Upcoming Volunteer Event!

Join SCHR and our partners at Channel Islands Restoration (CIR) on Tuesday February 3rd from 10:00am-1:00pm as we work to remove non native seedlings from the banks of Refugio Creek. Last year, 2,500 native plants were installed with the help of hundreds of volunteers . The native plants are looking great and show significant growth. Come check out our successful efforts to establish native plants along Refugio Creek and help us nurture these plantings by removing non-native weeds from within the project site. We will meet on the west side of the creek within the State Park. Day-use parking passes, snacks, and gloves will be provided. Please contact us with any questions or to RSVP info@schabitatrestoration.org.

Upcoming Events!

It’s Creek Week in Santa Barbara!  Join SCHR and our partners at Channel Islands Restoration (CIR) as we celebrate Santa Barbara’s 15^th Annual Creek Week. We will be hosting events to help build awareness and stewardship of the natural treasures in our local area.  On Thursday, September 25^th from 6:30-7:30pm we are hosting a free presentation on “Watershed Restoration,” featuring CIR Executive Director, Ken Owen at the Watershed Resource Center.  Come learn what is involved in restoring our local watersheds, and in particular, hear about our recent restoration efforts at Refugio State Beach where we worked together to restore native vegetation along the banks of Refugio Creek Mouth. Then, on Saturday, September 27^th from 10:00am-12:00pm, join CIR and  SCHR for our Refugio Creek Mouth Field Tour and Restoration event!  Come stroll along the beautified banks of Refugio Creek for a guided field tour of this newly restored habitat.  Then, grab some gloves and help us nurture the native plantings by removing non-native weeds from within the project site. We will meet on the west side of the creek within the State Park, parking passes for the event will be provided. Please contact us to RSVP or with any questions info@schabitatrestoration.org.

Thank you to our volunteers!

This last Saturday we hosted another volunteer event at which we planted the last 40 native container plants and weeded out non-native plants from the site. Thanks to our 12 very hard working volunteers all of the native plants were watered and the site is looking great.

Volunteer at Refugio State Beach Saturday May 3rd

Please join us for what will be a weeding and watering event at Refugio State Beach on Saturday May 3rd from 9:00 am -12:30 pm. Since January over 2500 plants have been planted with the help of volunteers. On Saturday May 3rd volunteers will help with watering, weeding, and mulching around the native plants. We hope to see you there. RSVPs to the event are not required but appreciated. Please contact Erin Brown at erinbrown@schabitatrestoration.org if you would like to attend or have any questions.

Refugio Project Update

Thank you to the dedicated volunteers that helped out at the Refugio Creek Mouth Restoration site this last Saturday. We are also so thankful for this much needed rain! The project site is looking great. Check out the growth on our native plants. The sunflowers, lupine and morning glory were all flowering this last weekend. Stay tuned for our next volunteer weeding event which will be sometime in early May. 

Storm Surge Damage at Refugio Creek Mouth

A few photos taken today showing the after math of Saturday's storm at Refugio State Beach. The lower portion of the project site was inundated with salt water for roughly 45 minutes on Saturday morning. Debris including seaweed, trash and driftwood were left behind as high tides receded. Native container plants that were stored on site waiting to be planted this coming Saturday were inundated with a mixture of fresh and salt water. A new low flow channel has been formed with in the creek banks. State Park staff have been working to clear the day use parking area  on the west side of the creek of sand and debris that were washed ashore. As of late morning the park was once again open to day use visitors. The beach lost most of it's sand and palm trees lining the beach took quite a beating. 

Volunteer this Saturday at Refugio State Beach!

Please join us for what will be our last planting event at Refugio State Beach on Saturday March 8th from 9:00 am -12:30 pm. Since January over 2000 plants have been planted with the help of volunteers. This weekend volunteers will help with planting, mulching around the plants and installing cages on some of the native plants. We hope to see you there. RSVPs to the event are not required but appreciated. Please contact Erin Brown at erinbrown@schabitatrestoration.org if you would like to attend or have any questions.