VENTURA, Calif. — After nearly two decades of community effort, more than 1,600 acres of Ventura’s scenic hillsides are now permanently protected.The newly established Ventura Hills Nature Preserve sits above the city, preserving ridgelines, wildlife habitat, and sweeping coastal views long considered central to Ventura’s identity.“This land was slated for development for our homes,” said Melissa Baffa, Executive Director of the Ventura Land Trust. “A couple of different attempts were made. The community really banded together to push back on those development proposals. And our organization was able to acquire the land.”The preserve spans roughly 1,645 acres and had been the subject of multiple proposed housing developments over the years.Community members and conservation groups worked to stop those efforts, organizing and fundraising to secure the land.“We did that through ten years of Ventura Hillsides music festivals, and that also built our funds,” said Brooke Ashworth, founding president of the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy. “You need money to raise money, right?”Supporters say protecting the hillsides was about more than open space.“We treasure these hillsides,” Baffa said. “They form a beautiful backdrop to our city, and they're important to our psyche here.”The preserve includes hiking trails near Grant Park and the well-known Two Trees, both popular for scenic views and sunsets.Visitors can now experience a landscape that conservationists say reflects California’s natural past.“You can experience California a little bit the way it was before development, before Western civilization came here,” Ashworth said. “And that's just a magical feeling.”For Ashworth, the preserve also holds personal significance. One area is dedicated to her father, Bruce Fitzgerald, whom she described as an explorer, engineer, and nature lover.The opening of the preserve marks a major milestone for local conservation efforts and ensures the hillsides will remain protected for future generations.
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