California Naturalist: Central Valley & Sierra Foothills Course
Thursday evenings: March 12 – May 28; 4 Saturday field trips
Organized by UC Merced Natural Reserve System & UC Extension
(Mariposa)
Class Syllabus (Note: Topics, instructors and class meeting dates are confirmed.
Field trips are subject to change.
About the Course and Program Goals
California Naturalist is a program developed by the University of California Cooperative
Extension to foster eco-literacy and a committed corps of volunteer naturalists and citizen
scientists trained and ready to take an active role in natural resource conservation, education,
and restoration.
Our goals are to, 1.) provide training, in collaboration with local partnering institutions, for
adult environmental stewards through an adaptable outdoor and in-class curriculum that can
be easily applied in a variety of settings, and 2.) engage adults in interactive learning that
provides them with scientific literacy and critical thinking skills, a science curriculum, hands-on
learning, communication training, and community service.
To learn more about the California Naturalist course, please go to, http://calnat.ucanr.edu/.
Course registration fee: $350.
Course Instructor: Chris Swarth (cswarth@ucmerced.edu)
Location: UC Merced; Classroom Office Building (COB 272)
Evening presentations on Thursday evenings: 5:30 to 8:00 pm
Guest Lecturers
Dr. Jessica Blois, UC Merced
Pete Devine, Yosemite Conservancy
Dr. Becca Fenwick, UC Merced
Dr. Andrea Joyce, UC Merced
Monique Kostler, UC Merced
Dr. Fadzayhi Mashiri, UC Extension, Mariposa
Kestrel O’Hearn, Merced Public Schools
Dr. Josh Viers, UC Merced
This 10-week course will provide participants with exposure to many aspects of Central
Valley and Sierra Foothill ecology, natural history and environmental science. The course
consists of lectures, presentations, in-class activities, demonstrations, and field trips. We plan
to have lively discussions and relevant hands-on activities. Evening lectures are presented by
UC Merced faculty and other professionals. Field trips will take place to representative areas
in the Valley and the foothills where concepts learned in class and in the textbook will be
reinforced by direct observation. For participants to receive a California Naturalist Certificate
they will need to attend all the evening presentations and all Saturday field trips.
Readings from the course textbook, The California Naturalist Handbook, by Greg de Nevers,
Deborah Stanger Edelman and Adina Merenlender, will be assigned. There will also be several
homework assignments and each student is expected to do a capstone project.
Attendance
One excused absence is allowable with the understanding that this absence will be made up in
an approved manner. Please note that, while we understand that unexpected demands
sometimes arise, it is difficult to substitute a make up activity for the depth of information and
experience gained in the scheduled session or field trip. Therefore we ask that you make a
commitment to attend all sessions when you enroll in the course.
Capstone Project
Certification requires that each participant plan and complete a Capstone Project. We will
provide examples and guidance in developing your project. No previous experience is
required. Participants may work individually or in teams to design and implement their
Capstone Project. During the final evenings of the course, students give a 5-15 minute oral
presentation describing their Capstone Project. This could be an interpreter-style
presentation similar to one given while leading a hike or a field service project, or it could be a
formal presentation, similar to delivery at a public gathering. A short list of presentation
sources must be provided to the course coordinator. You must submit the topic of your
presentation by Week 5 for approval.
Volunteer Service
After completing the California Naturalist training program, participants are expected and
encouraged to complete 25 hours of volunteer service relating to California’s natural history
and conservation(stewardship, education/interpretation, citizen science or program support).
Hours spent planning, developing and completing the Capstone Project count toward this 25hour requirement. We provide information on local opportunities and students are
encouraged to participate in and conduct activities with agencies and organizations in their
own communities.
Naturalist Field Notebook
Naturalists will document their field observations with notes and sketches in a field notebook.
Keeping a field notebook is a course requirement. A detailed field notebook and a field journal
are the best way to keep a permanent record of you observations for future reflection and for
fostering continued learning and development as an experienced naturalist. Participants will
also learn how to use a smart phone or computer to record observations in an online field
data collection and social networking tool called iNaturalist.
Registration and Fees
The course registration fee is $350. Class size is limited to 25 participants. Fees include course
instruction and field sessions, course textbook: The California Naturalist Handbook,
graduation certificate, California Naturalist registration, website support and lapel pin.
Students need to provide their own field notebook and nature journal. You may wish to
purchase your nature journal after we discuss journaling in class.
On-line registration can be accessed at http://cemariposa.ucanr.edu/. For questions about
registration, please contact UC Extension Mariposa Office Director Dr. Fadzyi Mashiri at
Fmashiri@ucanr.edu.
For an additional fee, Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) are available through UC Davis
Extension to teachers and undergraduate students who successfully complete the course. If
you desire CEUs, please speak to the course coordinator.
Student Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Relate knowledge of natural history by becoming a naturalist and a Central Valley and
Sierra foothills environmental steward.
2. Integrate knowledge about the interconnectedness of abiotic and biotic factors (including
humans) and their influence on the natural history of the Central Valley and Sierra Foothills.
3. Demonstrate skills in making natural history observations and recording observations in a
field notebook.
4. Apply knowledge of the Central Valley and Sierra foothill ecosystem to local, regional and
global environmental issues.
5. Understand and communicate the role of citizen science in informing local and regional
natural resources management and decision making processes.
Course Topics and Guest Lecturers
Day One (March 12)
Welcome by course organizers Chris Swarth and Fadzayi Mashiri, PhD.
Topics: An overview of the course structure and subjects, textbook and readings, field
trips, and course requirements. We’ll provide an introduction and overview of California
ecosystems, a brief history of natural history and naturalists, scientific classification and
the Linnaeus system.
Lecturers: Chris Swarth, UC Merced and Dr. Jessica Blois, UC Merced.
Reading: Chapter 1, California Natural History and the Role of Naturalists
Day Two (March 19)
Interpretation and Nature journaling.
Topics: Basic principles of nature interpretation, learning preferences, citizen science,
communication techniques, how to keep a field notebook and nature journal.
Lecturers: Karyn "Kestrel" O'Hearn, Merced Public Schools, and Chris Swarth, UC Merced
Reading: Chapter 8, Interpretation, Collaboration, and Citizen Science ; and handouts
Day Three (April 2 - tentative)
Geology and soils of the foothills and Central Valley
Topics: Geology, soils and climate of California and the local region, how geological history
has created our current landscape, and nutrient cycles and soils.
Lecturer: Dr. Becca Fenwick, UC Merced
Reading: Chapter 2, Geology, Climate, and Soils; and handouts
Day Four (April 9)
Water and aquatic ecosystems; Description of Capstone Project
Topics: Water resources, the hydrological cycle, watershed concepts, social and ecological
functions of water, water management, and water in California.
Lecturer: Dr. Josh Viers, UC Merced
Reading: Chapter 3, Water; and handouts
Day Five (April 16)
Rangeland Ecology
Topics: Ecological and economic value of forests and rangelands, forest structure, the role
of fire in California’s forests and grasslands, value of forests to society, common trees of
the Sierra foothills and Central Valley.
Lecturer: Fadzayi Mashiri, UC Extension
Reading: Chapter 5, Forest, Woodland, and Range Resources and Management; and
handouts
Day Six (April 23)
Plants
Topics: Parts of a plant, how plants function, reproduce and adapt to their environment,
characters used for plant identification, non-native vs native plants, and human and
natural impacts to vegetative communities.
Lecturer: Mo Kostler, UC Merced
Reading: Chapter 4, Plants; and handouts
Day Seven (April 30)
Invertebrates and insects
Topics: Characteristics of invertebrates and insects, role of insects in the environment,
evolutionary relations and adaptations; life cycles, economic role of insects in the Central
Valley.
Lecturer: Dr. Andrea Joyce, UC Merced
Reading: Chapter 6, Animals; and handouts
Day Eight (May 7)
Birds
Topics: Characteristics and identification of birds, role of birds in the environment,
evolutionary relations and adaptations, life cycles, migration and habitat use, economic
role of birds in the Central Valley and Sierra foothills.
Lecturer: Pete Devine, Yosemite Conservancy
Reading: Chapter 6, Animals; and handouts
Day Nine (May 16)
Climate Change and Vernal Pools
Topics: Sources of energy, how plants and animals use energy, natural resources, global
climate change, vernal pool ecology and the impacts of climate change on this environment
Lecturer: Chris Swarth, UC Merced
Reading: Chapter 7, Energy and Global Environmental Issues; and handouts
Day Ten (May 23)
Student presentations on their capstone projects
Lecturers: Chris Swarth & Fadzayi Mashiri
Half-day field trips (9:00 am to 1:00 pm)
1. Water, irrigation and water transport in California: April 4. Merced Irrigation
District canals, Merced River, McClure Reservoir
2. Wildflowers, plants and native fish: April 11. Hites Cove; South Fork of the Merced
River
3. Birds, migration, habitat: March 21. Central Valley bird refuges and Vernal Pools
Reserve
4. Oak-grassland ecosystem: (Date TBA) Sierra Foothills Conservancy, Mariposa