By Natalie Crist
When fleeing a natural disaster, many people’s first instinct is to protect mementos of the past—photos or cherished family heirlooms. But when Nina Raj evacuated her home in Altadena last month during the devastating Los Angeles fires, her mind was firmly fixed on the future. The first thing she packed was her seeds.
Raj is a University of California Naturalist and Master Gardener, a docent at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center, and the founder of the Altadena Seed Library, a network of free seed exchanges scattered across Los Angeles. Fortunately, her home survived. However, by the time the Eaton and nearby Palisades Fires were contained, nearly 40,000 acres of L.A. had been reduced to ash.
We often think of community building in the context of human relationships, but a broader perspective can be even more powerful—starting with local ecology and working outward. Practices that support the soil microbiome, establish plant communities, and create wildlife habitats form the very foundation of human communities. Nina’s work embraces community building at this fundamental level.
Natalie Crist talked with Raj about the Altadena Seed Library.
Would you share some background on how you started the project?
When I moved to Altadena in 2021, our backyard was filled with non-native plants and grasses, so we participated in the turf replacement program. At the time, I was earning my California Naturalist Certification and becoming a docent at Eaton Canyon. As I started growing things from seed, I realized I had extras that I wanted to share. We had a little free book library on our street, which inspired me to build a seed library and place it in our front yard. It was so sweet the first time someone dropped off seeds or left a thank-you note. While gardening, I would chat with neighbors who stopped by the seed library, getting to know them in a way I hadn’t before. It sparked conversation and connection and just took off from there.
Many people had questions about seed starting, so I also began making videos on pre-treatment methods and seed collection to help them successfully grow native plants.
Gardeners harvesting seeds from Guadalupe Hazardia (Hazardia cana), a California native. This bushy shrub with yellow blooms supports pollinators.
Photograph courtesy of Altadena Seed Library.
How have you seen the project benefit your community, ecologically and socially?
The sweetest moments are when parents stop by with their children and say, “We planted those seeds in our front yard!” The exchange has brought so many benefits—not only are there more native plants in the neighborhood, but people are sharing knowledge. I’ve learned so much from other gardeners.
Of course, it benefits wildlife. We are creating more habitat for our local coyotes, raccoons, opossums, squirrels, birds, lizards, and insects. There’s a significant social benefit—I’ve gotten to know neighbors I hadn’t met before. Fostering those relationships made weathering the past month much more manageable because we were already connected.
Seed libraries, crafted by an artisan in Los Angeles, are available to order. “The seed libraries will now be developed using Angel City Lumber from trees from Altadena,” says Raj. “So those trees can return to their homes as little free libraries.”
Photograph by Parker Davis.
Would you say it fostered a more resilient community?
Yes. We live in a culture of individualism, so fostering community connections is not only joyful, it can truly benefit us all.
How would you advise someone looking to start a similar exchange?
We are starting to manufacture seed libraries; soon we’ll be able to ship them to people interested in hosting one. I’ve always intended to bring the libraries to neighborhoods beyond Altadena, and we already have them in Little Tokyo, Glendale, South L.A., and Eagle Rock. And if anyone wants to start their own, I’d say, “I just built mine in the backyard!”
Seed donations from community members often include handwritten notes indicating where they harvested the seeds.
Photograph courtesy of Altadena Seed Library.
What are your most pressing needs in sustaining the project?
We have a GoFundMe to fund the manufacturing of seed libraries. We’re also working on bioremediation efforts and raising funds to test soil across Altadena. Recently, we learned that there will not be follow-up lab testing to ensure the soil is safe at the end of Phase 3 of the cleanup process. Normally, this is standard practice, but it is being waived. Along with a few soil scientists I deeply respect, I am raising money to test people’s soil and carry out remediation work across Altadena.
To support the work of the Altadena Seed Library, consider donating here. For more information on ordering a seed library for your community, click here.
Natalie Crist is a writer and landscape designer focused on ecological sustainability. She is the founder of Natalie Crist Design and holds certificates in Sustainable Garden Design from The New York Botanical Garden and Permaculture Design from Oregon State University. Drawing on her background in clinical research, psychology, and fine art, she builds ecosystems and crafts evocative outdoor spaces that encourage people to see themselves as part of nature. She has a particular passion for designing edible and medicinal gardens.
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