The California Naturalist Program seeks to foster a committed group of volunteer naturalists and citizen scientists trained and ready to take an active role in natural resource conservation, education, and restoration. The California Naturalist course will introduce you to the wonders of our local ecology and engage you in the stewardship of California’s natural communities. The course will combine a rigorous science curriculum with guest lecturers, field trips and project-based learning to immerse you in the natural world of the northern Sierra foothills. By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand what it means to be a naturalist
• Understand the abiotic, biotic and cultural factors that make California and the northern Sierra foothills natural history and ecology unique
• Demonstrate skills in making and recording natural history observations in a field notebook and on iNaturalist.org
• Demonstrate skills in communicating and interpreting natural resource information
• Apply knowledge of northern Sierra foothills ecosystems to local and global environmental issues.

Course Information

• 10 Lectures: Wednesdays, 6:00 – 8:30pm, March 16th – May 25th, 2022, 1 week break April 13
• 3 Half-day Field Trips: Saturdays 3/26, 4/30, 5/14 
• Tuition: $475
• Contact: Ali Stefancich-  cnssi@sierrastreams.org.
• Info: cnssi.wordpress.com, calnat.ucanr.edu.

View Full Course Syllabus

Praise for California Naturalist

“The California Naturalist Program will allow Californians to help protect and preserve our unique and diverse wildlife, habitats, river, lakes and coastal resources, wild and urban alike.” – UC California Naturalist

“I look at nature with a totally different eye.” — Steve Roddy

“I am inspired to observe and observe some more.” — Iden Bromfield