You are now in WaterSmart Living category.

Biodiversity is increasingly threatened, making habitat preservation a priority. Recognizing the need for action, the Vallecitos Water District partnered with the San Diego Audubon Society to launch the Native Plant Seed Library, a groundbreaking program aimed at safeguarding botanical heritage.

The library ensures the region’s botanical heritage remains intact for future generations and supports bird species, pollinators, and other local wildlife.

Ribbon cutting for Native Plant Seed Library

Supporters and Vallecitos Water District board members and staff celebrate the opening of the new Native Plant Seed Library. Photo: Chris Robbins, Vallecitos Water District

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on May 14 to celebrate the library’s grand opening at the Vallecitos Sustainable Demonstration Garden, where the newly installed Native Plant Seed Library is located.

“Thank you for caring, for this wonderful way we can share in our community and ways we can care for our planet, care for our species, conserve water, and care for each other. We want to encourage the public to come,” said Dr. Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson, Vallecitos Water District board chair.

See video from the event here.

“Our sustainable demonstration garden has a lot of visitors, including butterflies, dragonflies, bees, and numerous birds. The Native Plant Seed Library is part of our ongoing effort to get human visitors to come to our garden as well. We want people to learn about gardening, native plants, insects, birds, and all the beauty of a low water use garden,” said Chris Robbins, public information/conservation supervisor for the Vallecitos Water District.

Bees inspire Native Plant Seed Library

Native seeds and plants support native wildlife, including vital pollinators. Photo: Lisa Urabe, Vallecitos Water District

Vallecitos Water District public information representative and UCCE Master Gardener Lisa Urabe wanted a California native plant garden for years for all its benefits, but finding a wide selection of native plants was becoming time-consuming and costly. When her cousin surprised her with a packet of native seeds, she scattered them into her yard at home.

“Fast forward to spring when our front yard became an explosion of gorgeous wildflowers. I saw bumble bees and other native bees for the first time since childhood, and it brought me so much joy.” This became the inspiration for the new Native Plant Seed Library.

A look inside the Vallecitos Water District’s new Native Plant Seed Library. Photo: Chris Robbins, Vallecitos Water District

“By providing native California seeds in the library, residents can pick up seeds in a convenient location at no cost. They are easy to grow, beautiful and so beneficial to the migratory birds and butterflies as well as the many native creatures that call San Diego home. By removing some of the obstacles to planting California native plants, it’s a win-win for wildlife and the community,” said Urabe.

San Diego Audubon Society program supports native habitat

Native seeds are carefully packaged and labeled for distribution. Photo: Chris Robbins, Vallecitos Water District

The Native Plant Seed Library Program, launched three years ago by volunteers from the San Diego Audubon Society’s Advocacy Program, addresses the critical lack of native habitat in San Diego County. With 50 Native Seed Libraries established and supported by staff and organizations like the California Native Plant Society (San Diego Chapter), the program educates the community on native plant importance and provides accessible seeds.

An interactive map on the San Diego Audubon Society’s website helps locate the nearest library. Users are encouraged to return clean, mature seeds to sustain both plant life and the free libraries. For more details, visit sandiegoaudubon.org or email

Focus on San Diego County indigenous plants

All seeds in the Native Plant Seed Library are from plant species native to San Diego County. Photo: Chris Robbins, Vallecitos Water District

The Vallecitos Seed Library focuses on San Diego County’s indigenous plants. Native plants benefit local wildlife and typically use less than half of the amount of water required for most drought-tolerant plants, such as rosemary or lavender.

Some of the seeds currently provided in the library include California poppy, black sage, and narrow leaf milkweed, which supports the monarch butterfly population. By promoting the cultivation of indigenous species, the library seeks to preserve biodiversity and support the health and resilience of local ecosystems.

From colorful wildflowers to towering trees, each seed in the library tells a story of adaptation, resilience, and the intricate relationships that bind plants, animals, and humans together in the web of life.

Free gardening books and native seeds

In 2023, a Little Free Library was installed at the north end of the Vallecitos Water District garden, stocked with garden books to inspire residents to adopt water-wise gardening practices. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

In addition to the treasure trove of seeds collected from native plants across the county, visitors may also take free gardening books from the District’s “Little Free Library.” Vallecitos Water District stocks this lending library throughout the year with various garden books to inspire residents to adopt a water-wise garden lifestyle.

The seed box and garden book library are available during regular business hours. The address is 201 Vallecitos De Oro, San Marcos. Learn more about the Native Plant Seed Library at its new website.