Carrizo Plain Conservancy

04/01/2026

https://www.cnps.org/flora-magazine/carrizo-plain-superbloom-25th-anniversary-45425

Carrizo Plain National Monument dazzles with timeless landscapes, gorgeous blooms, and some of California’s most stunning biodiversity.

02/14/2026

02/07/2026

https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/environment/article314580345.html

The bloom is expected to peak in the next few days. Here’s what to know to see them.

01/18/2026

01/16/2026

Winter Raptors on the Carrizo

It’s that time of year when the Carrizo Plain gets crowded. But not because of the wildflower spectacle and hordes of tourists chasing blooms, but by northern raptors looking for a milder climate to wait out the harsh winter. The plain is the perfect place for these visitors, with its wide-open desert grasslands, shrub lands, and alkali flats where abundant rodent populations thrive to support these birds over the next few months. The rodents may not be so thrilled to host these visitors, but for nature and bird watchers it is spectacle not to be missed.

Ferruginous hawks (Buteo regalis) can start showing up on the Carrizo in September and by the end of March the following year most have started making their way north and east again. This hawk is the largest Buteo species in North America.

The many year-round resident raptor species are always exciting to see, and never disappoint with some spectacular viewing opportunities. I had brief look at a prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) as it hunted along Soda Lake Road, and a juvenile red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) presented me with some striking views up close.

~ Story and photos by Doug Drynan, CPC Vice President
Read more about Doug’s visits to the Carrizo Plain and our latest news on our website, link in bio

01/07/2026

CPC board Vice President Doug Drynan encountered a large herd of Tule elk grazing on the Carrizo Plain during his most recent visit.

Tule elk depend on large areas of native grassland to support grazing and movement. While populations have rebounded from historic lows, available habitat remains fragmented and limited. Conservation of landscapes and ecosystems like the Carrizo Plain continue to play an important role in providing intact grasslands and habitat.

Read more about Doug’s recent trip to the Carrizo Plain on our website, link in bio
https://carrizoplainconservancy.org/blog/

08/27/2025

https://www.artforcarrizo.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR7cOZ1NtKwQhhTqGYOIrGKLVLoGZHMq3IMCEDOeLhOWKJOJyjlUPC0tR_kpGQ_aem_z-_qBT5v7C6ZhilE1aFuJg

Art for Carrizo Fine Art

08/26/2025

You can help restore the Carrizo Plain from the devastating wildfire by purchasing Art!

The MADRE wildfire swept through a huge portion of the Carrizo Plain National Monument causing serious damage to the ecosystems. Damage to the area is still being assessed, but large-scale restoration efforts will be needed over much of the area, such as repairing bulldozer lines and planting native seeds.
San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County Artists Support Restoration efforts.

To support these efforts, members of well-known art groups, SLOPE (San Luis Obispo Painters for the Environment) and The Oak Group of Santa Barbara and others are partnering with CARRIZO PLAIN CONSERVANCY and hosting this online sale of beautiful landscape paintings of the CARRIZO PLAIN.
 
ONLINE SHOW AND SALE to benefit
CARRIZO PLAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT
Dates: August 15 to October 15, 2025
www.ArtForCarrizo.com

Help restore the beauty of the Carrizo!
Visit www.ArtForCarrizo.com to view and purchase artwork. Purchases are directly through the artists. Enjoy browsing through the artwork and when you make your purchases, know that you are also supporting environmental restoration efforts in the CARRIZO PLAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT.
Featured art above:
Laurel Sherrie. Carrizo, Spring Clouds
John Iwerks. Caliente Spring
Jan French. KCL
Anne Laddon. Slice of Light II
Dotty Hawthorne. Shrublands on the Carrizo Plain
Chris Chapman. Faultline, Temblors

06/16/2025

3 days left to rsvp! We'd love to see you at the Protecting Public Lands and Waters Panel next week

Registration is required to enter the venue and registration closes Monday 6/16 - SC.org/SL-Panel2025

Join the SLO Sierra Club on June 18 for a powerful panel discussion with Central Coast leaders about federal, state and local threats to public lands and waters, what the impacts are to the Central Coast and what we can do to protect them. Learn what’s at stake and how you can take action. 💪

🗓️ Wed. June 18 | ⏰ 5–7 PM
📍 SLO Grange Hall | 🍴 Food by Plant Ivy, available for purchase
🎟️ RSVP is required to enter the venue & closes Monday 6/16 → SC.org/SL-Panel2025

Congressman Salud Carbajal Carrizo Plain Conservancy Senator John Laird

Featuring partner organizations tabling!
Cal Poly Surfrider Club SLO Climate Coalition - Create a Carbon Free SLO Surfrider Foundation - San Luis Obispo California Native Plant Society, San Luis Obispo County Central Coast State Parks Association San Luis Obispo Beaver Brigade Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance Morro Coast Audubon Society The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County One Colorado