A series of free, monthly Nature Walks that explore the biodiversity of Santa Barbara’s Elings Park returns for a second year, led by Santa Barbara Botanic Garden experts.

Expanding from nine to 12 walks in 2024, each has a different natural history focus, including plants, birds, bugs, and their interrelationships in the ecosystem.

The walks are part of collaboration between the Botanic Garden and the 230-acre park, which includes a one-acre California-native plant restoration project currently being planted in the park’s South Park area.

Nature Walks begin Saturday, Jan. 13 and continue monthly through December. For more, visit www.SBBotanicGarden.org/calendar.

“We discover the biodiversity of Elings Park together on these walks, and the plants, animals, and other organisms that currently live here,” said Denise Knapp, the garden’s director of conservation and research.

“We also look at how transforming even a small area from a sea of weeds to a diversity of native plants can support the web of life,” she said. “Ultimately, we hope participants leave inspired and begin transformations in their own backyards, throughout Santa Barbara County, and beyond.”

“Even though Elings Park is adjacent to residential areas and has thousands of visitors annually, a large portion is undeveloped,” said Dean Noble, Elings Park executive director.

“Many people who play in sports or attend concerts here have never visited South Park. These walks are the perfect introduction to the scenic landscape,” Noble said.

Most of the Nature Walks are held the second Saturday of the month, start at 9 a.m., and meet at the Elings Park Office parking lot.

Jan. 13, 9-10 a.m. – Soils and Restoration in Elings Park. Led by Denise Knapp, and Caroline Shepherd, habitat restoration manager

Feb. 10, 9-10:30 a.m. – Oak Woodland Ecosystem. Led by the garden’s herbarium technician Annie Ayers, and José Flores, invertebrate biodiversity technician.

Saturday, March 9, 9-10:30 a.m. – Elings Park Nature Walk. Led by Knapp and Scot Pipkin, director of education and engagement.

April 13, 10-11:30 a.m. – Intro to Naturalist/Plants of Elings Park. Led by Flores and Matt Guilliams, Tucker Plant systematist and curator of the Clifton Smith Herbarium.

May 11, 9-10:30 a.m. – Birds of Elings Park. Led by Zach Phillips, the garden’s terrestrial invertebrate conservation ecologist, and local bird expert Hugh Ranson.

June 8, 9 to 10:30 a.m. – Plants & Bugs of Elings Park. Led by the garden’s conservation technician Kylie Etter, and Knapp.

July 13, 9 to 10:30 a.m. – Coastal Scrub Ecosystem in Elings Park. Led by Ayers, and Sarah Cusser, terrestrial invertebrate conservation ecologist.

Aug. 10, 9-10:30 a.m. – Nature Journaling. Led by Pipkin.

Sept. 14, 9-10:30 a.m. – Nature Walk in Elings Park’s Mini Dune. Led by Knapp and Phillips.

Oct. 18, 10 a.m.-noon – Practice Uses for Weeds. Led by Neda Brehm, the garden’s habitat restoration technician, and Shepherd.

Nov. 9, 9-10 a.m. – Lichens of Elings Park. Led by Rikke Næsborg, the garden’s Tucker lichenologist and curator of the lichenarium. Note: Meet at Humanitarian Garden parking lot via the Cliff Drive entrance to Elings Park.

Dec. 14, 9-10:30 a.m. – Birds of Elings Park. Led by Phillips and Pipkin

Landscape Transformation at Elings Park

Nearly a century ago, farmers plowed under (what is now) Elings Park’s South Park area and planted beans. Later, the land became overgrown with invasive, non-native plants. The current project restores a one-acre site to allow park visitors to see first-hand how California’s native plants can transform a landscape.

For more, visit https://sbbotanicgarden.org/conservation/our-impact/restoring-habitats/elings-park-transformation.

The site is currently being planted, but the project began in spring 2023 when garden staff began to monitor plants, birds, pollinators, and other bugs to gather data on the site’s vitality.

Monitoring and scientific experiments will continue throughout the three-year project. Data before and after the transformation will be compared, and both will be compared to an adjacent invaded area.

Elings Park opened in 1985 as the result of a community campaign to turn the former landfill into a public park. First encompassing 90 acres, the park expanded to 230 acres in 1994 with the purchase of an adjacent property.

Currently, about 75% is undeveloped – much of it in the South Park area addressed in this project.

Over the past two years, many invasive plants have been removed from the park’s most visited areas and over 250 California — native oaks, plus thousands of native grasses and shrubs, have been planted.

Another project partner is nonprofit contractor Channel Island Restoration, which works on the islands and locally to restore habitat through invasive plant management, native plant propagation, and native plant installation. CIR participates in the Botanic Garden project and other ongoing restoration activities at Elings Park.

For more about the garden visit www.SBBotanicGarden.org. Learn more about Elings Park at www.ElingsPark.org.