In celebration of Latino Conservation Week, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden will host a range of bilingual events Sept. 14-22.
The events are an invitation for the Latino community and others to enjoy the outdoors together and participate in activities that help preserve our natural resources.
In 2014, the Hispanic Access Foundation, through its Latino Conservation Week celebration, has recognized the Latino community’s vital contributions to conservation and environmental stewardship while expanding opportunities for outdoor engagement.
Among the week’s highlights are a free 6.5-mile native plant bike tour through downtown Santa Barbara, led by gardener lead Abraham Lizama.
The bike tour event is in partnership with local business Boom Boom Bike Room, and a bilingual Open House for the Garden’s California Native Plant Landscape Certification (CNPLC) program.
“Working alongside my parents in landscaping from a young age, some of my earliest memories involve touching plants and jumping in leaf litter,” said Alejandro Lemus, horticultural educator and CNPLC program instructor at the garden.
“These formative experiences sparked my appreciation and curiosity for nature, and ultimately led me to pursue my career as a horticultural educator,” he said.
“Conservation requires all of us to work together, which is why I aim to inspire a deeper connection with nature through my work,” Lemus said. “This week, I’m excited to recognize and celebrate my Latino community’s role in conservation and bring everyone together to grow the native plant movement along the Central Coast.”
The celebration features an online conservation talk hosted by Luciana Luna-Mendoza, director of ecology at the Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas (GECI) in Ensenda, Mexico.
Luna-Mendoza’s talk will focus on Guadalupe Island’s vegetation recovery, highlighting the ongoing collaboration institutions doing the same conservation work in the Channel Islands.
Visitors can also register for a bilingual docent tour, offered free with admission, and take part in a self-led bilingual Story Walk in the garden’s kid-centric Backcountry section, presented in partnership with Santa Barbara Public Library.
While most events during Latino Conservation Week at the Garden are free, some require admission. To ensure everyone can participate, the Botanic Garden offers several programs designed to reduce or eliminate admission fees.
Through a partnership with Museums for All, Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cardholders and their families can enjoy discounted admission. With a valid ID and EBT card, general admission is $3 per person, or families can buy a $20 annual membership.
The options can be obtained at the garden’s entrance kiosk or by contacting the membership tTeam.
Additionally, in partnership with Santa Barbara Public Library, families can check out a one-week garden membership using any library card.
The membership grants admission for two adults and any accompanying children under age 18, allowing families to participate in the activities during Latino Conservation Week and beyond.
For more, visit, https://sbbotanicgarden.org/visit/.