Logo design by Danielle Jolette Illustrations
The ecology of California’s native vegetation is intricately bound with our dry summers and the occurence of fire. The CNPS California Fire Followers is a community science program initiated to help document
plants seen before and after fires. Citizen scientist volunteers collect data that provide crucial information on species of concern to aid land managers in their post-fire recovery and conservation.
Join us as José Esparza tells us how we can be a part of this community science opportunity. We will start out with a quick iNaturalist training session and an introduction to navigating the iNaturalist application. Then we will take a deeper dive into the CA Fire Followers project and how to get involved. He will also share some of the plants regularly seen and which may still be blooming this month.
For more information about the Fire Followers project, please visit the CNPS Fire Followers website: https://www.cnps.org/fire-followers
José Esparza is Community Science Coordinator at CNPS, and leader of the Fire Followers Project. Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and raised in the Central Coast of California, he graduated in 2019 from the University of California, Los Angeles with a BA in Geography/Environmental Studies. His interest is in conservation work with a strong intersection of science, community outreach, and environmental justice. As a way to connect with his environment, he loves to spend time outdoors, hiking, playing soccer and exploring creative outlets through drawing.
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