GROWING TOGETHER: Nursery Interns Take Root in Conservation

This season has been a time of growth—both for our plants and our incredible Nursery Internship Program. As autumn arrived, we welcomed Nordhoff High School junior Lilac Feliciano to the team. Since her first day on October 16, Lilac jumped right into learning the ins and outs of nursery operations under the guidance of Celeste Ayala, our lead intern. From cleaning pots and tools to mastering propagation techniques, she’s already making her mark.

November, designated as Native Plant Month, kept our interns busy with hands-on learning and community engagement. On November 2, Lilac and Celeste put their teamwork to the test during our Sowing and Planting Workshop, where they helped community members get their hands dirty in the name of native plant restoration. As we geared up for plant sales, Celeste spearheaded the creation of a collaborative plant reference guide for the nursery team.

By November 9, the Rewild Plant Sale was in full swing. Both interns trained in plant identification and point-of-sale systems, ensuring a smooth and educational shopping experience for customers. A week later, at the Fall Native Plant Sale, Celeste took the lead in advising visitors on native plant choices, while Lilac handled transactions with confidence. They closed out the month by helping with a Community Restoration Day, assisting volunteers with acorn collection, soil amending, and seed sowing—critical steps in rewilding the Ojai Valley.

December brought new challenges and responsibilities. Celeste and Lilac focused on plant divisions, seed processing, and nursery maintenance, keeping the operation thriving as the holidays approached. With OVLC staff out of town, Celeste stepped up to oversee all watering operations while continuing to mentor Lilac in nursery protocols. She’s also hard at work planning her final project—a bioblitz volunteer event at OVLC’s Oranges to Oaks site, set for April 2025.

With each season, our interns grow into their roles as conservationists, gaining hands-on experience that extends far beyond the nursery. Stay tuned for more updates as they continue to nurture both native plants and their own expertise in ecological restoration!

Madison Moore, Nursery Assistant & Restoration Field Crew