California Naturalist Certification Course San Joaquin...
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UC Merced Natural Reserve System, Merced County UC Cooperative Extension, and the Upper Merced River Watershed Council California Naturalist Certification Course San Joaquin Valley & Central Sierra Nevada Foothills Spring 2016 SYLLABUS AND INFORMATION Course Instructors: Monique Kolster, Course Coordinator, Botanist, and UC Merced and Merced College Lecturer ([email protected]) Karyn “Kestrel” O’Hearn, Yosemite Ranger Naturalist and Merced City School District Science Teacher Chris Swarth, Ecologist and Director of the UC Merced Vernal Pool & Grassland Reserve Meeting Days and Times: February 11 – April 21, 2016 • 10 Thursday evening classes (5:30-8:00pm), except March 24 (UC Merced’s Spring Holiday) • 4 Saturday field trips (9am-1pm): February 27, March 5, April 9, and April 16 Location: UC Merced, Classroom Office Building (COB 276) Course Description: Welcome to the California Naturalist Training! The California Naturalist Program seeks to foster a committed corps of volunteer naturalists and citizen scientists trained and ready to take an active role in local natural resource conservation, restoration, and environmental education. This ten-week California Naturalist training course will introduce you to the wonders of our local ecology and engage you in the stewardship of California’s natural communities. The course will combine a science curriculum with guest presenters, discussions, hands-on activities, field trips, and project- based learning to immerse you in the natural world of the San Joaquin Valley and central Sierra Nevada foothills. Participants earn the University of California’s California Naturalist certificate for attending lectures, field trips, taking field notes, and completing a Capstone
Transcript of California Naturalist Certification Course San Joaquin...
UCMercedNaturalReserveSystem,MercedCountyUCCooperativeExtension,andtheUpperMercedRiverWatershedCouncil
CaliforniaNaturalistCertificationCourse
SanJoaquinValley&CentralSierraNevadaFoothillsSpring2016
SYLLABUSANDINFORMATION
CourseInstructors:
MoniqueKolster,CourseCoordinator,Botanist,andUCMercedandMercedCollege Lecturer([email protected])Karyn“Kestrel”O’Hearn,YosemiteRangerNaturalistandMercedCitySchoolDistrict ScienceTeacherChrisSwarth,EcologistandDirectoroftheUCMercedVernalPool&GrasslandReserve
MeetingDaysandTimes:February11–April21,2016
• 10Thursdayeveningclasses(5:30-8:00pm),exceptMarch24(UCMerced’sSpringHoliday)
• 4Saturdayfieldtrips(9am-1pm):February27,March5,April9,andApril16Location:UCMerced,ClassroomOfficeBuilding(COB276)CourseDescription:WelcometotheCaliforniaNaturalistTraining!TheCaliforniaNaturalistProgramseekstofosteracommittedcorpsofvolunteernaturalistsandcitizenscientiststrainedandreadytotakeanactiveroleinlocalnaturalresourceconservation,restoration,andenvironmentaleducation.Thisten-weekCaliforniaNaturalisttrainingcoursewillintroduceyoutothewondersofourlocalecologyandengageyouinthestewardshipofCalifornia’snaturalcommunities.Thecoursewillcombineasciencecurriculumwithguestpresenters,discussions,hands-onactivities,fieldtrips,andproject-basedlearningtoimmerseyouinthenaturalworldoftheSanJoaquinValleyandcentralSierraNevadafoothills.ParticipantsearntheUniversityofCalifornia’sCaliforniaNaturalistcertificateforattendinglectures,fieldtrips,takingfieldnotes,andcompletingaCapstone
Project.Uponcompletingcertificationrequirements,participantsalsoareeligibleforfouracademiccreditsthroughUCDavisExtensionforanadditionalnominalfee.StudentLearningOutcomes:Bytheendofthiscourse,participantswillbeableto:
1) RelateknowledgeofnaturalhistorybybecominganaturalistandaSanJoaquinValleyandcentralSierraNevadafoothillsenvironmentalsteward.
2) Integrateknowledgeabouttheinterconnectednessofabiotic,biotic,andculturalfactorsandtheirinfluenceonthenaturalhistoryoftheCentralValleyandSierrafoothills.
3) DemonstrateskillsinmakingandrecordingnaturalhistoryobservationsinafieldnotebookandoniNaturalist.org
4) Demonstrateskillsincommunicatingandinterpretingnaturalresourceinformation5) ApplyknowledgeoftheCentralValleyandtheSierrafoothillsecosystemstolocaland
globalenvironmentalissues.6) Understandandcommunicatetheroleofcitizenscienceininforminglocalandregional
naturalresourcesmanagementanddecision-makingprocesses.TolearnmoreabouttheCaliforniaNaturalistcourse,pleasegoto,http://calnat.ucanr.edu/.ComponentsoftheCourse:WeeklyClassesThursdayeveningclasseswillprovideparticipantswithexposuretomanyaspectsofSanJoaquinValleyandSierraFoothillecology,naturalhistoryandenvironmentalscience.Classesconsistoflectures,presentations,in-classactivities,anddemonstrations.Weplantohavelivelydiscussionsandrelevanthands-onactivities,soreadingallassignedmaterialsbeforeeachclassishighlyencouraged.UCMercedfacultyandotherregionalexpertspresenteveninglectures.FieldTripsSaturdayfieldtripswilltakeplaceinrepresentativeareasinthevalleyandthefoothillswhereconceptslearnedinclassandinthetextbookwillbereinforcedbydirectobservation.Wewillmeetatthedifferentspecifiedlocations(seebelowfordatesandlocations).Directionswillbegivenbeforethefieldtrip.Carpoolingisverymuchencouraged.Participantsmaynotbringguestsorchildrenonanyfieldtrip.GraduationDayGraduationdaywillbeapizzapartyonthelastdayofclass(Thursday,April21),followingyourCapstoneProjectpresentations.AttendanceOneexcusedabsenceisallowablewiththeunderstandingthatthisabsencewillbemadeupinanapprovedmanner.Pleasenotethat,whileweunderstandthatunexpecteddemandssometimesarise,itisdifficulttosubstituteamake-upactivityforthedepthofinformationandexperiencegainedinthescheduledsessionorfieldtrip.Thereforeweaskthatyoumakeacommitmenttoattendallsessionswhenyouenrollinthecourse.
Readings&HomeworkReadingisassignedforeachclassmeeting(checktheclassschedulebelow),basedonthetopictobecoveredthatday.Participantsareexpectedtoreadthechaptersassignedforthatdaybeforetheclassmeetingtimes,sothatmaterialsaremorerelevantastheyarepresented.Therewillbehomeworkassignmentstoreinforcematerialsinclass.NaturalistFieldNotebookNaturalistswilldocumenttheirfieldobservationswithnotesandsketchesinafieldnotebook.Keepingafieldnotebookisacourserequirement.Adetailedfieldnotebookandafieldjournalarethebestwaytokeepapermanentrecordofyourobservationsforfuturereflectionandforfosteringcontinuedlearninganddevelopmentasanexperiencednaturalist.iNaturalistOverthecourseoftheclass,eachparticipantwillberesponsibleforregisteringforaniNaturalistaccount(www.inaturalist.org/)andaddingatleast3observationstotheestablishedVernalPoolandGrasslandReserveCaliforniaNaturalistproject.WewillgoovertheiNaturalistwebtoollaterinthecourse.CapstoneProjectCertificationrequiresthateachparticipantplanandcompleteaCapstoneProject.TheCapstoneprojectprovidesanopportunityforparticipantstointegratethein-classmaterialwithanappliedworkprojectthatisdoneinconjunctionwithanaturalresourceagencyororganization.Wewillprovideexamplesandguidanceindevelopingyourproject.Participantsmayworkindividuallyorinteamstodesignandimplementtheirproject.Duringthefinaleveningsofthecourse,studentsgivea5-15minuteoralpresentationdescribingtheirCapstoneProject.Thiscouldbeaninterpreter-stylepresentationsimilartoonegivenwhileleadingahikeorafieldserviceproject,oritcouldbeaformalpresentation,similartodeliveryatapublicgathering.Ashortlistofpresentationsourcesmustbeprovidedtothecoursecoordinator.YoumustsubmitthetopicofyourpresentationbyWeek5forapproval.VolunteerService&theVolunteerManagementSystem(VMS)AftercompletingtheCaliforniaNaturalisttrainingprogram,participantsareexpectedandencouragedtocomplete40hoursofvolunteerservicerelatingtoCalifornia’snaturalhistoryandconservation.Eachactivityshouldfitunderoneofthesecategories:stewardship,education/interpretation,citizenscienceorprogramsupport.Hoursspentplanning,developingandcompletingtheCapstoneProjectcounttowardthis40-hourrequirement.Wewillprovideinformationonlocalopportunities,andstudentsareencouragedtoparticipateinandconductactivitieswithagenciesandorganizationsintheirowncommunities.Participantswillbeprovidedanon-lineaccounttotracktheirvolunteerhours,includinghoursspentontheirCapstoneproject.TrackingvolunteerhoursisanessentialwaytoproveneedandimpactofaprogramliketheCaliforniaNaturalistProgram.ACertifiedCaliforniaNaturalistwillhavedonethefollowing:
• Attendedallclasssessionsandfielddays• Completedacapstoneprojectapprovedbytheinstructor• LoggedatleastthreeobservationsiniNaturalist• Readtheentirebook“TheCaliforniaNaturalistHandbook”andcompletedassigned
homework
• Createdafieldnotebookwithentriesfromallfielddaysandmore• Goneoutsideandobservednature• CompletedPost-Evaluationsurveys• Seriouslyconsideredandhopefullycommittedtovolunteeringatleast40hoursayear
inenvironmentalstewardship,education,orcitizenscienceandrecordedhoursinthevolunteermanagementsystem
RegistrationandFees:Thecourseregistrationfeeis$350.Classsizeislimitedto25participants.Feesincludecourseinstructionandfieldsessions,coursetextbooks,graduationcertificate,CaliforniaNaturalistregistration,websitesupport,andlapelpin.Studentsneedtoprovidetheirownfieldnotebookandnaturejournal.Youmaywishtopurchaseyournaturejournalafterwediscussjournalinginclass.On-lineregistrationcanbeaccessedathttp://cemerced.ucanr.edu.Forquestionsaboutregistration,pleasecontactCathyMarksattheUCCooperativeExtensionMercedOffice(209-385-7403).Foranadditionalfee,fourundergraduateacademiccreditsareavailablethroughUCDavisExtensionforparticipantswhosuccessfullycompletethecourse.Ifyoudesireacademiccredits,pleasespeaktothecoursecoordinator.Scholarships:Alimitednumberofneed-basedscholarshipsareavailabletocover50%oftheregistrationcost.ScholarshipapplicationsmustbereceivedbyWednesday,January20,2016.Follow-upinterviewsmayberequired.ApplicantswillbenotifiedoftheirscholarshipstatusbyJanuary25,2015.Ifyouareinterestedinascholarship,pleasefilloutthescholarshipform(http://cemerced.ucanr.edu)andsubmititwithyourregistrationform.Formoreinformation,pleasecontactMoniqueKolster([email protected]).RequiredItems(Bothtextbooksprovidedatnoextracosttostudents):
• TheCaliforniaNaturalistHandbook,byGregdeNevers,DeborahStangerEdelmanandAdinaMerenlender
• SecretsoftheOakWoodlands:PlantsandAnimalsAmongCalifornia’sOaks,byKateMarianchild.
• Anemailaccount• Afieldnotebookfornatureobservationsanddrawings• Pencils
Suggested,ButNotRequiredItems:
• Binoculars• Handlens(10x)
TENTATIVECLASSSCHEDULE
WeeklyClasses:CourseTopicsandGuestLecturers
DayOne(February11)WelcomebycourseorganizersChrisSwarth,MoniqueKolster,andKestrelO’HearnTopics:Anoverviewofthecoursestructureandsubjects,textbookandreadings,fieldtrips,andcourserequirements.We’llprovideanintroductionandoverviewofCaliforniaecosystems,abriefhistoryofnaturalhistoryandnaturalists,scientificclassificationandtheLinnaeussystem.Lecturer:Dr.JessicaBlois,AssistantProfessor,UCMercedReading: Chapter1-CaliforniaNaturalHistoryandtheRoleofNaturalistsDayTwo(February18)InterpretationandNatureJournaling.Topics:Basicprinciplesofnatureinterpretation,learningpreferences,citizenscience,communicationtechniques,howtokeepafieldnotebookandnaturejournal.Lecturers:Karyn“Kestrel”O’Hearn,YosemiteRangerNaturalist,andChrisSwarth,UC MercedReading:Chapter8-Interpretation,Collaboration,andCitizenScienceandhandoutsDayThree(February25)SoilsoftheFoothillsandCentralValleyTopics:Geology,soilsandclimateofCaliforniaandthelocalregion,howgeologicalhistoryhascreatedourcurrentlandscape,andnutrientcyclesandsoils.Lecturer:ScottStoddard,Director,UCCooperativeExtension,MercedReading:Chapter2-Geology,Climate,andSoilsandhandoutsDayFour(March3)WaterandAquaticEcosystems;DescriptionofCapstoneProjectTopics:Waterresources,thehydrologicalcycle,watershedconcepts,socialandecologicalfunctionsofwater,watermanagement,andwaterinCalifornia.Lecturer:ArmandoQuintero,ExecutiveDirectoroftheSierraNevadaResearchInstitute atUCMercedReading:Chapter3-WaterandhandoutsDayFive(March10)RangelandEcologyTopics:Ecologicalandeconomicvalueofforestsandrangelands,foreststructure,theroleoffireinCalifornia’sforestsandgrasslands,valueofforeststosociety,commontreesoftheSierrafoothillsandCentralValley.Lecturer:FadzayiMashiri,CountyDirectorandtheLivestock&NaturalResourcesFarm Advisor,UCCooperativeExtension,MariposaReading:Chapter5-Forest,Woodland,andRangeResourcesandManagementandhandouts
DaySix(March17)ClimateChangeandVernalPoolsTopics:Sourcesofenergy,howplantsandanimalsuseenergy,naturalresources,globalclimatechange,vernalpoolecologyandtheimpactsofclimatechangeonthisenvironmentLecturer:Dr.TapanPathak,AssistantResearchProfessorandCooperativeExtension SpecialistinClimateAdaptation,SierraNevadaResearchInstitute,UCMercedReading:Chapter7-EnergyandGlobalEnvironmentalIssuesandhandoutsMarch24:SPRINGBREAK(NoClass)DaySeven(March31)PlantsTopics:Partsofaplant,howplantsfunction,reproduceandadapttotheirenvironment,charactersusedforplantidentification,non-nativevsnativeplants,andhumanandnaturalimpactstovegetativecommunities.Lecturer:MoniqueKolster,UCMercedReading:Chapter4-PlantsandhandoutsDayEight(April7)BirdsTopics:Characteristicsandidentificationofbirds,roleofbirdsintheenvironment,evolutionaryrelationsandadaptations,lifecycles,migrationandhabitatuse,economicroleofbirdsintheCentralValleyandSierrafoothills.Lecturer:ChrisSwarth,UCMercedReading:Chapter 6- AnimalsandhandoutsDayNine(April14)InvertebratesandinsectsTopics:Characteristicsofinvertebratesandinsects,roleofinsectsintheenvironment,evolutionaryrelationsandadaptations;lifecycles,economicroleofinsectsintheCentralValley.Lecturer:AriciaMartinez,WildernessEducationCenter,UCMercedReading:Chapter 6- AnimalsandhandoutsDayTen(April21)GraduationandStudentPresentationsofCapstoneProjects
SaturdayFieldTrips:9:00amto1:00pm
Water,Irrigation,andWaterTransportinCalifornia(February27):MercedIrrigationDistrictcanals,MercedRiver,McClureReservoirInstructor:TBABirds,Migration,&HabitatUse(March5):MercedNationalWildlifeRefugeandUCMercedVernalPoolsandGrasslandReserveInstructors:ChrisSwarth,KestrelO’Hearn,andMoniqueKolsterWildflowersandPlantEcology(April9):StripedRockRanch,Mariposa
Instructor:WendyFisher,SeniorProjectManager,SeniorBiologist(Plant/Wetland Ecologist),andCertifiedArboristwithLiveOakAssociates,Inc.andWildflowerDocent withSierraFoothillConservancyOak-GrasslandEcosystem(April16):ThreeBarRanch,RaymondInstructor:FadzayiMashiri,CountyDirectorandtheLivestock&NaturalResourcesFarm Advisor,UCCooperativeExtension,Mariposa
