#santarosaislandfire
#channelislandsnationalpark
https://www.independent.com/2026/06/04/new-details-emerge-about-leadup-to-largest-fire-in-channel-islands-history/
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is the official seed bank of Channel Islands National Park, holding the largest collection of seeds from Channel Island plants across California, including all the rare plant species that are in the path of fire.
The seed bank acts as an “insurance policy” that the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and others keep in case they need to do any replanting in its conservation grove.
“Thanks to those efforts, we have a nice repository of seeds that we can use to either do seeding or grow plants and put plants back out on Santa Rosa Island if we find that we need that after we’re able to evaluate the impacts of the fire,” Schneider said.
Santa Rosa Island Fire on May 20th, 2026.
(showrtwave infrared)