Founded by the Central Coast State Parks Association, the Western Monarch Trail is a collaborative project between several environmental agencies to provide consistent and accurate messaging to conserve and protect the western monarch butterfly. As a key partner and fiscal sponsor, we oversee the project, its partnerships, and development.

The Xerces Society is a science-based nonprofit conservation organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. We partner with Xerces Society to spread accurate messaging regarding pollinators and the western monarch butterfly, a species on the brink of extinction.

A nonprofit organization based on the Central Coast, Sea Otter Savvy “fosters awareness and stewardship in Central California coastal communities and the wildlife-viewing public to reduce human-sea otter conflict and disturbance and increase an ethic of co-existence.” Sea Otter Savvy partners with Morro Bay State Park to interpret sea otter natural history and viewing etiquette to visitors.

The Morro Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP) staff conducts monitoring and research, conserves and restores natural habitats, and helps people become good stewards of Morro Bay. We collaborate with MBNEP on projects and programs in coordination with the San Luis Obispo Coast District of California State Parks.

Friends of the Elephant Seal is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to educating people about elephant seals and other marine life and to teaching stewardship for the ocean off the central coast of California. As a local organization with a global reach in providing educational, scientific, historic and scenic opportunities, they foster safe and respectful viewing of elephant seals and marine life along the Central Coast of California.

ECOSLO is a local nonprofit that “protects and preserves San Luis Obispo County’s natural resources through education, advocacy, and action.” We are listed in the EcoSLO Hub, a directory of environmentally-minded organizations and coalition groups throughout San Luis Obispo County.

One Cool Earth is a non-profit organization that unites with communities and schools to create thriving school garden programs that grow successful students. They believe that “learning, growing, and eating in the garden unlock the inherent genius in everyone.”

Latino Outdoors is an organization that works to inspire, connect, and engage Latino communities in the outdoors and embrace cultura y familia as part of the outdoor narrative, ensuring Latino history, heritage, and leadership are valued and represented. Their visions is a world where all Latino communities enjoy nature as a safe, inclusive, and welcoming place – a world where the outdoors is a place to share and celebrate stories, knowledge, and culture, while growing leadership and an active community of Latino outdoor users, mentors, and stewards.

The Respect Wildlife campaign was created by a team of collaborators who are committed to helping protect coastal wildlife from disruptive human encounters. A collaborative effort between several federal, state, nonprofit, and private entities, their mission is “to reduce disruptive human encounters with coastal marine wildlife.”

San Luis Obispo Public Market weaves into San Luis Obispo’s rich past on  the Bonet­ti Ranch, found­ed in 1880. To pre­serve the his­tor­i­cal land­marks of the prop­er­ty, the San Luis Obis­po Pub­lic Mar­ket incor­po­rates the restored farm­house, barn, water tow­er and gra­nary buildings. We have been lucky enough to use the event space located in the main building upstairs for multiple Mind Walk lectures this past year!

Ryan’s American Dance in San Luis Obispo works to on building foundations for life with strength & flexibility, both physically and mentally, creating balance in every persons life through dance, movement and education. Studio @ – “Ryan’s American Dance” is a continuation and vision of owner Ryan Beck from his roots with Pat Jackson’s American Dance. Ryan’s American Dance performed at our annual Butterfly Ball last year, and we are looking forward to another great performance this year!

Oak and Otter in San Luis Obispo is a small batch brewery, full of well-made, craft beer. You will find a variety of traditional styled beers as well as innovative twists, as well as their restaurant which includes a full food menu ranging from light bites to elevated pub fare. Oak and Otter hosted a CCSPA trivia night and generously donated the proceeds from the event, as well as additional funds to our Butterfly Ball this year.

Based in San Luis Obispo, California, SLOMotion Film works to bring people together through film, music, stories, and important conversations. We partnered with founders Hayley and Gracie to launch the Get Outside! Film Series, showcasing the very best of cutting-edge environmental, cultural and adventure films.

Brady Teufel is the chair of the Journalism Department at Cal Poly where he also teaches courses in multimedia storytelling and graphic design. Teufel earned his B.A. in sociology from the University of California Santa Cruz and his M.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri, Columbia. Teufel’s work experience includes stints a reporter, photojournalist, graphic designer, web designer and social media consultant. His teaching interests span from writing and photography, to coding and VR. Along with a love for words and pictures, Teufel enjoys traveling and is a dual citizen of New Zealand and the U.S., as well as a San Luis Obispo native. He helps us with everything from website maintenance, the creation of our Nature Notes newsletter, and photography!

Boone Graphics prints and distributes our Nature Notes newsletter with speed, accuracy, and high-quality production and customer service. We are thankful for this Central Coast based company and their dedication to “creating a better community for which to live.”

West by Central creates vintage inspired California wall art by simulating aged paper and analog print techniques for that real retro feel. His matte paper designs look great when framed without glass or simply hung from clips. We have worked with him on a variety of custom designs and sell many of his prints in our nature stores!

Marcie Hawthorne is an award-winning fine artist and illustrator who specializes in joyful realism. She is also an accomplished wall artist whose work includes over 100 murals for private residences, as well as projects for a wide variety of public spaces and commercial buildings. Marcie painted all of the art inside the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History nature store, beautifully depicting local wildlife such as sea otters, western monarch butterflies, California sea lions, and much more.

The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County conserves and cares for the diverse wildlands, farms, and ranches of the Central Coast. They connect people to the land and to each other. Their property, the iconic and historic Octagon Barn, served as the beautiful venue for our Butterfly Ball gala in 2021 and will be again in September 2022.

Ecologistics collaborates with people and organizations around the world to create resilient and healthy communities that are environmentally and economically sustainable, and socially just. Ecologistics is a proud member of the ECOSLO Hub of environmentally-oriented organizations and groups in San Luis Obispo County.