History of Catalina Island Conservancy in Timeline

Catalina Island Conservancy is a nonprofit organization founded in 1972 by the Wrigley and Offield families. Its mission is to protect and restore Santa Catalina Island. The Conservancy was established when the Wrigley and Offield families donated 42,135 acres, which is 88% of the island, to the organization. The Conservancy focuses on conservation, ecological restoration, and providing public access to the island's natural landscapes.

1924: Bison Introduced to Catalina Island

In 1924, bison were first brought to Catalina Island for a movie, eventually becoming an iconic symbol of the island's culture. The herd grew to as many as 500, exceeding the island's capacity.

1972: Conservancy Established

In 1972, the Catalina Island Conservancy was established through the efforts of the Wrigley and Offield families, who deeded 42,135 acres of the island (88% of it) to the organization.

1999: Distemper Virus Outbreak

In late 1999, an outbreak of distemper virus caused the Catalina Island fox population to plummet from about 1,300 to just 100 animals.

2000: Catalina Island Fox Recovery Plan Implemented

In 2000, following the 1999 distemper outbreak, the Catalina Island Conservancy and the Institute for Wildlife Studies implemented the Catalina Island Fox Recovery Plan, combining relocation, vaccinations, captive breeding, release, and wild fox population monitoring.

2004: Catalina Island Fox Declared Endangered

In 2004, after the distemper virus outbreak that started in 1999, the US Fish and Wildlife Service declared the Catalina Island fox an endangered sub-species.

2009: Bison Contraceptive Program Begins

Beginning in 2009, the Conservancy's scientists started injecting female bison with porcine zona pellucida (PZP), a contraceptive, to control the herd's size, replacing the periodic roundups and shipments of bison to the mainland.

2009: Stop the Spread Program Started

In 2009, the Catalina Island Conservancy started the Stop the Spread program, a partnership focused on invasive plant control with CHIRP staff and youth camps on the island, educating nearly 15,000 campers from 2009 to 2013.

2013: Contraceptive Program Reported Effective

In 2013, a peer-reviewed study reported that the contraceptive program, which started in 2009, was effective in controlling the bison herd, with the calving rate dropping significantly after the PZP contraceptive was administered.

2013: Stop the Spread Program Continues

In 2013, the Stop the Spread program, which started in 2009, continued to provide education to campers on invasive species, native species, and environmental restoration, with campers managing about 450 acres and removing invasive plants for more than 7,000 hours annually.

April 2019: Conservancy Opens New Base of Operations

In April 2019, the Catalina Island Conservancy opened its new base of operations, called the Trailhead, at 708 Crescent Ave in Avalon on Catalina Island. The Trailhead is the first LEED Gold certified building in Avalon and offers recreation information, hiking and biking permits, serves as the launch point for Conservancy Eco Tours and Wildlands Express shuttles, and also includes educational exhibits, a shop, a plein air exhibit, a restaurant, and a native plant garden.

2020: Plans to Reintroduce Bison Births

After several years without bison births on the island, at the end of 2020 the Catalina Island Conservancy planned to bring two pregnant bison to Catalina Island.

2023: Deer Culling Plan Created

In 2023, the Conservancy created a plan to reduce the impact that invasive deer have on native vegetation through a culling (killing from helicopters) approach, which faced opposition from some residents.