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Posts Tagged: California Naturalist
Opportunity knocks for aspiring naturalists in California
The California Naturalist program will be offered in an eight-day immersion course in Cambria this month, and in a slower-paced eight-week program that starts in September in San Luis Obispo, reported Michele Roest in the San Luis Obispo Tribune. California Naturalist sessions begin in September in a wide range of California locations, including Pasadena, Santa Barbara, Sacramento and Yosemite National Park.
In all cases, fulfilling the course requirements will allow participants to join the growing ranks of California Naturalists in the Golden State, which number nearly 2,000.
In her article, Roest likens California Naturalists to the well-known UC Master Gardeners. Master Gardener volunteers share research-based gardening information with the public. California Naturalists extend information to the public about natural California. The CalNat program also offers volunteers the opportunity to participate in nature-based activities in other capacities, such as citizen science, service to partner organizations or hands-on conservation.
The eight-day class in Cambria, Roest wrote, provides comprehensive information on "everything from algae to zebras." Zebras in California? There are a few who wander the land around Hearst Castle along Highway 1, descendants of zebras brought to San Simeon by the late Randolph Hearst.
The eight week program is offered in collaboration with Cuesta College.
"The program is ideal for adults who want to strengthen their knowledge and understanding of California's natural history," the article said.
It's a resume-builder for those seeking jobs in environmental fields, and includes the option of four units of transferable UC credit for students.
UC California Naturalist to discuss her hiking guidebook
An avid hiker since high school, Joye looked for a hiking guide when she moved to Tuolumne County in 2008. When she couldn't find one, she decided to write one herself. Joye spent two years researching the book.
Joye has a bachelor's degree in physiology, a master's degree in exercise physiology and both a life and physical science teaching credential, all from the UC Davis. She has taught science to fourth- through sixth-graders, biology to high school students and nutrition and performance, physiology, anatomy, biology and microbiology to college students.
Joye volunteers through a Tuolumne County program where she teaches science to students at Chinese Camp school. She is a certified UC California Naturalist, having completed 40-hour classroom program and a capstone project required by the UC Cooperative Extension program. She and other UC California Naturalists recently helped transform the Sugar Pine railroad grade into an interpretive trail with other California naturalists.
A UC California Naturalist shares his experiences in Merced newspaper
The UC California Naturalist program is developing a statewide network of educated and committed volunteers who are interested in the state's natural landscapes and sharing their passion for natural resource conservation with the public.
"I didn't come away from the course an expert," Blauert wrote. "But the course gave me a lot of foundational information so I am better prepared to learn on my own."
A teacher at Merced Union High School, Blauert said he was attracted to the program to be better prepared to explain the outdoors to the student groups he takes on field trips. In the article, he listed four top take-away lessons he gained from the process:
- Vastly expanded knowledge of local environments and their inhabitants
- Meeting and networking with interesting people
- Comprehensive understanding of the environments of our field trip destinations
- Beginning an exciting community service project
California Naturalist training to be offered in Merced
UC California Naturalist was established in 2012 and became an official UC ANR special program in 2014. Training sessions are held throughout the state to foster a network of nature lovers to promote stewardship of California's natural resources through education and service. As of Sept. 30, 2014, more than 18,000 hours of service had been recorded by 650 certified naturalists.
The Vernal Pools and Grasslands Reserve and the Sierra Foothill Conservancy in Fresno are offering the first California Naturalist training programs in the San Joaquin Valley. UC Merced's Yosemite Institute will hold its second California Naturalist training in the fall in Yosemite National Park.
The article noted that UC ANR provided a $7,500 grant to fund scholarships for people who need help covering tuition to attend the Vernal Pools, Yosemite Institute or Sierra Foothill Conservancy training programs.
The press release centered on the fact that Mitsubishi Corporation Foundation for the Americas provided a $103,000 gift that will permit UC Merced to hire two part-time coordinators for the Valley courses, and purchase equipment like field notebooks, binoculars and supplies.
This story was picked up by the Sierra Sun Times.
Interest growing in UC's California Naturalist Program
The California Naturalist Program is a statewide initiative of UC Cooperative Extension. The program is aiming to create a diverse community of naturalists and promote stewardship of California's natural resources through education and service. Once certified, the naturalists will have a background about California's unique natural treasures and tools for communicating that knowledge to other people.
The 40-hour California Naturalist training course combines classroom and field experience in science, problem-solving, communication and community service. Students are taught by experts on the topics of ecology, geology, plant communities, interpretation, wildlife, energy, and others.
Recent newspaper accounts include:
- California Naturalist Program offers learning, with a huge dollop of fun
Jackie Pascoe, The Santa Cruz Sentinel - California Naturalist Training to be offered at Sagehen Creek
Tahoe Daily Tribune - Naturalists in training
Justine Frederikson, The Ukiah Daily Journal
The California Naturalist Program was also featured in a 30-minute broadcast on Radio Curious called "You Too May Be a Naturalist." Adina Merenlender, UCCE specialist in the Department Environmental Science, Policy and Management at UC Berkeley and co-founder of the California Naturalist Program, and Deborah Edelman, co-author with Merenlender of the California Naturalist Handbook, spoke about the development and goals of the program.
During the broadcast, Edelman and Merenlender explain the concept of "citizen science," how it fits in with the California Naturalist Program, what it means for the future of nature research, and its potential impact on the long-term viability of the state's natural environment.
