As we step into 2026, we look back on 2025 with gratitude for all of the visitors, donors, volunteers, and teachers who make our work possible. From welcoming over 45,000 visitors to the nature center in 2025, to improving our exhibits and programs, in 2025 the nature center continued its mission of encouraging public understanding, enjoyment, and protection of Cachuma Lake, the Upper Santa Ynez River, and the San Rafael Mountain Range.
Huge Fish Derby Success
The 28th Annual Fish Derby brought 571 anglers to Cachuma Lake in April, raising over $38,000 for the nature center. Young fishers stole the show, with 7-year-old Max Diamond landing the heaviest catfish and 11-year-old Bodhi Druckman catching the heaviest carp. The event went smoothly thanks to 65 dedicated volunteers, dozens of donors and sponsors, and heartwarming tributes from returning families and attendees.
Read the full Fish Derby recap →
Going Batty’s Best Season Yet
Our popular bat program attracted over 6,200 visitors from May through November, raising more than $5,000—the most successful season on record. New docents John and Ashley expanded programming to Thursday nights, entertaining crowds with comedy and education about the 200+ California Myotis bats living in the nature center’s bat boxes. Thanks to warmer weather, the program extended through November 1st before most of the bats migrated south for winter.
Read the full Going Batty recap →
Three Incredible Food for Thought Speakers Series
Planetary Emergencies
In March, Chancellor Lorne Everett shared urgent insights at “Food 4 Thought Speakers Series – Planetary Emergencies”, presenting alarming data from World Federation of Scientists meetings. Dr. Everett revealed that pollution kills 9 million people annually, with bottled water often more contaminated than tap water. His presentation emphasized the critical need for individual action and sustainable policies to address global plastic pollution and other environmental threats.
Read the full planetary emergencies recap →
Santa Barbara’s Diverse Water System: Past, Present, & Future
In September, Water Resources Analyst Jasmine Showers revealed the complexity behind Santa Barbara’s water management at a “Food for Thought” presentation. Showers explained how the city maintains California’s most diverse water portfolio with seven distinct sources, from Lake Cachuma to desalination, achieving remarkable conservation success. Her presentation highlighted solutions like desalination, recycled wastewater, California State Water Project, Cachuma Lake, Gibraltar Reservoir and more.
Read the full water systems recap →
Solvang’s Rich History of Danish Baking
In November, master baker Bent Olsen captivated 30+ guests in November with stories of six decades at Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery, from immigrating from Denmark in 1965 to weathering economic recessions and the COVID-19 pandemic. Bent explained how six bakeries thrive in tiny Solvang. His granddaughter Michelle represents the fourth generation carrying on the family legacy.
Read the full Danish baking recap →
Santa Barbara Creek Week
The nature center joined Santa Barbara Creek Week for the first time in September, welcoming visitors for interactive watershed education. Naturalist Parker Medel led hands-on demonstrations showing how vegetation filters water while concrete sends pollutants into waterways. Young visitors earned “Become a Water Hero” activity pamphlets through a scavenger hunt, while new permanent exhibits on rainbow trout and steelhead conservation debuted in the nature center.
Read the full Creek Week recap →
Download the Water Hero pamphlet →
Creepy Creatures Delighted Over 400 Attendees
October brought spooky fun to the nature center with the 20th annual Creepy Creatures event, drawing over 400 kids, families, and visitors for Halloween-themed nature education. Docent John, dressed as Hans Christian Andersen, hosted the popular Bear Trivia Game Show with a real bear pelt, while Alice Abela brought gopher snakes, black widow spiders, salamanders, tarantulas, and lizards for hands-on encounters. Partners including Santa Barbara Zoo, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, and Santa Barbara County Community Services set up interactive stations featuring taxidermy specimens, real skulls and pelts, and animal weight-guessing games that amazed visitors.
Read the full Creepy Creatures recap →
Citizen Science Through Birdwatching
Project FeederWatch returned in November with volunteer Chris Farro tracking bird populations for Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s conservation research. Early sightings included goldfinches, juncos, warblers, and the surprising observation of acorn woodpeckers drinking from hummingbird feeders. Nancy States continued her 20+ year tradition of donating all bird seed, while new photos captured dramatic encounters between red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures.
Read the full birdwatching interview →
The People Behind Our Programs
The Neal Taylor Nature Center’s success reflects the power of a resilient and dedicated community committed to environmental education and cultural preservation. Behind every successful program is an extraordinary team of people who selflessly give their time and effort to support the nature center.
Our residential camp host docents not only keep the Nature Center running by greeting guests and answering questions, but also work on several vital behind-the-scenes projects. Camp host Paula worked tirelessly on database management, fundraising, mail-outs, completely revamping the gift shop, and assisting with field trips and Going Batty programs. Colin contributed to social media, newsletters, blog posts, website updates, fundraising efforts, field trips, leading Going Batty presentations, updating exhibits and educational programming. John and Ashley helped plan and execute Food for Thought programs, catalogued the backlog of geological specimens and cultural artifacts, restored benches in the native garden, and brought a creative flair to our Going Batty program. Retired school teacher Nancy and her partner Gordon provided invaluable support as docents, with field trips, in the gift shop, and much more. Read Nancy and Gordon’s full camp host journey here.
We also extend our gratitude to Park Naturalist Parker Medel, who supports us by answering nature-related questions and collaborated with us on multiple programs. Thank you to all the staff and camp hosts at Cachuma Lake Recreation Area for their essential support, from fixing leaks in the nature center roof during heavy rains to helping with building maintenance and spreading the word about our programs throughout the park.
Thanks to Ann Glaves for proofreading all of our newsletters and blog articles, and to Parker Grand for helping to manage our Instagram page. We would also like to thank all of the volunteers who aided with fish derby, creepy creatures, and other events, including Martha Jean, Millie, Chris, Sho, David and many more. We would also like to thank our accountant, Nicole.
Thank you to our board of directors: Edward Grand (President), Craig Juratsch (Vice President), Sandi Witcher (Secretary), Judy Duncan, Charles Faulding, Alison McCullah, Jill Moulton, John Rose, and our advisory council Lowell McLellan (Treasurer), Greg Donovan (Horticulturist), Chuck McPartlin, and Lynda Williams-Terres. Big thanks to our executive director Julie McDonald, who works tirelessly to keep the nature center running and improving, holding our amazing community together like glue.
The Work Ahead in 2026
The nature center has several maintenance projects on the horizon: restoring outdoor benches and bat boxes, roof maintenance on our workshop building, garden maintenance and plant trimming, and identifying treatment for a mold problem affecting our big berry manzanita shrubs. We have new docents slated to work on some of these projects, but we can always use more help! Whether you’d like to volunteer your time or contribute tax-deductible in-kind product or service donations, your support helps the nature center tremendously.
We’re excited to continue our programs into the new year, starting with our 29th Annual Fish Derby on April 18-19, 2026! We need volunteers who can help with fundraising, sponsorships, donations, spreading the word, media outreach, and mailings. Please help us spread the word!
We plan to keep updating our exhibits, bringing new and exciting items to our gift shop, welcoming visitors, hosting thousands of kids at field trips, and continuing to make the nature center a profound nature-connection experience for all. Thank you for being part of our nature center family in 2025. Here’s to an even more amazing 2026!
