Chapter Talk: Conservation Through Cultivation

What does it take to build a native plant nursery from the ground up—and why does growing a wider diversity of local species matter?

Walker, founder of Walker’s Wildlands, will share the story of creating a small North County nursery with the support of family, friends, and community organizations. He’ll explain how native landscaping projects and plant sales have helped shape the nursery as it works toward a full retail opening.

At the heart of Walker’s work is his philosophy of Conservation Through Cultivation and a commitment to making a broader range of locally native plants available to gardeners. Behind every uncommon native plant in cultivation is someone who decided it was worth growing. Walker’s Wildlands has made it a priority to grow species that are often difficult to find or still rarely used in gardens, including Tetracoccus dioicus, Adolphia californica, Monardella viminea, Agave shawii, Epipactis gigantea, and Keckiella antirrhinoides.

Drawing on his experience in propagation, nursery production, and native landscaping, Walker will share what it takes to grow and maintain a diverse selection of native plants. He’ll also reflect on the changing availability of native plants in our region, the challenges facing small native plant nurseries, and how the nursery and landscaping sides of his business work together.

A small, curated selection of native plants featured in or related to the presentation may also be available for purchase after the talk.

About the speaker

Walker is the founder of Walker’s Wildlands, a North County nursery focused on local and less commonly available California native plants. Raised in the Escondido and San Marcos area, he brings together propagation, native landscaping, community partnerships, and a strong belief in conservation through cultivation.

Chapter Meeting Details

6:15 PM Doors open for browsing, socializing, and book/merch sales
7:00 PM Brief meeting announcements
7:10 PM Presentation followed by Q&A
8:30 PM Speaker meet-and-greet, socializing, and book sales
9:00 PM Meeting ends

Location
Casa del Prado, Room 101 (Balboa Park) — located across Village Place from the San Diego Natural History Museum (NAT), in the Casa del Prado Inner Courtyard.

Chapter meetings are free and open to the public. Everyone with a love for wild places, biodiversity, and community is welcome.

Looking for more Chapter Meeting programs? Recordings of previous presentations are available on our YouTube channel.