Catalina Island Conservancy

Thank you to the Orange Coast Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival and the Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church for hosting the Conservancy this past weekend. It was an honor to share the conservation success story of the Catalina Island fox and to watch our own Wildlife Conservation Manager Katie Elder field questions about the fox's ongoing threatened status and the people who brought it back from the brink of extinction. As Katie put it, "The population went from about 1,300 foxes to 100 foxes, and they were basically all on that West End of the Island." The fact that the Island fox is still here is a testament to decades of dedicated work from people who refused to give up on this species. If you missed the film, watch the full mini-documentary here: https://lnkd.in/g5SEMNzs

Our thoughts are with one of our sister islands, Santa Rosa, as more than 10,000 acres have burned in a wind-driven, human-caused wildfire. The Santa Rosa Island Fire is burning on the second-largest island in California’s Channel Islands National Park. The fire has destroyed two historic structures, forced the evacuation of 11 National Park Service employees and threatens rare plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth, including island foxes and island spotted skunks. According to local reports, the fire may have started after a sailboat ran aground and flares were used to call for assistance. Santa Rosa shares a similar history with Catalina Island, including the introduction of invasive species that can alter landscapes and increase wildfire risk. These island ecosystems are uniquely vulnerable, making prevention and restoration efforts critically important. Before their removal, Santa Rosa was impacted by more than a century of grazing and browsing by introduced animals including cattle, pigs, elk and deer. The Island historically supported a mosaic of native shrublands, chaparral, oak woodlands, native grasslands and rare island plant communities. Over time, much of that landscape was converted to invasive annual grasslands that you see today, and create a continuous carpet of wildfire fuel. With more than 1.3 million visitors each year, protecting Catalina Island takes all of us. A key goal of Operation Protect Catalina Island is reducing wildfire risk and preventing the long-term conversion of native landscapes into invasive and flammable annual grasslands. See why fire season is every season on Catalina: https://lnkd.in/gVgNvruQ Learn more about fire prevention efforts: https://lnkd.in/gbcFzZyD Video Courtesy: inciweb.wildfire.gov, May 15, 2026

Happy Endangered Species Day. 🦊 In 1999, canine distemper swept through Catalina and the Island fox population crashed from around 1,300 animals to just 100. It could have been the end. But it wasn't. The Catalina Island Conservancy and the Institute for Wildlife Studies got to work in those early years, captive breeding, vaccinating and monitoring the wildlife population. By 2004, the population had tripled. By 2016, the Catalina Island fox had been downlisted from endangered to threatened, part of what became the fastest mammalian recovery in Endangered Species Act history! This week our fox family of organizations, researchers and scientists across all six Channel Islands gathers in Santa Barbara to celebrate that milestone together. Every fall, our team monitors hundreds of native Island foxes, performing health checks and vaccinating against canine distemper and rabies. Year-round, volunteer pilots and telemetry teams track them from the air and on the ground. Our community stays vigilant too. It was Avalon residents who first alerted staff to sick foxes in 1999. Thank you to Friends of the Island Fox, SWCA Environmental Consultants, UC Davis and every volunteer who makes this work possible. The Island fox is still here. That's not luck. That's what conservation looks like. 🦊 To report an injured or deceased fox on Catalina Island, immediately call or text the Catalina Island Conservancy at 310-606-9424. Please provide the following details: - Your name and contact information - The fox’s location - Any details about the situation, including photos if possible Thank you to Friends of the Catalina Island Fox, US Davis, SWCA and Institute for Wildlife Studies! #EndangeredSpeciesDay SWCA Environmental Consultants #NativeWildlife #WildlifeConservation #EndangeredSpeciesAct #ChannelIslands #ConservationWorks University of California, Davis

Congratulations to Nicolas Sendis, Alejandra Espinosa and Kayla Diaz on completing their College Corps internship with the Catalina Island Conservancy this academic year! 🎉 These three CSULB students spent the 2025-2026 academic year with our team as part of the College Corps at the Beach program, a statewide initiative that connects undergraduate students to paid, meaningful internship experiences in their communities. Nicolas studied accounting, Alejandra finance and Kayla business administration, and all three brought incredible dedication and energy to the Conservancy this year. Senior Accounting Manager Patrick Fargen and Financial Analyst Gustavo Flores had the honor of representing the Conservancy at the College Corps End-of-Year Celebration on campus. We are so proud of what these students accomplished and grateful to CSULB and College Corps for making this partnership possible. California State University, Long Beach #CollegeCorps #CaliforniansForAll #CSULB #Internship #ConservationCareers #CatalinaIsland #CatalinaIslandConservancy #NextGeneration #EnvironmentalStewardship

It's National Public Gardens Week, and we can think of no better place to celebrate than the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden. Tucked at the end of Avalon Canyon, the Garden is home to native plants with deep roots in Catalina's history. The Garden got its start in 1935 as Ada Wrigley's private desert plant collection before being reborn in the 1970s with a focus on Catalina's native and endemic species. Nearly a century later, it remains one of the most special spots on the Island. As a Catalina Island Conservancy member, you can enjoy unlimited year-round admission to the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden as well as access to special events, hikes, publications, discounts and more. But your membership goes even further with admission to more than 380 gardens across North America through our partnership with the American Horticulture Society. Planning a visit? You can book a ride up Avalon Canyon on the Wildlands Express by calling the Trailhead Visitor Center at 310-510-2595. Membership starts at just $35. Click the link below to sign up today! https://lnkd.in/gyg4tNsv Come see what's in bloom. 🌺 American Horticultural Society #NationalPublicGardensWeek #WrigleyMemorial #BotanicGarden #CatalinaIsland #CatalinaIslandConservancy #IslandLife #NativePlants #Avalon #CatalinaIslandLife #PublicGardens

The Catalina Island Conservancy was honored to welcome U.S. Senator Adam Schiff to the Island this week. Senator Schiff was hosted by Interim President and CEO David Solomon and Chair of the Board of Directors Maureen Ramer during a tour of the Catalina Island Restoration Area. He heard firsthand from our conservation team about the work happening on the ground through Operation Protect Catalina Island: removing invasive species, restoring native habitat and building a more fire resilient Island for the future. Senator Schiff expressed his support for the Conservancy's conservation programs and its efforts to safeguard the Island's wildlands for future generations. As a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Senator Schiff has championed legislation supporting conservation, habitat restoration and disaster resilience across California. Visits like this are a meaningful reminder of why advocacy and partnership matter at every level. We are grateful for his time, his interest and his continued support of the Island and the ecosystems we are working to protect. 📷 Photos courtesy of Senator Schiff's office. 🔗 Full press release linked below. https://lnkd.in/gsGeU_5v #Conservation #NativePlants #WildfirePrevention #CatalinaIsland #HabitatRestoration #California #Advocacy

Hi 👋 Isla the Catalina Island fox here 🦊. Before you head out to explore the hills, canyons and wildlands, take a quick look at the daily fire danger level. Fire conditions change across the Island based on weather, dry vegetation and wind, and one spark in the wrong conditions starts a wildfire. The Conservancy posts the fire danger level each day so you know what to expect and how careful you need to be. Check the level before your adventure and plan accordingly. Be Fire Free for Fox Sake. See today’s fire danger level at https://lnkd.in/gj4M3dAw. 🔥🦊 #WildfirePreparednessWeek #WildfirePreparedness #wildfireseason #WildfireAwareness #FireDanger

It's Wildfire Preparedness Week and Isla has a full itinerary. From making sure your campfire feels cold before you leave, to understanding why the plants growing along the trail are doing more work than you think. Every small choice you make adds up to something that matters. On an island where fire season never really ends, you are the first line of defense against wildfires. Swipe through for a week in Isla's world and grab the Fire Free Prevention Flyer using the link below. https://lnkd.in/grakn-qn #BeFireFreeForFoxSake #WildfirePreparednessWeek #CatalinaIsland #CatalinaIslandConservancy #IslaTheFox #FireSafety #ProtectCatalina

National Volunteer Week starts with people who show up, and CSU Bakersfield did exactly that. During their visit, they removed invasive black mustard at Two Harbors and explored the Island’s wild interior, including the Catalina Island Restoration Area. Their work directly supports native habitat and helps protect the ecosystems that make Catalina unique. Coming up, we are excited to host Pomona College, CSU Long Beach and Toyota, continuing this shared effort to care for the land and keep the Island resilient. Stewardship takes action, and you have a place in it! Every Tuesday, join Restore and Explore for a morning of hands-on gardening, from seed sowing to up-potting, with music and light snacks to keep the energy going. Every Thursday, volunteer at the Ackerman Native Plant Nursery and help grow the native plants that restore Catalina. When you show up, you help keep Catalina wild and support the return of native species. We love our volunteers, and we would love to have you join us. Click the link below explore volunteer opportunities 🔗. https://lnkd.in/gr4dFrMg #volunteer #catalinaisland #wildlifeconservation California State University, Long Beach Pomona College Toyota North America California State University, Bakersfield

Please welcome Wendy Butts as the Catalina Island Conservancy's new interim chief of development. Wendy brings decades of nonprofit leadership experience to the role, most recently serving more than 11 years as CEO of the LA Conservation Corps, where she scaled annual revenue from $20 million to nearly $35 million, expanded programming across Los Angeles, and supported the build out of the Corps’ climate resiliency project portfolio that includes work on Catalina Island. Her track record building and sustaining funding programs at complex, mission-driven organizations makes her exactly the right person for this moment at the Conservancy. https://lnkd.in/grTXyVtx