More than 300 Ellwood Mesa Enthusiasts Gathered for Joyous Occasion
There was something for everyone at the memorable 20-year Anniversary for the Sperling Preserve at Ellwood Mesa held this past Saturday, May 17, 2025. More than 300 people turned out throughout the day to celebrate this moment in Goleta’s history, pay tribute to this special place, and enjoy all it has to offer. From start to finish, every moment was filled with meaning and thoughtfulness. See for yourself by watching this short video recap, narrated by City of Goleta’s Parks & Open Space Manager George Thomson. You can also view a photo album of this special event at https://ellwoodfriends.org/.
Chuck Flacks, representing the City of Goleta and Ellwood Friends, said it was a beautiful event. “We are so pleased with the great turnout and vibrant spirit of Ellwood Mesa’s 20th Anniversary celebration. The day was a powerful display of the community’s role in the past preservation and ongoing stewardship of Ellwood Mesa, filled with gratitude, pride, and hope for its future.”
The day started at 8:30 a.m. with a non-competitive community fun run through the eucalyptus forest, across the mesa, and along the bluffs where high clouds topped a stunning view of the Channel Islands.
Next, at 11:00 a.m. attendees gathered at Ellwood Elementary School for a moving tribute ceremony honoring Ellwood’s past, present and future. A string of powerful speakers took turns telling the inspiring story of the community effort to protect Elwood Mesa as open space, to underscore the work happening now and motivate action for the future.
Linda Krop, Chief Counsel of the Environmental Defense Center (EDC), gave a brief overview of the timeline. Krop was a new staff attorney at the EDC in 1989 when local residents were trying to stop a massive housing development project at Ellwood. She said, “It’s important to know that the community is what saved Ellwood. It was the community that fought, even when we didn’t have the support of the County or the courts… It is a reminder that we need to be persistent, we can’t give up hope.”
George Thomson, Goleta’s Parks and Open Space Manager, said, “This is not an ordinary place. Ellwood Mesa is sacred, it’s wild, it’s resilient, and it’s ours. Not to own, but to honor. Not to use, but to protect, to steward.” He thanked those whose efforts brought us this far, and called for the community to step up, again, to help the City meet its lofty goals for restoration. “Stewardship is not about doing everything, it’s about doing something, consistently, lovingly, and together. It’s meeting your neighbors, it’s about showing up on Saturday mornings to collect native seeds, to plant a new tree that will live for 200 years and create a winter sanctuary for our beloved monarch butterflies.”
Charlie Palmer and Nayari Uribe Diaz, youth leaders with the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade have been working Saturday mornings at Ellwood. They are part of the next generation of stewards. Uribe Diaz said, “Having hope is important, because without hope, there is no motivation and without motivation, there is no action, and action is what makes change happen. I have hope for Ellwood’s future because I’ve seen the community and how it supports and surrounds Ellwood.”
Palmer said, “There’s no substitute for being able to see the tangible results of the work that you did with your hands, making the world a more beautiful place.”
Mayor Pro-Tempore Stuart Kasdin thanked the numerous organizations and individuals who were instrumental in the preservation effort. He said, “There was no reason, no inevitability, no certainty that the Elwood Mesa was going to be preserved. Yet some people, average people, ordinary people and yet exceptional people, stepped in to make it happen.”
Santa Barbara County 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann asked attendees to reflect on their contributions to Ellwood’s story. She said, “Way back then, did you write a letter, make a call, speak at a meeting? Bring your kids here, hoping they grow up loving this land? Do you stop to notice a bloom, a monarch, a hummingbird nest, and act just because you love this place? If so, this moment, this celebration, this day, is for you.”
Following the tribute, there was a celebration complete with activities for all ages at Ellwood Mesa. Partners displayed information and activities, and a walk down the trail revealed a series of signs describing the history of the 230-acre preserve. There was much to do and see at different locations: a bike ride along the bluffs, a guided bird walk through trees, music, poetry and plein aire painting at the edge of the forest, kite-flying, a scavenger hunt, bubbles, fire safety, and more. The mood was festive and friendly, sustained by a shared appreciation for this special place.
Learn more about Ellwood Mesa and how you can get involved at CityofGoleta.org/Ellwood.
Enormous thanks to over 40 volunteers and the following sponsors and partners who made this event possible: Appfolio, Art From Scrap, Backbone Storytelling, Community Arts Music Association of Santa Barbara, Draughtsman Aleworks, Dune Coffee, eji event co., Elizabeth Weber, Ellwood Elementary School, Ellwood Friends, Environmental Defense Center, Gail Osherenko & Oran Young, Greg McPhee, Hall’s Culligan Water, Kevin Gleason Fine Art, LegacyWorks Group, Mo’s To-Go, MOVE Santa Barbara County, NatureTrack (Freedom Tracks), Patricia Bragg Foundation, Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation, Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade, Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council, Santa Barbara Foundation, Santa Barbara Half Marathon, Santa Barbara Poets, Santa Barbara Zoo, Sierra Club Santa Barbara-Ventura Chapter, The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, The Skunk Corner, Wilderness Youth Project, Yardi Systems, Inc.
Photos from the event:
Pictured above: Goleta City Council (pictured left-to-right): Councilmember Jennifer Smith (District 3), Councilmember Luz Reyes-Martín (District 1), Mayor Pro Tempore Stuart Kasdin
(District 4) and Councilmember James Kyriaco (District 2)
Neighbors and friends gather at Tribute to remember Ellwood’s history and inspire its future
Santa Barbara County 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann speaking at the Tribute
Linda Krop (center) from the Environmental Defense Center with SB Bucket Brigade Youth Nayari Uribe Diaz and Charlie Palmer
A few of the volunteers who made this event possible; A big thank you to ALL volunteers
Artist Kevin Gleason painting in the Grove
Guitarist Joey Malvinni playing at the Ellwood 20-Year Celebration
Kids enjoying bubbles
