Beneath Our Feet: Exploring the Living Soil at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Details:

Join David R. White, Ph.D. for an immersive hands-on exploration of the hidden biodiversity beneath our feet. This workshop introduces participants to the fascinating world of the Soil Food Web — the complex living community of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, arthropods, roots, and organic matter that supports healthy ecosystems and resilient landscapes.

Participants will begin with an engaging introduction to basic soil ecology and the relationships between soil organisms, native plants, water retention, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem regeneration. Drawing from both contemporary soil biology and decades of field-based ecological education, White, Ph.D. connects scientific understanding with direct observation and practical stewardship.

The workshop then moves outdoors into the landscapes of Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, where participants will collect soil samples from different habitats and investigate how biodiversity changes across ecosystems. Returning to the classroom, attendees will examine living soil communities under microscopes, learning to identify major groups of soil organisms and interpret indicators of soil health and biological activity.

This workshop is designed for gardeners, educators, restoration practitioners, students, and anyone interested in deepening their relationship with the living processes that sustain native landscapes.

Pricing:

Garden Members: $25

General Public: $30

About the Instructor:

David R. White, Ph.D. is an environmental educator, regenerative land consultant, and founder of Once upon a Watershed, an environmental education program serving public schools throughout Ventura County. Originally from Aberdeen, Scotland, and based in Ojai, California, Dr. White has spent decades helping students and communities connect with ecology through hands-on experiences in soils, native habitats, compost systems, watershed restoration, and regenerative landscape design. His work emphasizes observation, reciprocity with nature, and the restoration of ecological literacy through direct engagement with living systems.

Refund Policy:

We require at least 72 hours’ notice for cancellations. Refunds will be issued to the original form of payment, minus a 15% processing fee. Cancellations made within 72 hours of the class start time are nonrefundable and cannot be rescheduled.