alene fell in lovewith the Island 20 years ago throughfriends, the YMCA and Camp Fox.

New in Visitor and

Volunteer Services

Scott Dennis now heads Visitor andVolunteer Services. Originally from

a large Michigan family, Scott studied the performing arts and education. Heworked as a writer/producer for sevenyears for TV’s Mr. Wizard Scienceprogram and then spent another sevenyears as Senior Program Developer at theHenry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village.His previous position was managing theEducation Department for the PageMuseum at the La Brea Tarpits. Scott haswritten and produced a variety of historyand science films in both IMAX anddigital formats, and enjoys theater, bikingand screenwriting in his off hours.

You will now find Nicole Cruz and CherylMackie behind the counter to greetvisitors at Conservancy House. Nicole wasborn and raised on Catalina and hasextensive knowledge of both the Island’sofferings and people. Cheryl hails fromWisconsin where she trained as a pilotand aerial photographer. She has workedfor the Department of Agriculture, theNational Park Service, and the SantaCatalina Island Company as well aspracticing fine art photography. She hastwo sons.

35,200 Celebrate First Birthday!

The Oak Limitation Trial seedlingscelebrated their first birthday on

November 7! Volunteers from the Catalinacommunity and Americorps under thedirection of Dr. Lisa Stratton, ConsultingRestoration Ecologist, helped plant 35,200acorns in 4,400 planting sites at 15different plots last year. Today, more than78 percent of those planting sites have atleast one small oak tree!

The trial is designed to help understandwhy there are so few oak seedlings andsaplings on the Island. There is concernthat oak habitat is declining throughoutthe Island. With assistance fromvolunteers, the Conservancy is alsofinding out whether seedlings can beestablished in eroded and dieback areas,and how best to protect the seedlingsfrom weeds and hungry deer.

Don Beaumont Jim Brown

Dr. Lisa Stratton instructs volunteers on oak restoration procedures

The Conservancy Welcomes TwoNew Board Members

D on Beaumont is the co-owner ofCatalina Classic Cruises in Long

Beach and Nielsen Beaumont Marine inSan Diego. Aboard the Catalina King andCatalina Countess 34,000 school childrenare transported to camps on Catalinaevery year. Every Wednesday his boats alsoprovide taxi service into Avalon forpassengers of the Royal Caribbean Cruiseship Monarch of the Seas that anchors offshore. And, Don plans on donating one ofhis vessels for an upcoming LeadershipCircle whale watching cruise.

Don is a master water polo player havingcompeted at Palos Verdes High School,and Brigham Young University where hestudied public relations. His hobbiesinclude snorkeling, swimming, jogging,golf, drag racing and fishing. Don alsoholds a private pilot’s license and a HamRadio license. He and his business partner,Tom Nielsen, restored and currently owna 1979 Hatteras Sports Fisher—Hatts Off.He has been a Marinero since 1999. Don,his wife Lisa and their four children residein Rancho Santa Fe.

J im Brown is Senior Vice Presidentand Treasurer of The Capital Group

Companies, Inc., the parent company ofone of the largest and most successfulinvestment management firms in theworld. He and his wife Joyce are serving asco-chairs of the 2006 Conservancy Ball.

Jim’s family traces its roots to Catalinaback three generations. His greatgrandparents owned property at theintersection of Olive and Crescent,constructed a tent cabin in the late 1890s,and ultimately built a home there in the1920s.

Jim and his family are avid sailors andlong-time members of the Los AngelesYacht Club. They spend as much time atHowland’s Landing as possible. Jim wasCommodore of LAYC in 1999.

The Browns have a son, Jim, a recentgraduate of the California MaritimeAcademy; and a daughter Jaime who, withher husband, presented them with theirfirst grandchild, Tyler, in June 2005.

Welcome Back!

N orris J. Bishton Jr. returns to theBoard of Directors following a

one-year hiatus. He is President and Ownerof the NOARUS Auto Group, Presidentand a Director of the Southern CaliforniaToyota Dealers Advertising Association,and a representative to the Toyota DealersCouncil. He is also a partner in BishtonGubernick, a law firm specializing inbusiness and business-related litigation.In addition, he is Director of the HamiltonCove Homeowners Association onCatalina Island.

He and his wife, Debi, and their sonsBlake and Evan, live in Pacific Palisades.

Thanks For Your Service

S tepping down from the Board in2005 were Ada Blanche Schreiner

and Charles Hathaway. Blanny served onthe board for seven years, while Charlesserved for five years. The Conservancythanks these wonderful volunteers fortheir dedicated service.

Norris Bishton and his wife, DebiOAKS

We spotted a deer, then blue heron, too,On the way to our day’s young oak count.By pairs we all worked, both yellow and red Watching the numbers mount.

Then lunch on a hill with a beautiful viewwhere even the sure-footed shun scrambling through more trees on steep angled slopes,oh, man, did our muscles have fun.

A stop before camp at the sky-high airport for a fast rendezvous of our vans;watching two planes depart, we ended our day showers, supper, review next days’ plans.

Happy voices at chow then brought home a point about stewardship of the land.As we balance resources and wisely shift use, it’s good for both nature and man.

— by Robert Shea, a Volunteer Vacationer working with the Oak Limitation Trial

Conservancy Times — Winter/Spring 2006Catalina Island Conservancy

CALENDAR • 11

For more information on any Calendar item including locations andtimes, please visit www.catalinaconservancy.org, or contact theConservancy’s Education Office at (310) 510-0954.

Evening Nature ProgramsSecond Wednesday of each month. Free of Charge.7:00 pm –8:00 pm

Explore the rich natural and cultural history of Catalina Island.Rediscover the wonders of nature and the hidden stories that makethis island home unique.

The HikeFirst Saturday of each month.$25 for members; $30 for non-members

You’ll experience the grand vistas and small treasures on the ridges,in the canyons, and on the shore. The fee includes transportation andthe group guide. Participants will need to bring a lunch and water.Space is limited, so register early.

Earth Day 2006 and Grand Opening of theNature Center at Avalon CanyonSaturday, April 22 • 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Enjoy new exhibits, demonstrations, live music, food, and more.Call the Education Department for information, to be an Earth Daysponsor, or to have a booth.

10 • BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE

Calendar

E ach year, dozens of scientificresearchers arrive on Catalina in an

ongoing effort to fulfill the Conservancy’sgoal to restore the Island’s natural ecologyand protect native species. Housing thesescientists is also an ongoing effort, made abit lighter through Legacy Gifts totaling$780,000 in 2004. The lion’s share of thatsum will go to fund much needed housingfor researchers, providing them a homebase to begin and end their long days inthe field.

The monies bequeathed to theConservancy from the estates of ChristineMarie Evans and Hattie R. Michalis willnow be a part of their legacy to the Island.Their financial gifts as part of theConservancy Legacy Society will live on insupport of the many researchers andscientists who lend their talents topreserving the Island’s enduring beauty.

What would you like your Catalina legacyto be? Will that hillside stay as pristine asthe day you weeded it as a Conservancyvolunteer? Will another boater enjoy thesolitude of that mooring with just theslapping of the water on the hull breakingthe silence? Will your Island remain aplace of conservation, education andrecreation—just the way you alwayswanted it to be?

Your planned gift through The Catalina Conservancy Legacy Society can allowthose special moments to live on inperpetuity for millions of visitors. The use of planned giving can offer manyfinancial, tax and estate planningopportunities.

Here’s an ExampleUnder our tax laws, you can donate anappreciated asset to charity, and thecharity will give you income for life or fora fixed term exceeding what you wouldreceive if you did an outright sale.

Suppose the Smiths have a vacation homein Avalon that they owned for more than20 years, that is now worth $500,000. Ifthe property sold on the open market,they would pay $100,000 or approximately26 percent Federal and State tax on thecapital gains. This would leave them withapproximately $400,000 invested at 6percent earning $24,000 a year beforepaying income tax.

Now, if the Smiths decided to donate theirproperty to the Conservancy and theConservancy paid them 6 percent on thefull $500,000, this gives the Smiths anannual income of $30,000. As a bonus,they also receive a charitable taxdeduction of $140,000 that could be usedto offset up to 30 percent of the taxableincome that they receive each year. So,they receive $12,000 of tax-free incomefor the first 6 years.

By taking advantage of the gift annuity todispose of their property, the Smithsincreased their monthly income by $500for the rest of their lives plus tax benefits.This is a 25 percent increase in monthlyincome!

Trusting in a Charitable Lead TrustFulfilling your legacy does not mean youmust relinquish income property such asrentals, securities, etc., that you want to

leave to your heirs. A Charitable Lead Trust gives the Conservancy income for anumber of years, or the rest of your life—whichever you choose. When the term isup, the principal or property goes to yourheirs. This type of trust is an exceptionalway to transfer property to your childrenor other heirs in the future at a minimaltax cost and provide funding toaccomplish your legacy immediately.

Where There’s a Will …“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”This statement is true in so many areas— including your estate plans. Pleaseconsider naming the Conservancy in your will or trust. Through carefulplanning your heirs and beneficiaries may receive more.

A Gift of Life InsurancePerhaps you have thought about planningyour legacy gift to the Conservancy, butdidn’t feel your financial circumstanceswould allow it. The answer is through agift of life insurance where you name the

continued on next page

A Gift that Gives BackBy Carl J. Lambert, J.D., M.S.T.

What would you like your Catalina legacy to be?

Carl J. Lambert, J.D., M.S.T.

The Conservancy’s new LegacySociety brochure provides many

examples of planned giving.

Conservancy as a beneficiary and have your estate benefit from acharitable contribution.

Your professional financial planner, accountant, attorney, or lifeinsurance underwriter can assist you in designing a gift thataccomplishes your goals.

Please try to visualize what your legacy could be. By sharing yourlove of the Island through the Catalina Island ConservancyLegacy Society, you will certainly leave a gift that continues togive back.

Carl Lambert is an attorney, real estate broker and entrepreneur in Santa Monica. Having completed more than $25 million inplanned giving transactions over 15 years provides him with aunique perspective with which to advise the Conservancy onplanned-giving matters. He and his wife Francyne are members of the Conservancy’s Leadership Circle.

Through planned giving, great things can happen on Catalina.If you would like more information or a list of screenedprofessionals, and to discuss how to fulfill your legacy, please call Jackie McDougall at (562) 437-8555 ext. 228.

Conservancy Times — Winter/Spring 2006

LIFE-LONG LEARNING • 13

“The challenge is finding the balance

between the needs of the land to

sustain healthy ecosystems, and

the needs and wants of the people

who use it, enjoy it, and are

charged with its management.”

– Carlos de la Rosa

“The unified approach to education

and conservation is a rare gem

in our field.”

– Aaron Morehouse

Catalina Island Conservancy

12 • LIFE-LONG LEARNING

New Staff Bring Expertise and Enthusiasm to a Newly Integrated Department Story and Photos by Bob Rhein

From Kissimmee, Florida andMaryland’s Blue Ridge Mountains

come the two newest members of theConservancy’s Conservation andEducation Department: Carlos de la Rosa,Chief Conservation and EducationOfficer, and Aaron Morehouse,Educational Outreach Specialist.

Both men bring their own brand of talentand philosophy to the Department, newlyforged from the departments ofConservation and Education to takeadvantage of synergies.

Direct from The Nature Conservancy’s(TNC) Disney Wilderness Preserve at theheadwaters of Florida’s Everglades, Carlosde la Rosa brings a rich science andeducation background with years ofexperience balancing conservation scienceand quality of life issues.

Over his 25-year career, Carlos has been aprofessional researcher, environmentalmanager, biodiversity advisor,administrator and publisher in locationsspanning the United States, Central andSouth America. One of his favoriteconservation tools has been writing. Hehas authored several books, book chaptersand scientific papers, and was editor andpublisher of a popular natural history,ecology and conservation magazine inCosta Rica. In another project, he createdan environmental atlas of two Venezuelanprotected areas that brought togethermore than 50 stakeholders.

In a project for Pinellas County, Florida,Carlos developed centers where visitors could explore environmental, cultural,historical and ecological topics through

interactive exhibits, “immersive theaters,”and restored landscapes. The most

satisfying part of that job was “workinghand in hand with people from thecommunity from all walks of life todevelop exhibits and interpretiveexperiences,” he says.

By creating exhibits that gave visitorsperspectives from the bird’s-eye view tothe microscopic, “We made learning funand memorable,” he says. “Our intent wasto capture the hearts and the imaginationof all visitors to the centers and help themmake personal choices that support abetter balance with the naturalenvironment.”

Carlos sees myriad possibilities formaking learning experiences even moreenjoyable at Conservancy-run interpretivesites on Catalina, including the Nature

Centers at Avalon Canyon and Airport-in-the-Sky, the Wrigley Memorial andBotanical Garden, and at future sites.

Here on the Island, he sees greatopportunities in “finding the balancebetween the needs of the land to sustainhealthy ecosystems, and the needs andwants of the people that use it, enjoy it,and are charged with its management.”Under Carlos, scientific research willcontinue to inform management ofConservancy-stewarded lands, and hisdepartment will strive to provide engagingactivities for Island residents and visitors.He looks forward to participating inConservation Councils that involve Islandresidents, such as the Windward BeachesWorking Group founded last year to helpto inform Conservancy decision-makingtoward that balance.

Carlos was born in Caracas, Venezuela,and received his Ph.D. in aquatic ecologyfrom the University of Pittsburgh, inPennsylvania. He and his wife, Claudia,live in Middle Ranch.

Another new team member specializes ineducational outreach. Aaron Morehouse

left Maryland to bring his expertise to theConservancy.

In Maryland, Aaron established educationand community outreach programs forThorpeWood, an environmental learningcenter in the Catoctin Mountains. Theseprograms stretched from the Blue RidgeMountains to Chesapeake Bay, sharing the secrets and wonders of the land with thousands of community memberseach year.

His expertise includes directing communityoutreach programs in watershedprotection and restoration, communitygarden projects, and creating demonstrationsites for sustainable living practices.

“The unified approach to education andconservation is a rare gem in our field,”Aaron said. “So often the two areconsidered separate endeavors. Togetherwe can create conservation andeducational outreach programs that arefully integrated, so that the people weserve have the latest, best information.”

Fostering a land ethic and sense ofstewardship locally is critical, Aaronpoints out. “The effects of localized effortscan in turn promote stewardship on amuch larger scale.”

Aaron is responsible for Conservancyoutreach programs and interpretationincluding Evening Nature Programs, TheHIKE and other guided-naturalist toursand events “with exciting new programsto come,” he promises.

Aaron graduated from Western MarylandCollege with a degree in philosophy and aconcentration in environmental philosophyand outdoor education. Aaron, his wife,Fiona, and their two-year-old son, Skye,live in Avalon.

Both men bring their own brand of talent and philosophy to the Department, newly forged from the departments of Conservation and Education, to take advantage of synergies.

Carlos de la RosaChief Conservation and Education Officer

Aaron MorehouseEducational Outreach Specialist

Above: Aaron Morehouse with wife Fiona and son Skye.

Right: Carlos de la Rosa with wife Claudia Nocke.

The Conservancy wishes to thank all ofits supporters who make it possible toundertake the important efforts to keepCatalina wild, some of which are detailed in this issue of the Conservancy Times.Due to space considerations, donors of$500 or more are listed here.

Catalina Island Conservancy Conservancy Times — Winter/Spring 2006

14 • DONOR APPRECIATION

Thanks to Our Donors July 1, 2005 – October 31, 2005 Trail Improvements Accomplished by Volunteers in 2005

DONOR APPRECIATION • 15

Compiled by Erica Cushing

$250,000 and aboveOffield Family FoundationGeoff and Alison Rusack

$100,000 - $249,999The Seaver Institute

$50,000 - $99,999Loraine AckermanEstate of Christine Marie EvansBill Johnson

$25,000 - $49,999Charles and Patty Hathaway

$10,000 - $24,999C.M. & Edna Peyton Cotton FoundationCliff HaguePelican ProductsMaria PellegriniSimple GreenWildlife Conservation Board

$5,000 - $9,999Tom ChisholmDon and Kathi KollMichael and Karen LearnedRuth LewisThe K.T. and E.L. Norris FoundationPete Woolson

$2,500 - $4,999Randy and K.C. BoelsemsJohn and Jan DriscollSteven and Deborah GinderWill and Tricia HagenahE. Woodrow and Coley HuntThe Little Garden Club of Newport BeachAnn Muscat and Jack BaldelliCal ParsonsPhilip and Maureen RamerJerome and Anne RyanJim and Carmelette SimondsGreg and Sharon WohlHoward and Jane WrightMisdee Wrigley

$1,000 - $2,499Leslie BaerThe Beaumont FamilyJeanne Beesley and Andrew TaoDoug and Audrey BombardRobert and Vicki BondLee and Kathy BrownSteve and Pat ChazenRoger and Sarah ChrismanMarian CormieArthur and Ruth DeFeverRon and Maira DulinJohn and Vikki FranckWill and Linda GassettJohn and Christie GlanvilleJohn and Sheryl GriffithDonald and Ann GumpertzHoward HigholtDean and Laurie HillChristopher and Cecilia HopperNelson and Mimi JonesRichard and Marie KnowlesAllen and Dorothy LayBill and Cheryl MelvilleHank and Mari MitchelJim and Jill MorganRichard and Geri PeckhamBill and Marie Rogers

Ric and Monika SandersRoger and Elizabeth SipplSouthern California EdisonRichard and Harriet SquireSt. Brendan CorporationCharles and Ellen SteinmetzRandy StockwellDan and Claire StuartRobert and Janet ThompsonTom and Wendy TrujilloTamara UnvertWest Coast Adventure Racing

$500 - $999Balboa Yacht ClubByron BarthCharles and Karlyn BoppellBruce and Carrol BrissonJames and Mary BuckinghamCalifornia Yacht ClubDavid Cort and Carol ArmitageDel Rey Yacht ClubJean EvansSusan FelderBob and Judy FisherLarry and Carole HarrisThe Huber FamilyPamela Johnson and Keith DornbushJim and Nelly KilroyThe Kleiner Cohen FoundationIan and Shala LawrenceThomas and Karen LindenLions Club of AvalonLoyola Marymount UniversityEric and Shirley PepysSteve Pillman and Tori TakiJohn and Claudia RohringRichard SeaverBob Voit

With more than 200 trail volunteers sweating out close

to 1,200 service hours, much progress has been made

improving our Island’s trails and other related projects,

thanks to generous donations from the Conservancy

membership. The Americorps “Blue 2” squad came to

the rescue and helped clear huge landslides off the

Hermit Gulch Trail, the Catalina High Adventure

Campers and Volunteer Vacations greatly improved the

Black Jack Campground facility, and various charismatic

individuals helped prune trail corridors at a number of

locations. Thank you so much for all your hard work!

– Craig BailesTrails Project Coordinator

Right: Americorps “Blue 2” on the Hermit Gulch Trail

Become a Member and Save!When you become a member you not only support the vital work of the Catalina Island Conservancy, dedicated to keeping Catalina wild and beautiful for today and for future generations to enjoy, but you also receive valuable discounts and updates on Conservancy recreation and merchandise. Become a member by calling(310) 510-2595 x114, or by visiting www.catalinaconservancy.org for these and other membership opportunities:

All members receive a 50% discount on Island campsite fees.

$35 Friend • Free subscription to the redesigned and expanded Conservancy Times• Opportunities to participate in special Island conservation projects

$65 Explorer • All of the benefits of the Friend level, plus:• Free note cards of Santa Catalina Island for new members• Members-only discounts for:

- 10% off The Hike, a Conservancy experience for budding naturalists - 10% discount on a bike permit- 10% discount on Conservancy merchandise

• Unlimited admission for two to the Conservancy’s Wrigley Memorial & Botanical Garden

$125 Adventurer • All of the benefits of the Explorer level, plus:• Free Conservancy baseball cap (or Burgee for Marineros) for new members• A free, one-time family pass to the Catalina Island Museum for new members• Members-only discounts for:

- An additional 10% off a bike permit (20% total)- 20% off airport landings - 20% off airport shuttle service

• Unlimited admission for up to five members of your family to the Conservancy’s Wrigley Memorial & Botanical Garden

• Free hiking trail map of the Island’s interior• Opportunity to join one support group and receive invitations to social and special events:

- Marineros - Divers - Caballeros - Pilots

Catalina Island Conservancy Conservancy Times — Winter/Spring 2006

16 • MAKING A DIFFERENCE MAKING A DIFFERENCE • 17

Carlos de la Rosa, his wife Claudia Nocke, and Luther Propst

Once again, Leaders from the Conservancy’s LeadershipCircle convened dockside at the beautiful Long Beach

Yacht Club to nibble on canapés, sip wine, and enter into adialogue on “Gateway Communities” with Luther Propst,Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Sonoran Institute.Propst has co-authored three books, including Balancing Natureand Commerce in Gateway Communities, published by IslandPress. He frequently speaks and writes on conservation, growthmanagement, economic development, and state trust lands. TheSonoran Institute is a non-profit organization established in1990 to bring diverse people together to accomplish sharedconservation goals in Western North America.

Luther led a lively discussion on how Catalina represented amicrocosm of the West with Avalon being a “Gateway” into the

Island’s interior, and the challenges of balancing issues involving nature and commerce where conservation is animportant element.

Supporters qualify to become part of the Leadership Circle bycontributing a minimum of $2,500 annually, or at least $5,000for a special event such as the Conservancy Ball. Members ofthe Leadership Circle have opportunities to meet with nationallyrenowned scientists, learn firsthand about Catalina conservationprojects, attend special events, and discuss with Conservancyleadership issues of importance to Catalina Island. For more information, please call (562) 437-8555, and talk to Jackie McDougall at extension 228, or to Chuck Wright atextension 225.

Kathy and Todd Hallenbeck,charter Leadership Circle members

Leaders Discuss Growth and Conservationism at the Long Beach Yacht Club

John and Andrea Adriany

Ian and Betty Albert

John Amoroso

Larry Anzalotti and Mary

O’Connell

Jim and Stephanie Arneson

Doug and Kimiko Augustine

Debbie Avellana

Jennifer Ayers

Debra Bacon

John and Eleanor Barbey

Sean and Carole Bauer

Christopher Bell and Quila Fizzard

Amelia Belsito

George and Marilyn Benatz

Jacob and Tiffany Brannock

E.A. and Jean Breitenbach

Mark and Juli Brueggemann

Jim Buck

John Bukowczyk

Matt and Cassandra Burch

Dave and Jeri Burkett

Giovanni and Anne Caprioglio

Hugh and Stacy Carson

Arthur Case

X-Andria Case

Burt and Caryl Chabot

Nancy Chirinos and Eva Chirinos

Russell and Melissa Clark

Chris and Audrey Clasen

Peggy Cook

David Cox

Tyler and Susan Cramer

Keith and Yolanda Crosser

Graeme and Jeanette Currie

Nancy Cussary

Deborah Dale

Celise Davison

Ned and Anne DesGranges

David and Christine Dietrich

John and Jan Driscoll

Ron and Mary Lou Eroen

Steve Escoto

Vicky Espinosa

Michael and Connie Ezell

Val and DeeGee Farrell

Robert and Penny Faucett

Felix Fenenoz

Tom Garland

Donald and Mona Gerecht

Steven and Deborah Ginder

Arnie and Susanna Gonzales

Edward and Arline Greene

Ted Griffith

Jay Jay and Elena Guion

Jon and Janice Haddan

Shawn and Sara Hall

Darcy Halstead

Gregory and Pamela Hastings

Andrew and Karen Hewitt

Mike and Tara Hiniker

Howard and Edie Hugo

Al Hunsucker

Esau and Taaitulasi Iakopo

Pamela Johnson and Keith

Dornbush

Rick and Susan Kennedy

Don and Courtney Kile

Kennedy Kile

Katie Kitsteiner

Thomas and Rita Kun

Stephen and Susie LaDow

Cal and Miriam Laird

Fred and Carol Larson

Kirby Lawton

Larry and Jennifer Levine

Pastor and Sandy Lopez

Raoul and Gail Ludwig

Cheryl Mackie

Edward Malone

Jean Malthaner

Don Martens

James and Charlotte Mashburn

Brian McDougall

Melinda McLeod

Bob Mead

Charles and Carol Mellor

John and Betty Merritt

Juan and Michelle Meza

Gerard Milani

Berni Miller

Cody Miller

Thomas and Denise Milligan

Rebekah Mills

Philip and Erica Minuto

Hank and Mari Mitchel

Gloria Miyashiro

Jim and Jill Morgan

Shelly Myers

Sandra Okada

Gary Paglierani

Mike and Donna Parent

Pete and Barbara Patman

Patrick and Lynne Paulsen

Gail Pearce

Richard and Jill Peterson

Annalise Petriello and Nancy

Petriello

Margaret Pommert

Steve and Linda Porter

Philip and Maureen Ramer

Burndy and Judy Ramming

Jeffrey Rock

Johnny Romo

Crosby and Claire Roper

Lorenzo and Dawn Sampson

Jean-Pierre and Kiran Sansone

Scott and Catherine Santone

Jameson Scanlan

Barbara Scheifler

Richard Graham Scott

Bob and Mel Shea

Roger and Carol Showley

Roger and Elizabeth Sippl

Rob and Catherine Sjostedt

Carlos Smith

John and Karen Steketee

Marshall and Katherine Stuart

Jim and Cathy Taylor

Thomas Thompson

Robert Tracy

Thomas and Alice Tyson

Tamara Unvert

Chip and Michelle Upton

Gary and Cynthia Valeriano

Jack Van den Bogaerde

Don Van Sickle

Larry and Jackie Van Woerkom

Cynthyia Villanueva

Richard and Leslie Warner

Harry Weed

Leah Weed and Shaylyn and

Winston DeLaurier

Jonathan Weiner and Diane Silvers

Jane Wells

Darlene Young

New Members July 1 to October 31, 2005

New members are the lifeblood of any organization. As a part ofthe Conservancy family, our members know their ongoingsupport is an important factor in helping to restore and protectthe magnificent wildlands and beautiful shorelines of Catalina.

The Conservancy is aware that each new member has manyopportunities to help support important causes and trulyappreciates the fact that they choose to invest in the Island’s future.

The Conservancy urges all members to take advantage of themany benefits each level of membership offers—from receivingthe Conservancy Times; to admissions to the Wrigley Memorialand Botanical Gardens; to visits to the Catalina Museum; to discounts on bike permits, airport landings, Jeep® Eco-Tours;

staff-led hikes into the Island’s interior; and other excitingopportunities—including participation in one of the Island’s supportgroups, the Marineros, Caballeros, Divers and Pilots.

If you are reading this and are still not a member, join us by visiting the membership page of our Web site:www.catalinaconservancy.org, or by calling our office at (310) 510-2595 x114.

Don’t forget: By being a member, you are not only supportingthe work of the Conservancy, but because the Conservancy is a501(c)(3) non-profit organization, most membership duesqualify for a federal and state income-tax charitable deduction.

Welcome New Conservancy Members

Luther Propst and Ron Doutt,President of the Catalina Island Company

Conservancy Times — Winter/Spring 2006

OUT AND ABOUT • 19

Catalina Island Conservancy

18 • OUT AND ABOUT

Island Stewards Make a Difference

Whether working with plants,

removing weeds, building trails,

or guiding tours, volunteers have

a chance to serve, and much,

much more.

This is your Island. This is your home.

Whether you live on Catalina Islandyear ’round or vacation here

seasonally, investing time in thiswonderful jewel in the Pacific is aremarkable experience. On Catalina,unlike other Channel Islands, residentsand frequent visitors have a uniqueopportunity to work hands-on withscientists and outdoor educators dedicatedto ongoing Conservancy programs ofconservation, education and recreation.

The Conservancy’s new family ofvolunteer clubs—the Island Stewards—includes the Seed Seekers, HorticulturalHands, Weed Busters, Naturalist Corps,

and the Trail Club. They all offersomething for everyone and providevolunteer projects that “will piquevolunteer interest,” according to ScottDennis, the Conservancy’s Director ofVisitor and Volunteer Services. “The workis not only fun, but also offers volunteersthe opportunity to take a leadership rolewith conservation projects on the Island.”

Scott describes some of the first IslandStewards clubs available to volunteers:

Seed Seekers

“Seed Seekers” seek out, collect, andprocess native seeds for use at the JamesH. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery.Within the Seed Seekers organization arethree specialty groups:

Seed ScoutsMembers are trained to identify selectednative species and electronically documenttheir locations using GPS technology.

Seed GatherersMembers are trained to trackplants, notice when they’reready to harvest, and how tocollect the seed in anecologically appropriate way.

Seed Handlers Members are trained indifferent seed-cleaningtechniques at the James H.Ackerman Native PlantNursery. This group is forthose wishing to learn moreabout the diversity andbiology of native seeds.

Volunteers in this club work with Mike Herrera,James H. Ackerman NativePlant Nursery Manager.

Weed Busters

The preservation of natural biodiversity isone of the key conservation challenges ofour time. After habitat loss, invasivespecies have been identified as the secondgreatest threat to the preservation ofbiodiversity worldwide and are likely to be the greatest contributor to speciesextinctions on islands. To protectCatalina’s natural heritage from theseinvaders, Weed Busters will be workingisland-wide to reduce and in some caseseradicate entire invasive plant speciesfrom Conservancy lands. Club memberswill control this invasion through acombination of physical, chemical, andmechanical methods.

Horticultural Hands

Horticultural Hands is a group ofdedicated stewards learning about andgrowing healthy native plants at the JamesH. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery andthe Wrigley Memorial and BotanicalGarden. Activities may include plantingSeed Seekers seek out, collect and process native seed on Catalina

for use at the James H. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery.

A new generation of Weed Busters successfullyremove their first weed, Genista linifolia –scourge of the East End.

Naturalist Corps members learnbasic techniques of

interpretation to use whilegiving presentations, talks, or

guided walks.

seeds or cuttings, transplanting, pruning,feeding, pest control, watering,composting and general Nursery andGardens maintenance. Working towardsmore sustainable horticulture practices,the Nursery and Garden staff providevolunteers with quality educationalexperiences that encourage ecological and community-based stewardship of the Island.

This group is led by the Conservancy’sNursery Manager, Mike Herrera.

Naturalist Corps

Those interested in joining the ranks ofthe Conservancy’s naturalist interpreters

will want to take advantage of theNaturalist Corps (NC). Club memberswill learn the foundation of interpretationas well as some basic techniques to usewhile giving presentations, talks, orguiding walks. Members also practicetheir techniques in hands-on activitiesand spend time investigating their ownapproach to interpretation. The NC clubis designed to establish a pool ofknowledgeable individuals to enhance the ability of the Conservancy to deliverquality environmental educationprograms to a wide range of audiences.

The Conservancy’s Aaron Morehouse,Outreach Programs Specialist, leads this club.

Trail Club

(Kick-off in Spring 2006)

This club will play a major role in buildingand maintaining the Trans-CatalinaRecreational Trail reaching from HermitGulch Campground on the East End toStarlight Beach located near the tip of theIsland’s beautiful and rugged West End.There will also be side trails that take hikersto special and unique locations along the way.

Trailbuilding involves using handequipment to grade and develop the trail.The trailbuilding process also involvesinvasive plant removal, transplanting,rehabilitating closed sections of trail andthe installation of trail signs and markers.Trail maintenance involves brush pruning,weed whacking, drainage clearing,weatherproofing signage and general trail cleanup.

Craig Bailes, the Conservancy’s TrailsProject Coordinator, leads the volunteer Trail Club.

“The clubs are also a wonderful newvehicle for the volunteer community tohave input into what the Conservancydoes,” said Scott, who also noted thatregular social activities will be held forIsland Stewards, such as potlucks, grouphikes and workshops.

The Island Stewards’ commitment is just4.5 hours a month, or 50 hours a year.Concludes Scott, “Whether you enjoyvolunteering as an individual or in agroup setting, Island Stewards has a clubwith projects especially for you.”

For more information on the IslandStewards, go to:islandstewards@catalinaconservancy.org,or call (310) 510-2595 x. 110.

Above: Lending a “Horticultural Hand”at the James H. Ackerman

Native Plant Nursery.

Right: Members of the Trail Club will blaze the Trans-Catalina

Trail that will link Hermit GulchCampground on the East End

to Starlight Beach located near the tip of the Island’s beautiful

and rugged West End.

Once on the Brink of Extinction, California’sGiant Sea Bass Is Making a Comeback by Jeanne McKay

20 • NATURE’S NOTEBOOK

P.O. Box 2739Avalon, California 90704www.catalinaconservancy.org

The mission of the Catalina IslandConservancy is to be a responsible stewardof its lands through a balance ofconservation, education and recreation.

NON-PROFIT

U.S. POSTAGE

P A I DCOMMUNITY

MAILERS

Gentle Giants – Southern California diversonce again enjoy the giant sea bass.

With its conspicuous size and curiousnature, it’s hard to imagine that

relatively little is known about thebehavior and biology of the giant sea bass,Stereolepis gigas. However, just twodecades ago, the giant sea bass was facinglocal extinction. Giant sea bass, or blacksea bass, range from Humboldt Bay to theGulf of California. The largest bass caughtin California waters weighed 563.5pounds, and the species has been recordedto reach lengths up to 7.45 feet.

Giant sea bass were once commoninhabitants of Southern California waters.But due to rampant commercial and sportfishing, by the late 1970s the CaliforniaState Department of Fish and Gamerecognized the local population was inserious trouble. Fishing restrictions wereput in place to protect the bass, but it was not until 2002 that encounters withthe giant sea bass in Southern Californiawaters were once again enjoyed by local divers.