UCI MASTERS IN CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION
After some time working with native plants in a nursery, I became interested in seeing the application of those plants in the context of ecological restoration. I began the professional Masters in Conservation and Restoration Science program at UC Irvine in the fall of 2020. It was a strange time a few months into the COVID pandemic, but it felt like a good opportunity for me to pursue a career change. It is a relatively young program with an excellent curriculum that evolves with each cohort, and I feel technically prepared for ecological work with all that I've learned. Here is a sample of various projects I worked on in the program.
Bee Flat Canyon in Irvine, California
Post-fire Resilience of Bee Flat Canyon Capstone Project
Shortly after the Irvine Ranch Conservancy completed its 10-year restoration of Bee Flat Canyon in 2020, a majority of the restoration site burned in the Silverado fire. While unfortunate, this situation presented a unique research opportunity for our capstone group to compare the post-fire resilience of restored, intact, and degraded vegetation in coastal sage scrub and grassland communities.
Post-Fire Resilience of Restored Coastal
Sage Scrub and Grassland Communities
Final Report
Post-Fire Resilience of Restored Coastal
Sage Scrub and Grassland Communities
Presentation
Experimental Cactus Planting Restoration Analysis
A tale of two cacti: Optimizing native restoration and conservation in a fuel modification zone
Final Report
Mock RFP Response -
Western Spadefoot Toad
Pre-adult Ecology and Conservation Assessment of the Western Spadefoot Toad (Spea hammondii) in Orange County, California
Project Proposal
Mock Wildlife Protection Plan - California Gnatcatcher
Midterm Assignment: California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica)
Project Proposal
Mock Project Management Plan - Southwestern Pond Turtle
Southwestern Pond Turtle Conservation
Project Management Plan
