Ventana Monthly editor Matt Katz sent author Ken McAlpine and photographer Thomas Gapen on an Herb Walk with me at the Seaside Wilderness Park in July. I'm sure glad he did because a great article entitled "A Walk in the Garden" came out in the September issue. Thanks to everyone at Ventana Monthly!!

This Herb Walk will begin at 9 a.m. at a site of great native plant diversity, the Arroyo Burro Estuary / Mesa Creek Restoration Area (pictured below) at the east end of the Arroyo Burro ("Hendry’s") Beach parking lot.

From there we will climb the trail to the Douglas Family Preserve overlooking the ocean and return by noon.

Read more and register at this link.

On Wednesday, October 21, at the E.P. Foster Library in downtown Ventura, I will present a slideshow talk on “Edible Plants and Herbs of the Southern Los Padres.”

Topics will include identification of native and naturalized plants, the nutritional value of herbs, safety precautions, and sustainable use of the forest.

Thank you, David Harrison, for inviting me to be part of the library's Los Padres series. This event is free and open to the public.

Find all the details here.

Hiking and Backpacking Santa Barbara and Ventura details nearly 100 of the finest routes through this section of the forest, from the lush trails leading to waterfalls in the Ssnta Barbara frontcountry to the gnarled conifers atop Mt Pinos to hot springs deep in the wilderness...and everything in between.

Author Craig R. Carey grew up hiking and backpacking the trails of the southern Los Padres. An active scout leader and rugby follower, Craig holds a BA in History from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Read more and purchase this indispensable hiking guide at this link.

The ever clever Ojai Rambler has composed this alphabetical ditty to promote the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy's current campaign to gather local acorns for reforestation projects.

Please read it and help out this good cause if you can.

Visit some of the most spectacular scenery and habitat that Ventura County has to offer on our 3rd annual Fall Nature Hike on Pine Mountain at an elevation of 7000 feet. According to Craig Carey, author of Hiking and Backpacking Santa Barbara and Ventura, the Reyes Peak Trail along the northern slope of the peak is “quite simply one of the most beautiful stretches in the southern Los Padres.” And he’s not even talking about the views.

Read more and register here.

Check out the great contact list for native plant nurseries on The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California's website at bewaterwise.com. That link will take you directly to the page with the same title as the heading of this column. It's ideal if you live within that water district but the list is extensive and includes Ventura and several other counties in addition to Los Angeles.

I've added a link to my own site's Links to Resources under the heading "GROWING NATIVE (NATIVE PLANT NURSERIES & INFO)." That section includes all the nurseries I know of in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties that have decent supplies of native plants. Let me know if I've missed any.

As our thank-you to you for opening and reading this newsletter, here is a discount code worth 10% off any of the books in the Herb Walks Store. It's good for the months of September and October. This offer does not include Gift Certificates and event fees.

Just click on the Herb Walks logo below to get the code. Then copy and paste it when requested at checkout. Thanks!