Native Gardens

Native Plants add health and biodiversity to our ecosystems.  Endemic knowledge and processes related to Native  plants are practiced by Indigenous Nations throughout the world.  Native Plant Gardens can be found in a variety of open spaces and are key educational gathering areas for community and academia.

Projects:

Howka,  Thank you for visiting this website, I am taking time to write these updates because I believe that the Biodiversity of Southern California is one of the most underappreciated biomes known on earth.  I have learned that the foods and medicines in these biomes hold keys to excellent health and wellbeing.  I will continue to explore these and other topics ,as I strive to advocate for and to better understand the positive impact that California Native plants have on our community and world. 
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Summer Fall 2018
Hawka, I hope you are all enjoying Summer and Fall 2018;  The following is an update on where you can find presentations this season.   Summer 2018, I will work with UCSD to provide an Environmental Leadership Emersion Camp; the Environmental Leaders, will be Indigenous Students from San Diego region and Indigenous Students from Thailand.; this collaboration will be an annual event between the Ministry of Education in Thailand and UCSD.  Also, this summer, I will provide two important class series: I will provide presentations on, "Native Plants for Health and Wellness" at Kumeyaay College in Sycuan;  and the second series I will provide is, "Indigenous garment making: Willow Bark Skirts and their beneficial properties";  The Willow Bark Skirt Making class will take place at the Rincon Cultural Center and Waskium Pomki Museum. This Summer and Fall, there will be an Ethnographic and Ethnoecology series provided for California State Parks at Rancho Cuyamaca, as well as, at Mission Trails Regional Park for students of San Diego Unified School District.  For those attending College this Fall, I will be lecturing on "Community Ethnobotany" in the Anthropology Department  at Cal State San Marcos with Dr. Bonnie Bade; this Fall our focus will be Oak Tree Sustainability in the face of Climate Change.  Additionally, this Fall Semester I will be lecturing for the course; and the second Fall Course is, "Sustainable Places and Practices" at SDSU with Dr. B Quimbly.  KPBS will feature a documentary series, "Historic Places," I have provided information  for the Ethnobotany of San Diego component; The KPBS series will air this Fall/Winter.   Many thanks to the Kumeyaay Heritage Preservation Committee for their dedication to Conservation and Mitigation, this is the second season I have officially provided technical assistance in their efforts to prevent the destruction of Cultural Resources in the Kumeyaay Territory.  Lastly, I look forward to continued collaboration with USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service as I assist to update their California Native Plants Field Guide, and California Native Ethnobotany Handbook; it's a pleasure to provide my time for this project, as I understand these importance reference documents are utilized by Conservation experts, as we are challenged with the mission to protect California's disappearing Biodiversity.  Have a great season, and I look forward to preserving resources with you and your community.  

Winter 2017 & Spring 2018
It has been a great Winter and Spring, and I am happy to say, there will be events and classes that I will be offering throughout our region, such as providing Ethnoecology presentations at Cal State San Marcos and for State Parks Rancho Cuyamaca.  Spring 2018 I will be lecturing for Anthropology Department  at Cal State San Marcos with Dr. Bonnie Bade.  I have been asked to teach a second course with Mr. Mike Wilken, author of "Kumeyaay Ethnobotany", for Spring, Community Ethnobotany.  Additionally, I will be providing technical assistance and meeting facilitation services for the Kumeyaay Heritage Preservation Committee. Yey'huun

Fall 2017
Upcoming Summer and Fall  projects include Ethnobotany class series at Cabrillo National Monument; including a Native youth science program, focusing on Traditional Salt Harvesting.  I am excited to be team teaching another Fall collaborative course with San Diego Zoological Society's Advanced Inquiry Program, we will be examining  ecological systems of the San Diego region.  Thanks also to California State Parks for inviting me another year for collaboration,  Summer and Fall2017 we will offer State Parks Educational outreach program and the State Park Interpreter Training series.   Special thanks to Makeda and her excellent staff  at the WorldBeat Center for ongoing efforts at the Balboa Park Kumeyaay Native Plant Garden.  Appreciation  to Sycuan Culture Center for the excellent Community Outreach  that advocates and enhances the Kumeyaay Way as it is a positive force in our region and world.  Yey'huun

Spring and Summer 2017
Spring and Summer 2017 you can find me on 'Savor San Diego' (KPBS) San Diego's Native Foods edition, and I will be at University of San Diego to provide Ethnobotany outreach for a Kumeyaay Garden on campus,  It was a great time for everyone in February thanks to Barona where I taught the Willow Skirt Making Class.  Much thanks to the American Indian Recruitment program for asking me to help with the Spring 2017 youth culture outreach, it was the best to share with he youth! Currently, enjoying the Spring gathering season, lots of blossoms due to good Winter and Spring rains. Enyaay A'huun 

​Fall 2016
Fall 2016 you can find me speaking at the San Diego County Watershed Summit on Oct 24, 2016 to discuss Environmental Sustainability.   I will provide presentations for Ethnoecology at  -Cuyamaca College and Kumeyaay College  Fall Semester with Professor Michele Garcia.  As part of a year long project I will assist USD professors as they work on installing a Kumeyaay Garden, due to open Fall 2017.  It was a great time for everyone at Barona Culture Night for the Willow Bark Skirt Making Class.  Enjoy the acorn gathering season, A'huun





Resource Preservation

Native Plant Restoration

Restoring a natural balance to promote ecological health and management




Kristie Orosco is a life long resident in Valley Center California on the San Pasqual Indian Reservation.
Kristie can facilitate small scale and large scale projects..

Interpretive Gardens