HISTORY.
The C3JV’s creation story begins, in earnest, in the early 2000’s when a core group of individuals including Shawn Milar, Renee Spence, Mary Root and David Pashley initiated discussion with local partners to fill in the last remaining gap in Joint Venture coverage across the United States. Having orchestrated the launch of at least six Joint Ventures across the country, David's shared vision for the Central Coast was similar- through the JV model strengthen synergies across jurisdictions to improve outcomes for birds and people. Fast forward to 2020, under the mandate of unanimous support from over 30 partners, the C3JV was launched with the formation of a Management Board, bylaws, and the hiring of a full-time coordinator. The launch was a culmination of need, timing and leadership; responding to a ubiquitous call to elevate the unique richness of the Central Coast while also recognizing the urgency facing a community bruised by drought and megafires. The partnership continues to grow as regional representatives from Federal, State, Tribal, academic, and non-profit entities join under the banner of the C3JV and its commitment to landscape scale conservation that advances human and ecological wellbeing in the Central Coast.
MANAGEMENT
BOARD.
The C3JV Management Board embodies vision and leadership, charged with guiding the policies and directives of the organization to accomplish the mission. Members of the Board include representatives from federal, tribal and state agencies, academic institutions and non-profit conservation organizations, all of whom are interested in advancing landscape-scale conservation actions for the betterment of ecosystems and communities within the boundaries of the C3JV. Contact Connor Jandreau to learn more about the board or how to become involved.
As California Representative with Defenders of Wildlife, Andy focuses his work on coastal and marine wildlife conservation issues, including sea otter recovery, threats to California’s coastal ecosystems and wildlife, and climate change resiliency. Before joining Defenders, Andy managed the pioneering sea otter research and conservation programs at the Monterey Bay Aquarium for 20 years, and has extensive background in the coastal wildlife and habitat needs of the Central Coast.
Tim is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo. Students in Tim’s lab study spatial wildlife ecology, with a focus on real-world applications to guide conservation decisions.
Devin has a degree in Ethnobotany from Humboldt State University. He started his career working in the Americorps Watershed Stewards Project in Northern California. Following his time in Northern California, he moved back to San Luis Obispo County and worked for the California Conservation Corps and then for the California Department of Fish Wildlife as an Environmental Specialist. Devin is a strong advocate for community stewardship, collaboration, and ecological restoration.
Jennifer Davis joined the California Central Coast Joint Venture Board in 2021. Jen is the Northwest Regional Director for American Bird Conservancy, based in Oregon. Her current work focuses on building partnerships and opportunities to conserve wild birds and their habitats across the Pacific Northwest. She earned her Master of Science degree in ecology from James Cook University in Queensland, Australia, and is an experienced field ecologist and bird bander.
Clint Francis is an Associate Professor of Ecology at California Polytechnic State University. He and his lab members use a sensory ecology lens to understand how animals use and respond to environmental conditions. A primary theme in their work focuses on how birds respond to a variety of human activities throughout Western North America.
Tom is the Chief Executive Officer of Audubon Canyon Ranch. He has spent nearly 30 years doing conservation focused on climate change, ecological restoration, at-risk species, and agriculture. He has nearly 70 peer-reviewed publications and co-edited one book. Prior to joining the ACR team in 2021, Tom was the Director of the Pacific Coast and Central Valley Group at Point Blue Conservation Science.
Lead Ecologist, Coastal Monterey Bay Program, Point Blue Conservation Science Kriss has spent her career studying and conserving shorebirds and marine birds, having spent time in the field in Alaska, Maine, and the great Central flyway, before returning to the sandy beaches of California. In her current role as a Senior Ecologist, Kriss leads the Coastal Monterey Bay program, which focuses on a long-term study of snowy plover reproductive success among other programs.
Manager, Restoration and Development, Wildlife Conservation Board
Laura Riege, Restoration Manager, The Nature Conservancy. Laura is an ecologist with over 30 years’ experience working in coastal ecosystems throughout California. She led The Nature Conservancy’s restoration planning and implementation of the Santa Clara River and at Ormond Beach in Ventura County. She now leads TNC’s restoration work at the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve in Santa Barbara County. As a California native, Point Conception holds a special place in her heart.
Teresa Romero serves as the Environmental Director for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, is an enrolled member of the Coastal Band of Chumash, is a member Syuxtun Plant Collective, a traditional plant collective focusing on tending, gathering and preparation of traditional plants. Teresa serves has served on the MPA Statewide Leadership Team as a Tribal Representative since 2019. Teresa has worked for over 20 years assisting Tribal Communities on stewardship and environmental projects.
Kelly’s career has been entirely in the field of wildlife conservation, first working to recover the Peregrine Falcon, followed by the Bald Eagle and since 1996, the California Condor. He has a B.S. degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Management from West Virginia University and a Master’s in Public Administration from Golden Gate University. Kelly has been the Executive Director of Ventana Wildlife Society since 2003.
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STAFF.
Connor Jandreau - Conservation Coordinator
Originally raised in western Colorado, the traditional territory of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) peoples, Connor has traversed widely across the intermountain west and internationally seeking to contribute meaningfully to human-land relationships. His work has largely focused on the nexus between community and conservation, striving for answers to the elusive adage of living on the land ‘without spoiling it.’ He is motivated by models of land use that bridge human well-being and biodiversity conservation. As the Conservation Coordinator of the California Central Coast Joint Venture, he works with partners to envision strategies that strengthen outcomes for birds, wildlife and people. Connor earned a B.A. in studio art, a B.S. in fish, wildlife and conservation biology, both from Colorado State University and an M.S. in Natural Resource Management from the University of Manitoba, Canada.
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Gregor Yanega - Conservation Program Director
Gregor grew up in the forested, cloudscapes of the Pacific Northwest, the lands of the S’Puyalupubsh (Puyallup) peoples. Beginning with an avid interest in natural history and ornithology, it was a small step forward to embark on a career in conservation biology and land stewardship. These disciplines focused his efforts to build better, multifunctional environments where humans and wildlife meet. In his capacity with the California Central Coastal Joint Venture, Gregor works to support the diversity and beauty of the central coast by finding enduring and sustainable ways to help birds and humans thrive together. With a BSc from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA and a PhD in Evolutionary Ecology from the University of Connecticut, Gregor has broad interdisciplinary training in ecology, organismal biology, and the making of little books.
PARTNERS.
In order to accomplish our objectives, the California Central Coast Joint Venture works with a wide range of partners including non-profit, academic, local, state, and national government organizations. Visit our Projects Page for more information on some of the ways in which the C3JV and partners are working to advance the mission of conservation that works for birds, other wildlife and people on the Central Coast.
FUNDING PARTNERS
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A Geography of Alliances.
Strengthening Joint Venture coverage in the Central Coast
The C3JV geography is a quilt of jurisdictions, landforms, histories and culture. Perhaps in reflecting this complexion, the C3JV geography is also an amalgamation of Joint Venture regions, with overlapping alliances between neighboring Joint Ventures (JV) in an effort to strengthen the representation by JVs in these socio-ecologically important regions.
The C3JV is allied with the Sonoran Joint Venture within the Point Conception and northern Santa Barbara/Ventura County region. This alliance region marks an important transition zone with the Transverse Range demarcating an ecological shift terrestrially, and the Southern California Bight mirroring this transition in the California Current System. This region also includes important waterways such as the Santa Ynez River, one of the most northerly strongholds for the Least Bell’s Vireo, as well as the Santa Maria River Valley, an incredibly rich floodplain with significant conservation needs. The C3JV has established partnerships with the Department of Defense, The Nature Conservancy, The Environmental Office of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, as well as the Western Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, all of whom have interest in this region.
The C3JV is also allied with the Central Valley Joint Venture along the eastern boundary of Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties. Of course, this ecological hotpot hosts the Carrizo Plains, Temblor and Caliente Ranges; a landscape of California endemic flora and fauna, and a suite of highly threatened wildlife.
By working together within these spaces of overlap and across the Pacific Flyway as a whole, our respective Joint Ventures reinforce the notion of cross-boundary collaboration as one of the most important factors advancing migratory bird conservation. You can read our Statement of Alliance here.
Highlighting our Photographers
Dave Keeling:
Dave's imagery of birds in California's Central Coast have elevated the C3JV's ability to communicate and inspire visitors to our website and published media. As an avid birder, Dave has an exceptional talent in capturing those moments of intimacy birds timidly display. Coupled with his generosity sharing his talents for the inspiration of others, Dave has dully earned the full gratitude of the C3JV. Thank you Dave for gifting us the imagery of the birdlife of the Central Coast.
Jim Dougherty:
The C3JV extends a huge thanks to Jim for his immense donation of time and talent supporting the Joint Venture through capturing the 10,000 foot imagery of a landscape full of beauty and stewardship need. As an environmental lawyer, Jim has dedicated his life to environmental advocacy, deftly on display again in the sweeping imagery found throughout the site.
