Interviewed by Ellie S. (11th Grade), Content provided by Claudia V.
Claudia Verduzco is a Southern California-based educator with over 15 years of experience in education. She is a certified environmental educator, a certified California Naturalist, a certified California Native Plant Landscaper, and is currently working towards a Conservation Studies Certificate.
Lets hear from Claudia!
What sparked your passion for climate advocacy and sustainability?
Claudia: A pivotal moment for me was receiving my first California native plant through a Santa Monica Mountains Fund milkweed giveaway. That simple experience completely shifted how I see plants, not as something grown for human use, but as living systems that support biodiversity, provide habitat, and sustain pollinators.
From that moment on, I became deeply interested in native plants and their role in restoring ecological balance. It inspired me to pursue a future where I can either create or work with a nonprofit dedicated to promoting habitat restoration, native landscaping, and fostering a stronger sense of land stewardship in our communities.
What gives you hope for the planet’s future?
Claudia: What gives me hope is the growing interest in native plants and pollinator-friendly gardens. More people are beginning to understand the importance of creating habitat, even in small spaces.
In my work as an educator and naturalist, I’ve seen how powerful it is when people are given opportunities to learn and connect with nature. I love being part of that process and helping others discover that learning about the environment can lead to meaningful action.
I’m also encouraged by organizations working to make native plants more accessible and by programs that engage youth and the public in hands-on environmental stewardship. That shift, from awareness to action, is both powerful and necessary.
If you could implement one major sustainability initiative, what would it be?
Claudia: I would advocate for policies that require and support the integration of native plants into commercial and government-owned landscapes.
As a certified California Native Plant Landscaper, I’ve seen how impactful these changes can be, not just environmentally, but in how they reshape people’s relationships with the land. Last fall, I transformed my own lawn into a native habitat garden and have witnessed firsthand the incredible surge of life it supports, from pollinators to birds and beyond.
These spaces represent a huge opportunity to restore habitat at scale. By shifting landscaping standards, we could significantly increase biodiversity, conserve water, and reconnect communities with their local ecosystems.
More about Claudia and @personandplants
Claudia is passionate about promoting California native plants as a powerful tool for biodiversity, water conservation, and ecological resilience. Claudia is especially interested in expanding access to native plants and inspiring communities to rethink landscapes as living ecosystems. She hopes to contribute to or establish a nonprofit focused on community-based land stewardship and environmental education.
She is a firm believer that nature is everywhere, that people don’t need to leave urban spaces to encounter and connect with it. Last fall, she transformed her own lawn into a native habitat garden and has witnessed firsthand the incredible surge of life it supports, from pollinators to birds and beyond.
She also shares her native habitat garden and environmental education work on Instagram (@personandplants), where she documents the biodiversity thriving in urban spaces.
