Managing more than 42,000 acres of Catalina Island is a challenge met by the more than 100 Conservancy staff who work both on the Island and in Long Beach. Many staff members work daily in the wildlands, restoring the landscape and ensuring the wildlands remain accessible. For the dozens of other staff who help manage operations from an office environment, thick gardening gloves and hiking boots aren’t the typical work attire. A recent staff field day at White’s Landing saw employees across departments come together to protect the landscape. 

“We were removing this invasive tree with poisonous berries,” said Casey Bragg, Avalon Office Coordinator. “You cut them off the big tree, they fall in the dirt, and you have to make sure you get all the little ones so they can’t spread seed.” 

That invasive plant, a Castor bean (Ricinus communis), was found not far from White’s Landing. Invasive Plants Manager Aaron Kreisberg led the charge in cutting down the tree with a chainsaw, allowing staff to load branches onto a truck and separate seeds into bags. 

While Bragg’s group took down the tree, other staff removed ice plant (Delosperma) from the campgrounds and a third group removed that plant from the beach near the Balboa Yacht Club entrance. For Anthony Hoffa, the Facilities Department team lead, this day of conservation was a welcome break from his usual responsibilities.  

“We manage all the facilities for the company, so yesterday I was doing electrical, plumbing and a little masonry work,” he explained. “[Conservation staff] see our work because we’re in their offices, but we don’t see their work. So now we understand what they’re going through day to day.” 

Bragg, who has supported volunteers but never to this degree, agreed. 

“It’s really cool getting different perspectives,” she said. “Coming from the office, getting to meet with people in the field day after day and seeing what they do – we definitely don’t give them enough credit.”  

Management of invasive species is a year-round effort that takes conservation staff to all corners of the Island. Here at White’s Landing, staff enjoyed a beautiful beach on one side and lush wildlands on the other. 

“At White’s Landing, you have the beach — bison hang out at the beach —  then you come back here and you’re in a whole different world,” said Bragg. “It’s desert meets ocean. That’s cool, you don’t get that in many places.” 

Before gathering for lunch oceanside, staff high-fived and celebrated their work. Many of them had found a teammate in someone new. 

“Out of everyone in this crew, I only work with one person regularly. There’s a few I see every now and then, maybe a couple times a week, and the rest of the faces here are completely brand new,” said Hoffa, adding that the field day was a nice way to connect outside the office. “The conversation we have out here is completely different than an office conversation, so I look forward to that.” 

 

Restoring the landscape isn’t only for Catalina Island Conservancy employees – volunteers are invited to join us every Tuesday for Restore and Explore, an opportunity to complete conservation work like removing invasive plants, clearing trash and other important restoration activities on Catalina. We also offer a Thursday volunteer day at the Ackerman Native Plant Garden, where you can get your hands dirty weeding, up– potting plants and other gardening activities. Learn more and get involved here.