Ventura Coastkeeper

Environmental protection: Wishtoyo's environmental protection program protects and preserves the environment and the culture of Chumash and indigenous peoples through advocacy, legal action, and preservation, conservation, and restoration projects. In 2023 we continued to protect the integrity and health of waterbodies and culturally significant lands, which are vital natural resources for all inhabitants of our communities and the lifeblood of Chumash culture. To protect the environment, cultural resources, and sacred places we successfully: utilized legal action by way of state and federal litigation under laws including the clean water act and endangered species act; advocated for stronger local, state and federal regulations, permits and legislation; conducted watershed monitoring and habitat restoration; mobilized continued from "environmental protection": communities to take action, and implementation of projects, including environmental restoration, at our new first nations ecological and cultural conservancy. Wishtoyo also continued to utilize its Ventura Coastkeeper ("vck") program. Wishtoyo founded vck in 2000 as the 54th member of the international waterkeeper alliance to focus on water quality protection in Ventura county watersheds.

Chumash environmental education: Wishtoyo's Chumash environmental education program protects and preserves the world's natural resources through education programs and outreach. Generally, we provide cultural environmental programs to over 1,200 youth and members of the general public per year, teaching awareness of our natural resources, ancient Chumash values of sustainability, and the cultural heritage of California's native peoples. Our Chumash tribal marine protected areas education program and first nations summer field studies, and other education initiatives geared towards k-12 students, maintain our commitment to building supportive coastal partnerships and constituencies amongst diverse communities through outreach and education. Specifically, our education programs aim to provide continued from "aim to provide": impactful experiences for youth so they feel empowered to contribute to their communities and environment through career choices and behavior throughout their lives. We seek to remedy inequalities and disadvantages in mainstream education by focusing on underserved and intertribal students.

Cultural preservation: Wishtoyo's cultural preservation program protects and preserves the ancient wisdom, practices, and culture of Chumash and indigenous peoples through cultural, spiritual, and educational programs and outreach. Our ongoing programs preserve, maintain, and protect Chumash lifeways, culture, history, and indigenous traditional knowledge, for the Chumash community, as well as the public at large. We continue to expand our projects and capacity, from our popular smuwic language apprenticeship program, traditional land tending mentorship, and basketry programs. In this way, knowledge and traditions can continue to be passed inter-generationally, and non-native communities can engage in cultural appreciation and deeper understanding. In 2023 Wishtoyo continued planning, design, and continued from "planning, design, and": implementation of our new first nations cultural & ecological conservancy. In 2023 we also continued our longstanding work toward the full build out of Wishtoyo's authentic Chumash village in present day malibu, and the thomas fire and subsequent flooding at the village presented us with both setbacks (loss of a traditional structure and restoration areas) and opportunities (new restoration work and education programs based in indigenous fire management).