Imagine Catalina: a blueprint for the Island’s future

The following is the fifth and last in a series on why the Catalina Island Conservancy was created, its unique history and mission.

Keeping the wild things wild, and making sure they thrive, requires a helping human hand in the 21st century. The flexible multi-year strategic plan “Imagine Catalina” is the vision and blueprint adopted by the Catalina Island Conservancy for excelling as that helping hand.

The following is the fifth and last in a series on why the Catalina Island Conservancy was created, its unique history and mission.

Keeping the wild things wild, and making sure they thrive, requires a helping human hand in the 21st century. The flexible multi-year strategic plan “Imagine Catalina” is the vision and blueprint adopted by the Catalina Island Conservancy for excelling as that helping hand.

Imagine Catalina began several years ago when the Conservancy’s Board of Directors and staff looked at the organization’s future challenges and opportunities in managing in perpetuity 42,000 acres of wildlands—88 percent of the Island. Clearly, the Conservancy needed a long-term plan to ensure that Catalina’s ecological health would be restored and maintained for today’s and future generations.

“This is one of the most ambitious undertakings in our 41-year history,” said Ann Muscat, president and CEO of the Conservancy. “The well-being of the Conservancy and, by extension Catalina Island, is strengthened by having a well thought-through and clearly articulated strategic vision and plan.  We have sought the input of many and intend to proceed thoughtfully as we enhance the programs and facilities that will allow the Conservancy to successfully implement its mission in the decades to come.”

Planning began with a series of workshops over several years. In these creative sessions, Conservancy staff and multidisciplinary leaders reviewed the past, looked at the present and imagined a sustainable future that met the mission of the Conservancy.

William McDonough + Partners then partnered with the Conservancy in early 2011 to explore further a first set of priorities as articulated by the Board of Directors. William McDonough is the world-renowned design innovator, architect and author who co-wrote the seminal works “Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things” and “The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability—Designing for Abundance.” McDonough, a leader in sustainable innovation, is working with the Conservancy to refine its vision.

“There are few places where the conservation die was cast so clearly as on Catalina Island, where nearly 90 percent of the Island is stewarded in perpetuity by the Catalina Island Conservancy,” McDonough said. “When we were asked to assist the Conservancy with a strategic vision plan, we were deeply honored by the opportunity. ”

McDonough shared with Island residents at the Casino some ideas for creating a sustainable future for the planet and by extension Catalina.

Then in several sessions with Avalon city officials, private business owners, citizens, other non-profits and off-Island partners, his firm developed Imagine Catalina. This plan takes into consideration the social and economic welfare of the Island community at large as well as the Conservancy’s on-going mission.  

“With nearly a million people visiting Catalina Island each year, there exists substantial opportunities to learn about and experience the natural environment,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe. “The Conservancy is right to be visioning a future that creates opportunities for people to connect to their natural environment in ways that are consistent with conserving this special place.”

The first project the Conservancy completed from the Imagine Catalina visioning effort was the Mobile Nature Station.

Launched in the summer of 2012 and staffed by naturalists, this moveable outpost features interactive displays and information on Catalina’s unique plants and animals and conservation programs to better educate and interpret natural Catalina where visitors concentrate, at Two Harbors and Avalon.   The Conservancy is now in the process of implementing three additional projects:

The Trailhead: Located at the old Catherine Hotel site in Avalon, the Trailhead will provide access to visitors and residents to learn about Catalina and present opportunities to experience its wildlands.  

The Trailhead is in design with William McDonough + Partners and is projected to open in late 2014.

Eagles Nest Lodge: Offering a window into Catalina’s natural and cultural heritage, Eagle’s Nest Lodge will serve as an education and interpretation center at Middle Ranch.  The lodge will be re-located from a space-constrained, flood-prone area of Middle Ranch to one more suitable for welcoming guests. Completion is expected in early 2015.

Sustainable Camping: Improved camping opportunities have long been desired on Catalina since the Island’s interior is so vast and difficult to experience in short day-trips.

The Conservancy is currently exploring environmentally appropriate camping opportunities along the Trans-Catalina Trail.

“Imagine Catalina is really about improving the ecological health of the Island and providing appropriate access for exploration and learning,” said John Cotton, board chair of the Conservancy. “We are taking careful steps guided by leaders in the sustainability community to consider projects that support our conservation, education and recreation responsibilities. Our visioning process developed a lot of good ideas, but our board is focused on these initial key projects, which will keep us busy over the next couple years.”

Other future objectives of Imagine Catalina include enhancements to conservation programs and facilities at Middle Ranch, improving the educational experience at the Wrigley Memorial and Botanic Garden and upgrading the maintenance facilities at Middle Ranch that support all Conservancy programs.  

“We aim to be good partners with the community by providing services and activities that ensure a quality experience for residents and visitors. And we are committed to improving the programs and facilities that our staff and research partners require to excel at ensuring the long-term care and health of the Island,” Muscat said.