Los Angeles Coastal California Naturalist Training

Education > Citizen Science > Los Angeles Coastal California Naturalist Training

This training course brings together traditional and scientific knowledge about coastal regions to be used to foster effective interpretive programs. It is designed to provide interpreters in the field with a strong understanding of the natural history of California with an emphasis on coastal areas. 

Participants who complete all course requirements will be certified as California Naturalists through the University of California California Naturalist Program, and will receive a certificate of completion and a pin. 

This training is a collaboration between USC Sea GrantCalifornia Naturalist, and the USC Environmental Studies Program

For more information, please contact Linda Chilton at lchilton@usc.edu 


2020 Naturalist Training

 

  • Course dates: Every Thursday from February 6 - April 16 (no class March 19). Time: 3:30 - 5:30 pm
  • Fieldtrips are tentatively scheduled to be held on weekends and will be discussed at the first class meeting.  
  • Please register online here; Space is limited.
  • Email Linda Chilton, lchilton@usc.edu with questions.

About the Course


Core topics of the course include:

  • Wildlife: animals
  • California bioregions
  • California native plants, natural and urban communities
  • Algae and introduced species
  • Watersheds and water resources
  • Energy and global environmental issues
  • The ocean, changing coastline, weather and climate
  • Soils, sediments, geology, earthquakes, topography and underwater terrain
  • Ecosystems: forest, wetlands, desert, kelp forest and coastal sage
  • Our Planet: citizen science, scientific methods, and data collection

The Los Angeles Coastal California Naturalist Training will engage adult stewards in interactive learning. Goals of the course are to:

  • Achieve greater environmental and scientific literacy including critical thinking skills and effective interpretation strategies
  • Foster a committed community of volunteer naturalists and citizen scientists trained and ready to take an active role in natural resource conservation, education, and restoration. 

By the end of the course participants will be able to: 

  1. Understand the role and approach of a Naturalist.
  2. Integrate knowledge about the interconnectedness of abiotic, biotic, and cultural factors and their influence on the natural history of the coastline of the Southern California Bight.
  3. Demonstrate the observation and recording skills of natural history observations through a field notebook and data contributions.
  4. Apply knowledge of the Southern California ecosystems to understanding both local and global environmental issues.

Participants who complete all course requirements will be certified as California Naturalists through the University of California California Naturalist Program, and will receive a certificate of completion and a pin. Credit is available from UC Davis Extension for an additonal fee.


To learn more about UC California Naturalist visit: calnat.ucanr.edu


 

2018 Naturalist Training


See PHOTOS here


Session 1 at USC: February 1 - April 19 

Session 2 at Sea Lab: Jan 12 - March 9

 

2016 Naturalist Training


Course Dates: August 4 - 26, 2016

View photos and training materials from the 2016 class HERE.

2015 Naturalist Training


Course Dates: February 27 - May 1, 2015

View photos and training materials from the 2015 class HERE.

  • USC Sea Grant
  • 3454 Trousdale Pkwy, CAS 200
  • Los Angeles, CA 90089-0373
  • (213) 740 - 1961
  • seagrant@usc.edu