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Join Craig Torres for a Native Tea Workshop at the BTN Nursery!

Back to Natives is hosting a native plant tea workshop on, Saturday November 12, 10AM – 12PM. Craig Torres, a descendant of the Native American Tongva people who inhabited the Los Angeles Basin, will talk about the uses of different native plant teas, provide materials to make tea bags, and have sample teas to drink (bring a small cup!) Register and prepay at backtonatives.org. During this workshop, Torres will focus on ways to use different native plants in teas, including white sage (and other sages), wild rose (petals, blossoms, and…

What Native Plant Landscaping is NOT

Sometimes native plant landscaping gets a bad rap. That is because there are those who feel that a native plant landscape simply means deciding to not mow, and neglecting to research the plants that are actually native to their area. They do not create a design or develop a plan. I perform habitat restoration, but I also use my skills to create beautiful and sustainable native landscapes here in California. I always use a plan…

What I learned from Back to Natives: So many moving parts!

Interning for BTN has been a very educational experience. I have developed a knowledge of Native Plants that is more expansive than what I had before becoming involved in BTN. I wish to continue to strengthen my understanding of native plants as I move forward outside of the organization as I, now more than ever, understand their importance to our communities. I spent most of my time in the nursery and this allowed me to gain a lot of knowledge on plant care and consideration of what needs keeping plants…

Giving back to those who give so much

by Andrew Soto, BTN Communications Intern Internship programs provide college students with the opportunity to learn new skills supplementing their education with real world experience. Oftentimes, internships are unpaid and offer experience as the only form of compensation. It takes true dedication to complete an unpaid internship. This is why it is imperative for students to research and determine whether or not their internship employer has their best interest in mind. When I started searching for places to meet my internship requirement for graduation at California State University, Fullerton I wanted…

Only YOU can Restore Habitat!

by Andrew Soto, BTN Communications Intern In 1924, the United States Forest Service (USFS) established the first wilderness area anywhere in the world, the Gila Wilderness on the Gila National Forest near Silver City, New Mexico. This was 20 years before they introduced one of the most iconic public service announcement campaigns in American history. It was 1944 when the United States Forest Service enlisted the help of “Smokey Bear” in their efforts to preserve America’s wilderness heritage. Since that time, generations of Americans have grown up with the understanding that…

The Untold Benefits of Volunteering

by Andrew Soto, Communications Intern There is a growing body of research examining the health benefits of volunteering. A connection between volunteering, social psychological factors and social networks can be described as the “social integration theory.” According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, this theory holds that an individual’s social connections, typically measured by the number of social roles that an individual has, can provide meaning and purpose to his or her life, while protecting him or her from isolation during difficult periods….

Tuesday to Tuesday in the Life of a BTN Intern

by Kerry Martin, BTN Intern After watering all the plants in the nursery on Tuesday, we were off on another landscape maintenance adventure this time in Santa Ana (coastal sage zone) with Reggie leading the team (Ryan, Kennedy and I). This particular front yard was designed by Lori and installed by the BTN team the first quarter of this year. I was blown away by how fast the native plants had grown in and how the different foliage textures and colors created such a harmonious feel. In addition to installing a flowing…

Fostering the Growth of much more than Native Plants

by Andrew Soto, BTN Communications Intern The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) believes internship programs are critical for student success. The AACU believes providing a physical location outside of a school setting in which students can test out theories and methods they have learned in the courses they have completed, fosters much more than academic growth. (aacu.org) It fosters learning rich with real world experience working as industry professionals. There is no better time to explore the wide range of professional and community experiences available,…

Saving the Earth, one Habitat at a Time

By Andrew Soto, BTN Communications Intern According to the latest news from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center, California’s drought is not likely to ease any time soon. “La Niña is favored to develop during the Northern Hemisphere summer 2016, with about a 75% chance of La Nina during the fall and winter 2016-17”. La Niña and El Niño are recurring and fluctuating weather patterns in the tropical region of the Pacific Ocean. These warming phases (El Niño) and cooling phases (La Niña) have an enormous impact on weather systems that…

Taking Action with California in the Fight against Invasive Species

by Andrew Soto, BTN Communications Intern Back to Natives is joining the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to celebrate California Invasive Species Action Week.  Beginning Saturday June 4 through Sunday June 12, multiple organizations will partner to raise awareness about invasive plant and animal species. Back to Natives Restoration will be one of the many organizations raising awareness and holding events during this year’s Action Week. Back to Natives Restoration has placed Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum) squarely in its crosshairs this year as summer approaches. Fountain Grass is a strain of African…