California’s botanical diversity is one of the things that make it so beautiful. The Golden State is home to more than 6,000 kinds of native plants – more than any other state in the country. However, 35% of California’s native plants are rare and require special attention if we hope to share them with future generations. Join Dr. Heather Schneider of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden on Thursday, June 21, from 6 PM to 7 PM at the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden to learn more about rare plants of SLO County and conservation efforts taking place. This presentation will highlight the importance of rare plants, why rare plant conservation matters, and what environmentally conscious citizens can do to help save rare plants. Dr. Schneider will highlight some of the work that the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is doing to understand, protect and restore rare plants in California, including examples from San Luis Obispo County. Doors open at 5:30pm.
Suggested Donation: $5 for Garden members / $10 non-members. For more information visit www.slobg.org
Dr. Heather Schneider is the Rare Plant Biologist at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden where she is involved in research, conservation, outreach, and manages the conservation seed bank. She holds a PhD in botany from the University of California, Riverside and has worked across California and the American West on topics such as ecology, evolutionary biology, conservation, invasive plant science, and desert tortoise biology. She sits on the Board of Directors for the California Invasive Plant Council and is a Conservation Officer for the Center for Plant Conservation. In her free time, Heather can be found frolicking through fields of wildflowers and nose to the ground in search of belly flowers.
About San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden
San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden is located at 3450 Dairy Creek Rd. It is spread out on 150 acres in El Chorro Regional Park off Highway One between Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. When the master plan is complete, the Garden will be the only garden of its kind in the United States exclusively devoted to the ecosystems and plants of the five Mediterranean climate regions of the world. Through its programs and facilities, the Garden fosters an appreciation and understanding of the relationship between people and nature and encourages a sense of stewardship for the natural environment. To learn more visit slobg.org or the SLO Botanical Garden Facebook page.