The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County

06/15/2026

We did it — and then some! 💚
Thanks to this incredible community, we surpassed our $5,000 goal for 5 Days of Conservation and unlocked the full $5,000 matching gift from Susan and Jim Deacon.
Final gifts are still being counted, but with the match included, this campaign has already generated more than $15,000 in support of conservation across Santa Barbara County!
Thank you to everyone who gave, shared, followed along, and helped celebrate the many ways conservation supports our region — from wildlife habitat and community access to land stewardship, working lands, and environmental education.
While 5 Days of Conservation has come to a close, the work continues year-round. Your support at any time helps protect the lands, wildlife, and outdoor experiences that make Santa Barbara County so special.
We’ll share the full campaign results in this month’s Lowdown e-newsletter, so make sure to subscribe to get the full scoop and stay in touch for more exciting news, events, and opportunities coming this summer!

06/13/2026

Tiny birds. Big conservation story.
Join the Land Trust and our partners at Coal Oil Point Reserve for a special guided tour exploring one of the Central Coast's most unique coastal habitats.
Led by Dr. Cristina Sandoval, who has directed the reserve for over 30 years, this 4-mile walk will take us through the dunes, beaches, and nesting areas that support the endangered Western Snowy Plover.
March through September is nesting season, which means we may even spot tiny plover chicks scurrying across the sand!
Along the way, you'll learn about coastal ecology, local conservation efforts, and the fascinating history of Coal Oil Point Reserve.
Space is limited. See the full program details and reserve your spot today: www.sblandtrust.org/event/programs
📸: James Wapotich

06/12/2026

We did it! Thanks to this incredible community, we reached our $5,000 goal for 5 Days of Conservation — unlocking the full $5,000 matching gift. 💚 Thank you to everyone who helped us reach our goal and unlock the full match. Every gift supports conservation across Santa Barbara County — including the outdoor learning experiences that help inspire future stewards.
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5 DAYS OF CONSERVATION, Day 5: Future Generations 🌿

When students spend time outdoors, explore local landscapes, and experience nature firsthand, they begin building the curiosity, confidence, and sense of stewardship that will shape the future.

Today, we’re highlighting environmental education through one of the Land Trust’s most beloved school programs: Stream Ecology at Arroyo Hondo Preserve.

During this hands-on program, students explore the riparian corridor, observe aquatic invertebrates, learn about food webs, and discover the hidden life beneath the surface of Arroyo Hondo Creek.

And as their own words remind us, these experiences stay with them — from rock hopping across the creek to learning about steelhead trout to simply hoping they can come back again soon.

Visit the link in our bio to explore our education programs, track our fundraising progress, and make a gift to keep the momentum going!

06/11/2026

We’re almost halfway to our $5,000 goal — and we only have two days left to unlock the full match! Give today to double your impact: https://www.sblandtrust.org/event/5daysofconservation2026/

5 DAYS OF CONSERVATION, Day 4: Landowner Partnerships 🚜🌿

Working lands are conservation lands, too.

Across Santa Barbara County, farms and ranches help shape our landscapes, communities, and local identity. Through voluntary conservation partnerships, the Land Trust works with willing landowners to protect important natural resources while supporting working farms, ranches, and family livelihoods.

Today we’re highlighting the Campbell family, whose ranching operation became part of an innovative conservation partnership that conserved 460 acres of rangeland habitat for the endangered California tiger salamander.

As Bob Campbell shared, “In a way, we see conservation as a new crop in the lineup.”

Landowner partnerships help protect working farms and ranches, wildlife habitat, local food systems, scenic open space, and agricultural heritage for future generations.

Every gift made during 5 Days of Conservation helps unlock the full $5,000 match and supports conservation across Santa Barbara County.

06/10/2026

5 DAYS OF CONSERVATION, Day 3: Land Stewardship 🌱

Protecting land is only the beginning.

Once land is conserved, the long-term work of stewardship begins — through monitoring, restoration, landowner partnerships, trail care, habitat management, and more.

Today we’re highlighting the behind-the-scenes work that helps conserved lands remain healthy, resilient, and protected over time.

From annual easement monitoring to habitat restoration and volunteer workdays, stewardship is what keeps the promise of conservation moving forward for future generations.

Through June 8-12, every gift helps support conservation across Santa Barbara County — including the long-term care and stewardship that protected lands depend on.

Visit the link in our bio to read the Stewardship 101 story, sign up for an upcoming volunteer day, track our fundraising progress, and make a gift!

06/09/2026

5 DAYS OF CONSERVATION, Day 2: Community Access 🌿 Through June 8-12, every gift helps support conservation across Santa Barbara County — including the programs, partnerships, and protected spaces that help people connect with the land.

Protected lands create opportunities for people to connect with nature, explore new places, and experience the landscapes that make Santa Barbara County extraordinary.

Today we’re highlighting community access — and the programs, partnerships and local organizations that help make those connections possible.

Community access is a shared effort, and we’re grateful for local partners helping connect people with nature, including .solvang, , , , , , .org, and .

Visit the link in our bio to join an upcoming program, track our fundraising progress, and make a gift!

06/08/2026

5 DAYS OF CONSERVATION, Day 1: Wildlife & Habitat 🐾

Protected habitat helps local wildlife thrive — and sometimes, it also inspires people to become stewards of the land.

Today we’re highlighting wildlife and habitat conservation through the story of Stuart and Callan Halewood, a father-son team whose trail cameras at Arroyo Hondo Preserve help capture the incredible wildlife that calls this place home.

What began as Callan’s science fair project grew into an ongoing wildlife monitoring effort, helping document species presence, post-fire recovery, and the remarkable resilience of nature.

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Through June 8-12, every gift helps support conservation across Santa Barbara County — including the stewardship and habitat protection that local wildlife depends on.

Click here to read the Halewoods’ story, track our fundraising progress, and make a gift: https://www.sblandtrust.org/event/5daysofconservation2026/

WildlifeConservation TrailCamera HabitatProtection

06/05/2026

5 Days. $5k. Twice the Impact.
From June 8–12, we're inviting our community to come together for 5 DAYS OF CONSERVATION—a celebration of the people, places, and partnerships that make conservation possible across Santa Barbara County.
This year, we're asking our community to come together to raise $5,000 to unlock an additional $5,000 matching gift from the Deacon family, doubling the impact of every donation made during the campaign.
Throughout the week, we'll be sharing stories from the field, conservation successes, community partnerships, volunteer opportunities, and the many ways local conservation benefits all of us.
We'll also spotlight five areas of conservation impact:
🦅 Wildlife & Habitat
🥾 Community Access
🌿 Land Stewardship
🌾 Landowners & Agriculture
🌞 Future Generations
Follow along throughout the week as we celebrate the people, places, and partnerships that help care for the landscapes we all love.
Learn more, track our progress, and make an early gift: https://www.sblandtrust.org/event/give-week-2026/

06/02/2026

Thank you Santa Barbara Independent for the feature on our recent annual fundraiser, Picnic at the Preserve!

Seven property transactions totalling 6,000 acres soon to be finalized.

05/28/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our annual Picnic at the Preserve at Arroyo Hondo Preserve! It was a beautiful day filled with community, conservation, and celebration.
This year’s event was especially meaningful as Arroyo Hondo Preserve not only celebrates its 25th anniversary, but also continues its recovery and restoration efforts following this winter’s storms. Seeing the preserve once again filled with people, laughter, and connection was a powerful reminder that conservation is ultimately about community.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who attended, sponsored, volunteered, donated, and helped make this event possible.
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Thank you to our Vendors:
Presqu'ile
The Natural History Museum of Santa Maria
Santa Barbara Hives
SEEAG - Students for Eco Education and Agriculture
Santa Barbara Audubon Society
BlueStar Parking
Solera & Co.
Gavin Roy Presents
Ventura Rental
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Photos by Lore Photography, Loren Haar