UC California Naturalist Program
The 2021 California Naturalist Program is full.
The California Naturalist class will introduce you to the wonders of California’s unique ecology and engage you in the stewardship of our natural communities. This intensive certification program will utilize a combination of scientific curriculum, guest lecturers, field trips and project-based learning to immerse you in the natural world of the central coast.
The fee for the program is $400.00. A limited number of scholarships are available for those with need.
To directly support CNP and students needing financial assistance, please consider donating here.
Program Goals:
- Foster a committed corps of volunteer naturalists and citizen scientists trained and ready to take an active role in natural resource conservation, education, and restoration
- Provide training, in collaboration with local sponsoring institutions, for adult environmental stewards through an adaptable outdoor and in-class curriculum which can be easily applied in a variety of settings
- Engage adults in interactive learning which provides them with scientific literacy and critical thinking skills
Student Learning Outcomes:
- Understand what it means to be a naturalist
- Integrate knowledge about the interconnectedness of abiotic, biotic and cultural factors and their influence on the natural history of the central coast
- Demonstrate skills in making and recording natural history observations in a field notebook
- Apply knowledge of central coast ecosystems to local and global environmental issues.
- Meet all of the course requirements.
2021 class is full
Questions? Contact the host for the Arboretum's 2021 California Naturalist Program, Linda Anderson.
Consider becoming a sponsor! Your sponsorship will be greatly appreciated. Sponsors are acknowledged in class literature, on the Arboretum's website, in-class presentations, and in-class communications. For more information, contact Linda Anderson.
Check back soon for updated 2021 Schedule!
Schedule of Lectures and Field Trips for 2020
REQUIRED (so please plan): ALL lectures, first field trip, birding introduction with Clive, CAPSTONE Presentations, and 7 of 9 field trips (although you will not want to miss even one).
(All lectures will be at the Arboretum from 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm on Thursday except as highlighted. Field Trips will generally be on Saturday from 9 am to 4pm unless otherwise highlighted.)
|
Date |
Topic |
Speaker |
|
April 2 |
Introduction to California ecology: fire, climate, adaptation and evolution |
Tom Parker, Biology Professor, emeritus, SF State |
|
April 4 |
Introduction to iNaturalist, Journaling, and your fellow participants. Field trip: Arboretum |
Linda Anderson, Elizabeth Evans, Brett Bell |
|
April 6, 7, 8
|
Birding Observations and Interpretations Field trip: Arboretum, 8 am (6th and 7th) 6:30 pm (8th) Sign up for one time only 10 attendees max/session |
Clive Bagshaw, Professor Emeritus, Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Leicester, UK |
|
April 9 |
Behavioral Ecology of California Birds |
Bruce Lyon, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UCSC |
|
April 11 8am-12 |
Bird Behavior |
Bruce Lyon and Clive Bagshaw |
|
April 16 |
Groundwater recharge: a critical surface- subsurface connection for California's central coast |
Andy Fisher, Professor of Earth and Planetary Science, UCSC |
|
April 17,18,19 |
Santa Lucia Mountains field trip Field trip: Big Creek Reserve Leave Friday morning and back Sunday afternoon |
Brett Hall, California Native Plant Program Director, UC Santa Cruz Arboretum |
|
April 23 |
A brief geologic history of California |
Elise Knittle, Professor of Earth and Planetary Science, UCSC |
|
April 25 or 26 |
Coastal Geology Field trip: Santa Cruz to Año Nuevo |
TBA |
|
April 30 |
Mammals of central coastal California |
Alan Shabel, lecturer, UC Paleontology Museum, UC Berkeley |
|
May 2
|
Plankton Activity LiMPETS Project Field Trip: Tide Pools |
Clive Bagshaw Hannah Sarver, Coordinator of LiMPETS project for Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Pacific Grove |
|
May 8 Friday 7-9:30 pm |
The Natural History of Insects |
Peter Oboyski, Senior Scientist, Collection Manager, Essig Museum of Entomology |
|
May 9 |
Insect Ecology and Campus Bioblitz Field trip: Upper Marshall Meadows |
Peter Oboyski and all of us |
|
May 14 |
Restoration and Management of Coastal prairie, coastal scrub, riparian, and maritime chaparral ecosystems |
Grey Hayes, PhD, Education & Research Coordinator for California Polytechnic State University’s Swanton Pacific Ranch |
|
May 17 Sunday |
Field Techniques Field Trip: Upper Marshall Meadow, UCSC |
Grey Hayes, PhD, Education & Research Coordinator, Swanton Reserve, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Brett Hall, Native Plant Program Director, UCSC Arboretum |
|
May 21 |
Amphibians and Reptiles of California |
Barry Sinervo, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UCSC |
|
May 23 |
Forest Management Matters |
Nadia Hamey, Registered Professional Forester, Hamey Consulting |
|
May 28 |
Global climate change: geologic perspective |
Linda Anderson, emeritus Paleoceanography researcher, Institute of Marine Sciences, UCSC |
|
May 30 |
Native American Land Use and Management Practices Field trip: Quiroste |
Rick Flores, Director of Horticulture, Steward of Amah Mutsun Relearning Program, UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and Botanic Garden |
|
June 4 |
Plant Family Presentations |
All of us |
|
June 6 |
Capstones |
Cast of characters |
Course Requirements
Required Coursework
- Thursday Lectures: 7-9:30 (2.5 hours)
- Field Trips: 7 of 9
- Field Notebook: entries for all field trips
- Capstone Project
- iNaturalist: 3 postings weekly http://www.inaturalist.org/
- 40 hours of volunteer work over the year following the class posted to https://ucanr.edu/portal/login/universallogin.cfm?appname=vms
Materials
Books (Required)
- California Naturalist Handbook Price $32.46
Available for purchase first day of class. - The Natural History of the UC Santa Cruz Campus $12.03
Available for purchase first day of class.
[Required reading schedule.]
Book (Suggested)
- The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America, by Sibley, D.A.
Supplies (Required)
- Field Notebook (Sokkia mining transit, Moleskine watercolor or the equivalent)
- Water proof ink pen or pencil, small plastic ruler.
- Hand lens (at least 10x jewelers loop, magnifying glass)
Supplies (Suggested)
- Binoculars
- Digital camera or smart phone
