Our friends at Rotary Nature Center Friends (RNCF) are offering a California Naturalist Certificate course at the lake, Oct 4th, 2025 through Jan 14th, 2026. More information about how to sign up below.
The California Naturalist program is a great introduction into California’s natural wonders and challenges based on similar “Master Naturalist” programs in other states. The program curriculum was created by the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Department. Individual organizations, like RNCF, run the course across the state tweaking the course offerings based on the locality (there is a newer similar similar curriculum program called Climate Stewards). I took it with The Jepson Herbarium at UC Berkeley many years ago. The link above shows other course offering across the state.
It’s exciting to see this offered at Lake Merritt, which is a perfect place to talk about California Ecology and Geology and Water.
Urban Estuaries: San Francisco Bay and Lake Merritt
A new CA Naturalist Course
October 4th 2025 – January 14th, 2026
Community for Lake Merritt 