A Season of Growth: What Celeste Learned During Her Internship with Ojai Valley Land Conservancy

Celeste: Transforming from Nursery Beginner to Native Plant Advocate

The Green Valley Project offers passionate young people the chance to intern with the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, assisting in the management of their native plant nursery. This year, the OVLC’s internship welcomed two very talented and passionate interns: Laurence (Kali) Cockrell and Celeste Ayala. As part of their internship, they were asked to write a reflection detailing their experience, the lessons they learned, and the skills they acquired.

Read Celeste’s reflection on her internship with OVLC, where she shares what she learned and gained from her experience in native plant nursery management.

Celeste’s Reflection:

“I began working as an intern at the nursery over a year ago, and initially applied for the

opportunity more than a year and a half ago; and in that time I’ve learned so much about our

environment, our native plants and the restoration work done at OVLC. I have always harbored a

love for the natural world and this job only further fostered my interest and love as well as

providing me with the skills and knowledge to pursue it. It has provided invaluable workplace

experience and opportunity.

During my time I’ve learned to propagate and care for native plants within the nursery,

recognize and identify plants, sustainably collect seeds, teach volunteers and everything in

between. Though I cannot identify every native plant within our watershed, with the skills I’ve

learned I can recognize patterns in its growth and compare similar species to better understand

plants I don’t know and through basic observation understand the plant’s habits and preferences.

Watering and caring for the plants we grow within the nursery has taught me to love them

individually all the more and respect their ecological niches in our environment, and going seed

collecting in the mornings and getting to observe them has quickly become one of my favorite

activities.

Celeste's Staff Pick for a Native Plant: Celeste selected sacred datura because of its cultural and natural importance. Its trumpet-shaped flowers and mind-altering effects are used in indigenous rituals for spiritual and healing purposes. Celeste understood its complex nature: both enlightening and harmful, requiring caution. The flowers bloom at night, highlighting the mix of beauty and risk. She wanted to promote responsible use and educate people about these powerful plants, stressing the need for care when dealing with sacred datura.

I’ve also gained a stronger appreciation and understanding for restoration and

undertaking my own observance of native plants outside of the nursery and work. I now get to

apply my knowledge during volunteer days with my school and teach my friends and family

about what they can do to help. I also get to use my knowledge of plant care to raise my own

natives in my yard and my knowledge of plants to identify those that I see while out swimming

in the creek or going on runs and bike rides.

The experience of applying to and interviewing as well as retaining this internship and

scheduling my work as well as learning to be consistent in my hours has proven invaluable and I

think it's definitely proven to be one the best possible jobs I could have for my first working

experience. I’m very grateful for the experience of getting to work under a real botanist and see

what it's like as a possible career path and hearing about what the workload and experience is

like on a day to day basis. I anticipate the year ahead and further experiences and knowledge I

may gain for this internship and opportunity, and I eagerly await all of it.

Smart Goals:

Smart Goal One: Pursue Intern Project

As part of my internship, I am to pursue and complete a project of my choice within one

of the many facets of the nursery. I hope to map out and begin my project of choice in the next

few months so as to have optimal time to pursue it. The area that I have voiced my interest in is

our restoration sites, but I would also like to learn more about the research and grant writing

aspects of the nursery if possible. I think an interesting project for me would be along the lines of

learning how to plan out a restoration site and perhaps doing research on the site’s history to help

plan plantings and such.

Steps to Completion:

- Discuss ideas with Sophie and plan out the specifics of what project ideas could be

reasonably done

- More steps added once my plan and idea is more fleshed out.

Smart Goal Two: Outside Research and Involvement

Since beginning my internship my curiosity surrounding the world of native plants and

botany has only grown and I would love to funnel that curiosity into my own study and

involvement in the world of botany. I want to read and intake more media surrounding

restoration and the history of botany as well as research the native plants on my own to get to

know the science of the plants I‘ve become so familiar with.

Steps to Completion:

- I should begin by reading books on topics like native botany, propagation, ethnobotany

and more to educate myself.

- I should also go on hikes and practice identifying plants and studying them in their

natural habitats.”