The mission of Ventura Land Trust is to permanently protect the land, water, wildlife, and scenic beauty of the Ventura region for current and future generations. Throughout our organization's history, this has primarily consisted of protecting open space within the City of Ventura, mostly within the Ventura River Watershed below Foster Park. As our organization grows, so does our interest area through Ventura County. Our organization currently protects about half a dozen properties, some public and some private, throughout Ventura and in the surrounding area. 

Public Open Space

Most of the Ventura's open space is in private land holdings and public access is not allowed. The Ventura Land Trust does not condone trespassing on private property. At present, there are opportunities to visit and recreate in the hills at two scenic City of Ventura parks: Grant Park on Ferro Drive (overlooking City Hall) and Arroyo Verde Park at Foothill and Day Roads.

Other nearby spots for public recreation include the County of Ventura's Foster Park near Casitas Springs, and the OVLC's Ventura River Preserve in Meiner's Oaks.

Habitat Value

Ventura's Land Trust contain thousands of acres of a plant community known as Venturan coastal sage scrub. This rich palette of hills scented with sage and cut with verdant canyons offers a great potential nearby backcountry for passive recreation and relief from urban landscapes. Other plant communities found in the Land Trust's Area of Interest are chaparral, riparian willow forest, black walnut woodland, and oak woodland. The hillsides and associated canyons behind Ventura contain habitat for endangered species such as the least Bell's vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus) and California red-legged frog (Rani daytonii). These undeveloped areas also provide critical migration corridors for the movement of animals such as bobcats, deer, and mountain lions. 

Least Bell's Vireo                                              California Black Walnut