ELI students, Jamie Luu, Hunter Maher, and Milena Seymour, created Revamping Isla Vista's Native Plant Landscape to make Isla Vista (IV) a more beautiful place to call home. Specifically, the ELI team is repopulating IV landscapes with native plants that are specialized for widespread pollination and that add to the aesthetics of the community.
Many of the plants that can be seen during a walk around IV are introduced—or even invasive—species that require a heightened supply of water and have the potential to deplete soil of nutrients. The term "native plant" often invokes a biome-wide interpretation; however, this ELI team chose to focus on the community-specific genotypes that are present in the IV neighborhood. With the help of expert guidance from The Cheadle Center, they have been able to identify the plants with genetic information matched as specifically as possible to the IV neighborhood so that the species can actively repopulate genetically depleted areas.
The team is partnering with the Isla Vista Recreation and Parks District (IVRPD) to select multiple locations for our native plant sites. The aim was to provide a bare or partially bare patch of soil with IV native plants that are specialized for widespread pollination and add to the aesthetics of the chosen park. For example, one of their recently-planted sites is located on the slope of an elevated grass patch that acts as an amphitheater in AnisQ'Oyo Park. This site is located at the edge of a popularly-used walkway through the park, perfectly displaying the plants to passersby and offering the perfect opportunity for public plant education.
The team will also be creating educational signage that aids in species identification, pollinator selection, and social awareness surrounding the importance of native plants. One of the ultimate goals of the project is to increase the amount of native plants that the IV community is aware of, including Chumash names and uses for as many documented species as possible. Through this project, they aim to re-educate the public about local plant loss, species endangerment, and the still-lingering outcomes of colonization on the land underneath us. This project gave the ELI students an opportunity to personally connect with the Earth and expand their own knowledge about native plant gardening—they are grateful for the opportunity to make a lasting botanical impact on Isla Vista.
If you want to get involved, the Revamping Isla Vista's Native Plant Landscape team will be planning one or two more plantings for this spring quarter. Follow the ELI instagram page (@ucsb-eli) to find out when and where the plantings will be occurring so you, too, can get your hands dirty while making IV beautiful!
