Join Ellwood Friends and Scot Pipkin from the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden for an inspiring walk through Ellwood Mesa to explore the beauty, resilience, and ecological benefits of native plants.
Learn how the same species that thrive in our coastal open spaces can also bring life to your own garden—supporting pollinators, conserving water, and strengthening local ecosystems.
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just getting started, this walk will offer practical ideas for incorporating native plants into your landscape while deepening your connection to this special place. Free!
Date: Wed Sept 24, 2025 (Passed)
Time: 5-6:30 PM
Location: 7686 Hollister Ave
From Bluffs to Backyards:
Native Plant Walk at Ellwood
2025
A huge thank you to everyone who came out plant trees for the first volunteer day of the Fall Season!
We were thrilled to see such a wonderful mix of friends, families, and neighbors—along with members of Brownie Troop #55548, the Goleta Rotary Club, Ellwood Elementary, Althouse and Meade, Laguna Blanca, and UCSB.
This day was made possible through a partnership of the City of Goleta, Ellwood Friends, the SB Bucket Brigade, and UC Santa Barbara’s Cheadle Center.
We are grateful to every single volunteer, our incredible community, and the generous donors whose support makes this work possible.
2025
2025
Ellwood Anniversary on May 17, 2025
The 20th anniversary of the preservation of Ellwood Mesa—a once-threatened landscape now protected from development—marks two decades of serving as a vital sanctuary for monarch butterflies, native habitats, and public recreation. For more photos visit ellwoodfriends.org/anniversary
2024-2025
Wings of Wonder
Video credit: Channel C
Fall 2024
In the Fall of 2004 volunteers came to Ellwood almost every Saturday to restore this cherished landscape. With support from UC Santa Barbara’s Cheadle Center, the City of Goleta, Your Children’s Trees, and a coalition of local organizations, over 500 volunteers from 30 groups have contributed more than 1,700 hours to clear brush, dig holes, and plant native trees and plants.
The final workday of the year, led by the Bucket Brigade on December 7, brought together more than 60 volunteers who planted 36 trees—an effort that directly supports one of the most critical overwintering sites for monarch butterflies in the country.
Do you have video or photo to share? Please let us know below.
Video credit: Channel C
