01 / CULTURE
A living story.
The stewardship panel brings together cultural history, language, basket weaving, and relationships with the land.
INTERPRETIVEWORKSCase study / Cultural & environmental interpretation
Los Padres National Forest
Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians

The project
This Los Padres National Forest panel series introduces visitors to the history, living culture, and land stewardship of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. Three coordinated designs connect cultural stories with the native plants, wildlife, and waterways of the region.
The artwork brings together photographs, illustrations, Samala language, and clear topic groupings. Visitors can explore land stewardship and cultural practices, the significance of forest species, and the relationship between Southern California steelhead, Chumash culture, and conservation.
Sage and cream fields, deep green headings, blue language accents, and a distinctive red border create a recognizable series. Large imagery draws visitors in, while smaller thematic sections support a closer reading.
01 / CULTURE
The stewardship panel brings together cultural history, language, basket weaving, and relationships with the land.
02 / CONNECTION
Native plants and animals connect ecological information with cultural uses and Samala names featured in the artwork.
03 / STEWARDSHIP
The steelhead panel links the species’ cultural importance with habitat restoration and conservation messaging.
Original project artwork
Explore the three supplied designs. Select any panel to view the original artwork at a larger size.
Artwork in context
This concept places the supplied land stewardship and living culture panel in an oak woodland trail setting. The environment and installation are illustrative visualizations.

Continue exploring
Explore wildlife and wildflower interpretation for Cleveland National Forest.