Community Invited to Join Habitat Restoration Efforts
Butterfly season is starting at Ellwood Mesa, and the City of Goleta, Ellwood Friends, and the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade are inviting residents of all ages to help restore and protect their winter habitat.
Volunteers will plant food sources, habitat plants, and trees that support monarchs and other local wildlife, while also learning about the unique ecology of this treasured open space. Upcoming dates are Saturday, November 15 and Saturday, December 6, from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Ellwood Mesa is one of California’s last great monarch winter homes. Monarch populations can fluctuate from year to year, and it’s too early to know how many will return this season. By caring for their habitat now, we can give them the best chance to thrive.
This hands-on restoration project offers more than just gardening—participants will be part of a larger effort to:
- Help save monarch butterflies by restoring critical winter habitat
- Reduce wildfire risk in the Ellwood community through careful landscaping and vegetation management
- Strengthen community connections by working side by side in a shared local treasure
- Provide family-friendly ecological education and restoration training in a positive, outdoor learning environment
The project is a celebration of Ellwood Mesa’s natural and cultural heritage, giving volunteers a direct role in maintaining its health, beauty, and resilience.
Project Goals:
- Help save the Monarch Butterflies by restoring their winter nesting habitat
- Reduce fire risk in the Ellwood community
- Increase community connection and engagement at this treasured local nature preserve.
- Provide family-friendly ecology education and restoration training in a positive, outdoor learning environment
Benefits Include:
- Stress reduction
- Light exercise
- New friends
- Visible results and tangible progress each week
- Increased connection to the environment
- Building positive relationships around shared community values
Activities Include:
- Tree planting
- Native seedling planting
- Drip irrigation system education, installation and repair.
- Invasive plant removal
- Soil regeneration
Sign up to volunteer here.
Photos courtesy of the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade
