Ali Martin
January 10, 2025
On a crisp Saturday morning in late November, five of us from Irvine Ranch Conservancy, Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples, and Research Justice Shop gathered together at Laguna Canyon Foundation’s headquarters for a meaningful morning of land stewardship. This hands-on event wasn’t just about tending to the earth, it was about strengthening relationships across WUICAN and deepening our collective knowledge of ecological care.
Our morning began with watering some newly planted seedlings from the onsite native plant nursery, a small yet impactful act of hope for the land’s future. We then raked the soil, prepping it for new life and carefully distributing native wildflower and perennial bunch grass seeds to ensure their growth. We had so much fun with each activity set in place, and the entire process was rhythmic and grounding.
We then shifted focus to hand-weeding invasive plants, clearing the way for Coastal prickly pear (opuntia littoralis) to be planted. Each task was an opportunity for everyone to share knowledge–native plant identification, intricacies of local ecosystems and traditional land caretaking. We learned from each other through exchanging insights about nurturing the land and our connection to it.
Beyond the physical work, this land-tending event fostered a spirit of collaboration and relationship building across WUICAN. It was also a great hands-on opportunity to learn about the work our community partners are doing around land caretaking. Each seed that was planted symbolized the potential for continued growth–not just for the plants, but for the relationships and bonds between partners in this important work.
We left Laguna Canyon Foundation with a renewed sense of purpose in our commitment to equitable land caretaking. It was a meaningful bonding experience filled with shared laughs, snacks and ecological knowledge. Though we were a small group, our efforts made a tangible impact and reinforced our connections as a network, demonstrating how collective action can advance ecological restoration and climate justice.
Ali Martin is the Program Coordinator for the Wildland-Urban Interface Climate Action Network, housed under the Research Justice Shop, which is located in the Newkirk Center for Science & Society at the University of California, Irvine. Ali holds a Master’s Degree from UC Santa Barbara in Environmental Science and Management with specializations in Conservation Planning and Coastal Resource Management. She is passionate about natural resource conservation and climate justice.
WUICAN acknowledges our presence on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Acjachemen and Tongva Peoples, who still hold strong cultural, spiritual and physical ties to this region.
Contact:
Research Justice Shop
researchjustice@uci.edu
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