UCNRS

University of California Natural Reserve System

Main Content

The nature of UC

Ways to give

Reserve Operations and COVID-19

During the unprecedented public health crisis posed by the spread of COVID-19, the UC Natural Reserve System supports the cancellation of any reservation to protect the health and safety of visitors and staff. Reserve visitation remains the authority of respective campus NRS and reserve staff. Reserves are empowered to make the determination to cancel reservations as needed on a case-by-case basis. COVID-19 Information for UC employees provides guidance for all University of California operations. We consider the well being of our community to be paramount, and enjoin all staff and visitors to continue our exemplary 55-year record of service and safety.

About us

The UC Natural Reserve System is a library of ecosystems throughout California. Most of the state's major habitat types are represented, from coastal tidepools to inland deserts, and lush wetlands to redwood forests. No other network of field sites can match its size, scope, and ecological diversity. The NRS offers outdoor laboratories to field scientists, classrooms without walls for students, and nature’s inspiration to all.

By the numbers

What we do

Research

Research

Scientists from around the world conduct field research in the protected landscapes of the Natural Reserve System on topics ranging from climate change to endangered species to habitat restoration.

Teaching

Teaching

Visiting a reserve brings textbook lessons about the natural world to life. Students and teachers flock to reserves from the University of California and institutions around the globe.

Public Services

Public Service

From hosting school field trips, to organizing scientific lecture series, to welcoming the public for weekend classes, NRS reserves benefit California communities.

News and Highlights

Art Riggs, diabetes researcher and Granite Mountains supporter, remembered

By Sarah Nightingale, UC Riverside UC Riverside alumnus and friend Arthur D. (Art) Riggs, a pioneering researcher and expert in diabetes who helped launch the biotechnology industry, died March 23, 2022. He was 82. A world-renowned geneticist at City of Hope in Duarte, Calif., for 53 years, Riggs’ discoveries have impacted the lives of diabetes, […]

SHIFT campaign links plant biodiversity and health with NASA’s remote sensing technology

By Kathleen Wong, UC Natural Reserve System NASA is ground-truthing data generated by its next-generation earth imaging technology with a major research campaign hosted at three Central California NRS reserves. The SHIFT (Surface Biology and Geology High Frequency Time Series) project marries high-definition remote sensing efforts with actual samples of land plants, plankton, and kelp […]

NRS establishes research compact with Chilean university reserves

By Kathleen Wong, UC Natural Reserve System The UC Natural Reserve System is expanding its international connections by establishing an agreement with the regional centers and field stations (RCER) of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC Chile). The agreement, the first between the NRS and another system of field stations, paves the way for exchange […]

Plan your visit to the NRS

Access to NRS reserves is by permission only. Reserves are available for teaching, research, and public service, but not general recreation.

Apply to visit via our Reserve
Application Management System

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