Save the Date: Spring Research Symposium

Natural Reserve System Research Symposium

Mark your calendar now for our first annual Natural Reserve System Research Symposium on Tuesday, May 20th from 5 - 7 p.m. at the Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve Field Station and Community Learning Center. Come meet the students and researchers who conduct research at the four UC San Diego Natural Reserves.

Marsh Madness

A flyer showing a group of researchers in the marsh collecting a water sample

Community Science Opportunity

Even though UC San Diego Men's Basketball is out of March Madness, you can still enjoy a march through the marsh to find mosquitos in March. UC San Diego Biology Assistant Professor Dr. Noah Rose's lab is hosting a community event on Thursday, March 27th to collect and examine mosquitos at Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve.

Learn more and sign up here

Wonders of the Wetlands April 17th

Flyer for Wonders of the Wetlands event showing people walking in the marsh

Join us for a presentation on Kumeyaay ethnobotanical knowledge

On Thursday, April 17th at 7 pm, Ali Linton will share a special presentation on Delfina Cuero, a Kumeyaay woman born in 1900 who recorded some of the earliest observations of salt marsh plants in Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve.

Register here for more information on this lecture series hosted by UC San Diego Natural Reserve System and San Diego Bird Alliance.

City Nature Challenge

Document Biodiversity at Elliott Chaparral Reserve

The City Nature Challenge is a global competition to see which city can document the most biodiversity on iNaturalist from April 25 – April 28th. The San Diego Natural History Museum and the UC San Diego Natural Reserve System are co-hosting a bioblitz at Elliott Chaparral Reserve on Saturday April 26th from 2 - 4 pm. This is a rare chance for the general public to access this reserve, and will provide a valuable inventory of biodiversity.

Reserve your spot here, join another one of the 15 (and counting) organized trips across San Diego County, or create a free iNaturalist account and start recording biodiversity observations on your own.

Meet Our Roy Little Fellows

A woman in the marsh with a nesting platform in the foreground

Sierra Vasquez, UC San Diego Roy Little Fellow

Meet our team of UC San Diego undergraduates assisting in community engagement thanks to the support of the Roy Little Fellowship.

Interview with Sierra Vasquez

What is your year and major? Fourth year in Ecology, Behavior, & Evolution.

Your hometown? Amador County, California

What led you to pursue the Ecology, Behavior, & Evolution major? I always knew I wanted to work outdoors. I grew up watching wildlife biologists and natural systems in documentaries and TV, which initially grew my interest in science and made me realize that this career path existed. My passion for research has further grown since entering college.

Why are you interested in biology? I’ve always felt a connection to outdoor spaces, but so many ecosystems are being degraded, and so much of our understanding has been lost or ignored. Studying biology helps me continue my side of the reciprocal relationship with the land that provides for us.

What is a fun fact about you? I’m a huge herpetology nerd, my favorite type of organism are salamanders!

Main goal to achieve this year? Continue teaching myself by teaching others and working towards the preservation of coastal wetland habitats.

iNaturalist Observation of the Month

A plant with large pods and yellow flowers

Bladderpod (Cleomella arborea) at Scripps Coastal Reserve along Blacks Beach road

Photo credit: Megyn Horton

Bladderpod

Bladderpod (Cleomella arborea) was spotted in bloom in this iNaturalist observation along the road to Black Beach, part of the Scripps Coastal Reserve. Bladderpod is a native shrub in the Cleomaceae family with distinctive seed pods and an even more distinctive odor. This highly drought-adapted species was one of the few native plants flowering before the recent rain.

Post your own photos of native plants or animals on iNaturalist while visiting a NRS reserve (perhaps at one of the events below) for a chance to have your photo featured here next month. Check out all the observations collected at UC San Diego Reserves on iNaturalist.

Happenings at the Reserves

Note that there is no weeding on March 28th due to a campus holiday (César Chávez Day)

Find the latest on our Calendar of Events

Scripps 1st Saturday
Saturdays, 9 - 11 AM
There are docent-led tours every month at Scripps Coastal Reserve, 9400 La Jolla Farms Road. Learn about our photosynthetic friends & foes, underground bee nurseries, and why Black's Beach has such great surfing as you walk the half-mile trail with a guide. No pre-registration is required, but please see note below.

Weed Warriors
Fridays, 8 - 10 AM

Every Friday we tackle the invasive weeds at the Scripps Coastal Reserve, 9400 La Jolla Farms Road. Help the native plants take back their territory! No experience is necessary.

NOTE: Pre-registration is not required, but liability waivers are. Waivers are valid for the academic year, ending each June 30. Closed-toe shoes are also required. Dogs are not allowed due to the habitat protections in place. Be aware that there are no water or toilet facilities. If you have questions or plan to come with a group larger than 5, please email nrs@ucsd.edu at least two days in advance.

Wander the Wetlands

Second and fourth Saturday, 9 - 11 AM
Activities will alternate between guided bird outings, fish seining (counting) and work parties to improve the habitat of Kendall-Frost Marsh. Locations will vary between the dirt lot at the north end of Crown Point Park and the Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve Field Station, 2055 Pacific Beach Drive. This is a partnership project between UC San Diego Natural Reserve System and San Diego Bird Alliance. No pre-registration is required. Find more details here.

Make a Charitable Gift to the Natural Reserve System

Help support teaching, research, and public service

Donate here to help us develop education and outreach initiatives, maintain ecological integrity and facilitate research at each of our San Diego sites: Dawson Los Monos Canyon Reserve, Elliott Chaparral Reserve, Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve and Scripps Coastal Reserve

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