Nina Garde is stepping into the new role of Stewardship Coordinator. She will be working to support our Nursery, and Conservation volunteers, and our High School Interns. Nina brings her passion for environmental conservation and working in a nursery. Come say hello at our next volunteer event! Learn more about Nina below.
Tell us a little about yourself! What is your background and where are you from?
Hi there! My name is Nina, I was born and raised in the Bay Area and studied Environmental Studies at CCSF. I’m a new mama to a beautiful baby named Elijah River. Prior to working at Sutro Stewards, I interned and worked at various native plant nurseries where I gained habitat restoration skills and knowledge. I chose to work in this field because I believe in having a job where you can connect your passions and skills. Giving back to Mother Earth is a priority in my life and having the opportunity to work with nature daily, I feel fulfilled. I love that I get to get my hands dirty, fuel my intellect through science and discoveries, and explore the urban outdoors all at once.
How did you hear about Sutro Stewards?
I volunteered! While I was in school, I was looking for experience and decided to volunteer at Sutro Stewards. After exploring their website, I instantly knew I had to check out this hidden gem of a nursery and explore the wonderful restoration work they do for the community.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role as the Stewardship Coordinator?
I am very excited to work with our volunteers on Wednesdays and Saturdays. My goal is to build and continue the great relationships we create with our volunteers. I definitely want to increase outreach using innovative techniques through social media and improve organization to ensure we are all doing our job safely and well in a timely-matter. I am especially excited to work with Definitely with our HS program, I want to help launch conservation and restoration projects that will build work ethic and CA native ecological knowledge. I am also excited to be spending time in the nursery, I love observing how plants grow and change throughout the seasons.
What other outdoor activities do you enjoy?
From gardening to hiking, I really enjoy being by the water. The ocean is such a powerful force, I love walking barefoot in the sand and looking for sand dollars. I have a huge collection at home and even look for unique shells and create lovely necklaces and bracelets out of them. I also love taking my dog, Toast, to the beach! Watching him try to get sand out of his mouth is so hilarious!
What is your favorite plant?
It’s a tie between the California Sagebrush and Yerba Buena. I am a huge fan of plants with medicinal properties. Their scents are so refreshing and relaxing, definitely a mood-booster. I also love using these plants in youth projects, there is so much to learn from them and also understanding how our ancestors utilized these plants for their own health and wellness. From what I’ve seen, the CA Sagebrush grows well in different conditions and microclimates the Bay Area has to offer, as for the Yerba Buena, they make lovely ground cover and bloom such lovely cute little flowers.