January 11, 2019 – The early bird registration for the 2019 California Naturalist Course at Sierra Streams Institute is now OPEN! Sierra Streams Institute is partnering with the University of California once again to host its 6th year teaching the certificated California Naturalist course! The course has a broad focus on the natural history of California highlighted by local experts steeped in Sierra Foothills natural history lore. To view the flyer click on this LINK and sign up HERE.
The course includes 10 presentation nights on Wednesdays from March 6 – May 15 and includes 3 Saturday field trips. There will be no class held April 17th for spring break. Classes will be held at the meeting hall on the Woolman Outdoor School Campus, a 15 minute drive from Nevada City and Grass Valley.
Lectures and field trips led by Sierra Streams Institute staff and local guest speakers will give participants the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to engage with environmental science content. The course also provides excellent opportunities to volunteer for and be a part of a wide array of environmental non-profit organizations including SYRCL, The Sierra Fund, Bear Yuba Land Trust, Wolf Creek Community Alliance and more. Classes will focus on local geology, hydrology, forest ecology, and wildlife ecology as well as make connections to global environmental issues. Students will participate in field trips where they will gain field methods experience in phenology studies, birding, wildlife survey techniques, and forest management.
Sierra Streams is excited to be hosting our course on the Woolman Outdoor School campus, the home of Sierra Streams offices. The site contains over 230 acres of mixed conifer, meadows and oak woodlands. Most classes will begin in the field hiking to locations that highlight the subject matter for the evening.
Joanne Hild, Sierra Streams Institute Executive Director explains the program as, “An amazing opportunity to create more citizen scientists. All local watersheds will benefit from this infusion of new and enthusiastic environmental stewards.
Comments about the course from past participants include: “Your program is growing and bringing an enthusiastic group of citizen scientists into the daylight – My interests in nature study and action were reignited through this experience.”
The course also includes a capstone project which giving participants a project to practice the art of being a naturalist. Participants choose a topic of interest to explore in depth guided by the expertise of SSI scientists, or experts at other local scientific environmental organizations.
California Naturalist is a program developed by the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources to foster a committed group of volunteer naturalists and citizen scientists trained and ready to take an active role in natural resource stewardship.
Students who register by February 1st can get the early registration tuition of $425. Thereafter, tuition is $475. Space in the course is limited and often fills up quickly so don’t delay if you have made the decision to sign up.
To find out more visit: www.cnssi.wordpress.com. or contact Sol Henson at cnssi@sierrastreams.org – 530 477-7132 ext. 207. To sign up, please fill out the Registration form.