ABOUT

Where We Live

We live and work on unceded and untreatied Chumash territory in the Southern California bioregion (see map below). Our home and office are halfway up the Ojai Valley, nestled in the Ventura River Watershed of the coastal foothills of southern California. We reside in the small, unincorporated, blue collar community of Oak View, 1-2 hours’ drive from the Los Angeles metropolis (depending on traffic!). Elaine and Ched were drawn here from L.A. in 2005 because the area still has significant tracts of native coastal chaparral habitat that have not been destroyed by overdevelopment. See more at The Oak Tree page.

Images of Ventura River Watershed by Chris Wight

  • Santa Ynez mountains viewed from the Ventura River bed
    Late afternoon sun on the Santa Ynez mountains viewed from the dry Ventura River bed at Oak View
  • Ventura River flowing at Meiners Oaks
    Ventura River flowing at Meiners Oaks
  • Ventura River dry riverbed
    Ventura River Oak View California looking toward Black Mountain
  • Ventura River valley looking from Oak View toward Ojai
    Ventura River valley looking from Oak View toward Ojai
  • Foothills of Santa Ynez Mountains near Oak View
    Foothills of Santa Ynez Mountains near Oak View
  • Foothills of Santa Ynez Mountains near Oak View
    Foothills of Santa Ynez Mountains near Oak View
  • Oak and grass meadow near Oak View
    Oak and grass meadow near Oak View
  • Trail through Oak Trees near Oak View
    Trail through Oak Trees near Oak View
  • Hills near Oak View
    Hills near Oak View
  • San Antonio creek bridge near Oak View
    • Ventura River Watershed map

    The BCM office and Elaine and Ched’s and Chris’s homes are located in Oak View, CA. At right is a traditional Chumash territory map, and left is a Ventura River Watershed map. We endeavor to live into the framework of these two images here on the northern edge of the southern California bioregion. Learn more about Casa Anna Schulz and Elaine’s family story.

    Chumash Territory map