California Naturalist Program at the Sierra Valley Preserve

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. It combines a science curriculum with guest lecturers, field trips and project-based learning to immerse you in the natural world.  

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. Additional topics covered include indigenous cultures of the Washoe and Maidu 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.  

Learn more about the California Naturalist Course.

Dates: TBD, 10 weeks. April 2026-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 (The classes will start with evening Zoom meetings and Saturday field trips in Sierra Valley in May when the birds and flowers are abundant!) 

Participant Registration Form (Fill this out first)

Payment Form (Fill this out second)

Meet the Instructors

Andy Rost is a Teaching Associate Professor and Director of the Outdoor Adventure and Leadership program in the Department of Kinesiology in the School of Public Health. His diverse background combines his experience as an outdoor educator teaching and guiding on rivers and mountains in the Western United States with a doctorate in Hydrologic Sciences focusing on stream ecology.

His teaching utilizes immersive experiences as a pedagogical tool to create highly impactful, student-centered, educational experiences. He also serves as the Associate Director of the Graduate Program in Hydrologic Sciences and is a Co-PI on an NSF-funded project in undergraduate biology education, RIVERS, that connects rivers, people and science through immersive field education.

Andy is a certified California Naturalist and has taught courses at the UC Berkeley Sagehen Research Station. He lives in Truckee, CA where he and his family enjoy the mountains, forests, and rivers of the Sierra.

Steven Cochrane grew up exploring the Sierra with his family from Bishop to Quincy. He has backpacked,  XC skied, and hiked the Eastern Sierra and began working as a naturalist in Yosemite after college. (BA UC Berkeley, MNA University of SF).

As a botanist and wildlife biologist, Steven has conducted rare plant and breeding bird surveys and has taught Sierra Nevada natural history classes for several organizations such as:

Naturalist/Guide: Tahoe Rim Trail Association, Galena Creek Nature Center, Sorenson’s Resort.

Instructor/Naturalist: Yosemite Institute (now Nature Bridge)

Naturalist: Yosemite Conservancy, California Academy of Sciences Adult Education, Smithsonian Institution Associates

Daniel Edelstein is a freelance Consulting Biologist and Certified Wildlife Biologist Asc. who has led birding tours for more than 25 years and presented public birding presentations in more than 20 states. Daniel’s website — warblerwatch.com — hosts several birding handouts (via the “Birding Links” pulldown menu), and his warbler-centric blog — warblerwatch.blogspot.com — has hosted warbler articles and photo quizzes since 2007. He has also taught diverse adult birding classes since 2003 at Merritt College in Oakland, CA, and for Point Reyes National Seashore Association, Marin Audubon, and Golden Gate Bird Alliance. 

About the 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 

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. You can count on us to make careful and effective use of your support.