The Garden

About The Garden

Mission: To inspire a love of nature in students through our on-site garden.

Goal: To provide an outdoor space integrated with an exploratory, observatory, learning, and thinking curriculum - encouraging students to engage with nature through unique, hands-on experiences.

Background: The concept for The Garden began in 2012. In July of that year, Sycamore Canyon School received a grant from California American Water to design and build a 4,500 square foot drought tolerant garden, now known as The Native Garden. In January 2014, the school was awarded a Community Enhancement Grant from the city of Thousand Oaks to develop a 1,500 square foot vegetable garden, now recognized as The Edible Lab.

Current Use: The Garden supports a diverse range of learning experiences and activities, including:

Weekly Class Rotations
School Events
Owl Observation - The Garden provides a safe and nurturing habitat for local owl species, offering students unique wildlife observation opportunities.
Scout Projects
Planting, Harvesting & Gardening Lessons
Nature Walks
Community Workdays
Environmental Awareness Opportunities
- Rainwater collection
- Composting
Nature Journaling
Studying Insects & Pollinators

Native Garden Specialist

Erik Oberg

Born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, Erik earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point in Resource Management and Environmental Education. Shortly after college he became a National Park Service ranger and later a biologist. He also earned a Masters Certificate in Parks and Public Lands Management. He worked at eight parks including Joshua Tree, Sequoia, and Yellowstone. He spent his 26-year NPS career studying and restoring natural habitats on public lands. After moving back to California, he decided to start Acorn Design Studios Landscape Design Service to share his experience and help create pollinator and wildlife habitat, reduce water use, and build beautiful outdoor spaces.

Erik served for three years as the Conservation Chair of the Conejo Valley Audubon Society running the Lawns to Habitat grant program. He’s proud to be a part-time Academic Specialist at Sycamore Canyon Elementary School where he maintains the native garden, and provide hands-on, curriculum based programs for TK- 5th graders.

Edible lab Specialist

Casondra Cunningham

Originally from San Diego, Casondra moved to the Central Coast in 2014 to attend UC Santa Barbara, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and Biology through the College of Creative Studies. Her interdisciplinary studies allowed her to explore plant science, ecology, science communication, and scientific illustration. She is a Master Gardener of Ventura County and holds a Permaculture Design Certificate, blending creativity and sustainability into all aspects of her work.

For the past decade, Casondra has worked as an outdoor educator, helping people connect more deeply with the natural world. As an Academic Specialist at Sycamore Canyon School’s Edible Lab, she brings learning to life through hands-on garden and nutrition education. In addition to her work in school gardens throughout Ventura County, she leads art and nature-based programming as an art instructor in Yosemite National Park and serves as an outdoor guide and educator at Channel Islands National Park. Casondra is also the founder of Herbarium Press, a creative business rooted in botanical art and science education.

Whether she’s guiding a kayak tour, teaching in the garden, or illustrating native plants, Casondra is passionate about cultivating curiosity and care for the natural world! If you are interested in helping out with this or any projects in Sycamore Canyon’s Edible Lab you can reach her at herbarium.press@gmail.com.