UC Environmental Stewards Blog
Welcome to the UC Environmental Stewards Blog
Through our blog, we share program and partner highlights, events, and inspiration on a wide variety of natural history and climate change topics. We also host occasional guest writers from our community of UC academics, statewide partner organizations, and certified California Naturalists and Climate Stewards. We want to champion the great work our community is doing. To view archives, please click here.
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Joshua Trees at the Hub of an Ecosystem
A blog re-post from our Lead Scientist Dr. Cameron Barrows on the importance of preserving those organisms that are at the core of each ecosystem, using Joshua Trees (Yucca brevifolia) as an example. “We should preserve every scrap of biodiversity as priceless while we learn to use it and come to understand what it means to humanity.” – E.O. Wilson “Important” is a word we use to indicate something has value. The problem with “important”...
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New Volunteer Portal Rollout!
Dear California Naturalists and Climate Stewards: We are pleased to introduce you to the new Volunteer Portal! Over the last year, we've developed a new platform for our naturalists, stewards, and instructors to record, review, and generate reports on their volunteer service. This replaces the UCANR VMS (volunteer management system) and provides new capabilities and will streamline some common processes. This week, we are transitioning to this new Volunteer Portal and this post provides...
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Thank You & Farewell, Brook!
After 9 years of expanding and improving the California Naturalist program and helping to usher in the UC Climate Stewards course, our Coastal Northern California Community Education Specialist, Brook Gamble, is moving on to a new organization. Brook has been at the forefront of CalNat's evolution and has molded many of the systems we use to make our program the success it is today. As one of our lead communicators, her success was in large part because she had her finger on the...
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USGCRP Public Engagement Workshops
The US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is hosting a series of public engagement workshops in January and February as part of its Fifth National Climate Assessment “to solicit feedback on climate change-related issues that are important to the public.” Developing the USGCRP was a key component of the Global Change Research Act of 1990. With representation from 13 federal departments and agencies, the USGCRP's mission is to coordinate “a...
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Biodiversity Writ Large
A "Natural History Note" From UC California Naturalist's lead scientist, Dr. Cameron Barrows. “It is that range of biodiversity that we must care for - the whole thing - rather than just one or two stars.” – Sir David Attenborough That range of biodiversity includes the panoply of life occupying a region. Everything from charismatic species (those one or two stars), bighorn sheep, collared lizards, wolves, and mountain lions, to microscopic soil organisms. Everything...
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Gratitude
At CalNat, we are grateful for the partnerships we've formed with over 55 organizations across the state with whom we share a vision of a more sustainable and just future. This year we are particularly grateful for our new partners that represent several Indigenous cultures across California. We are honored by their choice to work with us and the wisdom they bring to our program. While our focus is forward looking and hopeful, we'd be remiss not to reflect on our complicated and...
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New Volunteer Management System, 2021 Volunteer Hour Reporting Update
We are excited to let all California Naturalists, Climate Stewards, and course partners know that we are nearing the final stages of a big transition to a new and much improved Volunteer Management System! Ever feel a little frustrated with the limitations and service disruptions in our current system? We hear you, we share your frustrations, and we think you'll really like the new system! We anticipate the Volunteer Management System will be available in mid-February 2022. We have...
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UC California Naturalist Program Honored for Outstanding Work, Showcased at National Conference
The Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach and Service Programs (ANROSP) conducted the ANROSP Annual Awards Ceremony as part of the organization's 2021 Annual National Conference. The UC California Naturalist Program was recognized with the 2021 ANROSP Outstanding Educational Materials Award for their UC Climate Stewards curriculum. This award recognizes ANROSP member programs for their development and use of educational materials including print, video, online technology, or other...
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See You Down the Trail, Sarah!
This week we say “see you down the trail” to our Sierra/Central region Community Education Specialist, Sarah Angulo. Please join us in thanking Sarah for years of hard work and devotion to CalNat! Sarah joined our team almost four years ago, and as a UC Santa Cruz Environmental Studies and Natural History Field Quarter graduate with plenty of non-profit experience, she was a home run for the position. She came with well-honed environmental education skills, excellent community...
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A refugia for wildflowers
Guest author Adina Merenlender is the founding Director of the UC California Naturalist program, and writes about the North Coast Biogregion for California Biodiversity Week 2021. California's Northern Coastline is a refugia where the local climate is relatively stable compared to rates of climate change in other parts of California. This is particularly true if we continue to experience a drier future under climate change. The resilience to immediate rapid change...
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The Biodiversity of the South Coast Bioregion
Guest author Blanca Villalobos is a certified UC Riverside Palm Desert Center California Naturalist, and writes about the South Coast Biogregion for California Biodiversity Week 2021. You can follow more of Blanca's work at www.blancasvillalobos.com or on Instagram at @blanca.s.villalobos. Tecolotlán & El Totole, nahuatl names given to the lands from which my parents were raised in: their origin meaning place of owls and turkey hen, respectively. My parents...
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The Biodiversity of the Mojave Desert Bioregion
Guest author Chloe Van Loon is a certified Grassroots Ecology California Naturalist, and writes about the Mojave Desert Biogregion for California Biodiversity Week 2021. You can follow more of Chloe's writings posted on Chloe Van Loon's Nature Blog. For most of the past year and half I have nomadically roamed around California, chasing nature's “blooms”. That meant spending the winter in Mendocino County finding fungi, and springtime in the Bay Area...
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The Biodiversity of the Great Central Valley
Guest author Siera Nystrom is a certified UC Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve California Naturalist, and writes about the Sacramento and San Joaquin Biogregions for California Biodiversity Week 2021. You can follow more of Siera's writings posted on Notes from a California Naturalist. September marks the beginning of a great awakening across California's Great Central Valley. As summer fades quietly into the warm, golden tints of autumn, long-absent...
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A Model for Engagement and Empowerment for Biodiversity Conservation
The California Biodiversity Collaborative correctly identifies “engage and empower” as one of four key strategies for biodiversity conservation. Together with “knowledge,” “protection, “and “restoration,” the state seeks to put people at the center of its strategy to protect the genes, species and ecosystems that sustain our society and economy. The emphasis on engagement and empowerment is well founded as it is one of the most...
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The Biodiversity of the San Francisco Bay & Delta Bioregion
Guest author Karan Gathani is a certified Grassroots Ecology California Naturalist, and writes about the San Francisco Bay and Delta Biogregion for California Biodiversity Week 2021. You can follow more of Karan's writings posted on California Naturalist Diaries. What things do you love about your bioregion? I live in the San Francisco Bay Area/Delta Bioregion which means there is more to life than just paying Jacksons for your Avocado Toasts and artisan brewed coffee....
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Providing Context
A "Natural History Note" From UC California Naturalist's lead scientist, Dr. Cameron Barrows, in celebration of California Biodiversity Day. “Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.” - E.F. Schumacher Asking questions about patterns in nature, or perhaps the sometimes apparent lack of patterns, can seem to lead to more...
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Detecting Climate Change Impacts
A "Natural History Note" From UC California Naturalist's lead scientist, Dr. Cameron Barrows. “Climate change is the greatest threat to our existence in our short history on this planet. Nobody's going to buy their way out of its effects.” - Mark Ruffalo The environment is changing. There is a daily cycle governed by the earth's rotation – warmer days and cooler nights. There is a seasonal cycle governed by the tilt of the earth toward the sun...
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Climate Stewardship is the Way Forward
In the new book Climate Stewardship: Taking Collective Action to Protect California (UC Press September 2021), Adina Merenlender, CalNat Founding Director shares stories from everyday people and shows how their actions enhance the resilience of communities and ecosystems across California. Her co-author Brendan Buhler helps communicate these stories in a way that is enjoyable, inspiring, and even amusing. Climate Stewardship focuses on regenerative approaches to energy, agriculture,...
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Communication Comes in Many Forms
A "Natural History Note" From UC California Naturalist's lead scientist, Dr. Cameron Barrows. “Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better” – Albert Einstein There is an inherent conflict for many animals: blend in with your surroundings so that predators will not see you, but at the same time make yourself obvious so that you can attract a mate and pass along your genes. Birds solved this problem with song. Most birds are...
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Why We Fundraise
I'm guessing most of us would much rather explore a new trail, identify a new plant, or marvel at the colors reflecting off a hummingbird's gorget than ask someone for money. We often associate asking for money with jobs and careers that many of us might have intentionally avoided. I remember a conversation with my grandfather, when I told him I enjoyed environmental education because I wasn't comfortable with the idea of sales. He reminded me that even good ideas didn't just happen;...