Check out Michele's paintings at our upcoming Wild Side Art Show on Sunday, October. 26 at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club! For 15 years, this special event has brought together artists and supporters to champion the protection of Catalina Island’s wildlands. This year’s featured artists include Brienne Brown, Don Demers, Mike Hernandez, Kathleen Hudson, Paul Kratter, Kim Lordier, Dan Marshall, Lori Putnam, Jason Situ and Michelle Usibelli. Through plein air painting, the show captures the Island’s rare species and rugged beauty to inspire restoration and long-term conservation. Your participation helps sustain science-based conservation that helps protect this extraordinary island. Attendees will have the opportunity to view and purchase nearly 100 original works of art depicting Catalina’s wild side. Mingle with featured artists and like-minded supporters while helping to protect one of California’s most unique natural treasures. https://catalinaconservancy.org/event/15th-annual-catalina-the-wild-side-art-show-and-sale/ (fb)

Recently, we tuned into Santa Barbara Botanic Garden's Seeds of Change Conference, where experts from across the field shared powerful insights on how native plants are the key to climate resilience. From protecting biodiversity to reducing fire risk, native plants are more than just something pretty to admire. They are nature’s first line of defense against a changing climate. Key takeaways 🌱 Wildlife and native plants are deeply connected. Island scrub-jays (who only live on Santa Cruz Channel Island) plant Channel Island scrub oaks, and toyon berries rely on cedar waxwings for seed dispersal. 🌱 Seeds are not just seeds, they are hope. California’s largest seed bank at California Botanic Garden holds over 6,000 collections to prevent extinction. 🌱 Restoration is essential and worth the investment. Healthy native ecosystems reduce fire risk, support biodiversity and build climate resilience. 🌱 Seeds from local ecosystems tend to grow best in their home environments. But as climate conditions shift, choosing seeds that can handle future climates is becoming more important than ever. The big idea is that native plants are the antidote to climate change. At Catalina Island Conservancy, we see this daily in our work to restore native habitats, protect rare plant species and ensure the Island’s biodiversity thrives for generations. 💡 What’s next? A future Native Seeds Conference is already in the works, and the call to action is clear: More investment, more research and more people working to protect and restore our native landscapes. Want to learn more? Follow us and join the movement to protect our native ecosystems. 📖 Presenters Denise Knapp, Ph.D. (Santa Barbara Botanic Garden) Peggy Olwell (Bureau of Land Management) Naomi Fraga, Ph.D. (California Botanic Garden) Heather Schneider, Ph.D. (Santa Barbara Botanic Garden) Amy Vandergast, Ph.D. (U.S. Geological Survey) Antonio Sanchez (Santa Monica Mountains Fund) Tom Kaye, Ph.D. (Institute for Applied Ecology) Genevieve Arnold (Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers & Native Plants) #nativeplants #SeedsOfChange #catalinaconservancy #ClimateAction #wildlifeconservation Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (fb)