Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and the Community Environmental Council (CEC) will partner for a program looking at the role of native plants in supporting biodiversity and climate resilience.
As part of Downtown Santa Barbara’s 1st Thursday, the free event will take place 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 7, at CEC Environmental Hub 1219 State St.
It is designed to bring together film, conversation, and community engagement.
The program will debut a new short film from the Botanic Garden’s Landscape Transformations series, offering a look at its collaboration with the city of Santa Barbara at Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden.
“The film highlights how a small plot within the iconic park has been transformed into a thriving native plant habitat, demonstrating the beauty, ecological value, and climate benefits of replacing traditional landscaping with California native species,” organizers said.
The film, which is about 10 minutes long, begins at 5:45 p.m.
Immediately following the screening, a panel discussion will explore biodiversity, regenerative landscapes, and practical ways the community can get involved in supporting local biodiversity.
Moderated by Eric Cárdenas, director of Impact and Advocacy at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, the panel will include: Christian Hedberg, landscape architect representing Friends of State Street; Zach Heyman, biodiversity and farming expert at the Farmhand Foundation; and Bre Sliker, former Climate-Smart Agriculture Program manager at CEC and current director of Grants and Engagement at Farmhand Foundation.
Panelists will also touch on regional collaboration efforts, including the Biodiversity Working Group.
After the panel, guests are invited to a reception with light refreshments, along with guided tours of the native plant installations along State Street led by Hedberg, offering an up-close look at how these principles are being applied in a highly visible public setting, organizers said.
“Biodiversity is a shared responsibility, and real progress happens through collaboration,” said Cárdenas.
“We’re proud to partner with the Community Environmental Council for this event, bringing together like-minded organizations and community members around a shared commitment to native plant stewardship,” Cárdenas said.
“Through the Biodiversity Working Group, we’re working alongside dozens of regional partners to advance policies and practices that support native ecosystems,” he said. “Efforts like this are not the work of any one organization; they’re collective wins for the broader conservation movement.”
“Building a climate-resilient future starts at the local level,” said Kathi King, director of Education & Operations at the CEC. “Partnerships like this bring the conversation into the community in a tangible way.
“Whether it’s a public park, a downtown streetscape, or a backyard or balcony garden, native plants offer a powerful, accessible way for people to be part of the solution.”
For more information about the Botanic Garden’s Landscape Transformations, visit https://sbbotanicgarden.org/conservation/landscape-transformations/.