The NRS turns 50 this year, and we’ve been celebrating all year long. At events up and down the state, we’ve enticed students, professors, alumni, and the general public to get to know the world’s largest university-administered reserve system. We’ve showed off examples of reserve plants and animals, talked about reserve research, and inspired people to learn more about California’s natural heritage. These photos of NRS 50th events will give you a taste of the festivities we’ve held to date.
UC Berkeley
April 18 • The UC Berkeley NRS set up shop in Valley Life Sciences to show off woodpecker research, Sierran wildlife, watershed research, and microclimate studies using the latest in wireless sensor node technology to thousands of Cal Day visitors. Read more >>
UC Irvine
April 18 • Visitors took walking tours of San Joaquin Marsh and learned more about the reserve system from posters about the NRS, marsh management, research at UC Irvine’s three reserves, and nibbled on edible plants plucked from the reserve as part of UCI Day. Read more >>
UC Merced
April 17 • Field trips to the reserve were followed by the unveiling of the reserve’s new interpretive sign, presentations about the history of the NRS and California tiger salamander research, and talks about new reserve research projects on soils, vernal pool ecology, and more being launched by UC Merced faculty. Read more >>
UC Santa Barbara
October – November • The Gauchos held a month’s worth of celebrations commemorating the 50th anniversary of the NRS, beginning with inviting NRS Director Peggy Fiedler for a talk and interview at the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum. Professors Frank Davis and Peter Alagona spoke about their longstanding research programs at the NRS Oct. 2 at the Bren School. That weekend, Coal Oil Point Reserve hosted a workshop on nature photography using smart phones, and Carpinteria Salt Marsh invited the public to a birding and bagels outing. An art show and sale benefiting the reserve system drew attendees to the Montecito Country Club Oct. 24. A farm-to-table harvest dinner at Sedgwick Reserve featuring wine tasting and walking tours capped the festivities on November 7.
UC Santa Cruz
May 16-17 • After a hike through the campus natural reserve on Alumni Weekend, the campus inauguratated the Ken Norris Center for Natural History honoring the founder of the NRS. Read more >>
UC San Diego
May 18 • Students and other researchers gave talks and presented posters about their research at UC San Diego’s four natural reserves, encouraging a new crop of scientists to base their work at the NRS.
UC Office of the President
UC Systemwide NRS Fair
UC Davis
October 23 • A talk about the NRS’s systemwide climate change research institute was followed by brief discussions of projects ranging from teaching and outreaching to underserved groups to citizen science at reserves. The afternoon was devoted to a poster session by undergraduate and graduate students and an exhibit of photographs from across the NRS by Christopher Woodcock, a UC Davis MFA graduate. Keynote speaker and author Kim Stanley Robinson closed the day. Read more >>
Los Angeles
November 19 • A reception in Hershey Hall garnered dozens of students and faculty interested in doing research or bringing classes to the reserve system. Bruin faculty and reserve staff announced a new effort to fund undergraduate research at Stunt Ranch, and students showed off their research proposals and findings at a poster session. Read more >>