Los Angeles Co. Arboretum

Course Description

Located in an urban area perched on the edge of the Angeles National Forest, the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden offers California Naturalist certification in its course “Natural History on the Edge: The Wildland / Urban Interface.” 

Sage scrub, chaparral, oak woodlands, coniferous forest, wetlands and more all lie within a few miles of the Arboretum campus; the botanical garden provides an additional outdoor laboratory for observing the interaction of native and non-native species. Course participants will have the opportunity to explore nearby wildlands and the resulting ecotone from wild to urban, learn specifics of local ecosystems, and develop their skill as a naturalist and interpretive guide for others. 

The course will be a hybrid of self-paced outdoor explorations, live online workshop-style class sessions, and fully social-distanced outdoor guided field trips. Instructors will include expert guest lecturers from across the state and in the greater SGV region, and is convened by an experienced distance-learning certified Cal Naturalist. Although open to all, the emphasis on naturalist-as-interpretive-guide makes the course ideal for teachers and botanical garden volunteers alike. 

Dates: TBA

Contact: Roger Gray, CalNatSGV@gmail.com 

Organization Description: The Arboretum seeks to cultivate our natural, horticultural and historic resources for learning, enjoyment and inspiration of all.  We strive to reflect Southern California’s distinct climate, community, and openness to new ideas. The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden is a unique 127-acre botanical garden and historical site that includes Native American, Rancho Period, and late 19th century treasures.