Channel Islands Restoration celebrates 20 years

MONTECITO, Calif.-

Ken Owen made the switch from working behind a computer to working out in nature and has never looked back. 

“It's changed my life. I'm absolutely lucky that 20 years ago I had a chance to get into habitat restoration and conservation, just starting out as a volunteer said Owen. 

What started out as a hobby turned into a full fledged organization after he created the non profit Channel Islands Restoration. 

This organization has been protecting the habitats along the Central Coast and on Channel Islands for 2 decades by building nurseries, planting native plants and removing non native plants, and fixing wildlands. 

“We've spent the last 20 years restoring habitat as far north as Orcutt and as far south as L.A.X., basically, and everywhere in between the Los Padres National Forest and Angeles National Forest,” said Owen.

Saturday afternoon nature lovers celebrated the 20th anniversary of Channel Islands Restoration in Montecito. Many also participated in a silent kayak auction. 

“Anytime I can get out of my house and get into nature and be surrounded by trees is a good day,” said Board Member Scott Orlosky.

Visitors and Channel Islands Restoration patrons like Richard Pisor gathered together over wine and charcuterie to bond over their love of wildlife and the Channel Islands. 

“I've been going out there since the late mid-sixties. I used to have my own boat and go out there. So this is something that I can return and help them out,” said Pisor. 

The love of nature runs deep for many individuals here who have learned everything from how geology influences vegetation to how vegetation influences the type of wildlife that will thrive in an area. 

“When you really get into conservation and you start studying ecology, you begin to see how these systems are interconnected. And it's absolutely fascinating. And it really turned me on to ecology and to the idea of working hard to conserve the wild lands that we still have in our area right now,” said Owen

Part of that conservation includes thinking about leaving this planet better off for future generations. 

“This is an opportunity to to be good to nature and see the fruits of that labor, hopefully within my lifetime, so that my kids and their kids will have something nice to go to, not something falling apart and dilapidated,” said Orlosky.

For more information visit the event page here.