Grab your family and friends and head out into nature this holiday season to enjoy the beauty of Santa Barbara’s landscape! The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County has protected nearly 23,000 acres of rolling hills, working ranches and farms, watersheds, oak woodlands and coastal bluffs… many of which are open to the public to explore. Visit the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County web site to view a list of preserves and properties you can visit.

The Monarch Butterflies have arrived in Santa Barbara! Now’s the time to check out the thousands that roost here from December to February in the Coronado Butterfly Preserve — a 9.3 acre preserve purchased by the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County in 1998 adjacent to the Goleta Butterfly Grove on the Ellwood Mesa. Numbers will likely peak in January, so don’t miss out on this unforgettable experience!

For more information and location, visit the Coronado Butterfly Preserve web site.