NRS reserves provide a resources and tools that can help with your research. Each year, thousands of scientists from around the world conduct field research in the protected landscapes of the Natural Reserve System. The NRS draws investigators for many reasons. This network of natural landscapes represents a living library of California's diverse ecosystems. Reserve lands are protected for the long term, enabling researchers to conduct experiments without fear of the land or their equipment being disturbed. Data archives enable scientists to build on decades of previous research. Overnight accommodations, laboratories, reference collections, Internet access, and other amenities make fieldwork more comfortable and productive.
Biblographic Database
Books, papers, and other publications about the NRS or based on research conducted at reserves. All UCNRS reserves use the Zotero tool to store and provide bibliographic research publications about research done on NRS reserves. Some listings provide the pdf of the published document. Please include the DOI number of your proposed entry when available.
Reserve Digital Object Identifiers
We encourage you to add the DOI number of the appropriate reserve(s) to any publications resulting from your work within the reserve system.
Reserve Research
Find descriptions of current and former research projects by searching the NRS’s Reserve Application Management System (RAMS), which tracks reserve use.
Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity
KNB is an international repository intended to facilitate ecological and environmental research. Housing metadata gathered from studies conducted at field stations, laboratories, research sites, and individual researchers, KNB serves as the NRS's data registry.
Species Lists
The NRS and individual reserves maintain lists of plant, vertebrate, and arthropod species that have been collected or observed within reserve boundaries or have ranges that overlap the boundaries of the reserves.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Geographic and other mapping information about NRS reserves, including vegetation, soil, and other data layers. Reserve boundary layers exist as ArcInfo shape files and Google Earth KMZ files.
Historic and Current Climate Data
Weather station environmental data collected from NRS weather stations can be downloaded from each reserve.
Data Management Tools
Open access policies are being adopted by a growing number of funders, including the National Science Foundation. Such policies require grant recipients to develop data management and dissemination plans, and provide access to metadata, datasets, and publications. These data management tools can help ensure that your data, research plans, specimen collections, and publications comply with this policy.
NRS Historical Archive Project
The University of California Natural Reserve System History & Archive Project seeks to inventory, preserve, and promote the use of documents and other materials that relate to the history of the NRS and the sites it encompasses throughout California.
Cabinet of Curiosity
Exploring the data of natural history. Aims to explore, collect, and visualize the vast amount of data describing our natural world.