Conservation Science

Community science, the enlisting of volunteers to collect biodiversity data, is now common and widespread. In theory, the benefits of this model are complementary: community science programs produce useful datasets while engaging the public in conservation. However, in practice there may be tradeoffs regarding data quality, economic cost, and public engagement, which are rarely quantified. This paper adds to a growing body of literature that suggests community science can increase scientific literacy and efficiently produce data of similar quality to technicians, particularly for common species.

In November 2020 Maria Jesus discussed her research with Naomi Fraga for the California Botanic Garden. Maria is a graduate student at Claremont Graduate University (at California Botanic Garden) where she is completing a vascular flora of the southern Inyo Mountains. Thanks to a chance encounter with a plant identification course during her undergraduate English studies, Maria abandoned plans to become a librarian and found her way to field botany.

On October 20, Nick Jensen provided testimony before the California State Assembly on the connections between plants, climate change and wildfire. You can watch his testimony starting at timecode 01:02:46 in the video below. He spoke for more than 45 minutes.

Aram Calhoun has been awarded a Conservation Leadership Award by the Natural Resources Council of Maine for providing her expertise and leadership in the effort to protect Maine's vernal pools, including as a scientific expert supporting our work to stop the CMP corridor project. Aram is a professor at the University of Maine, and her knowledge and dedication have helped ensure protections for our state’s valuable wetlands. Read more

Editor's note: The following piece authored by Anna Robuck was first published on The Hill's website.

Five teams from across North America, including Amber Pairis' Climate Science Alliance, have been selected as finalists for the Connectivity Challenge, a $100,000 incentive prize launched by the CSU Salazar Center for North American Conservation late last year. One team will be chosen as the winner following a virtual pitch event on September 16 during the Center’s second annual symposium.

ABSTRACT

In this second-year Switzer Leadership Grant, the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) sought continued funding for Switzer Fellow Nick Jensen's position as Lead Conservation Scientist. Nick's ongoing work with CNPS will help to ensure its ability to protect habitats imperiled by two massive, poorly planned leapfrog development projects. Centennial, in northern Los Angeles County, is one of the largest planned new cities in California history.

While PCR-based diagnostic tests have been used in medicine for decades, they have never been used as they being used now, for broad screening of the general public, with a single positive result accepted as proof of infection without regard to clinical signs or symptoms or epidemiological exposure. Andrew Cohen had the opportunity in the environmental setting—unlike anyone in the medical profession—to observe the disaster that unfolds when these tests are used in this way. His research is now informing medicine, as many scientists who usually have nothing to do with viruses or infectious disease are turning their attention to COVID-19.