Lecture with Richard Merrill

While the topic of pollination in Santa Barbara County is both engrossing and essential, few are familiar with the actual processes of the phenomenon and the major pollinators behind it: bees, of course, but also hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, and beneficial insects.

Richard Merrill received his Masters Degree in Population Biology from UCLA, and investigated the biodynamics of ecosystems in a PhD program at UCSB. During his time at UCSB, Merrill’s imagination was captured by the idea to design landscapes that would attract, nurture, and provide shelter for local wildlife – pollinators and beneficial insects, in particular. He then founded and became Chairman of the Dept. of Environmental Horticulture at Cabrillo Community College, and has worked on this project for over 40 years now. Currently, Merrill serves as a volunteer consultant to the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and runs a small horticultural consulting business.

Join us for an inspirational and educational lecture with Richard Merrill at the California Nature Art Museum (formerly the Wildling Museum) in the First Floor Wildling Gallery.

Attendees will learn how the different colors, shapes, and sizes of flowers attract their specific pollinators, enjoy a presentation of garden-worthy California native plants that are especially effective at attracting pollinators, and discover the importance of home gardens in establishing local “islands” of native biodiversity. Guests will leave with the tools necessary to create or enhance their own native pollination landscapes!

Tickets are $5 for members, and $10 for non-members.

Tickets can be purchased here:

https://crm.bloomerang.co/HostedDonation?ApiKey=pub_151c3146-9973-11e7-afbe-024e165d44b3&WidgetId=418713600

For more information, contact Rachel Metz at rachel@calnatureartmuseum.org