Host Dave Schlom looks at some interesting ways the University of California's Natural Reserves System is used for education and scientific research.
Some of the reserves are also actually partnerships with the National Parks, such as Yosemite and Santa Monica Mountains. First, we get an overview of some of the amazing reserves, representing virtually every ecosystem in the biodiverse state, with UC Natural Reserves System Executive Director Steve Monfort.
Then, Dave visits UC Merced's Professor Jessica Malisch and one of her students, Carlos Martinez, who are part of a special program called Field Curious that provides both the tools and experiences undergraduate students need to do field research.
And finally, Dave gets to vicariously revisit one of his favorite places from his youth -- UCLA's Stunt Ranch Reserve in the Santa Monica Mountains. Doctoral candidates Madeleine Zuercher and Joseph Curti join Dave to talk about some of the unique wildlife studies they are doing at the reserve, a remarkably diverse and intact natural area just miles from urban Los Angeles.
