Director’s Message

(Photo: Andrea Russell)

Following my passionate belief in the power of native plants to heal our relationship with the natural world, I took what felt like a giant leap of faith in 2010 moving from Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas, to Santa Barbara, California. I didn’t know then (well, maybe I had a gut feeling) that this would be the start of one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

At the time, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden was a very different garden. With a shift in management, financial hardship, and unrest among volunteers (not to mention the ongoing restoration work following the Jesusita Fire), the Garden was at an important crossroads. To move it forward, it was not only going to take hard work but something arguably more valuable: an incredible community and an optimistic outlook.

In the years to follow, the board and Garden staff recommitted to our leadership in conserving native plants, leaving behind forever the suggestion that we should transition to a more traditional botanic garden. We prioritized our community, and we set out to build authentic relationships, starting with our neighbors and volunteers. We dreamed of building a state-of-the-art conservation facility equipped with two labs and fire-proof space to house our Clifton Smith Herbarium and Conservation Seed Bank. Then, through your support, we made it happen.

We reinvested in our education programs with local schools and initiated more on-site programming for families to foster a love of nature in our youngest citizens. We now have a team of top talent in the fields of biology, genetics, restoration, horticulture, education, development, and, more recently, marketing. As I look back at the last 12 years, I am so proud of the work we’ve done together to position the Garden for the future. But this is just the beginning.

As the world faces accelerating threats of both climate change and biodiversity loss, the Garden has a crucial responsibility to help evolve the relationship between humans and the rest of nature. With nearly a century of work dedicated to understanding the relationship between people and the planet, we’re more than just a beautiful place. The Garden is a model for environmental conservation and healing through native plants, and we’re committed to delivering evolving and adaptable solutions that continue to improve the ecological health of our region. With the support of our community, we know change is possible.

Now in 2022, the Garden has reached another important inflection point. With a growing community of Garden members and visitors from across California, we are no longer Santa Barbara’s hidden gem. We have an opportunity, right now, to invite, inspire, and empower everyone — from the young to the young at heart — to plant native plants. To do this, we are bringing together our in-demand Conservation and Research team of scientists and horticulture professionals to deliver solutions and share what we have learned. With the opening of our newest Garden section, the Backcountry, we welcome everyone to run, jump, play, and explore the natural world so they build a stronger connection to it. And, with a new brand and website, we’ll lead with optimism to inspire a movement of native plant advocates — from backyards to the backcountry of California and beyond.

Thank you for being a part of this movement. Without you, none of this would be possible and for that, I am forever grateful.

See you in the Garden,

Steve Windhager, Ph.D.

Executive Director