Join Ruth Bancroft Garden horticulturalist, Michael Rada as he shares adventure stories and pictures of botanical finds from his (mostly) on foot circumnavigation of the mountains surrounding the Central Valley of California. Hiking, biking, and bushwhacking over 2,000 miles through California’s rugged Coast Ranges, Cascades, Sierra Nevada and more! 

About the Speaker

Born and raised in the Bay Area, Rada grew up in Walnut Creek and began his journey into plant science after attending classes at DVC shortly after high school. He eventually transferred to Humboldt State University where he graduated with a B.S. in Environmental Science – Ecological Restoration with minors in Botany, Geospatial Analysis and Watershed Management. Following his strongest passion, he worked as a botanist conducting vegetation surveys across the Western U.S. with a focus on assessing the effectiveness of ecological restoration efforts. Most notably, he has surveyed alpine plants and lichens in the Rocky Mountains, plants in the rugged sagebrush steppe across the Great Basin, and plants in dynamic dune systems along the Northern California Coast. He’s usually found traveling throughout the western states backpacking, botanizing, tending plants or hanging with his dog. 

Join us for this lecture – or make it a double with our Botanical Adventures Lecture Series. These talks take us around the world in search of extraordinary plants and landscapes. Through the eyes of passionate botanists, explorers, and plant enthusiasts, each presentation reveals the unique flora, ecosystems, and stories of a particular region. Get ready for beautiful images, fascinating plants, and stories of adventure! Check-out the September 24th talk – “Cacti of the Atacama” here. Register for both talks and you will be entered into a drawing for a copy of the Lush Dry Garden or Bold Dry Garden.