Exploring Off-Trail on the Channel Islands

Trail Talks: Exploring Off-Trail on the California Channel Islands: Botanical Adventures

Thursday, September 17, 6:30pm
Faulkner Gallery – Santa Barbara Public Library
40 East Anapamu St., Santa Barbara, CA

Join us for an engaging look at botanical exploration across the California Channel Islands. Drawing from fieldwork on Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, San Clemente, and San Nicolas islands, Annie Lamont-Ayers will share stories from her exploration on some of California’s most biodiverse landscapes.

A highlight of the talk will be the botanical collections on Santa Rosa Island, along with discoveries of new island plant records and the support of community science platforms.

The presentation will also highlight the important role of botanical museums in documenting biodiversity and deepening our understanding of the world around us. Attendees will learn how community science platforms like iNaturalist and online botanical collections can help people identify plants, contribute valuable observations, and enrich their own adventures on local trails and in the backcountry.

Annie Lamont-Ayers, Herbarium Collections Manager at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, first cut her teeth exploring botany in San Luis Obispo. Annie has subsequently spent time working in plant museums in Flagstaff, Arizona and St. Louis, Missouri. Before working at the Garden, Annie conducted remote fieldwork in Yosemite National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Carrizo Plains National Monument, Los Padres National Forest, and Angeles National Forest. Since working at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Annie has had rich experiences in California. The highlight of this talk will be about her time on the California Channel Islands.

This free presentation is part of the Trail Talks series hosted by the Santa Barbara Public Library.

The next talk in the series is Thursday, October 15, On Foot Around the Historic Range of the Southern California Steelhead Trout with Sean Jansen