Ironwood Fall 2017

VOLUME 25, NUMBER 3

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Back to

SCHOOL, Back to

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DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE 1212 Mission Canyon Road Santa Barbara, CA 93105 Tel (805) 682-4726 www.sbbg.org GARDEN HOURS Mar – Oct: Daily 9am – 6pm Nov – Feb: Daily 9am – 5pm REGISTRATION Ext. 102 Registrar is available: M – F / 9am – 4pm GARDEN SHOP Ext. 112 Hours: Mar – Oct, Daily 9am – 5:30pm Nov – Feb, Daily 9am – 4:30pm GARDEN GROWERS NURSERY Ext. 127 Selling California native plants to the public with no admission fee.

Hours: Mar – Oct, Daily 9am – 5:30pm Nov – Feb, Daily 9am – 4:30pm DEVELOPMENT Ext. 133 EDUCATION Ext. 160 FACILITY RENTAL Ext. 103 MEMBERSHIP Ext. 110 VOLUNTEER OFFICE Ext. 119 IRONWOOD | Volume 25, Number 3 | Fall 2017 ISSN 1068-4026 EDITOR Flannery Hill DESIGNER Paula Schaefer Ironwood is published quarterly by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, a private nonprofit institution founded in 1926.

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden fosters the conservation of California native plants through our gardens, education, and research, and serves as a role model of sustainable practices.

The Garden is a member of the American Public Gardens Association, the American Alliance of Museums, the California Association of Museums, and the American Horticultural Society. ©2017 Santa Barbara Botanic Garden All rights reserved.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR Peter Schuyler VICE-CHAIR Tom Craveiro SECRETARY Sue Adams TREASURER Edward Roach Sarah Berkus Gower Marc Fisher Lou Greer Frost John Gabbert Elaine Gibson Valerie Hoffman John Parke Jesse Smith Susan Spector Susan Van Atta

FOLLOW THE GARDEN! FACEBOOK.COM/SBGARDEN YOUTUBE.COM/SBBGORG @SANTABARBARABOTANICGARDEN

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Inspiring all ages at the Garden

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rom our school programs to our college internships to our California Naturalist Program, the Garden provides numerous opportunities for engaging with the natural world.

For school-based groups, we offer four very popular programs: Nature Walk, Chumash Uses of Native Plants, Seasonal Focus Lab, and Habitat Hike. I know we are inspiring another generation when I hear the squeals of delight from school children on a tour as they see a lizard, touch a caterpillar, gaze up at a Redwood tree or through a microscope for the first time. The letters we receive from students attest to how transformative these visits – often referred to as “the best day ever” – can be.

Almost immediately after opening the Pritzlaff Conservation Center last year, it was filled with college students from both the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and Santa Barbara City College (SBCC), helping us move our entire herbarium collection to the new facility, and breaking in the new genetics lab with some of the initial studies. Students in the newly formed SBCC Botany Club are regular volunteers at the Garden, helping to label plants in our displays and mounting herbarium specimens. Many of these students are building on what they learned here at the Garden as they continue their degree programs. A few have already continued on to graduate school with great letters of recommendation from the scientists they worked with here.

So far, the Garden has certified more than 115 adults through the University of California Cooperative Extension’s California Naturalist Program. Participants gain an understanding of regional ecology and supplement their training in the Garden with area field trips. In addition to becoming Garden docents and our regional environmental partners, many graduates also participate in citizen science projects like the California Phenology Project, which informs our knowledge of how plants respond to a changing climate. Our graduates have contributed over 9,000 hours of service

to environmental organizations such as Sedgwick Reserve, National Park Service Channel Islands Docents, Arroyo Hondo Preserve, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park, Coal Oil Point Reserve, Channel Islands Restoration, the Santa Barbara Audubon Society and more. Through this program, we not only train the participants, but those graduates also help to inspire others with a wonder for wild California.

And while there is a lot of learning going on at the Garden, our classes, field trips and school visits are really as much about hearts as they are about minds. While we have top notch scientists and educators with expertise in botany, ecology, horticulture, biology, and more, just the experience of being here surrounded by natural beauty can transform the way students of all ages view the natural world. We hope you discover something new during each visit, either informally on your own walk in the Garden, or through one of our great classes. If you are ready to incorporate native plants into your own garden, we have a wide array of horticultural classes – especially in October – when it is also the best time to find those plants for sale at the Garden!

With gratitude,

Steve Windhager, Ph.D. Executive Director

2017 FALL NATIVE Saturday, September 30 – Sunday, November 5 SHOP DAILY 9am – 5:30pm

MEMBERS’ PREVIEW PARTY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 GARDEN COURTYARD 4 – 6:30pm

for tickets visit sbbg . org / fallpreview

MEMBERS-ONLY

Grow your Garden knowledge:

Dara Emery Memorial Lecture California Native Landscape Design

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14 Garden Planning with the Experts OCT

SHOPPING MORNING

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

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Survey of California Native Garden-Worthy Plants

NOV

sponsored by

9am — NOON

fall LY DAY I M A F 4 10

Kids go free

Arts & crafts

Scavenger hunts

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in the Can yo n

time y r

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Kona shave ice truck

–3p

Ad ve

B ER M E V O AY, N SATU R D

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Fall Native Plant Sale Visit sbbg.org/familyday

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Back to School, Back to Nature

By Flannery Hill, Marketing & Membership Manager

“ W

e like to call it the Department of Inspiration,” says Frédérique Lavoipierre, the Garden’s Director of Education. “And the best place to inspire people is outside – that’s why we like to include time in the Garden in our programs whenever possible.” With the arrival of fall, school in session, and parents’ busy work schedules, today’s children and families often have few opportunities to connect with nature. Richard Louv coined this phenomenon ‘nature-deficit disorder’ in his book, The Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit-Disorder.

But the lack of time in nature isn’t confined to youth and families – university students and working adults also find it challenging to get outside.

WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS A 2010 study from the National Wildlife Federation indicates that the average American child spends a mere four to seven minutes per day playing outdoors.

According to the National Wildlife Federation, outdoor time helps children grow lean and strong, enhances imaginations and attention spans, decreases aggression, and boosts classroom performance. Another recent study documents that children who are actively engaged in guided observation, and in collecting plants and insects, develop care and

appreciation for the natural environment as adults.

THE GARDEN PROVIDES ‘NEARBY NATURE’ FOR ALL AGES The rich opportunities provided by the Garden’s ‘nearby nature’ are an ideal way for local residents of all ages to spend time outdoors. Even a casual walk engages the senses, and reveals new dimensions, as the Garden changes with each passing season. Informal experiences are supplemented with programs for all ages and interests. Our new classroom in the Pritzlaff Conservation Center, a planned Plant Lab, and recently implemented ‘Pop-Up’ exhibits all contribute to exciting new learning opportunities.

WHAT THE GARDEN DOES TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH NATURE Educational programs are a Garden-wide activity. From volunteer-guided tours for school children, gardeners sharing expertise on growing native plants, opportunities for university students to work side-by-side with our research scientists, field trips to the Channel Islands, citizen science, and much more, Garden staff are actively engaged in education programs. We also draw on expert instructors from our local community, who bring a wealth of knowledge to share. The development of new signage, and written and digital media resources provides yet

another avenue for the Garden education. “Garden signs are meant to enhance our visitors’ experience and understanding that we are not just a beautiful garden or a scientific institution,” says Kate Davis, the Garden’s Interpretation and Evaluation Coordinator. “We bridge the gap between the two, engaging our visitors at their level - whatever that might be - sparking interest, entertaining, and translating the Garden’s mission.”

SCHOOL PROGRAMS For many children on a tour, the Garden is their first experience in ‘wild nature’. “A Garden visit can inspire a child’s lifelong interest in plants and ecology – and the potential for providing that transformative experience in turn inspires the volunteers who lead the tours,” says Michelle Gee, who coordinates the Garden’s school programs. Nature Walk, Habitat Hike, and Chumash Uses of Native Plants, all take place entirely outdoors. Following a Garden exploration, the Seasonal Focus Lab offers children a unique opportunity to further explore plants through the magical lens of our microscopes.

CITIZEN SCIENCE PROGRAM The power of citizen science lies in the opportunity to collect large datasets that would otherwise be impossible to gather, by engaging volunteers to actively participate in research. In turn, participants

“What would our lives be like if our days and nights were as immersed in nature as they are in technology?” |Richard Louv, The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder

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become comfortable with the language of science, and better able to understand society’s environmental challenges.

The Garden’s program includes several projects developed by the Garden, and others, such as the Rare Plant Treasure Hunt and the California Phenology Project that support our work in plant conservation. The Garden has also embraced iNaturalist – a website and app used to log observations in nature – as a wonderful way to engage the general public in science. By simply taking photos and uploading them to iNaturalist, people of all ages and abilities can record a wealth of information about nature.

X-STREAM SCIENCE TEAM Our watershed-based program for teens focuses on the rich diversity of life found in the Mission Creek riparian corridor where it winds through the Garden.

X-Stream Science Team members are free to explore natural history and field biology in a way rarely available to teens.

Access to expert guidance and lab spaces further enriches the experience. Teens document and study native plants, and the birds, insects, and other life that depend on them, while developing skills

in sharing what they have learned with the public.

CALIFORNIA NATURALIST PROGRAM The UC California Naturalist training is intended to “foster a diverse community of naturalists and promote stewardship of California’s natural resources through education and service.” Our ten-week program, with guest lecturers and several field trips, provides an overview of California’s diverse ecology, with a focus on the Santa Barbara region.

Over 115 graduates contribute locally to environmental organizations, participating in citizen science, restoration, and sharing their expertise and enthusiasm for nature with the public. Participants come from all backgrounds, from newcomers to trained scientists who want to fill ‘gaps’ in their overall understanding.

HIGHER EDUCATION The Garden’s three research scientists, Drs. Denise Knapp, Matt Guilliams, and Heather Schneider, all periodically teach at nearby UCSB, and provide diverse field and lab opportunities for an increasing number of students from our local universities. University classes can often be found on self-guided tours

of the Garden, which provides a convenient outdoor classroom. The Garden has welcomed the opportunity to engage the next generation in the value and context of biodiversity, native plant botany, and natural history through the lens of fascinating and dramatically beautiful landscapes in our own backyard.

OUTREACH The Garden regularly takes its ‘show on the road’, from tabling at local events, and lectures, workshops, and presentations around the state, both for the public, and at professional meetings.

Publications, presentations, and webinars on the national scale further extend our reach.

The Garden is both a hub and a portal for learning about biodiversity and conservation, providing avenues for exploration and discovery, and an accessible, safe place to explore nature. From a one-time experience at the Garden, to special training for regularly scheduled data collection, to volunteering as the team lead on a project, there are many opportunities for lifelong learning at the Garden. Come learn with us and get back to nature.

Blaksley Bliss Society Members Get Sneak Peek at Children’s

BACKCOUNTRY ADVENTURE

By Stephanie Linder, Director of Development & Communications

The Garden was delighted to host our Blaksley Bliss Society members – friends who have included the Garden in their estate plans – for a lunch and lecture at the Pritzlaff Conservation Center on June 7. Our speaker was award-winning Landscape Architect and new Blaksley Bliss Society member Kimberly True. Kim gave an inspiring presentation about the Children’s Backcountry Adventure and shared her designs for the project. This new area of the Garden will replace the old island section that burned in the Jesusita Fire of 2009 and will include the Maze. There will be several different discovery areas with hands-on learning and undirected activities.

The goal of the project is that children and families using the Backcountry will develop an emotional connection to the natural world and native plants,

and seek to support their conservation.

Natural learning environments like the Backcountry also offer many benefits including developing problem-solving and social skills, fostering creativity, sparking an interest in natural sciences, and numerous health benefits – both mental and physical.

Following the presentation and Q & A, we were treated to a lovely lunch prepared

by Chef Michael Hutchings. It was great to spend time with this special group of Garden supporters.

Let us know Backcountry Adventure If you have included the Garden in your estate plans but haven’t notified us, please do so we can invite you to our annual luncheon and other events open to the Blaksley Bliss Society.

For more information, please contact our Director of Development & Communications, Stephanie Linder at slinder@sbbg.org or 805-682-4726 x133.

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THANK YOU to our 2017 trails ‘n’ tails Sponsors

free SENIOR DAYS for those 60 years old and better

OCTOBER 16 DECEMBER 18 Learn more at sbbg.org/seniors

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free!

A NEW RESOURCE for planning and planting your native garden: Water Wise Native Plants for Santa Barbara County

GET YOURS

at the

GARDEN SHOP

CALENDAR

Class dates and times are subject to change and additional classes may be added. Please check the website for up-to-date information.

THE SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN

Free Public Docent Tours every Saturday and Sunday at 11am & 2pm and Mondays at 2pm Pricing: member / non-member / volunteer | Register at sbbg.org/classes-events or call 805-682-4726 x102

S E PTE M B E R SEPT

Native Herbs of Mountains & Chaparral Emily Sanders, certified clinical herbalist, leads a Garden walk, exploring folk, magical, medicinal, and culinary uses of the native herbs, trees, and shrubs found in mountain and chaparral plant communities. 10am-noon. $25/$35

SEPT

University of California Naturalist Program

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SUMMER SIPS: Botanical Treasures of the California Islands Director of Horticulture Betsy Collins shares the Garden’s explorations of the California Islands, including the Channel Islands, and the Baja, California Pacific islands. Many beautiful garden plants have been collected from these special islands. Wines served by Brander Vineyard. 4-6pm. $25/$35

6, 13 The Garden offers this UC extension program, intended 20, 27 to foster a committed corps of volunteer naturalists and

citizen scientists trained and ready to take an active role in local natural resource conservation, education, and 4, 11 18, 25 restoration. Also 5 Saturday field trips, September 16, 23, NOV October 7, 14, & 28. Each class and field trip features 1, 8 local expert instructors. 4-7pm. $360 OCT

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Teahouse Open Visitors and members are invited to experience our ShinKanAn Teahouse and Garden and witness the rich traditions of the Japanese tea ceremony. 11am-1pm. Free with admission.

The Good, the Bad, and the Bugly Learn how to manage your garden to attract not only beneficial pollinators, but predatory insects that can help you create a beautiful, pesticide-free garden. 5:30-7pm. $15/$25/$10 San Miguel Day Trip For an adventure that you will never forget, join Steve Junak for a day trip to San Miguel Island. Participants will fly from Camarillo Airport and land near the historic Lester Ranch on San Miguel, after an aerial tour of the Northern Channel Islands. Participants must be in good physical condition. 9am-4pm. $375/$450

ENTOMOLOGY FOR GARDENERS AND BOTANISTS SERIES What are all those insects up to? Learn more about the insects and other small critters that share our habitat.

Classes include a short introductory lecture, hands-on labs, and a Garden exploration. Taught by Frédérique Lavoipierre, Director of Education. $60/$100 SEPT

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ENTOMOLOGY: Meet the Butterflies & Moths Learn to recognize common species, and how to attract butterflies to your garden. Native plants for both butterflies and caterpillars are discussed. 1-3pm. $20/$35 Series $60/$100

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CHANNEL ISLAND TRIP: Santa Rosa Island Day Trip Join us for a very special outing to the Channel Islands!

Participants will fly to Santa Rosa Island, accompanied by island expert Steve Junak. Learn about its history and the unique plants that are restricted to this island.

Participants must be in good physical condition. 9am-4pm. $350/$425 California Native Plant Society Meeting The Garden hosts the California Native Plant Society, Channel Islands Chapter, for their monthly meeting. See the CNPSCI webpage for further information. 7-8:30pm. Free Morning Bird Walk Expert naturalist Rebecca Coulter leads a morning group in watching and listening for the diverse and beautiful birds that make the meadow, woodlands, and creek side their home. 8:30-10am. $10/$15/$5

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Journals Your Way!

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photographic, sketching, or a combination. Guest lectur-

NOV

this class. Highly recommended as a companion class for the California Naturalist program. 2-3:30pm. $95/$125 Cal Nat: $50

20, 27 Discover which journaling style suits you best – literary,

4, 11 ers help you explore different techniques. Kate Davis, 18, 25 artist and Interpretation and Evaluation Coordinator, leads 1

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Bring the Wild Inside Create a beautiful flower arrangement to take home using California native plants. Perfect for beginner to advanced floral designers. 2-4pm. $25/$40 FAL L 2 0 1 7 Ironwood

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CALENDAR

THE SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN

Free Public Docent Tours every Saturday and Sunday at 11am & 2pm and Mondays at 2pm

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Specialty Tour: Japanese Teahouse The tea house at the Garden is the only traditional Japanese tea house open to the public on the central coast. Learn about this special building, its remarkable garden, and the Japanese “Way of Tea”, or chado. 4-5pm.

Members: Free, Non-Members: $10 + Admission Native Plants 101: The Basics Do you want to grow some native plants but are not sure how to get started? This introduction will put you on the path to success and a lifetime of exploration of which of California’s beautiful plants will thrive in your garden.

10am-noon. $30/$45

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Sixth Annual Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Conservation Symposium Do you love the earth’s diversity of flowers, bugs, birds, and more? Find out how you can help discover and conserve it at our annual conservation symposium themed: ‘Innovative Ways of Exploring Biodiversity: Embracing Big Data, Technology, and Citizen Science.’

10am–4pm. $45/$50 Students free.

Members Preview Party - Fall Native Plant Sale The evening will feature delicious drinks and light appetizers to enjoy while you shop. Live music, a silent auction, and more. 4-6:30pm. $40/$75 Add non-member friend $20 Fall Native Plant Sale The Garden is the best place to get the plants and information you need for a beautiful native garden. Look for activities every weekend during the sale. Members only morning: Sept 30, 10am-noon. Free admission to shop daily 10-5:30pm.

iNATURALIST SERIES iNaturalist is one of the largest online social networks for naturalists. These two special workshops are taught by Ken-ichi Ueda, one of the founders, and now co-director, of iNaturalist at the California Academy of Sciences. $40/$60/$30 Certified California Naturalists

ENTOMOLOGY: Meet the Beetles There are more beetles than any other insect! Meet the most commonly encountered species in gardens and the wilderness. 1-3pm. $20/$35 Series $60/$100

O CTO B E R OCT

Come see some of the beautiful gardens Greg has created in this rare Santa Barbara appearance by an award-winning design professional. Reception precedes the talk.

4–6pm. $30

Habitat by Design for Beneficial Insects Native plants are best for creating a thriving habitat for pollinators and predators of plant-munching insects.

But which ones are best for the job? Taught by Director of Education, Frédérique Lavoipierre. 2-3:30pm. $15/$30/$10

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Volunteer Orientation Become a Garden volunteer and support our conservation efforts. Learn about the diverse opportunities and the simple steps to get started; includes a behind-the-scenes tour of our facilities. 5-6:30pm. Free

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Plant Name Changes A quick roundup of recent name changes for some of our most familiar garden plants with Garden Horticulturalist Bruce Reed. 5-6pm. $10/$15

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Herbal Root Medicine Many of our California native plants have traditional uses.

Join Emily Sanders and learn about edible and medicinal roots of Santa Barbara. 10am-noon. $25/$35 California Native Landscape Design Author and landscaper, Greg Rubin, based in San Diego will speak at our annual Dara Emery Memorial Lecture.

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iNATURALIST: Introductory Workshop Use iNaturalist to get help identifying plants and animals, keep track of your findings, and share with naturalists and scientists around the world. Lecture and Garden exploration.

10am-noon. $25/$35/$20 Certified California Naturalists iNATURALIST: Advanced Workshop Already familiar with the basics? Take the next steps: learn how to export data, annotate observations with phenological traits, create projects and field guides.

Topics determined by participant interest. 2-4pm. $25/$35/$20 Certified California Naturalists Garden Planning with the Experts Join one of the Garden’s native plant experts on a tour of the Water Wise Home Garden for inspiration and then head to the Garden Grower’s Nursery for guidance on making the best plant choices for your garden. 10am-noon. $10/$15 Urasenke Traditional Way of Tea Enjoy the spirit of ShinKanAn, the Japanese Teahouse, with a demonstration of the Way of Tea. Learn how to make a bowl of Matcha, Japanese powdered green tea, and serve it to your guest, in the spirit of appreciation and hospitality, the cornerstones of the Urasenke tradition. 11am-1pm. $25/$35 Good Fungi, Healthy Roots, Happy Natives Join author Robert Kourik, as he discusses the amazing

Class dates and times are subject to change and additional classes may be added. Please check the website for up-to-date information.

Pricing: member / non-member / volunteer | Register at sbbg.org/classes-events or call 805-682-4726 x102 Participants will discover all sorts of Garden critters and secrets with binoculars, bug catchers, and more! All equipment provided. 4-5pm. Members: free, non-members: $10 per family with admission

beneficial fungi that promote the healthiest roots of native and ornamental plants. Discover the relationships between beneficial fungi and plants, where in the roots it happens, and how to promote it. 2-3:30pm. $30/$45 OCT

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Free Senior Day Welch-Ryce Haider invites visitors 60 and better to come to the Garden as their guests. Seniors pay no admission today and can enjoy special programming. For groups of 10 and larger, please make a reservation by calling (805) 682-4726, ext. 161.

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Morning Bird Walk See September 20. 8:30-10am. $10/$15/$5

PLANT PRESSING SERIES Join Emily Sanders for this two-part holiday workshop on how to dry flowers and leaves, and create beautiful cards, bookmarks, posters, and more. Workshops may be attended individually or together for a discount. A family friendly event – children welcome. $50/$70

Survey of Garden-Worthy Plants 19,26 Learn about the cultivation, installation and maintenance of the best of the native California flora with expert & NOV Garden horticulturist, Bruce Reed. 5-7pm. $25/$35 OCT

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ENTOMOLOGY: Meet the Flies Flies are a diverse group that includes many beneficial species, including some important pollinators, in addition to those we are most likely to notice – mosquitoes and house flies! 1-3pm. $20/$35 Series $60/$100

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Native Birds & Blooms in Vibrant Watercolor Inks Create a lyrical watercolor of flowers and birds in the garden from life and photos, using vibrant India inks with instructor Carissa Luminess. All materials supplied.

9am-4:30pm. $85/$100

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PLANT PRESSING: Part 1 Collect plant materials from the Garden and learn how to create your own herb presses to take home. No experience required. 3-6pm. $30/$45 Volunteer Orientation See October 2. 5-6:30pm. Free Grow Your Own: Seeds to Soil Explore the basics of California native plant propagation with the Garden’s Plant Propagation Manager, Heather Wehnau. After a brief introduction, you’ll be able to get your hands dirty in our Horticultural Nursery, planting your own seeds for a beautiful spring garden. 1:30-4pm. $30/$45

Garden Planning with the Experts See October 14. 10am-noon. $10/$15 GEOLOGY WALK SERIES Explore Santa Barbara through the lens of geologist and naturalist, Susie Bartz. These three walks examine human impacts and the natural forces at play in our region, from the coast to the mountains. Attend all three for a discount. $100/$140

OCT

Fall Family Day A special day dedicated to kids and their families to encourage everyone to spend more time outdoors. Scavenger hunts, Garden adventures, craft stations, shave ice, and many more activities for the whole family. Free admission for kids. 10am-3pm.

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GEOLOGY WALK: Black Smoker of Figueroa Mountain Enjoy a day of hiking in the high backcountry with Susie Bartz. Learn how a once aquatic geological feature rose 4000 feet high by looking at clues in nearby submarine lava “pillows” and contorted layers of chert.

9:30am-2:30pm. $50/$75 Series $100/$140 Specialty Tour: Family Exploration Tour Join us on this Family Exploration tour of the Garden.

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BranchOut Experience BranchOut, California’s first outdoor “escape room.” Modeled on the popular “escape room” movement, these timed missions challenge families and friends to work together to unlock clues and solve an environmental puzzle by exploring the natural world around them. Family friendly. Ages 7+. Choose a time: 10-11am, 11:30am-12:30pm, 1-2pm, 2:30-3:30pm, or 4-5pm. $12/$18 Teahouse Open See September 9. 11am-1pm. Free with paid Garden admission.

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THE SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN

Free Public Docent Tours every Saturday and Sunday at 11am & 2pm and Mondays at 2pm Pricing: member / non-member / volunteer | Register at sbbg.org/classes-events or call 805-682-4726 x102

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Advanced Native Plant Garden Maintenance Join Antonio Sanchez for expert advice on pruning, fertilizing, proper irrigation and general maintenance of established native plant gardens. Ideal for home gardeners with basic native plant experience. 10am-1:30pm. $30/$45 ENTOMOLOGY: Meet the True Bugs What’s a bug? We often call insects ‘bugs’, but bugs are only one kind of insect. Some of our peskiest insects are in this group, but also some of our most beneficial garden allies. 1-3pm. $20/$30 Series $60/$100 Morning Bird Walk See September 20. 8:30-10am. $10/$15/$5 Wildlife Tracks at the Garden Join expert tracker and author Michael Kresky on a quest for animal track and sign in the Garden. An inspiring introduction that emphasizes a holistic perspective in the study of natural history. 9am-2pm. $45/$60 Pruning Natives Demystified Take some of the mystery out of pruning and maintaining your native plants in this informative workshop led by Garden Horticulturist Bruce Reed. 10am-noon. $20/$35

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Volunteer Orientation See October 2. 5-6:30pm. Free

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Morning Bird Walk See September 20. 8:30-10am. $10/$15/$5

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GEOLOGY WALK: Leadbetter to La Mesa Join Susie Bartz to explore Santa Barbara’s beachfront and our iconic coastal Mesa. Discover how human development has impacted the shape of our shoreline and get up close look at the ongoing tectonic compression that is lifting the Mesa’s marine terraces across geologic time.

1-4:30pm. $35/$50 Series $100/$140

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Ralph Philbrick Memorial See page 13. 2:30-5pm PLANT PRESSING: Part 2 Guests of all ages create holiday cards, bookmarks, and posters using dried plant materials collected from the Garden. Participants in part 1 (11/4) will use dried materials they collected; materials provided for other participants. 3-6pm. $30/$45

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GEOLOGY WALK: Geology of the Carpinteria Bluffs Explore the dynamic geology of the marine terrace at the Carpinteria Bluffs. Learn why geology makes the beach a perfect birthing place for seals and explore rock layers that have been tightly folded by tectonic compression.

12:30-4:30pm. $40/$60 Series $100/$140

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Wreaths, Swags, and Garlands Make your own beautiful holiday decorations with California native plants. Drop in or stay the entire time creating fabulous, professional looking arrangements. Pay by the piece. Family friendly. Wreaths: $15/$25/$40, Swags: $5/$10/$20, Garlands: $5/foot. 11am-3pm.

Teahouse Open See September 9. 11am-1pm. Free with paid Garden admission.

Kevin Gleason & Chris Potter Opening Reception Local plein air artists Kevin Gleason and Chris Potter will showcase the beauty of Santa Barbara’s natural landscapes in their exhibition in the Pritzlaff Conservation Center Gallery. Featuring iconic local views and paintings of the Garden. 2-4pm Insect Hotels: Build Your Own! A hands-on workshop using natural materials to build a “hotel” for pollinators and other beneficial insects. Taught

by Frédérique Lavoipierre, Director of Education. Family friendly. 10am-noon. $30/$45 Free Senior Day See October 16. All Day. Free for seniors

SAVE TH E DATE I N 2018* Garden Guide Volunteer Training • Grow Your Own: Native Plants from Cuttings • Introduction to Mosses and Relatives • Domecar Botanical Day Trip • Santa Barbara Beer Garden *See website for details Please sign up for Garden Gazette for announcements of additional Channel Island trips. No Specialty Tours in November and December due to the holidays.

Meet 2017 Pritzlaff Conservation Awardee,

Dr. Susan Mazer D r. Susan Mazer is a champion for plants. Through her research, outreach, and mentorship, she is furthering our understanding of plant evolution and adaptation to change, training others in the research skills needed to investigate these fundamental and universal processes, and inspiring the next generation of plant protectors.

Dr. Mazer co-founded the California Phenology Project and Project Baseline, large collaborative projects of national significance that will help us understand what climate change has in store for the seasonal cycles of wild plants and for plant diversity. Through these projects and others, she has engaged legions of students and citizen scientists

who have contributed observations critical for detecting the effects of climate change on wild plant species.

Dr. Mazer is an energetic speaker and highly dedicated mentor who has inspired many UCSB students to love plants through her classes in Plant Biology and Biodiversity, Plant Evolutionary Ecology, Population Genetics, and Plant Reproductive Ecology and Evolution; more than 200 undergraduates have contributed to her field, greenhouse, and lab-based research; and she has taught and trained students in Thailand, Peru, China, and Costa Rica. She has applied her research to further the conservation of some of the rarest plant species in the region and to inform the design of habitat restoration efforts. The author and co-author of over 117 research articles and book chapters, her work has been cited over 6,000 times. She received the National Science Foundation’s Presidential Young Investigator Award and served as National Science Foundation’s

SIXTH ANNUAL SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN

Conservation Symposium Friday, October 13, 2017 10am – 4pm Santa Barbara City College Fé Bland Forum Innovative Ways of Exploring Biodiversity: Embracing Big Data, Technology, and Citizen Science Register now at sbbg.org/symposium or call 805.682.4726, x102

Program Director for the Ecological Biology Program for two years. Susan received her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Yale University and both a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Botany from UC Davis; she is the current President of the California Botanical Society. Her current field research in California is exploring the effects of drought on the evolution of wild populations of baby blue eyes (Nemophila menziesii) and farewellto-spring (several species of Clarkia).

“The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Conservation Symposium is a wonderful opportunity to bring together people from a wide range of backgrounds who all share an interest in — and concern for — nature,” said Dr. Mazer. “It’s inspiring to be together with like-minded people who feel a sense of responsibility towards conserving plant diversity, and this symposium provides a chance for us to learn from each other, to act collectively, and to ignite change.”

“The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Conservation Symposium is a wonderful opportunity to bring together people from a wide range of backgrounds who all share an interest in — and concern for — nature.” | Dr. Susan Mazer

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GARDEN People

1 3/ Garden Trustee Sarah Berkus Gower with husband, Hayden Gower, son Luca and dogs Marley and Finnley at the annual Trails ‘n’ Tails event 4/ Photographers Ross Eatman and Paula Sharp at their Wild Bees exhibit opening at the Pritzlaff Conservation Center 5/ Garden Trustees Susan Spector and Tom Craveiro celebrate Tequila Sunset 2017 with Ann Brinker 6/ Brittney Burrows, Events Coordinator, meets Tobias, from Working Dogs for Conservation, who works with The Nature Conservancy to find invasive Argentine ants on Santa Cruz Island 7/ Member yogis enjoy a complimentary class during Member Appreciation Month

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1/ Garden Executive Director, Steve Windhager, Ph.D. and Summer Sips speaker Bill Hoyer love carnivorous plants 2/ Gardeners Dave Kershaw, Nick Resler and Wes Franken test driving the Garden’s new electric cart funded through a grant from the Walter and Holly Thompson Foundation

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Remembering

Ralph Nowell Philbrick 1934-2017

By Steve Junak

T

he Garden recently lost one of its former leaders and the local environmental community lost a long-time friend and supporter. Sadly, Ralph Nowell Philbrick (1934-2017) passed away on July 10th at Cottage Hospital.

Ralph worked at the Garden for 23 years, first as Plant Systematist (19641973) and then as Director (1974-1987).

As Systematist, Ralph organized the first symposium on the biology of the California Islands, expanded the Garden’s efforts to document the flora of the Channel Islands, and published a flora for Santa Barbara Island. As Director, he continued his botanical studies on the Channel Islands and co-authored annotated checklists for the five islands of Channel Islands National Park in California and for Todos Santos, San Martin, San Benito, and Natividad islands of Baja California. He also published several other papers on the plant life of the islands. As a leader, Ralph accomplished a lot, guided the Garden through some lean financial years, and was held in high esteem by his employees.

In 1979, a staff member at the Garden described Ralph’s management style in a letter to the Board of Trustees: “… Ralph is an amazingly competent Director with many attributes that combine sensitivity and wisdom. He is involved with every facet of activity at the Garden and makes the staff feel that what they are doing contributes to the well-being of the Garden. At the same time, he can sort out the trivial from the important and put any issue in proper perspective. If only four words could be used to describe Ralph’s interaction with the staff, they would most likely

be involvement, concern, support, and competence.”

In a letter to the Board of Trustees in 1987, the entire staff expressed their disappointment that Ralph was leaving the Garden, writing: “… Ralph has been a good and fair leader at the Garden, one who is willing to listen to the staff and find workable solutions to administrative, horticultural, and botanical questions that have arisen. His high standards have inspired the staff to help create what we think is an excellent botanic garden.

“Ralph was most influential in promoting research of the Channel Islands flora, supporting the staff’s interest in ecological research topics, expanding the Garden’s Island Section, encouraging active Garden participation in revegetation projects that use California native plants, and overseeing the expansion of the nursery, shop, library, and herbarium. His attention to aesthetic concerns is apparent in the functional beauty of the Garden’s facilities, as well as in the grounds display.

The high quality of Garden publications can also be attributed to Ralph’s guidance and editorial skills… His conscientious leadership will be missed.”

from 1972-1980, and on the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission from 1981-1985.

In both his professional and personal life, Ralph will be remembered as a man who, every day, did his absolute best to make the world a healthier, more peaceful, and more beautiful place. He inspired all who knew him!

A celebration of Ralph’s life will be held at the Garden from 2:30-5pm on Saturday, December 2, 2017.

Please RSVP to RalphPhilbrickMemorial@cox.net if you would like to attend.

Ralph will be missed for his appreciation and protection of the natural world and open spaces that surround our beautiful community and contribute so much to our daily lives. He served on the Goleta Valley General Plan Advisory Committee FAL L 2 0 1 7 Ironwood

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SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE’S BOTANY CLUB

For the love of native plants

By Flannery Hill, Marketing & Membership Manager

 Garden Executive Director, Steve Windhager, Ph.D. and Betsy Lape with SBCC students Jennifer Wold, Isabel Rivera, Kara Kang, and Geoff Green, SBCC Foundation Executive Director  Tim Sisneros, Garden volunteer & founder of the SBCC Botany Club

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t four years old, Tim Sisneros became fascinated with the natural world when he watched a fern uncurl.

Fueling a love for plants, Tim began trying to grow everything he could get his hands on. “I wanted to grow plants so people could see what they are,” said Tim.

In August 2010, Tim was introduced to the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden when a supervisor gave him two free passes. Within a week, he became a Garden member. It wasn’t until Tim began working for landscapers, however, that he became interested specifically in California native plants. He decided to go back to school to learn about native plants, and started at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) in spring 2017.

offer SBCC students who joined the SBCC Botany Club.

Students now receive 50% off their Garden membership.

Betsy Lape, the Garden’s Living Collections Coordinator and SBCC alumna, met Tim when he was volunteering at the Spring Native Plant Sale. “He was really interested in learning the plant names,” said Betsy. She recruited Tim and other students from the SBCC Botany Club for a plant labeling project, and had them get to work putting public information labels on plants in the new Island View Garden “The Garden is such a great resource for the students,” said Betsy. “They take our classes, attend California Native Plant Society meetings, and get to try out a lot of different things. Volunteering at the Garden is a great supplement to their education.”

Wanting to get involved, Tim approached the Biology Club and found out they didn’t pay much attention to plants. The same semester, he founded the Botany Club with the goal of bringing light to the importance of plants. “I “The Garden is the best place to come wanted to get a group together to help bring explore the diversity of the California florisappreciation of plants to a broader audience,” tic province, and has a huge role to play for said Tim. Today, the Botany Club has approxaspiring botanists in Santa Barbara,” said Tim. imately 54 members. “It’s satisfying to know “Like many Garden volunteers, Tim is passionthat people had a desire to join,” said Tim. ate about California native plants,” said Some objectives of the club are to promote Kathy Castaneda, Garden Manager of the conservation of native plants and to Volunteer Programs. “He jumped right in collaborate with other organizations and and works with staff in our Living Collections programs aiming toward that same goal. and Conservation and Research Departments, Tim approached the Garden with hopes and his energy and knowledge at community outreach events is inspiring.“ of a “student membership” rate he could

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New! STUDENT MEMBERSHIP Help protect and restore California’s unique biodiversity Students with a valid student ID receive 50% off a Garden membership.

• Unlimited Garden visits • 10% off at Gift Shop and Nursery • Reciprocal admission to more than 300 botanic gardens *Promotion not valid for Guild-level or Circlelevel memberships.

TH E GAR D E N I S P LEAS E D to WE LC O M E

SAR AH B E R K U S G OWE R to the B OAR D O F TR U STE ES

Sarah is a third generation Santa Barbara native, and lover of nature and the outdoors. She is an attorney at Hollister & Brace, P.C., which recently celebrated 50 years of serving the local community. While the firm has a wide breadth of practice areas, Sarah practices exclusively family law, with a focus on complex, high-asset litigation.

Outside the office, you will find Sarah hiking in the local mountains, camping with her husband and son at California’s State Parks and beaches, paddle boarding, kayaking and scuba diving at the Channel Islands, snowboarding in Colorado, hosting friends for a backyard BBQ, attending concerts at the Santa Barbara Bowl, playing in the sand with her 18 month old son, Luca, or exploring the trails of the Garden with her two cockapoo dogs, Marley and Finnley.

Sarah comes from a family that is dedicated to giving back to the local community (with social and environmental conscience). Her grandfather, the late Barry Berkus, was an active philanthropist in the Santa Barbara Community, donating his time and energy to a number of local nonprofits, including the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (he and his architecture firm participated in the design of many of its structures), the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, the MOXI Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the

Granada, the UCSB Foundation, and many others.

Sarah’s father, Jeff Berkus, an architect with focus in sustainable design, has recently concluded 6 years of service as the Chairman of the Board for the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. Sarah hopes to follow her family’s example in giving back to the community.

As a mother, Sarah’s hope is to preserve the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and promote its mission so that her son’s generation and more may appreciate the beauty and importance of this place and its purpose.

The Garden Welcomes New Staff Please join us in welcoming Stephanie Calloway to the Garden family. She joined us as our new Conservation Technician, working on plants and insects with Heather Schneider and Denise Knapp.

She has a bachelor’s degree in Entomology from U.C. Davis and about ten years of science experience, with a lot of botany as well as fun critters like tardigrades and gastropods! She has worked in several National Forests, in the Great Basin, and on San Clemente Island looking at plants, vegetation, soils, and hydrology, as well as plant pathology.

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ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID SANTA BARBARA, CA PERMIT NO. 451

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 1212 Mission Canyon Road Santa Barbara, CA 93105-2126 www.sbbg.org • (805)682-4726

“FALL” IN LOVE with NATURE KIDS CAMO EXPLORER VESTS

(available in three colors!)

BUTTERFLY NETS BINOCULARS

Picture your next event at the Garden Corporate meetings • Conferences Lectures • Special events PLEASE CONTACT Brittney Burrows Event Coordinator bburrows@sbbg.org (805) 682-4726, x103

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BUG-VIEWING JARS

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GAR DEN S HOP HOU RS: MAR – OCT: 10 a m – 5 : 3 0 p m N OV – F E B: 10 a m – 4 : 3 0 p m 805-682-4726

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