May 2006

Promoting Native Plants on the Hollister Ranch

By Linda Oakley and Robin Brady

We have recently completed a Master Gardener class sponsored by the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens and the University of California Cooperative Extension.  The purpose of the Master Gardener Program is to extend accurate information to the public about home horticulture and pest management.

Master Gardeners perform volunteer services in a myriad of venues, thereby sharing the information they have learned in the Master Gardener Training Program with the gardening public.  Each Master Gardener student is required to create a gardening project.  We chose to plant Hollister Ranch natives in half wine barrels on the office deck and create an informative handout about native plantings.

Our objective is to educate Hollister Ranch owners about native plantings and instill an understanding of the importance of retaining and protecting the biodiversity of the native flora.  As the Ranch is developed, nonnative and often invasive plantings are being introduced that diminish the natural character of this unique coastal environment.

Most of coastal California has been altered by introduced plant and animal species, agriculture and human activities.  Despite these alterations, Hollister Ranch supports an extraordinary variety of native habitats and native flora.  Its geographic location incorporates northern and southern bioregions, with plant species found in few other places.  By preserving and protecting the native landscape of the Hollister Ranch, future generations will enjoy this unique natural heritage.

Next time you are visiting the Ranch Office, please have a look at the native plantings on the deck and look for our handout, Promoting Native Plants on the Hollister Ranch.