A new documentary on Ormond Beach will premiere at 2pm April 26 at South Oxnard Library for free, and families are invited to attend.
The 30-minute film by Earth Alert tells the powerful story of ordinary citizens fighting to protect Ormond Beach, a vital Ventura County coastal wetland that provides critical habitat for endangered and threatened species.
Through compelling interviews with community activists and elected officials, Ormond: Past, Present, Future captures decades of grassroots efforts to preserve one of California’s last remaining coastal wetlands.
“There’s a reason this land hasn’t been lost to high-end real estate or industrial development,” says Janet Bridgers, Earth Alert Co-Founder and President. “For 35 years, dedicated individuals have worked tirelessly to safeguard Ormond Beach. We hope this film will inspire the next generation to continue the fight.”
Despite constant threats from urban expansion, Ormond Beach remains a rare sanctuary for over 200 bird species, including the endangered California least tern and Western snowy plover. The documentary highlights how a new wave of young activists—some drawn to the wetlands during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic—have taken up the cause, advocating for its preservation and organizing community clean-up efforts.
“Ormond Beach has a magic that’s hard to explain,” Bridgers adds. “The mix of salt air, bird song, and open space speaks to people in a way that keeps them coming back—and keeps them fighting for its future.”
The film was produced in collaboration with documentary filmmaker Toby Younis, who conducted interviews, filmed key visuals, and edited the project. Though now based in South Carolina, Younis and Bridgers, who resides in Albuquerque, NM, emphasize that Ormond Beach is not just a local issue—it’s a national environmental story.
Designated an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society, Ormond Beach remains a crucial refuge for wildlife and a rare remnant of the vast wetlands that once lined the California coast.
Founded in 1984, Earth Alert has a long history of environmental advocacy through media, with its first documentary earning a Los Angeles-area Emmy Award. Links to its previous work can be found at: www.earthalert.org