Twenty-five miles off California's coast lies Santa Cruz Island.

Once on the brink of ecological collapse, Santa Cruz Island now lets visitors see what southern California looked like before the arrival of humans. After four decades of hard work by The Nature Conservancy, it has become a key example of successful ecological restoration and conservation. Today, the Conservancy and its partners are focused on preserving the island’s unique plants and animals so they can share the lessons learned while restoring the island's natural habitation. I visited the island with my friend Teri Koklas, who also happens to be our Fabric Research & Development Manager. Together, we learned about the importance of protecting the island’s delicate ecosystem and how we can change our habits to reduce our impact on the environment.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy, please visit nature.org.