Event Description:

Celebrate California Biodiversity Week with park staff and partners to practice admiring and journaling the nature around us

California is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world and is one of 36 global biodiversity hotspots. Within the United States, California is the state with both the highest total number of species and the highest number of endemic species (i.e., those that occur nowhere else), including over 30% of all plant and vertebrate species found in the country. Global biodiversity hotspots contain exceptional concentrations of plant and animal species found nowhere else on the planet, but they also experience high rates of biodiversity loss. Unfortunately, California is no exception – approximately 30% of our species are at risk of extinction.

Each year, throughout the week of September 7th, we celebrate and steward our state’s unique biodiversity. California Biodiversity Day is a time to celebrate the incredible biodiversity that exists throughout our state while also learning about ways to be involved and actions we can take to conserve and steward the nature that sustains us.

Join National Park Service rangers and park partner staff for a day out in your National Park to celebrate California Biodiversity Week! We will be hosting a free beginner's Nature Journaling workshop within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

RSVP Here: Beginner's Nature Journaling in the Park Tickets, Sun, Sep 14, 2025 at 9:30 AM | Eventbrite

Meet in the dirt parking lot/main trailhead of Rocky Oaks Park. Staff will guide participants to an outdoor seating area where you'll have the option to begin guided journaling with a naturalist journaler or go on a short walk to gain inspiration for your journal entry. We will provide materials to hand out, but you're more than welcome to bring your own art supplies. All ages welcome, no experience required!

Questions? Contact us at samo_interpretation@nps.gov or call us at (805) 370-2301