Category: News
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Enraptured by Raptors: An Afternoon of Flight, Connection, and Wonder
2 min read
Guests gathered in Upper Ojai for an unforgettable day of raptors, falconry, local food, and connection—experiencing firsthand the wonder of birds of prey and the landscapes we work to protect.
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Trump Administration Dismantles the Public Lands Rule, Weakening Conservation Protections Across the West
4 min read
On May 11, 2026, the Department of the Interior announced the repeal of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Public Lands Rule eliminating a landmark conservation framework that placed conservation on equal footing with grazing, mining, and drilling across 245 million acres of public lands.
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Trail Talks series explores the Sespe Wilderness—The Southern Los Padres National Forest’s largest protected backcountry
4 min read
Local public lands experts and explorers will take audiences deep into the Sespe Wilderness, the largest protected Wilderness area in the southern Los Padres National Forest, in an upcoming Trail Talks event at the Faulkner Gallery at the Santa Barbara Public Library on Thursday, May 21.
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Celebrating Topa Topa, the condor who helped save a species from extinction
5 min read
Topa Topa—the oldest living California condor—celebrates his 60th birthday this month. His story is a remarkable one, beginning with his capture as a young condor in a remote canyon of Los Padres National Forest.
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Bipartisan opposition halts effort to weaken Endangered Species Act, safeguarding wildlife along California’s Central Coast
3 min read
After widespread opposition from constituents and conservation groups, House leaders have indefinitely postponed a vote on the “ESA Amendments Act” (H.R. 1897), a proposal that would have gutted the Endangered Species Act.
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Forever Wild Legacy Society Launch at Condor’s Hope
2 min read
On Friday, April 17, Los Padres ForestWatch welcomed a special group of supporters to Condor’s Hope Winery to celebrate the official launch of the Forever Wild Legacy Society.
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California Oil and Gas Health Protection Law Survives First-Round Trump Administration Attack
4 min read
Buffer zones between drilling sites, communities to remain in effect during legal battle.
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Truth & Transparency with Tecuya Timber Trucks
6 min read
ForestWatch urges forest officials to chart a new path to build trust and safeguard the environment in op-ed published in The Mountain Enterprise.
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Massive Central Coast Drilling Plan Advances with More Than 175,000 Comments in Opposition
5 min read
The proposal would open up roughly 850,000 acres of public lands and federal mineral estate to potential oil drilling and fracking across Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Kern, and surrounding counties, including areas near neighborhoods, recreation lands, and critical water resources.
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Forest Service Seeks to Silence the Public’s Voice
8 min read
A new rule would slash the duration of public comments and limit collaboration on major projects within our national forests.
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Outdoor Connections in the Snow: A Family Afternoon Near Mt. Pinos
3 min read
Every year, our Outdoor Connections program makes the journey up to Mount Pinos in the Los Padres National Forest. This year’s trip, made all the more special by a fresh blanket of snow, was one to remember. The program works to connect diverse communities in the region with the natural wonders of the Los Padres…
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California Mountain Lions Gain Protections Under State Law
2 min read
On February 12, the California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to grant Southern California and Central Coast mountain lions protection under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA).
