The CCBER nursery and greenhouse operation provides locally grown plants for many projects throughout the campus area. We grow a diverse range of native grasses, rushes, sedges, herbs, ferns, shrubs and trees native to the Goleta Valley and the campus mesa- over 150 species and growing. Some of these are rare or have been formerly extirpated from campus. Though it is small in size, less than a half of an acre, the facility can accommodate up to 40,000 plants.
The nursery's growing methods are completely organic, and uses as much local material as possible. Fertility is maintained predominantly by incorporating compost, made on-site with horse manure from local stables and weeds from our management areas on campus, into the potting mixes. Seeds are started in a shade structure, where they are housed for several weeks or months. Once the seedlings are large enough, they are transplanted into 2-inch pots and put in our greenhouse. After a month or two, the plants are then 'hardened off' outdoors for several weeks before being planted at one of our management areas.