Become a Certified Naturalist
Join us in a California Naturalist Course to become a certified California Naturalist in Sierra Valley and in the greater Feather River Watershed! The California Naturalist course connects you to the wonders of your local ecology and engages you in the stewardship of California’s natural communities.
Course Overview
The course introduces you to the Natural History and Cultural History of the Sierra Valley and the Greater Feather River Watershed. It combines a science curriculum with lecture presentations, field trips up and down the watershed, and project-based learning to explore ecology, hydrology, botany, and wildlife. We’ll learn about Indigenous cultures of the Washoe and Mountain Maidu, this region’s first people, and so much more. Participants complete an 8-hour stewardship project during the course. The Sierra Valley Preserve and Nature Center has robust public programming for graduates of the course to plug into, using your knowledge and skills to connect the public with nature and science.
Course participants will meet in person to visit various field sites in the Sierra Valley Preserve and other parts of the Feather River Region, in a classroom setting at the Feather River Land Trust’s Sierra Valley Preserve + Nature Center and via Zoom.
Course Requirements
In order to be certified as a California Naturalist, course participants must complete the following certification requirements:
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40 hours of instructional contact time (class sessions and field trips)
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Read the course textbook, The California Naturalist Handbook (Second Edition), and the relevant publications from the California Naturalist Publication Series
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A nature journal entry for every field trip
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Participation in a class participatory science project
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Record at least 10 observations on iNaturalist in a class iNaturalist project
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Complete a Stewardship Project (including 8 volunteer hours of designing, preparing, and implementing the project as well as presenting the project to your course instructor and cohort)
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Record eight Stewardship Project hours on the Volunteer Portal
Photo by Liz Ramsey
Photo by Andrew Wright/Lighthawkphoto
Mark V Reynolds
Photo by Andrew Wright/Lighthawkphoto
Course Details
Dates: TBD, 10 weeks, April–June 2026
Fees: $500 (scholarships available, contact Jenna Holland for more information!)
* Additionally, limited scholarships are available for enrolled community college students in dedicated natural resources majors, and CCC, Americorps, CCAC and other Corps members. Please contact Jenna Holland (jholland@frlt.org) for more information and to see if you qualify.
Delivery Mode: Hybrid (Weekly evening Zoom meetings April–June, and Saturday field trips in Sierra Valley in May when the birds and flowers are abundant!)
Space is limited to 25 participants.
Participant Registration Form (Fill this out first)
Payment Form (Fill this out second)
Meet the Instructors
Andy Rost
University of Nevada, Reno
Courtesy of Andy Rost
Courtesy of Steven Cochrane
Steven Cochrane
Botanist and Wildlife Biologist
Daniel Edelstein
Guest Instructor
Courtesy of Daniel Edelstein
About the Hosting Organization
Feather River Land Trust: The Feather River Land Trust conserves ecologically and culturally important lands and waters in the Feather River Watershed. With grassroots relationships and strategic partnerships, we’re working to safeguard the Sierra Nevada’s largest source of water and ensure that biodiverse ecosystems remain intact and healthy for our shared future.
The Sierra Valley Preserve & Nature Center: The Sierra Valley Preserve is located at the headwaters of the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork of the Feather River. A paradise for birders and nature enthusiasts, Sierra Valley supports the greatest diversity and abundance of birds in the entire Sierra Nevada. The Preserve offers the only year-round public access to the wetland and meadow ecosystems of Sierra Valley.
Organization Contact: Jenna Holland, Public Programs Manager, Sierra Valley Preserve and Nature Center, jholland@frlt.org
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You Can Count On Us
As a nationally accredited land trust, we are built to last. We leverage your donation with state, federal, and foundation dollars and strategic partnerships to achieve the greatest possible impact for the lands, waters, and people of the Feather River region.
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