Have you ever felt inspired to name a piece of nature? That's the opportunity being given to the community in Ventura.
"This land has long been the backdrop to our community, and has long been used by our community, both for recreation, but also grazing and other uses," explained Melissa Baffa, the executive director of Ventura Land Trust.
The non-profit acquired the land and are preparing it to open to the public in 2025. Baffa says it's important that the community have input on what the new preserve is named.
"We looked at the name of the property and said, well, if we're making forever decisions, we should have our community weigh in on the name of this stunning preserve that's really integral to the community," said Baffa.
“We believe that the name of the preserve should be culturally and historically relevant, inclusive, and deserving of a place in perpetuity,” Baffa said. “Perhaps the community feels that ‘Mariano’ is that name. But we wanted to take this opportunity, being that we are talking about a name that will be spoken in this community forever, to give our friends and neighbors a chance to weigh in on it.”
To participate in the nomination process, please visit the Ventura Land Trust website at www.venturalandtrust.org/marianoranchopreserve/renaming Individuals will be able to submit one single nomination form each with up to three name suggestions included.
