Carpinteria Tar Pits

Sunday, February 1, 2026

Field Trip with Sabina Thomas Near Carpinteria State Beach We will learn about local geology, in particular as it relates to the formation of fossil fuels and “tar.” We will visit the Carpinteria asphaltum (bitumen) deposits and learn about the recent history of asphalt mining and oil production in the Santa Barbara-Carpinteria area. Of course, […]

Wildflowers and Plant Life Along the Pistol Club Trail at Sedgwick Reserve

Saturday, March 21, 2026

Field trip with Margie Popper and John Evarts
For many years, the Pistol Club Trail on the upper part of Sedgwick Reserve was not accessible for casual hiking. That changed in 2023 due to the hard work of Sedgwick staff and volunteers who restored this route. Join Margie Popper and John Evarts on a leisurely hike along this loop, which offers a combination of great scenery, diverse spring wildflowers, and a mosaic of vegetation types. There are some species along

Fire Ecology Hike to the Summit of Figueroa Mountain

Saturday, April 18

Field trip with Matt Kay
Annual wildflowers such as sky lupine and tufted poppy (Lupinus nanus, Eschscholzia caespitosa) put on great displays in the burn zone on Figueroa last spring, and we may be lucky enough to see a similar profusion of blooms this year. Photo by John Evarts.

On this hike to the summit area of Figueroa Mountain, biologist Matt Kay will focus on the themes of recovery and resiliency in the plant life of this ecological sky island. Much of the mountain was burned during the Lake Fire of July 2024. Now, nearly two years after this wildfire, the Figueroa landscape is undergoing a transformation that provides a living classroom for the study of fire ecology. The trip

UCSB Trees

Thursday, June 18, 2026

Field trip with Larry Ballard
UCSB campus
Due to popular demand, we are once again offering a walking tour with Larry Ballard to visit a varied selection of trees on the campus of UCSB. With more than 250 species from six continents, UCSB is among the best locations in California to see both common and unusual trees in an urban landscape. The campus grounds also contain several rare or unusual trees

Rocking on Rocks! An Introductory Workshop

Saturday, November 8, 2025

Workshop with Dr. Sabina Thomas
Santa Barbara City College campus
Have you been curious about rocks? Do you realize that rocks can tell a story? How does one distinguish one rock from another, and what is the difference between rocks and minerals? Sabina Thomas, PhD, and a faculty member at local community colleges, will conduct an Introduction to Rocks class at Santa Barbara City College’s earth science labs. You will be learning about the different rock families, conduct some simple but helpful tests to

Spring Equinox Yoga/Nature AwakeningThursday, March 20, 2025

Field trip/Outing with Laurie Burnaby and Marion Schlinger
Join Marion and Laurie for an experience of awe and wonder.  Awe deactivates the part of our brain that is always thinking about ourselves.  It opens us to things that are bigger than ourselves.  The benefits are slowing down, strengthening our immunity, and regulating our nervous system.  As we walk,

Beauty in the Burn: Fire Ecology at Sedgwick ReserveSaturday, April 5, 2025

Field Trip with Bryant Baker, Co-sponsored by UC Sedgwick Reserve
Join us for a unique opportunity to experience a land recovering from wildfire alongside a local expert on post-fire regrowth, Bryant Baker, Director of Conservation and Research for Los Padres ForestWatch. This hike will take us into the heart of Sedgwick Reserve, which was burned in the July 2024 Lake Fire. Bryant will teach us about the

Wildflowers of the Lake Fire Burn Zone at Midland:

Sunday, May 4, 2025

Pop-up Field trip with Margie Popper and John Evarts
Join us for a moderately strenuous 4-mile hike to appreciate wildflowers and plant recovery in the 2024 Lake Fire burn zone along the trails at Midland School. Many annuals and some perennials in the burn zone have responded with vigorous regrowth and Midland offers some excellent displays of spring wildflowers. The late start to the 2024-