Accomplishments

Our accomplishments towards preserving and promoting Conejo Open Space

Our mission is to promote and maintain the open space and trails of the Conejo Valley, and to educate people as to their roles as custodians and protectors of the open spaces and the environment. Towards that end, we collect funds from generous like-minded folks and help recruit volunteers. We are proud of our accomplishments, some of which are listed here.

To help us continue to improve the Conejo open space areas for everyone to enjoy, please consider making a charitable donation or volunteering some of your time to help. We give a hearty Thank-You to those who contribute towards making the Conejo Valley open spaces such wonderful places to visit!

Some of our accomplishments (View them all.) Wildlife researcher Ellie Bolas reveals the private lives of local mule deer—see her recorded presentation (7/31/2025) - Behavioral ecologist Ellie Bolas shared discoveries she has made during her ongoing research concerning mule deer in the Santa Monica Mountains and Conejo Valley as COSF’s third Speaker Series presentation of 2025 on July 9. Bolas’s focus is on the impact of human-caused disturbance to the deer's habit, including wildfire. She notes that our native mule deer are both ecologically… (read more...) Update on COSF’s 2025 Eco Scholarship Award (6/15/2025) - Isabella Lee is COSF's new 2025 Environmental Studies scholar. Isabella, who graduated from Thousand Oaks High School, replaces Greceldy Hau as the recipient of one of COSF's two scholarship awards because Greceldy will be pursuing a college major other than environmental studies. Isabella says that her determination to work toward a professional role in mitigating climate change stems from her… (read more...) The 2025 Trails Education Days writing contest winners; the 2026 event will be April 20 – 23 (6/13/2025) - The 2025 Trails Education Days provided lessons on open space for 1,080 Conejo 4th grade students from all 17 CVUSD elementary schools during the week of April 28. Writing Contest The students who participate in Trails Education Days are invited to enter a letter-writing contest to describe some of the things they learned during their Trails Education Days experience. Two winners from… (read more...) Watch the video of an Amgen volunteer team haul one ton of trash out of the Arroyo Conejo (5/25/2025) - On May 2, an enthusiastic team of 15 Amgen staffers joined COSCA Rangers Joe and Kari and COSF President Bill Miller and board member Anne Russell for a morning clean-up at the Arroyo Conejo. The video of the work can be seen below. The Amgen group removed about one ton of garbage that included cans and bottles, bicycle parts, gardening… (read more...) Forest expert Kim Corella discusses new threat to our Conejo Valley oaks—see her recorded presentation (4/21/2025) - Kim Corella, who is Cal Fire's Forest Pathologist with the Forest Entomology and Pathology Program for Southern California, addressed what could be a slow-moving disaster for our Coast Live Oaks in her Speaker Series talk "Oaks in Peril" on April 16. Having served with Cal Fire for the past 17 years, Corella has witnessed the goldspotted oak borer's path of… (read more...) Wildlife educator Dana Stangel examines how humans and coyotes can peacefully coexist—see her recorded presentation (2/4/2025) - Dana Stangel, founder and executive director of Teranga Ranch Wildlife, shared her expertise and advice about how to live side by side with our most visible urban canid, the coyote. On January 29, 2025, as COSF’s first 2025 Speaker Series guest, Stangel presented “Coyotes Among Us.” Scroll down to watch the video recording of her presentation. Stangel’s talk focused on… (read more...) December’s work day improved the Eagle Point Trail at Wildwood (12/28/2024) - The Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA), with support from COSF, held its final monthly trail work day of 2024 on Saturday, December 14. Even though it was the busy holiday season, 15 volunteers showed up at Wildwood Regional Park to clear the overgrown Eagle Point Trail. COSCA Rangers Joe, Nick and Ryan helped out as well. Named for two golden… (read more...) 70 volunteers turned out for the Annual Fall Trail Work Day on October 19 (10/22/2024) - COSCA's Fall Trail Work Day at Westlake Community Park brought in 70 volunteers of all ages to improve the Wishbone Trail on Saturday, October 19. After the trails were cleaned up, COSF provided a delicious lunch for all and sponsored a fun raffle with $800 worth of gifts for those who gave their time to the trails. Special thanks are… (read more...) Third Annual Native Plantpalooza & Eco Fest Drew Enthusiastic Crowds (10/3/2024) - COSF launched Native Plantpalooza & Eco Fest in the fall of 2022 with the goal of producing a free outdoor live event to celebrate and support the Conejo Valley’s rich biodiversity. The community festival’s goal is to educate and inspire attendees about native plants, water-wise gardening and more sustainable living. The festival, which this year featured a beekeeper, pollinator experts,… (read more...) The September Trail Work Day – Photos of the three projects (10/2/2024) - The September 28 trail work day took place at the Rancho Potrero Open Space, just south of Dos Vientos, and coincided with National Public Lands Day. Participants were given a one-day pass to federal lands, valid for a whole year! Volunteers worked on three separate projects: reconstructing a drainage lens, building a drain at a low point in the trail,… (read more...)