Progress on Building the Ventura Botanical Gardens and Recovery from the Thomas Fire

Progress on Building the Ventura Botanical Gardens and Recovery from the Thomas Fire
Joe Cahill

The Ventura Botanical Gardens (VBA) is in the process of becoming the treasure a small group of Ventura residents first dreamed of late in 2005. They came together to formulate plans for a world-class botanical garden showcasing and preserving native plants and providing educational, recreational, and cultural enhancement for the community. Today, the site has started to realize its potential with 109 acres and a breathtaking 360-degree view encompassing the coastline, mountains, and lush agricultural greenery.

Joe Cahill, Executive Director, will present an overview of the VBA 40 year master plan, and progress made in recent years on infrastructure, organization, and collections. Much of the site was devastated by the Thomas Fire, and Joe will describe the recovery efforts as well as offer a preview of collections that will expand in the next few years, including South African and Chilean gardens, and describe recent collection expeditions to Chile.

Dr. Cahill is a botanist with over 20 years of professional experience in a combination of botanic gardens, conservation non-profits and NGOs, compliance with the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the horticulture industry. He has contributed in a leadership capacity to the Ventura Botanical Gardens since 2008. He holds a Ph.D. in Botany from the University of California Riverside and a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in Manhattan and is an adjunct professor at local universities.