The Once and Future King of the Skies: An Eco-Historical Overview of the California Condor
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Free live lecture and Zoom webinar with Bryant Baker
Co-sponsored by the Solvang Library
In April of 1987 when the last of the remaining wild condors was captured, the world’s population of this iconic species totaled 27 birds. Now, due to the efforts of conservation organizations such as the California Condor Recovery Program, there are over 500 California condors with 350 of them living in the wild in California, Arizona, Utah, and Mexico. Magnificent in flight, condors
California’s Wild Waterpark: A Haven for Amphibians
Friday, February 27, 2026
Free live lecture, Zoom webinar, and book signing with Dr. Emily Taylor
Co-sponsored by the UCSB Sedgwick Reserve
Dr. Emily Taylor will take us on a tour of the frogs and salamanders that inhabit California, a wild waterpark for amphibians. California boasts an incredible diversity of amphibians, from wandering salamanders who glide between the tops of towering redwood trees, to red-spotted toads who
Protecting Santa Cruz Island
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Free live lecture and Zoom webinar with Lara Brenner
Co-Sponsored by the Solvang Library
Our Channel Islands are often called America’s Galapagos due to the large number of animal and plant species found there and nowhere else in the world. Protecting the islands’ unique biota from current threats and rehabilitating their unique ecosystems from damaging historic uses is an ongoing challenge that calls for scientific studies and creative solutions. The Nature Conservancy (TNC), which owns three quarters of Santa Cruz Island, the largest of the five National Park islands, has taken on that challenge. Historic overgrazing and
The Place for Fire: Poetry and Policy on California’s Central Coast
Friday, March 27, 2026
Free live lecture, Zoom webinar, and book-signing with Obi Kaufmann
Anyone who loves the richness of California’s biogeography and spends time outdoors is aware of and grapples with the dilemma of addressing wildfire, the destroyer—and wildfire, the regenerative force in the landscape. In his talk, Obi Kaufmann will explore the current state of affairs in our fire-prone, yet fire-dependent Central Coast ecosystem. Touching on themes
Film Premiere: Cowboy MeditationsAn award-winning documentary
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Film premier screening in Los Olivos
Co-hosted by the Santa Ynez Valley Grange
A decade in the making, Cowboy Meditations is the directorial debut for Gary Milliken, a long-time Santa Barbara resident and backcountry explorer. After meeting Dick Gibford while on a backpacking trip in the remote Sierra Madre Mountains of northeastern Santa Barbara County, Milliken inquired if he could make a film about
The ABCs of California’s Native Bees
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Free live lecture, Zoom webinar, and book-signing with Krystle Hickman
Co-sponsored by Solvang Library
Join National Geographic Explorer and community scientist Krystle Hickman for a presentation about her studies of California’s native bees, which culminated in her new book, The ABCs of California’s Native Bees. California is home to one of the most biodiverse bee populations in the world with over 1,600 species of native bees throughout the state. A committed conservationist,
Map Reading and the Story of the Dibblee Geologic Maps
Saturday, February 1, 2025
Free workshop with Susie Bartz and Sabina Thomas Geologic maps are fun, colorful, and informative. One of the most famous geologic mappers anywhere — Thomas Wilson Dibblee, Jr. —was born in Santa Barbara County in 1911. Tom’s work in field mapping spanned over six decades. He left a legacy of over 500 beautiful maps which have […]
Stopping the Buzzz: Novel approaches to pest control:
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Free live lecture and Zoom webinar with Dr. Craig Montell
The itch from a mosquito bite is the least of the problems those insects can cause. Not all mosquito species spread diseases; however, a particular mosquito (Aedes aegypti) can carry the viruses that cause