Kenney Mencher

Wednesday

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Dear friends of the Djerassi Program,

The Djerassi Program provides time and space to artists, and the trust and freedom for creative individuals "to be." And this gift of spaciousness is also offered by the landscape itself. The wild 583-acres is a key component to what makes the residency so valuable to our artists-in-residence. We are devoted to providing this experience where unique expression is not only encouraged but it is also reflected in the landscape surrounding the residency. To that end, we are committed to preserve the environment by engaging in various new projects that deepen our relationship with the land.

By partnering with Felidae Conservation Fund, we now possess a game camera with which we can better understand and keep an eye on our non-human neighbors. This provides artists another opportunity to connect with the ecology that makes this place so special. Above is an image of a bobcat in the middle of the night taken by the camera activated by a movement sensor.

We are engaged in treating our ancient coastal oaks toreduce the spread of disease such as Sudden Oak Death. Above you will see an image from our Sudden Oak Death project before treatment (left) with yellow and dry leaves on March 1, 2017 and after treatment (right) with a healthier canopy on November 26, 2018. Our efforts have thus far proven effective, and continued treatment can help ensure that these national treasures remain here permanently.

We share our knowledge of this landscape with the artists-in-residence through new Ecology Hikes. These have proven to be a great introduction to a new landscape and to encourage wonder and exploration in an ancient and inspirational setting. In the photo above, I (on right) am introducing artists to our forests.

Please support our Environmental Stewardship work, which in turn supports the artists-in-residence. Your gift empowers our ability to keep these programs running. Your contribution will have a profound impact towards helping us keep this landscape beautiful, and in turn, inspire artists to create beautiful work.

Thank you for your support in 2018.

Sincerely,

Andrew Nguyen

Environmental Stewardship Coordinator