Nestled in the Ojai foothills in Ventura County, California, Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve is a 264-acre property stewarded by the non-profit Conservation Endowment Fund. It was founded in 1981 by local naturalist John Taft with a mission to educate the public about its environmental heritage, preserve endangered resources and explore the relationship between humans and their environment.
Credit: Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve
In addition to its cultivated South African, Australian and developing California gardens, Taft has more than 200 acres of stewarded open space that acts as a wildlife corridor. California gray fox, mule deer, bobcat and hundreds of other species find safe haven on the property.
Thanks to a four-person staff and a handful of volunteers, Taft Gardens welcomes thousands of visitors each year and hosts ongoing education events and activities.
One of those dedicated staff members is Alexandra Upton who serves as the visitor and restoration coordinator. In her role, she handles guest relations, events and the planting of an oak woodland ecosystem restoration project. Alexandra recruited her husband, Cash, to volunteer his time.
Three refurbished Briggs & Stratton SimpliPHI 6.6 batteries were donated to Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve.
In his “day job,” Cash designs and sells solar for Brighten Solar, based in Santa Barbara. When Taft Gardens needed help designing an off-grid system to supply power to its welcome kiosks and gift shop, he was an obvious choice. The nonprofit had previously used batteries, but they were no longer functioning reliably after 10 years of regular cycling.
Cash reached out to Briggs & Stratton with a request for equipment. The company responded by donating three refurbished SimpliPHI 6.6 batteries that provide nearly 20 kWh.
“Having power at our guest check-in kiosk makes it a smoother and more efficient process,” says Jaide Whitman, executive director of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve. “In addition, it saves us from having to rely on spotty mobile reception for gift shop transactions.”
Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve
The batteries were installed just a few months ago and have reliably been providing power to outlets, lights, a Starlink internet connection and small register.
For more than a decade, Briggs & Stratton has had a battery recycling and refurbishment program. When used batteries come back, they go through a comprehensive process. Technicians first test each battery to evaluate its remaining capacity and overall condition. Batteries that pass the initial testing undergo comprehensive refurbishment and are put through rigorous safety checks. Once a battery is refurbished, it is re-tested to ensure it meets specific performance standards
Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve
“We’re always looking to give batteries a second life and were delighted to help Taft Gardens by supplying high-functioning equipment to them,” says Sequoya Cross, VP of energy storage for Briggs & Stratton Energy Solutions. “We’ve been donating systems to nonprofits around the world for over 10 years and this time we got to help out an organization that’s close to home.”
Submitted project details from Briggs & Stratton
