05/26/2026
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO CELEBRATED JIM JACKSON WITH US!
On Sunday, April 26, the Ojai Valley Defense Fund (OVDF) honored filmmaker and conservationist Jim Jackson with the 2026 John Broesamle Founder’s Award at The Ojai Retreat and Inn, a longtime OVDF sponsor providing stunning valley views. Jackson, an Ojai-based conservation leader, has contributed to the protection of thousands of acres of open space and helped elevate public awareness around water and land use issues in the valley. The award recognizes his decades of quiet leadership and enduring contributions to land and water conservation in the Ojai Valley.
Each year, the OVDF board honors a community member whose work advances the valley’s environmental, educational, or civic vitality. The award presentation celebrates Broesamle’s memory, recognizes outstanding community members, and highlights the everyday work of committed neighbors and friends.
Presenting the award before more than 100 gathered community members and donors, OVDF board member and daughter of the late John Broesamle, Carolyn Vondriska, described Jackson as a humble and quiet conservation giant who leads from behind.
“All he cares about is that open space is being secured, water is being addressed, and that the valley is being protected into the future,” Vondriska said. “Jim understands that conservation never gets to rest. It is a perpetual responsibility passed from one generation to the next.”
Assemblymember Steve Bennett presented Jackson with a certificate from the California Legislature. A longtime friend of Jackson, Bennett lauded his selfless and strategic leadership, while noting that Jackson, like John Broesamle, is “the kind of person that we need to keep getting inspiration from over and over again.”
Jackson, who currently serves as president of Senior Canyon Mutual Water Company, noted the strength of Ojai’s community organizations. “A big part of what makes Ojai special are the nonprofits. Ojai wouldn't be Ojai with all the work that gets done in town and I appreciate anybody who's bold enough and generous enough to give time or money to support those nonprofits.”
In his opening remarks, Board President Peter Deneen said the OVDF has substantially strengthened its capacity, with more than $1.6 million now dedicated to deterring and responding to environmental threats in the Ojai Valley. He also emphasized a strategic shift toward “a more forward-leaning posture,” positioning the organization to play a more proactive role in protecting the valley.
With Jackson’s family in attendance and red-tailed hawks calling overhead, Vondriska reflected, “Jim’s view—and it is exquisitely effective—is that when it comes to saving land for our community, you throw your hat over the fence and then figure out how to retrieve it,” she said. “You secure the land, then find a way to pay for it. That mindset has helped protect more than 2,000 acres of open space in perpetuity for future generations.”
photos by Misty Hall
framed photo gift for Jim by Cindy Pitou Burton
food by Lisa Casoni
