By Tim Stephens, UC Santa Cruz The California red-legged frog is a threatened species that has been found on the NRS’s Younger Lagoon Reserve in Santa Cruz, but has not been known to breed there successfully. That may soon change with the construction of a small pond designed to enhance an existing seasonal wetland and […]
Blog Post
Fire and the foothills: reducing wildfire threats while boosting biodiversity
By Kathleen Wong, UC Natural Reserve System The foothills of California are familiar to anyone who has ventured into county parks to hike: iconic oak savannas, chaparral-covered hillslopes, and grasslands. They encircle the Central Valley like a bathtub ring, and include much of the Coast and Transverse ranges. Ranging from a few hundred to a […]
Reconnecting the people, plants and animals of Kendall-Frost Marsh
By Michelle Franklin, UC San Diego Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Marsh Reserve has received an $85,000 grant from Honda to create an integrated research and public engagement program centered on bringing Native American perspectives and cutting-edge science into the management and access decisions needed to ensure the marsh’s survival as a community asset. Part of the […]
Not your average school day in Mammoth Lakes
From UC Santa Barbara Mammoth Lakes is a resort town in Mono County in the Eastern Sierra just south of Yosemite. While its population swells during tourist season, just over 8,000 residents live in the remote area year-round. For 2,000 elementary school children each year, UC Santa Barbara’s Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserves’ (VESR) Outdoor Science […]
Stream insects show it’s possible to clean up mining pollution in rivers
By Harrison Tasoff, UC Santa Barbara Mining involves moving a lot of rock, so some mess is expected. However, mining operations can continue to affect ecosystems long after activity has ended. Heavy metals and corrosive substances leach into the environment, preventing wildlife and vegetation from returning to the area. Fortunately, this damage can be reversed. […]
Bacteria can double protein released from pollen
By Kathy Keatley Garvey, UC Davis Certain species of floral bacteria can enhance pollen germination, according to a study published today from the University of California, Davis, in the journal Current Biology. “This is the first paper documenting stimulation of pollen germination by non-plants,” said first author Shawn Christensen, a doctoral candidate in associate professor Rachel Vannette’s laboratory in the […]
Remembering Alexander Glazer, former director of the UC Natural Reserve System
By Kathleen Wong, UC Natural Reserve System Alexander Glazer, an award-winning molecular biologist whose concern for the environment led him to serve as director of the University of California Natural Reserve System, has died at 86. His daughter Judy confirmed his death on July 18, in his Orinda home. Glazer was an unlikely candidate to […]
New manager for Sagehen Creek Field Station
An ecologist who conducted dissertation research at the NRS’s Sagehen Creek Field Station is returning as the station manager of the reserve. Ash Zemenick will begin work at the reserve starting July 1, 2021. “I’m excited to return to Sagehen to foster supportive and inclusive community that enables the reserve’s research, education, outreach and art […]