Changes for Catalina Island Conservancy
Ann Muscat, president and chief executive officer of the Catalina Island Conservancy, wants the harbor town of Avalon to become the gateway to the islands 42,000-acre nature preserve, a desire consistent with the vision that chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. had when he bought up much of the island in 1919: a destination for people to enjoy in many ways. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Carlos de la Rosa looks for insects in a stream on Santa Catalina Island. A critic of the Catalina Island Conservancy’s redevelopment plans, De la Rosa stepped down as the organizations chief conservation and science officer earlier this month. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
Carlos de la Rosa, the former chief conservation and science officer for the Catalina Island Conservancy, holds a dragonfly larva near a stream on Santa Catalina Island. De la Rosa, who stepped down from his position earlier this month, said: In this conservancy, conservation is no longer a passion. It is more interested in generating tourism dollars with flashy attractions. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
Carlos de la Rosa, former chief conservation and science officer for the Catalina Island Conservancy, hugs Steffani Jijon, a biologist working on a Catalina Island bald eagle restoration project for the Institute of Wildlife Studies. De la Rosa’s departure from the conservancy has saddened Jijon, who said: Its a huge loss, personally and professionally. It shows how the conservancys focus is off-target. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)