A biweekly publication for faculty and staff

Celebrate the Natural Reserves at NRS Day

Date: 
April 16, 2015 - 8:30 am

UC Merced celebrates the golden anniversary of University of California’s natural reserves with UC Merced NRS Day from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 16.

The day begins with escorted field trips on the Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve, the newest addition to the 39-reserve system. The trips are from 9 a.m. to noon and are by reservation only. People who take the tours are invited to a free lunch in the Alpine Room in Tenaya Hall on campus, but reservations are required for tours and lunch.

At noon, a new, student-made interpretive sign will be unveiled at the Ranchers Road entrance to the reserve. 

During lunch, four UC Merced students who received scholarships through the NRS will talk about their research projects.

After lunch, there will be an in-depth presentation about the history of the Natural Reserve System by NRS Director Peggy Fiedler and a presentation on the California tiger salamander, an endangered species on the Merced reserve, by UCLA Institute of the Environment Director and biology Professor Brad Shaffer.

That will be followed by a panel discussion by four UC Merced professors:

  • paleoecologist Jessica Blois;
  • ecologist and biogeochemist Marilyn Fogel;
  • ecologist Jason Sexton; and
  • watershed scientist Josh Viers, director of UC Merced’s branch of CITRIS.

Space on the reserve tours is limited, so RSVP soon to Chris Swarth at cswarth@ucmerced.edu.

5200 N. Lake Road
Merced, CA 95343
United States