9:00am - Opening Remarks
Ami Admire | Rincon Youth Storytellers
Opening Song, Creation Story
(How Temet Was Sent to the Sky), Indigenous Stewardship
Current Status of the Western Monarch
9:25am - 9:45am
Presented by Cat Darst
Assistant Field Supervisor at US Fish and Wildlife Service
​9:45am - 10:00am
They're Waking Up Earlier
The need for early season milkweed to help feed early season Monarchs caterpillars
Presented by Hillary Sardiñas, PhD (she/her)
Senior Environmental Scientist, Pollinator Coordinator, Wildlife Diversity Program, California Department of Fish & Wildlife
Cat Darst, Wildlife Biologist for the US Fish and Wildlife Service, describes some of the good and potentially great news found in this past winter’s Monarch counts. Cat has been extensively involved in Monarch conservation in the past through the USFWS Monarch Butterfly Species Status Assessment Team
With evidence in coastal California that overwintering Monarch populations are emerging much earlier than usual, there may be a need to provide early season milkweed for these early risers. Dr. Hillary Sardiñas will touch on the reasons for the change in Monarch resting patterns, and highlight the work being done across California to help identify early season milkweed species and get seed and live plants of these species out to communities across the state.
10:00am - 10:30am
San Diego Solutions and the San Diego Pollinator Alliance
Presented by Ann Baldridge
Executive Director at Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County
The San Diego Pollinator Alliance is a group of organizations and agencies working to protect pollinators in San Diego County, has been increasing public awareness around Monarchs and Milkweeds. Learn about some of their unique programs, including their ‘Pollinator Pathway’ program and how they are helping to develop a source for local milkweed seed in San Diego.
Roger’s Gardens Free Milkweed Exchange and other Retailer Ideas
10:30am - 11:00am
Presented by Ron Vanderhoff
General Manager, V.P., Roger’s Gardens in Corona Del Mar
Roger's Gardens in Orange County is one of the leading independent nurseries in California, known for its plant selection and commitment to sustainability. General Manager Ron Vanderhoff will discuss the nurseries' highly successful (and slightly controversial!) milkweed exchange program, and explore their new 'Milkweed Wishing Tree' program that launches this spring.
LUNCH BREAK | 11am - 11:20am
HOW TO GROW MILKWEED IN YOUR OWN GARDEN
Fairways, Greens and Monarchs
Eco-Landscaping for Pollinators on Golf Courses
11:20am - 11:50am
Presented by Chris Amendt, SCT(ASCP)
Founder of Native Monarchs NPO and Monarch Botanika LLC
Golf courses are known as centers for human recreation, but if managed properly, they also can be important wildlife sanctuaries. As water becomes more and more scarce, golf courses are looking for ways to reduce water usage and save on maintenance, while still keeping their course beautiful and attracting pollinators. Chris Amendt took it upon herself to transform a part of the Sterling Hills Golf Course in Camarillo into a Monarch & Pollinator hot spot, with much success. Chris will speak on the process of converting part of the course to Monarch habitat, highlighting those plants that were most successful at attracting Monarchs and providing food and protection, and her plans to expand in the future.
Santa Ynez Chumash Tribal Nursery
11:50am - 12:20pm
Presented by Diego Cordero
SYCEO Land Environmental Technician
Built by the Santa Ynez Chumash Environmental Office (SYCEO) in 2017, the nursery is home to more than 60 traditional plant species that are culturally significant to the region’s indigenous people. Tribal members collect seeds from the nearby Los Padres National Forest, cultivate them at the nursery, and then encourage the community to propagate them in their own landscape.
Mission Monarch!
Connecting Local Youth to parks and plants
12:20pm - 12:45pm
Presented by Ashley Borrego
Santa Monica Mountains Fund
Learn about all the great work local youth, interns and volunteers have been doing in the Santa Monica Mountains to identify, collect and distribute local milkweed seed. From passing on local milkweed processing traditions, to engaging the public at farmers markets, to handing out thousands of milkweed plants and seed, amazing work is being done by local youth!
12:50pm - 1:20pm
How to Create Your Own Mini Nature Reserve
Presented by Diego Magaña
Founder of MiniNature Reserve
With the proper planning, even the smallest space can be a sanctuary for our Monarch friends. This is the story of how Diego Magaña turned his dead front lawn into a MiniNature Reserve when he was only 17. He talks about lessons learned and gives simple steps on how to design a successful MiniNature Reserve with little to no plant casualties. He also shows a smaller and more recent example of a MiniNature Reserve in a park strip.
1:25pm - 1:55pm
No Garden? Small Garden? No Problem!?
Attracting pollinators and Monarchs to your apartment, open space and community garden
Presented by Antonio Sanchez
Nursery Manager, Santa Monica Mountains Foundation
This easy to follow class shows any gardener how to easily grow 10 different native plants in small gardens, containers, and other smaller areas in and around Southern California. Covering watering, fertilizer and soils, this class covers almost all you need to know to attract monarchs and other pollinators to your little corner of the world.
Closing Remarks
Thank you for joining us!
1:55pm - 2:00pm
Presented by Antonio Sanchez
Nursery Manager, Santa Monica Mountains Foundation