COSF News   (October 2008)                                    

2008 Trail Work Day worksites announced
Conejo Open Space Trail Work Day is October 18, 2008. This year’s projects will include a re-route of the North Ranch trail off Bowfield Street, the Potrero Ridge Trail east of Via Las Brisas, and trails and projects at the Botanical Garden for families and groups (such as Scout groups). Meet at the Conejo Community Center – use the Botanic Garden entrance off Gainsborough Road. Registration and bus boarding is from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., trail work is from 8:00 a.m. to noon, and the free “thank you” lunch for volunteers is from noon to 2:00 p.m. For more Trail Work Day information, click here or contact the COSCA Rangers at 805-381-2741.


In memory of Al Bandel
The 2008 Trail Work Day on October 18, 2008 will be dedicated to the memory of Al Bandel, who was a great friend and supporter of the Conejo Open Space. Al was a long-time participant in many open space programs including Trails Education Days, Adopt-A-Trail, Trail Work Day, and other trail work and open space projects. Al was greatly appreciated and will be missed.


Date set for Conejo Canyons Management Plan public workshop
The Conejo Canyons Management Plan public workshop will be held October 22, 2008 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Oak and Park Rooms at the Thousand Oaks City Hall. The workshop will include an overview of the management plan area, existing conditions in the field, and a draft trail plan. It is anticipated that a second public workshop will be held in early 2009 for public review and input on the draft management plan document that will be written after the first public workshop. Those with questions or comments about the Conejo Canyons Management Plan planning process or the upcoming community workshop should contact COSCA Associate Planner, Shelly Austin at 805.449.2339 or saustin@toaks.org.


Annual Conejo Open Space Foundation (COSF) Membership Drive
Annual memberships and contributions to the Conejo Open Space Foundation help make many of our Conejo Open Space projects and programs possible. In the past year, the Conejo Open Space Foundation’s achievements in support of the Conejo Open Space included:

• Trails Education Days – Nearly 1600 CVUSD fifth grade students attended this year’s TED. In addition to its financial support of this annual environmental event, the Foundation produced a new video to introduce students to the program.
• Trail work events and Adopt-A-Trail – Each of these programs has continued to grow, with 288 volunteers logging a total of 1,872 work hours on COSCA trails.
• Trail Watch and Trail Patrol – This past year, our dedicated volunteers offered assistance to open space visitors, supplied trail maps and information, helped with maintenance, and filed hundreds of reports, serving as “extra eyes and ears” for the COSCA Rangers.
• Resource Management – A new volunteer program is in the works to focus on projects such as non-native plant removal, stream cleanup, etc. COSCA is expected to adopt this program in the coming months.
• Open Space Maps – Free Wildwood, Los Robles, and Lang Ranch trail maps were distributed to thousands of trail users. A Dos Vientos trail map is in process and will be published as soon as remaining land parcels are transferred to COSCA by the developer.
• Conejo Open Space Foundation Website (www.cosf.org) - This community resource continues to grow, with downloadable trail maps, Conejo Open Space hike and outings schedules, slide shows and videos, descriptions of volunteer opportunities, and much more.
• Conejo Canyons Management Plan – COSF is involved with plans for the development of trails and public access to this open space area. Conejo Canyons includes Hill Canyon, the Arroyo Conejo, the Western Plateau, and Wildwood Park.