For 50 years, the protected wildlands of the NRS have provided an unparalleled platform for environmental research, teaching, and habitat stewardship. Featuring examples of every major state ecosystem, the NRS has helped generations of students and scientists gain a stronger understanding of nature.
Today, the NRS is more essential than ever. Its 39 reserves host thousands of students ranging from schoolchildren through postdoctoral researchers each year. Its landscapes protect hundreds of rare and threatened species. Its reserves make possible discoveries central to biodiversity conservation. Its decades-long records of plant and animal occurrences, ecological responses, and climate enrich studies across academic disciplines.
To continue to protect its resources and serve the people of California, the NRS has launched its 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign. As a donor to the Natural Reserve System, you can help ensure that this library of native California landscapes will be preserved for future teachers, students, and researchers. Supporters like you have allowed us to conserve endangered wildlife, train tomorrow’s scientists, provide accommodations for reserve visitors, and restore habitats to good health. Your gift will help ensure the NRS can continue to provide immersive, nature-based education and discovery for another 50 years.