Urban Estuaries: San Francisco Bay and Lake Merritt CA Naturalists - 2026

Name: Urban Estuaries: San Francisco Bay and Lake Merritt CA Naturalists - 2026
Start: 2026-10-03T09:00:00-07:00
End: 2026-12-16T12:30:00-07:00
Location: 658 Bellevue Ave

Schedule

Sat, 03 Oct, 2026 at 09:00 am to Wed, 16 Dec, 2026 at 12:30 pm

UTC-07:00

Location

658 Bellevue Ave | Oakland, CA

Explore and learn about our local ecology, engage in citizen science, and share your knowledge with others. Become a certified naturalist.
About this Event

To enroll, register here by Eventbrite, then submit fees to Rotary Nature Center Friends. Registration is currently open and applicants, upon notification that there is room in the course, may use the PayPal or other credit card donation button on our Rotary Nature Center Friends' website to pay, or they may mail a check (details on website) . Fees must be paid before September 15th 2026.
FEES and COSTS: Full Price tuition for the course is $475. Scholarships of $250 are available on request (making your total cost $225). Please email [email protected] to request a scholaship. A Donation Price of $500 ($25 extra) may be selected to support scholarships for other participants in need.
Required text and field notebooks and travel expenses are not included.
DESCRIPTION: This UC California Naturalist course offered through Rotary Nature Center Friends explores the natural history of Lake Merritt, a modern urban estuary - its history and ecology, its human interactions, and its relationship to San Francisco Bay and the central California region. It will engage you in citizen science and allow you to share your knowledge with others. The 40-hour course combines a science curriculum with guest lecturers, field trips, and project-based learning to uncover the interconnected ecology, community, and natural history of the inner-city tidal estuary. If you enjoy exploring and learning about our local ecology, engaging in citizen science, and sharing your knowledge with others, this program is for you!
LOCATION: Lake Merritt, Oakland, in Lakeside Park. Meeting place is in the parking lot at 568 Belleve Avenue, 94610. Field trip locations will be announced with detailed itineraries during the course. Lectures will be held on ZOOM.
SCHEDULE: FALL - The course runs from Saturday October 3rd (a field trip) to Wednesday December 16th with a break for Thanksgiving week.
Zoom lectures every Wednesday evening from 6 pm to 8:30 pm. Field trips every Saturday from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, locations to be announced. A draft syllabus will be sent on request: Email [email protected].
DURATION: 40 hours encompassing lectures and field trips.
Our Non-discrimination Policy: Rotary Nature Center Friends brings people together, regardless of age, ability, and background to participate in environmental education and stewardship. We strive to provide meaningful access to urban nature to each individual and community we serve. We do so by including the voices of the community in all that we do.