I don鈥檛 know about you, but there are huge parts of the past couple of years that I just missed. Even things in 2019 completely escaped my radar as the pandemic interrupted their momentum.
Like this: The University of California has a (relatively) new Natural Reserve鈥攖echnically a 鈥渟ister reserve鈥-- in Baja California, Mexico, and 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis is playing a major role in it. The reserve is a partnership between 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 and Mexican nonprofit.
新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Natural Reserves made the in summer 2019, when people could still sneeze without everyone jumping back in horror. Then COVID-19 came along, and much of the necessary planning hit the brakes.
This past fall, the partners from the U.S. and Mexico met for to plan and bring forth the vision for a field station based in Loreto, Baja California Sur, called Centro de Estudios del Medio Ambiente, or CEMA 鈥 an international field station for research, conservation and public service.
The Baja vision
Suzanne Olyarnik, director, was among the attendees in Loreto. She and 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis Geology Professor Nicholas Pinter were instrumental in bringing the Baja vision to the 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Natural Reserve System and helped plan and coordinate the summit in collaboration with Eco-Alianza.
鈥淭he peninsula of Baja California is a natural extension of California鈥檚 ecosystems,鈥 Olyarnik said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so rich for exploration, research and conservation. I鈥檓 also excited about the cross-cultural exchange opportunities. Our students will have meaningful exchanges with students in Mexico and vice versa.鈥
A champion of bringing students to the outdoor laboratories of the natural world, Pinter鈥檚 students have engaged in field trips and field work from the to the Channel Islands.
鈥淭he vision for a Loreto reserve and field station is to serve as a spark 鈥 to bring research, education, scientific recognition and knowledge, and broader visibility to the Loreto region,鈥 said Pinter. 鈥淲e imagine Loreto as a hub for scientific visitors to study and admire the area鈥檚 abundant natural wonders.鈥
A land and sea of opportunity
Bah铆a de Loreto off the Baja Peninsula is rich with wildlife and biodiversity, from manta rays to sea turtles. It is a Mexican national park, a Ramsar wetland and is part of the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California UNESCO World Heritage site.
The lands and ocean environments of Baja California Sur present many opportunities for understanding how these ecosystems function and strategies to conserve them. Student activities could range from taking kayaks out to the islands for geology research to cataloguing specimens in the desert to studying water resources and climate change.
The includes 41 reserves across California, and are managed by 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis. The CEMA sister reserve in Mexico joins this constellation of field sites, broadening research and education opportunities across California鈥檚 borders.
Media Resources
Kat Kerlin is an environmental science writer and media relations specialist at 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis. She鈥檚 the editor of the 鈥What Can I Do About Climate Change?鈥 blog. kekerlin@ucdavis.edu.