Category: News
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Forest Academy 2026 Recap: A Year of Plants, Birds, Animals and Bats
4 min read
Native plants, a birding at Cerro Alto, wildlife tracks by the Santa Clara River and a bat-filled night in Ojai. Here’s how our first Forest Academy unfolded.
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Wine for Wilderness Passport Expands to 30 Central Coast Wineries for 2027
3 min read
The 2027 Wine for Wilderness Passport expands to 30 Central Coast wineries from Carmel Valley to Ventura, with more than $800 in tastings for $85, each paired with a nearby hike.
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Massive Los Padres National Forest Vegetation-Clearing Proposal Reduced by 200,000 Acres Due to Environmental Concerns, Public Input
5 min read
The U.S. Forest Service has approved a significantly scaled-back version of a controversial large-scale vegetation-clearing proposal and has signaled its intention to begin work immediately.
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Ojai Valley Defense Fund Honors Los Padres ForestWatch with Conservation Award
3 min read
The Ojai Valley Defense Fund (OVDF) presented Los Padres ForestWatch with its James D. Loebl Award on Sunday, October 25, recognizing more than two decades of environmental advocacy, conservation, and stewardship around the Ojai Valley.
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Johnny Cash, Sunset Views, and a Few Unexpected Guests: A Wilderness Table to Remember
2 min read
We’ve all driven up (or down) Highway 33 and wondered about the house on the hill—the Johnny Cash’s former home. On Sunday, September 27, our curiosity was finally satisfied as Wilderness Table guests wound their way up the narrow driveway to this storied property.
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Forest Service Finalizes Sweeping Restrictions on Public Participation in National Forest Decisions
5 min read
New rules slash public comment and objection periods, limit scientific evidence, and eliminate longstanding safeguards for public involvement in national forest management.
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Mount Pinos Sooty Grouse Designated Candidate for California Endangered Status
3 min read
On October 13, 2026, California Fish and Game Commission voted to designate the Mount Pinos sooty grouse as a candidate for protection under the California Endangered Species Act. The vote came in response to a March 2026 petition by the Center for Biological Diversity and Los Padres ForestWatch.
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More Than 1.6 Million Comments Submitted to Defend the Roadless Rule. What Happens Next?
6 min read
The public comment period on the Trump administration’s proposal to repeal the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule closed on October 6, and the response was overwhelming.
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ForestWatch welcomes new board members from San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties
3 min read
Los Padres ForestWatch has expanded its Board of Directors with the addition of two new members: Carrie Miller of San Luis Obispo County and David Pellow of Santa Barbara County. Their appointments broaden the board’s expertise and strengthen ForestWatch’s mission to protect Los Padres National Forest and other public lands across the Central Coast. Miller,…
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New California Laws Strengthen Wildlife Connectivity and Coexistence
6 min read
Two new laws expand how California protects wildlife movement, improves road crossings, and helps communities reduce conflicts with wildlife.
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ForestWatch-Sponsored Outdoors for All Bill Signed into Law
4 min read
The bill makes equitable access to parks, public lands, and outdoor recreation a lasting state commitment.
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ForestWatch’s Outdoor Connections Program Celebrates Latino Conservation Week 2026
2 min read
This September, Los Padres ForestWatch marked Latino Conservation Week with two community gatherings, one in Santa Barbara and one in Oxnard. At both, families and partners came together to learn more about our public lands, native plants, wildlife, celebrate our heritage, and talk about how we can each help protect the places we love. Elings…
