Ganna Walska Lotusland

Junior botanist program offers 4th grade students from santa barbara county immersive experiences within lotusland's 37-acre garden classroom. In 2024, we continued nurturing the environmental stewards of tomorrow by educating them about botany, horticulture, and sustainable plant healthcare practices. In 2024, this program served: - 1,750 k-12 students from 32 elementary schools (some sent multiple classes)- 261 university students - 5 paid student interns the junior botanist program provides students with free public access to promote life sciences education, sustainability and nature connection.

Enhancing access and inclusion: north america's botanic gardens serve over 132 million people annually, demonstrating their immense value. However, some visitors find it challenging to access or afford a visit to lotusland given the $60 admission for adults. To address this, lotusland operates the museums for all program, with subsidized admissions for individuals receiving food assistance (snap benefits) by presenting their ebt card and a photo id.grant funds support educational programs and interns, sustainability programs and partnerships, and admissions and access. The garden also hosts at a discount community access days, nonprofit group tours and events, and leadership or staff meetings. These initiatives reflect lotusland's commitment to inclusivity and community engagement, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent anyone from experiencing the wonders of the gardens. Grants enable us to provide access and tours to local nonprofit organizations, allowing individuals who might not otherwise experience lotusland to do so; accredited local museum or garden staff are hosted at no cost, fostering professional development and collaboration within the community. With private support, lotusland offers half-price tickets on community access days. These days include admissions for santa barbara county visitors to our outdoor gardens and collections, featuring pop-up programming that enriches the visitor experience.