"Exploring and caring for nature close to home since 1996"

Our mission is to promote conservation and stewardship of Santa Margarita’s natural resources through education and volunteer service. We operate as a Chapter of The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County.

Who We Are

 

 

 

 

 

We’re a nonprofit group operating under the 501 (c) 3 umbrella of The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County.  

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People from a variety of backgrounds and with different interests have contributed their time and talents since our start in 1996. A family looking for outdoor service-learning opportunities helps plant and care for natives, a youth organization returns each year to take a turn caring for the school forest, natural resource agencies contribute their expertise to train tomorrow’s conservation leaders. Take a look at the Partners page to see who we are and how we’re working together to get jobs done and make it fun.

 

 

What We Do

We engage people, especially children and their families, in a variety of outdoor service-learning projects providing benefits to those involved as well as benefits to the school and community.

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These are some of our key projects:

  • Maintain the Santa Margarita School Demonstration Forest for the use and enjoyment of the school and community.
  • Serve as a key partner for Learning Among the Oaks at Santa Margarita Ranch.
  • Support and encourage “right tree, right place” tree planting projects in and around Santa Margarita.
  • Serve as the required nonprofit partner for establishment of Santa Margarita as the Western Gateway to the Carrizo Plain National Monument.
  • Provide a multitude of ongoing school and community nature education projects, including the popular Santa Margarita School Nature Challenge.

 

 


Our Partners

…Are many and enable us to do a lot with little fanfare or overhead. Partners include other nonprofits, natural resource agencies, schools, ranchers, community and church groups, youth organizations and families/individuals who share an interest in our mission.

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Here’s a look at some of the key partners:

  • California Wildlife Conservation Board
  • California Conservation Corps ~ Los Padres Center
  • Santa Margarita Ranch
  • University of California Cooperative Extension and the 4-H Youth Development Program/4-H SLO Scientist Program
  • California Polytechnic State University, Biological Sciences and Natural Resource Management Departments
  • Santa Margarita 4-H
  • Cub Scout Pack #125
  • Boy Scout Troop #123
  • Santa Margarita School PTA
  • Pacific Wildlife Care
  • San Luis Obispo County Ag Education Committee
  • Marguerite Costigan, Artist~Naturalist
  • USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
  • The Work Ranch, George and Elaine Work Family
  • Friends of the Carrizo Plain and the BLM Carrizo Plain National Monument
  • Granada Farms
  • The Educated Gardener
  • Oak Country Lumber
  • Ancient Peaks
  • First Solar
  • And many more…If you’ve contributed in ways large or small and would like to be listed, please send an e-mail to info@smcf.org
Thank you!