"Nature on the Island has dramatically changed over the past two centuries. Much of its biological richness has been lost in time. Yet there remains a treasure trove of magical secrets hiding in Catalina's earth, waiting for the right moment to emerge, to help nature smile like it hasn't smiled in centuries. Locked away in the soil are millions of seeds, capable of returning the Island's delicate flowers, unique plant communities, and native animal populations to a richness that hasn't been seen in generations."

Richard W. Halsey, Director of the California Chaparral Institute

Catalina Island has had a rough spring. Rough in that the usual refreshing rains never really materialized. Of course the unseasonable dryness supplied the fuel for the man-made fire of May 10th that threatened the City of Avalon, destroyed one home and several warehouses, burned one half of the Laura Stein Volunteer Camp, the restrooms and storage shed at Haypress, and charred 4,750 acres of the Island's rugged Interior.

Now, in the dog days of summer, let's take a glance at nature's beauty, lying dormant, just underneath the earth, waiting for the rain that will eventually come.

Please click below to see the Island's beautiful wildflowers as photographed by Denise Knapp, the Conservancy's Senior Plant Ecologist, and Jenny McCune and Lauren Danner, former Plant Ecologists. Captions are by Denise Knapp.

Please click here if you would like to help support the Catalina Conservancy's fire recovery efforts.

Photo: Stinging lupine (Lupinus hirsutissimus)

The Conservancy's new Special Events Supervisor is Jennifer Poyer. Jen, helming this new position, will report to Jackie McDougall, Chief Development Officer. She will be responsible for the Conservancy's events calendar, including the Conservancy Ball, Leadership Circle and other membership and community related events, board meetings and visits.

Jen's previous experience has included event-related responsibilities at the South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, and the Queen Mary and Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. Her most recent position was with That's Cool Events in Santa Fe Springs as an Account Executive.

As part of her professional activities, she is Director of Marketing for the International Special Events Society (ISES) Greater Los Angeles Chapter and a 2007 Finalist for Event Solutions Magazine Rising Star award.

She lives in Long Beach and graduated from Chapman University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree.

Photo: Jennifer Poyer

There are a limited number of vacancies available in September 2007 for the popular Volunteer Vacation Program. Volunteer Vacation opportunities are available September 10th through 15th, and September 24th through 29th.

The cost is $175 per person, which includes accommodations for five nights, five dinners, on-island transportation, project training, work supplies, and a naturalist activity. Transportation to the island is not included.

Volunteer Vacations begin on Monday and end on Saturday and include 4.5 days of service, project training, a naturalist activity such as a moderate, interpretive hike, and opportunities to work closely with conservation staff. Homemade dinners and desserts are prepared and served daily by local volunteers.

"Our Volunteer Vacationers get to do projects to renew and protect wildlands and coves of Catalina Island, and at night, enjoy a quality, three or four-course dinner at a volunteer camp overlooking the ocean," said LeeAnn Human, Conservancy Volunteer Vacation Coordinator. "There are not many camping vacation destinations you can go to that are scenic, as reasonably priced, and that enable you to walk away at the end of a week feeling like you really made a positive difference in the world," she added. "Most participants volunteer because they want to do something they love."

Photo: Volunteer Vacationers taking a break out in Catalina's Interior.

Photo by Matthew Sutton

One of the very first Conservancy members, and one of the first members of the Conservancy's Legacy Society, Howard Walter Wright, Jr., passed away July 17, 2007 at his home in Long Beach, from complications of diabetes. He and his wife of 60 years, Jane, were members of the Los Angeles Yacht Club where he served as Commodore in 1962. Howard was also a member of the Transpacific Yacht Club, the California Club, the Long Beach Yacht Club, and a member of the Cruising Club of America for many years.

He taught his wife how to sail on his family's 1910 wooden yawl, the Siwash.

Howard practically grew up on Catalina, spending summers at the Avalon home of his grandparents. He was one of the aggressive young divers vying for coins tossed by visitors from the Great White Steamer as it docked in Avalon. During World War II, he served as a navigator aboard a destroyer.

Howard is survived by his wife, Jane, brother Robert Shelton Wright of Honolulu, his three sons, Howard Candler Wright, William Grandfield Wright, and Richard Shelton Wright, their wives, six grandchildren, one great-grand child and many nephews and nieces including John Howard Merrill.

The family asked that contributions to his memory may be made to the Conservancy.

Photo: Howard and Jane Wright

Photo by Bob Rhein

Just past the Summit along Airport Road, is a beautiful native plant garden named Summit Vista - a 17-year labor of love courtesy of Avalon resident Roy Rose. Back in 1989, Conservancy President Doug Propst asked Roy, if he and his parents, Leonard and Phyllis, would develop the site - a popular "party" place for mischievous youth - into a native plant garden. Here is Roy's story:

"I was raised on Catalina from the age of 11, and had developed a deep love and interest in the Island as a whole. I supported the Conservancy and was very excited about the prospect of reduced grazing pressures which would allow native plant restoration and reintroduction. I paid for the fencing, the benches, etc. and did all of the work in developing the site, of course under the direction and with the great support of Doug, Rose Ellen Gardner, Gail Saldaña, and the staff of the James H. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery.

"I began first by laying out trails, clearing weeds and preparing planting holes. Actual planting began in the fall of 1990, and since that time hundreds have been planted. All of the plants have come from the Ackerman Native Plant Nursery, or from seeds I have gathered. The process has been one of trial and error, as some flourish and others just don't want to grow in that particular site. Overall, as of now, we have hundreds of plants representing at least 50 plant types."

As a post script to this story, Roy had a 750-gallon water tank in his garden that he used to water the plants. The tank was filled as needed by the Conservancy water tanker. During the May 10th fire, an ember landed near the tank and burned a hole in it. The water that rushed out put out the flames. A miracle? Vista Point survived, while all the land around it burned! Believe it, or not!

Photo: Roy Rose at work on Vista Point

Photo by: Armando Pimentel