Education is an important part of our mission. UCI Nature, the organization on campus that manages the reserves, is part of the UCI Environmental Collaboratory, a consortium of ecology-focused programs on campus with a mission to provide immersive field research experiences to undergraduate and master’s students at UCI. UCI Nature also facilitates access to the reserves for a variety of courses or research programs. Contact us for information on how you can incorporate the Preserve into your work!
Natural Lands Management Training Program
The Natural Lands Management internship was developed in collaboration with the Center for Environmental Biology and Campus as a Living Lab (CLL) to provide students with practical experience in leadership and land management skills. As part of the program, students assist in developing and implementing community and science-based land management practices for the UCI Ecological Preserve or the UCI San Joaquin Marsh. After learning about the history, ecology, and management of UCI’s natural lands, students develop an independent project designed to address a conservation challenge while involving the local community.
Center for Environmental Biology Internship
UCI Nature often partners with the Center for Environmental Biology (CEB) internship by offering the interns practical land management experiences. Many of the experiments that are conducted on the Ecological Preserve involve the help of the CEB interns. These students learn about project design, data collection and data analysis, preparing them for a career in ecology.
Masters in Conservation and Restoration Sciences
The Masters in Conservation and Restoration Sciences program provides hands-on training in the field techniques used in ecological restoration and developing professional restoration plans. Activities utilizing the UCI Ecological Preserve include class field trips on ecological monitoring, restoration techniques and vegetation mapping. If you would like to learn more about this program, visit the website.
Sustainability Resource Center
The Sustainability Resource Center (SRC) is a program on campus within the Office of Sustainability that helps promote sustainability at UCI. The SRC organizes volunteer events to help with invasive plant management and restoration projects inside the Ecological Preserve. Students of all backgrounds and interests join these volunteer events and find a new passion for ecology.