Lisa Fimiani, Drollinger Environmental Fellow with CURes, participated in the Oxnard Native Plant Festival, held 11A- 4P at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, tabling the event with Ojai’s Taft Gardens and Nature Preserve staff and joining many other like-minded environmentalists representing native plant nurseries, Ojai, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, and Ventura agencies and local departments, and non-profits focusing on the importance of White Sage (Salvia apiana) and its current plight in the wild.
Dr. David White, Program Director for Once Upon a Watershed, located in Ojai, stopped by to see Jaide and Lisa, and later got into a serious discussion with patriarch John Taft, who’s about to turn 90 in April!
Lanny Kaufer, author of the recently published book Medicinal Herbs of California, and leader of nature walks through his company Herb Walks had a table and was showcasing other important sages, such as Purple Sage. The fragrance of the smoking spent flowers was divine, and as Lanny suggested, offers an alternative to burning White Sage.
The festival theme was focused around the keystone event, multiple all-day-long screenings of the 2022 20-minute Documentary Saging the World. The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) sponsored the film and partners with the producers in promoting ongoing screenings to get the word out about what’s happening to this plant in the wild.
Rose Ramirez, one of the Producers of the film, of Chumash and Yaqui descent, was a very special guest panelist during Q&A sessions scheduled in between the screenings during Saturday’s festival, along with Diego Cordero, Lead Environmental Tech with Santa Ynez Chumash Indians, who also appeared in the film; honored guest panelist Julie Tumamait-Stenslie, Chumash Elder, and Elena Rios, Nature Therapy Guide of Xicana/Azteca, Chichimeca, and Chumash descent. Julie and Elena started the day off with a blessing and greeting to all the guests (photos are not taken out of respect for the ceremony), and Antonio Sanchez, Nursery Plant Manager for the Santa Monica Mountains Fund, served as the festival host and panel moderator.
CURes and Taft got into the spirit of the day by providing a handout celebrating the White Sage Planting Project at the Taft Gardens Nature Preserve, managed by Alexandra Nicklin and Elena Rios.
The handout became a reference at the festival for folks to learn more about what they can do to make a difference in protecting this beautiful and important culturally significant plant as part of our Indigenous history throughout the State. Jaide, Alexandra, Elena, and Lisa packed as much info into this one-sheet as they could!
Antonio Sanchez holding up the Taft handout on White Sage
Live White Sage plants were on sale everywhere – but with a message: don’t take it from the wild, don’t extirpate it, as is the current careless trend. Pan’s Garden Nursery, run by Nathan Whitman, provided White Sage that he ethically and sustainably cultivates at his nursery, along with other wonderful native plants on the Taft table.
Jaide Whitman and Alexandra Nicklin Posing at Taft Table with native plants and program info.
Jaide and Alexandra talking to visitors at the Taft table, selling native plants, and sharing the exciting monthly programs available at the Taft Gardens and Nature Preserve.
Elena with her amazing Apapaxtli Cleansing Incense products. She also had copies of her original artwork, and custom stickers with a message supporting the protection of White Sage, Salvia apiana, that she created just for the event in honor of the screening of the film Saging the World!
Visitors to the Taft Table: Annette Mendoza, Marriage Family Therapist at Balanced Wheel Counseling in Ojai; Elena Rios, Nature Immersion Guide at Taft Gardens; Julie Tumamait-Stenslie, Chumash Elder and Ted Talk speaker; and Dr. Barbara Bain, who does Indigenous Awakening as part of her work in Santa Barbara https://indigenousawakening.com/.
Other growers at the festival, the air was filled with the fragrance of sages and native plants everywhere!
Meeting Rose Ramirez, spending time talking with her, was so special for Lisa, who felt she was in the presence of an amazing Indigenous woman, as well being with local Chumash Elder and Educator Julie Tumamait-Stenslie, and Chumash Educator and Nature Guide Elena Rios – all at the same event. What a treat!
Here Lisa is standing with Jaide Whitman, Rose Ramirez, Elena Rios, and Alexandra Nicklin, who was also holding a book brought by Rose Ramirez, called the Ethnobotany Project, Contemporary Uses of Native Plants, Southern California and Northern Baja California Indians, which was also for sale.
Julie Tumamait-Stenslie with Elena Rios, Rose Ramirez with Elena Rios, and the Three Amigas of Taft Gardens and Nature Preserve (Elena Rios, Jaide Whitman, Alexandra Nicklin)!
CURes is so excited about the programs and projects they are engaging in with Taft Gardens and Nature Preserve, and this Festival was a great way to start the year together. Stay tuned for more fun events in 2024!