UCI Nature
- Engaging K-12 students: UCI Ecological Preserve offers field trips and educational programs, in order to foster a love for nature in young minds.
- Guiding wildland management: UCI Ecological Preserve acts as a proving ground for cutting edge land management practices with research from the preserve shared broadly to promote the health and sustainability of ecosystems throughout California.
- Training New Ecological Stewards: UCI Ecological Preserve is a neighborhood protected space where residents can engage to learn about their local ecology and how to help steward it in order to preserve and protect biodiversity and natural resources.
The Preserve Preservers
The Ecological Preserve is protected by a dedicated team of volunteers that have earned the name, “The Preserve Preservers.” These incredible individuals are out at the preserve mapping and removing invasive species every Wednesday. A team that started off as vigilante weeders has now closely partnered with UCI Nature to coordinate weeding efforts to target dense monocultures, species of interest, and areas that are in need of restoration. The Preserve Preservers are UCI Nature’s eyes on the ground. They scout the preserve looking for any invasive plants and provide support in seed collection to be used in restoration projects. They find inspiration in nature and in turn use that inspiration to prepare a poem for every progress report they provide for UCI Nature staff. May their work inspire you too.