I. PROGRAM SUMMARY NARRATIVEvendor presentations and reviews of third party volunteer management...

PR: Gregory C. Ira, Academic Coordinator II Review Period: 10/1/2015 – 9/30/2017

UC CA Naturalist Statewide Program Page 1

I. PROGRAM SUMMARY NARRATIVE

A. STATEMENT OF ASSIGNMENT Position Description. I am the Program Coordinator for the University of California (UC) California Naturalist Program (CA Naturalist). I am responsible for all aspects of program administration, management, and operations. I supervise the program’s Community Education Specialists (CES), and work with a part-time fiscal officer, and a part-time administrative assistant. I report to the program’s part-time Director. Because of the program’s unique delivery model, I also coordinate directly with 40 partnering institutions including UC Units, community colleges, museums, botanic gardens, land trusts, and park associations that deliver the CA Naturalist curriculum and certification. Changes During the Review Period. During this program review period (10/1/15 – 9/30/17), my original position description was revised once. The revision added an increased level of responsibility and independence. Currently, the position involves the following roles: supervision and recruitment of staff; coordination and development of partners; management of program operations and budget; program planning, monitoring and evaluation; and liaison representation with internal and external entities including the CA Naturalist Program Advisory Committee. This work is consistent with the expectations of the Academic Coordinator Title. Programmatic Assignment and Themes. My programmatic assignment of FTE is 1.0 as an Academic Coordinator II and aligns most closely with the Sustainable Natural Ecosystems strategic initiative. This work falls within the Natural Resources and Environment Topic Area (101-141) and, specifically, the Knowledge Area associated with Communication, Education, and Information Delivery (KA 903). My narrative is divided into three themes: 1) Use entrepreneurial approaches to scale-up, streamline, and sustain program operations; 2) Strengthen program planning, monitoring and evaluation; and 3) Leverage the strengths of UCANR and the CA Naturalist Team to build scientific literacy and promote stewardship of California’s natural resources.

B. COORDINATION OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Theme 1: Use Entrepreneurial Approaches to Scale-up, Streamline, and Sustain Program Operations. Description: As a new statewide program with no internal analogue to follow as a model, establishing program operations that were low cost, systematic and sustainable was central to the transition from a startup initiative to a statewide program. In this regard, I advanced operations in four areas: 1) defining and communicating the program’s unique business model, 2) creating the program’s first business plan, 3) increasing efficiency through process improvements, and 4) organizing data within the constraints of existing systems. Clientele: These advances in program operations serve: 1) the leadership and instructors who deliver the CA Naturalist course, 2) the participants who take the course, and 3) the UCANR staff and administration, including the VP for Business Operations. Impacts: The major impacts from this theme include increased efficiency through business process improvements including the upgraded VMS, a workflow tracking sheet to manage a doubling of partners and a 68% increase in courses during the period, and a business plan that outlines future reductions in the percentage of ANR funding required to deliver the program. A New Business Model for UCANR. I proposed a refined description of the CA Naturalist program to a social franchise that combines a collective impact framework and a train-the-trainer approach. This integrated definition more accurately captures and communicates the fact that ANR is not involved in direct delivery of the Naturalist course but trains instructors from partner organizations to do so. However, we do provide the backbone infrastructure that connects and coordinates a network of organizations toward shared goals, and we follow a social franchise model for the relationship between the CA Naturalist Program and its partners. This description explains how the CA Naturalist program addresses three of its biggest challenges: 1) establish itself with a modest initial investment; 2) build on



rather than compete with the existing work of others in the field of natural history training, and 3) generate revenue to help ensure the long-term sustainability of the program. With less than 4.25 FTE for the entire team statewide during the review period, the CA Naturalist team and its partners generated the following outputs: 14 new partnerships established, over 50 new instructors trained, 69 courses offered, 1,287 participants trained, 936 naturalists certified, 68,507 hours of volunteer service, reaching 46,903 contacts, with a value of over $1.9 million (Independent Sector). Project 1: A Business Plan and Program Development. The CA Naturalist Program was the first statewide program to put forth a business plan as part of its annual budget proposal for FY 17/18. I developed the plan using actual program performance data from 2016 to calculate average course size, average course income, trends in program growth, and program staffing costs. With this information, I projected the potential growth in earned income (i.e., course fee revenue) if the program was to grow from 1.5 to 3.0 FTE for our CES staff. The result was a plan that will allow the program to decrease our reliance on UCANR support (as a percentage of our overall budget) over three years, by increasing our earned income from a growing number of partners and courses, and diversifying our funding sources. During the review period, the amount of billable revenue from course fees alone was $112,107. As of this writing, the program is on track to meet its growth targets and reduce our reliance on central funds from 83% in FY 15/16 to 68% in FY 17/18. In addition, I supported efforts to diversify funding sources including sponsorships, grants, gifts/donations, and contracts. For the 2016 CA Naturalist conference, I coordinated the sponsorship effort that generated over $27,000. I also worked closely with the program director to formally initiate two new categories of funding (i.e., Online Giving and Grants/Contracts), which generated over $23,000. Finally, while not funded, during the period, I wrote and submitted two proposals worth $645,514 and developed a sub-award for a third proposal at $1.2 million. Project 2: The Volunteer Management System (VMS) Upgrade. The single most commonly cited challenge by our partner instructors is the amount of time spent on administrative tasks associated with the program. The VMS was one of the primary administrative time sinks. In early 2016, I guided the effort to assess opportunities to enhance the VMS in cooperation with the Communication Services and Information Technology (CSIT) and Master Gardener (MG) program. In this role, I coordinated external vendor presentations and reviews of third party volunteer management systems. When the decision was made to upgrade the existing VMS internally, I led the effort – within the CA Naturalist program – to define the project scope, identify and prioritize requirements, evaluate sprint outputs, pilot test beta versions, train staff and partners, and deploy the new system. The most significant outcomes of these upgrades include: new VMS functionality including streamlined processes such as batch loading of participant rosters and enhanced reporting capabilities; a more robust email client/system; a new event calendar and volunteer registration tool; and, the ability to collect impact data from volunteer service hours. While it is difficult to quantify overall efficiency improvements, the ability to batch load a course roster of 25 participants will save instructors at least 45 minutes for each course and minimize the likelihood of data entry error. Other Process Improvements. I designed several other systems to streamline regularly executed program tasks. I conducted a process mapping exercise to simplify the procedure to secure optional college credits from UC Davis Extension. By mapping the existing process, identifying time consuming steps, obtaining approval from UCD Extension for alternatives, and adding an indicator for process completion, I reduced the time needed to obtain college credits, and reduced frequency of calls to troubleshoot the process or seek an update on the status of credit requests. I helped transition our team to Zoom web conferencing for team and partner meetings as a replacement for Ready Talk and Adobe Connect. The outcome for our program (based on data from the last two months of this period) are as follows: A monthly program average of 26 meetings; 123 meeting participants; and 7,830 meeting minutes per month using Zoom. Because of the decentralized nature of the CA Naturalist team, eliminating just three one-day, face-to-face team meetings could save over $3,000/year based on travel



alone. Finally, I initiated a new partner invoicing procedure to ensure invoices for our services are sent out in a timely manner and monitored for follow-up. As a result of these changes, in the last nine months of this performance period, only 3 (9%) had not been paid within 3 months of invoicing. Improved Data Management Systems for Decision Making. In an effort to build a more systematic and data-informed program, I initiated four changes related to how we capture, store and use our data: 1) functional data organization and storage, 2) establishment of core program performance metrics, 3) expanded use of Qualtrics for surveys, and 4) the adoption of ArcGIS for analysis of program site data. In order to organize the CA Naturalist Program’s wide range of data collection, storage and reporting systems, I re-organized our main data repositories according to the data type/purpose, users, frequency of access, and level of access restriction. Data used frequently – often simultaneously and only by program staff – was moved on to Google sheets where multiple people could edit at the same time. Data used infrequently and only by program staff was moved on to the Davis shared network drive. Data used and shared with external program partners (e.g., course instructors) was kept on Collaborative Tools. Non-financial data collected through surveys was migrated to Qualtrics. Financial data collected by survey remained on the ANR Survey Tool. Data that required restricted or limited access (e.g., personnel files) were migrated on to the UC Davis Box.com account where access could be restricted. The result is the optimization of data storage and sharing based on a logical set of criteria related to user need and the strengths of the various platforms. To more consistently assess progress against core program performance measures, I established core performance metrics and methods for generating reports and presenting results. The core metrics include: inputs (e.g., funding by source, staffing FTE); outputs (e.g., # of partnering organizations, # of instructors trained, # of courses offered, # of course participants, # of scholarship recipients, # of naturalists certified); short-term outcomes (e.g., change in knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy); and medium-term outcomes (e.g., # of volunteer hours, volunteer hours by category, value of volunteer hours, # of contacts reached). In addition, I initiated two changes related to how program data is referenced. I cross-walked the entire VMS dataset for the program from a “start year” reference to a “start date” reference. Similarly, I instituted the use of the unique identifier or “program #” instead of program name – which often generated confusion among courses with similar names. Because of these changes, we can now generate reports on every unique course and can run reports for any timeframe as opposed to only calendar year. We also have a new “Expanded Hours Report” in VMS that provides a complete report of all data fields associated with every volunteer hours record. I also led efforts to migrate more of our surveys and forms on to Qualtrics. I converted and created several surveys and forms during the period including the new Site Audit Survey, the 2016 Conference Evaluation, CA Naturalist Instructor Application, the 2016 Needs Assessment Survey, and the EE Workgroup Project Request Form. In cases where these surveys previously did not exist or existed as paper forms, we now have a systematic data collection method along with a permanent digital repository for the information. During the review period, the number of Qualtrics surveys increased from three prior to October 1, 2015 to 16 by the end of the review period. Finally, in order to better identify geographic program gaps and prioritize potential regions for program expansion and analyze market feasibility, I used ArcGIS to analyze location data using layers for counties, bioregions, population, diversity (i.e., US Diversity Index 2016), environmental vulnerability (i.e., CalEnviroScreen 3.0), and demographics, to highlight gaps and opportunities in reaching racially diverse and vulnerable communities. In addition, we adopted another GIS-based platform – the ESRI StoryMap – to help us display our existing partners on our website. Because of these efforts, I identified at least 6 priority areas for expansion, can identify and communicate potential “territory” overlaps among our partnering organizations, and we now provide a more aesthetic, interactive, and functional interface for potential naturalists.



Theme 2: Strengthen program planning, monitoring and evaluation (PME) A significant portion of my time as the program coordinator focused on refining and initiating elements of the PME system. Clientele: CA Naturalist team, UCANR leadership, program donors, Partnering organization leadership (typically an Executive Directors), trained course instructors, course participants (i.e., trainees) and graduates (i.e., Certified CA Naturalists). Impact: I developed the program’s first formal needs assessment, facilitated the program’s first strategic plan, drafted the program’s first annual report and refined the overall system that connects planning, monitoring and evaluation efforts. Project 1: Needs Assessment. In 2016, I initiated a clientele needs assessment, which involved examining existing data primarily from course evaluations and discussions with team members, developing a survey instrument for instructors and partner leadership, conducting an online focus group with the program advisory committee members, compiling the results into a single needs assessment document, and using the results to inform the ongoing strategic planning process. The results include input from four major stakeholder groups: 1) 20 partner leaders, 2) 20 course instructors, 3) over 300 course participants, and 4) 5 Program Advisory Committee members. Each clientele group identified needs and challenges based on their unique perspective. Naturalists indicated their need to gain more knowledge and interact with other people with shared interests. Instructors needs included more bio-regional content and a reduction in the time needed for course administration. Partner leadership highlighted the need to broaden the course audience and ensure that course participants find meaningful opportunities to volunteer with their organization. Finally, our program advisors identified the need to strengthen connections within ANR and the UC system – especially on key extension messages. While the needs assessment paralleled the development of the program’s strategic plan, many of the needs identified have already informed the plan as well as ongoing efforts such as increased communications with county directors. Project 2: Strategic Plan 2017-2022. In 2016, I formally started the planning process with a SWOT analysis and development of a Logic Model conducted during the program’s annual planning retreat. Based on this information and the needs assessment (see above), I facilitated the review of our initial set of strategic objectives during the program’s 2017 annual planning retreat and secured input from the Program Advisory Committee. The final strategic plan, completed in September 2017 consists of five strategic objectives, 17 goals and more than 60 related actions that outline the direction of the program for the next four to five years, with many of the key actions already underway by the end of this review period. To dovetail with this strategic plan, I developed an Annual Plan chart to provide members of our unit with a snapshot of key program tasks and activities over the course of the first year. Project 3: Annual Report. At the end of this review period, I developed a first draft Annual Report for the CA Naturalist program highlighting the core performance metrics during the 16/17 Fiscal Year. The eight-page draft includes initial content and layout for a front cover highlighting life-to-date numbers for our core performance metrics, a message from the director, numbers and graphs illustrating the FY 16/17 performance, an infographic outlining the program delivery model, a program coverage map, three stories highlighting our partner organizations, a page highlighting our team members, a page highlighting the program’s five strategic objectives, and a page showing the program’s overall budget allocations for FY 16/17 and FY 17/18. Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME). I developed the core components of the program’s PME system. I led planning session for the last two All Team Annual Planning Retreats to produce an annual plan Gantt chart outlining the program’s by identifying lead staff, the task status, start/end date, and key milestones in two-week increments. The main program tracking sheet monitors progress of 30 key tasks in three stages for every CA Naturalist course and automatically highlights percent completion and major deadlines. To create a consistent and permanent record of site audit visits, I developed a Qualtrics survey to capture the common criteria used for the quality control site audits, conducted during the first year of a



new program and every three years thereafter. Information gathered using the new instrument now includes: direct observations of the instructor, interviews with 2-3 course participants, and a check of the status of key course requirements. The new survey standardizes the information collected during these visits and provides a digital repository for the data. Finally, I play the lead role in aggregating and sharing annual course evaluation data for the program. For our partnering organizations, I developed a new Partner Scorecard that presents them with an annual snapshot of their performance on six key metrics – four of which are benchmarked to the state average for the prior year. In general, evaluation results from the last two calendar years 2016 and 2017 demonstrate improvements in key areas: Overall course satisfaction remains high at 94%. Intention to volunteer also remains high although it dipped slightly from 98% to 96%, which may be a reflection of the increase in younger participants. The performance of course instructors also remains high with 92% receiving ratings of very good and excellent (down slightly from 94% the prior year). Based on the “retrospective pre-post” section of the survey, impact on items related to self-efficacy remains strong with 96% of participants agreeing or strongly agreeing with the statement that they are “capable of making a positive impact on the environment” after taking the course compared to 77% prior to the course. Finally, in terms of content knowledge, 70% of participants successfully answer 8 out of 10 content-related questions at the end of the course and 80% of the participants successfully answering 6 out of 10.

Theme 3: Leverage the strengths of UCANR and the CA Naturalist Team to build scientific literacy and stewardship of California’s natural resources. The program staff, the scientific leadership of the UCANR and the reputation of UC Cooperative Extension are the greatest assets that the CA Naturalist statewide program has. My goal is to leverage these strengths to help our staff and our partners achieve their fullest potential to build environmental literacy and stewardship for our clientele. Clientele: The immediate clientele for this theme include the UCANR leadership, county directors, other statewide program directors, the Program Advisory Committee members, and program staff. Ultimately, however, these efforts redound to our partners, course instructors, naturalists and naturalists in training. Impact: The impacts from this theme relate to staff performance and satisfaction, strengthening internal relationships, expand program opportunities, broaden our clientele, and increase the visibility to UCANR’s work. Staff Recruitment, Supervision, Performance Management. I strive to ensure the staff of the CA Naturalist program have the resources, training, and support that they need to achieve their best work. During the review period, I increased staff from 1.5 FTE to 2.25 FTE and outlined a successful plan to bring that number to 3.25 FTE. I completed detailed staff performance appraisals for two CES’s and recognized two staff with “Spot Awards” for their special and noteworthy accomplishments. I coordinated the successful recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of our new CES for Southern California. I also worked with our staff to streamline and systematize program administration including the new program tracking sheet, the program support fund pre-approval and tracking sheet, standardized procurement practices, auto calendar reminders for course instructors, and developed a template to help staff document their summary of accomplishments in a more systematic and consistent manner. I can say with confidence that I have the most talented, committed, and high performing team I’ve ever worked with, and I am committed to provide the coaching support and guidance to ensure their individual growth and career development. Program Advisory Committee (PAC). I manage the PAC meetings which not only provide objective, scientific, and strategic guidance but also connect the program to the rest of UCANR and the larger UC System. Specifically, I organized four PAC meetings involving 23 PAC members, and presented and secured feedback from the PAC on four key planning initiatives: Needs Assessment, Strategic Plan, Business Plan and preparation for the program’s Five-year Program Review. The impact of a strong and functional relationship with the PAC is essential to ensure that the program is grounded and connected to the strong academic and scientific foundation of the UC system.



Collaboration. As an active representative to the California Environmental Education Interagency Network (CEEIN), I led the effort – with support from Sandy Derby (PLT Statewide Coordinator) and Ryan Harms (UCOP) – to codify UCANR’s participation in this statewide partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Vice President, Glenda Humiston. The MOU now includes UCANR as a full member of CEEIN alongside the CA Department of Education, CA Department of Food and Agriculture and other state agencies expanding our visibility in the field of environmental education. I also advanced internal and external collaboration by developing and submitting two major proposals (NOAA and UCANR Competitive Grant), one contract (CA Governor’s Office Planning and Research) and two sub-awards (NASA, National PLT), and was granted Principal Investigator status by Bill Frost.

C. PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY Within UCANR I participated in several professional development workshops including all required training as well as the Needs Assessment and PR for Merits and Promotions Training. Outside of UCANR, I completed several workshops related to environmental literacy, cultural competency, and program planning from the ChangeScale consortium. In addition, I attended the Alliance for Natural Resource Outreach and Service Professionals (ANROSP) national conference in New Mexico with peers from other state naturalist programs and serve on the Program Resources Committee developing common measures for state naturalist programs. I also presented at the CA Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (CA AEOE) in 2017, and was subsequently invited to join the steering committee for the CA EE certification and accreditation initiative. Finally, my proposal presentation to the 2017 NAAEE National Conference was accepted and scheduled, but the conference was cancelled due to Hurricane Maria. Independently, I pursue self-directed learning through North American Association for Environmental Education’s EE Pro online professional development platform and advancing my own naturalist tendencies using iNaturalist.

D. UNIVERSITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE During the review period I moved from being an inaugural member of the Environmental Education Workgroup to its chairperson and have organized one Workgroup meeting, one webinar, established the environmental education support request form for ANR staff, and helped connect the Workgroup to the efforts of the larger environmental education community in the state. I also serve on the Project Learning Tree Advisory Committee and provided input into its new strategic plan by emphasizing the critical importance of maintain a large and active corps of facilitators. Because of my experience developed the Florida Green School Network, at the invitation of the CA Department of Education (Green School Coordinator, Lesley Taylor) I served for the two years during this review period as a reviewer of applications for the National Green Ribbon Schools initiative.

E. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION The CA Naturalist Program pursues several approaches for increasing diversity, equity and inclusion within the California Naturalist program: 1) collaboration with workforce development organizations, 2) provision of needs-based scholarships to roughly 25% of all course participants, and 3) increasing the number and frequency of courses at community colleges. During the review period, I supported all three of these approaches and led two additional efforts. I helped bring on board our fourth community college partner, integrated specific responsibilities into the position description of the new CES for southern California related to diversity, equity and inclusion, developed an ArcGIS database to identify program gaps and prioritize areas that would more likely result in us reaching a more diverse population (see Project 5 in Theme 1 above). Finally, I also led efforts to better capture record and report progress on program diversification through our course evaluation and VMS data. Both sources of show similar evidence of improvement; that is, from 2015 to 2017 the percentage of non-white participants increased from 12% to 20% based on course evaluation data and from 13% to 19% from VMS data.


UC CA Naturalist Program Page 1

I. PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE TABLE

Professional Development and Training

Begin Date - End Date Location Name and/or Description of Activity

Theme 1: Use Entrepreneurial Approaches to Scale-up, Streamline, and Sustain Program Operations.

10/5/15 – 10/7/15 Sacramento UCANR Joint Strategic Initiatives Conference

10/27/15 – 10/29/15 Kearney REC UCANR Program Orientation

1/30/16 Online UC Cyber Security Awareness Training

5/13/16 Online Safe Driver Awareness

Theme 2: Strengthen program planning, monitoring and evaluation (PME)

7/8/16 Online TRS Supervisor Online Training

8/25/16 Davis UCANR Needs Assessment Training

8/31/16 San Francisco Cultural Relevancy & Inclusivity in Environmental Education (a ChangeScale convening)

9/19/16 – 9/24/16 Albuquerque, NM Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach and Service Professionals National Conference

10/7/16 UCANR Davis PR Training for Merits and Promotions

Theme 3: Leverage the strengths of UCANR and the CA Naturalist Team to build scientific literacy and stewardship of California’s natural resources.

3/16/16 Oakland Education Policy and Environmental Literacy

9/9/16 – 11/9/16 Running Springs California Naturalist Conference

10/12/16 UCD ARC UCANR Science to Policy Session

11/16/16 UCD Conference Center Strategic Initiatives Update and Discussion



Disciplinary Society/Professional Association

Evidence of Professional Competence

Begin Date-End Date Location Name and/or Description of Award, Recognition, Professional Presentation, Office or Activity

10/27/16 Zoom Web Conference Organized CA Naturalist Program Advisory Committee Meeting Call (5 Participants)

6/29/16 Blue Oak Ranch NRS Organized CA Naturalist Program Advisory Committee Meeting (6 Participants)

1/11/17 UCANR – Davis Organized CA Naturalist Program Advisory Committee Meeting (5 Participants)

9/6/17 UCANR – Davis Organized CA Naturalist Program Advisory Committee Meeting (8 Participants)

2/3/2016 UCANR – Davis Presentation to Leadership Council on CA Naturalist Business Model

7/3/17 UCANR – Davis Session presentation “Using GIS and Niche to Diversify Statewide Environmental Education Programs” accepted for the 2017 NAAEE conference program, October 18-21, 2017 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

3/25/17 YMCA Camp Jones Gulch, La Honda, CA

Invited participant to Statewide Steering Committee for development of a California Environmental Education Certification and Accreditation Program.

5/11/17 Conference Call Presentation Presentation on the CA Naturalist Program for the Member Mentoring Call of the Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach and Service Professionals (ANROSP)

8/25/17 Online Zoom Webinar Invited participant to Statewide Steering Committee meeting development of a California Environmental Education Certification and Accreditation Program.

Disciplinary Society/Prof. Assoc Name Membership/Meetings – Attended/Activities

Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach and Service Professionals (ANROSP) 2016 Annual Conference (9/20/16 – 9/23/16)

California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (CA AEOE) 2017 Annual Conference (3/24/17 – 3/26/17)

North American Association of Environmental Educators (NAAEE) Member

ChangeScale Member Meetings Attended: 3/16/16; 8/31/16)



II. UNIVERSITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE TABLES

University Service

Begin Date-End Date

Activity Org Level Your Contribution and Leadership Role

1/20/16 CA PLT Advisory Committee Meeting, UCANR Davis Statewide Advisory Committee Member.

6/17/16 CA PLT Advisory Committee Meeting, Sacramento Tree Foundation

Statewide Advisory Committee Member, supported strategic planning development by analyzing needs assessment survey results.

8/4/16 CA PLT Advisory Committee Meeting, ANR Building Davis Statewide Advisory Committee Member, contributed to ongoing strategic planning efforts.

9/13/16 UC Natural Reserve System Directors Meeting, Blue Oak Ranch Natural Reserve

Statewide Panel member for discussion on cultural Diversity in environmental education

9/29/16 Environmental Education Workgroup Meeting Statewide Member

1/25/17 Environmental Education Workgroup Meeting Statewide Member

3/8/17 Environmental Education Workgroup Meeting (Zoom) Statewide Workgroup Chair (as of 2/27/17) Planned agenda, organized logistics including field trip, presented and facilitated the meeting.

6/21/17 Environmental Education Workgroup Meeting Statewide Workgroup Chair. Planned agenda, organized logistics including field trip, presented and facilitated the meeting (8 participants)

9/28/17 CA PLT Advisory Committee Meeting, ANR Building Davis Statewide Advisory Committee Member



Public Service Begin Date-End

Date Activity Org Level Your Contribution and Leadership Role

1/11/16 Application reviewer for the California Department of Education’s participation in the National Green Ribbon School Awards

National I reviewed Pillar III (Environmental and Sustainability Education) for three applications at the request of the California Department of Education Green Ribbon School Program Coordinator Lesley Taylor

7/8/16 Writing Workshop. citizen science presentation and consultation for the CA Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom.

Statewide I gave a presentation on Citizen Science (using the presentation developed by Sabrina Drill) to a team of instructional material developers and helped them integrate citizen science into their Newspaper in Education project. I also provided comments on drafts of the publication: Agriculture and the Environment: What’s Growin’ On? 15th Edition

9/20/16 - Present

Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach and Service Professionals (ANROSP)

National I am a member of ANROSP and joined the Program Resources Committee, which is involved in the development of a set of common performance measures for state naturalist programs. I subsequently completed a survey on the California Naturalist program and provided our performance measures to the group.

1/16/17 Application reviewer for the California Department of Education’s participation in the National Green Ribbon School Awards

National I reviewed Pillar I (Reducing Environmental Impacts and Costs) for eight school/district applications at the request of the California Department of Education Green Ribbon School Program Coordinator Lesley Taylor



III. PROJECT SUMMARY TABLE

Project Title or

Creative Activity (Duration)

Role (PI, Co-PI, etc) Collaborators (affiliation) Support Total Amount; Calnat

Amount

Support Source


Project 1: A Business Plan and Program Development. (10/1/15 – 6/30/16)

Project Leader • Adina Merenelender (CalNat) n.a. n.a.

Project 2: The Volunteer Management System (VMS) Upgrade (10/1/15 – 7/13/17)

Lead Client Representative

• Dave Kraus (CSIT) • Missy Gable, Melissa Womack (MG)

Total: $41,000: CalNat: $41,000

UCANR Recharge


Project 1: Needs Assessment (4/1/2016-6/30/17)

Project Leader CA Naturalist Clientele Groups: • Program Advisory Committee • Instructors • Naturalists • CalNat Team

n.a. n.a.

Project 2: Strategic Plan 2017-2022 (1/1/17 – 9/15/17)

Project Leader • Adina Merenlender, Sabrina Drill, Brook Gamble, and Marisa Rodriguez (CalNat)

n.a. n.a.

Project 3: Annual Report (7/1/17 – 9/30/17)

Project Leader • Adina Merenlender (CalNat) • Sabrina Drill (CalNat) • Brook Gamble (CalNat) • Marisa Rodriguez (CalNat)

n.a. n.a.




2016 NOAA Environmental Literacy Grant Proposal: The California Naturalist Program as a Catalyst for Environmental Literacy, Public Engagement and Community Resilience (1/13/16-2/8/16

Proposal writer and Project Coordinator

• Jayme Laber (NOAA NWS Forecast Office LA/Oxnard)

• Bernadette Chi (The Research Group, Lawrence Hall of Science, U C Berkeley)

• Lisa Micheli (Pepperwood Foundation)

NOT FUNDED NOAA

NASA Citizen Science for Earth Systems Program. Tracking the seasonal cycles of plants over time and space: engaging citizens in the observation and analysis of phenology, climate, and remotely sensed data. (5/26/16-7/20/16

Prepared the statement of work for the Citizen Science and Public Engagement sub-award and would have served as sub-award coordinator.

• Susan Mazer (UC Santa Barbara, California Phenology Project)

NOT FUNDED NASA

Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist Training for Science Literacy LOI (submitted 3/20/17) and Full Proposal (submitted 6/19/17)

PI • Shannon Horrillo, Martin Smith, Jessica Bautista (4-H YD)

• Sabrina Drill (CalNat)

LOI accepted but Full Proposal NOT SELECTED

UCANR

Climate Adaptation Clearinghouse – Climate Stories Story Map Sub-contract Proposal Development (1/1/17 – 9/30/17)

Coordinator, Climate Stories Story Map Sub-award

• Sam Diaz (Governor’s Office of Planning and Research)

• Maggi Kelly (PI), Shane Feirer, Nancy Thomas, Andy Lyons (IGIS/UC-B)

• Greg Ira and Adina Merenlender (CalNat)

Total: $214,245; CalNat: $22,650

CA Governor’s Office of Planning and Research

Model Program Initiative Grant Proposal and Project (6/15/17 – 9/30/17)

Collaborator • Sandy Derby (PLT) Total: $10,000; CalNat: $2,000

National Project Learning Tree

CA Project Learning Tree Transition to Joint Management by CA Naturalist and 4-H (3/1/17 - ongoing)

Proposed Principal Investigator

• Shannon Horillo (4-H) • Michael De Lasaux (UCCE Plumas) • Martin Smith (UC-D, 4-H) • Mark Bell (UCANR) • Sandy Derby (PLT)

n.a. CAL FIRE, USDA National Forest Service, National Project Learning Tree (Sustainable Forestry

i )



IV. EXTENSION ACTIVITIES TABLE

Meetings Organized (Classes/short courses/demonstrations/field days/other) Begin Date-

End Date Meeting Name Topic/no. of repetitions Role Location(s) No. of

Attendees Theme 1: Use Entrepreneurial Approaches to Scale-up, Streamline, and Sustain Program Operations.

10/1/15 – 9/30/17

Quarterly Instructor Web Conferences

Program updates and presentations for CA Naturalist Instructors. Dates (# of participants): 11/10/15 (32); 2/24/16 (16); 5/24/16 (8); 9/12/16 (37); 12/1/16 (26); 2/14/17 (12); 4/25/17 (6); 5/17/17 (19); 9/7/17 (14)

Facilitator and presenter of all calls from 9/12/16 onward. Presenter only on prior calls.

Online Web Conferences

170

12/16/15 Salmon Protection Action and Watershed Network CalNat Course Graduation

Graduation Remarks Guest presenter San Anselmo, CA 18

1/27/16 Jepson Herbarium CalNat Course

Program Overview Guest presenter UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

22

5/10/16 – 5/11/16

Instructor Training Workshop

Evaluating environmental education and CalNat evaluation tools; Coordinating with partners in the Davis and surrounds; iNaturalist field practice

Co-developed instructor training agenda, organized all training logistics, presented three sessions; identify guest speakers.

UC Davis Alumni Center Davis, CA and Lake Solano Park, Winters, CA

13

9/12/16 Annual Instructor Face-to-Face Meeting

Topics: Accomplishments by key performance metrics, Introduction to needs assessment, Business items.

Developed the agenda, organized and facilitated the meeting

Running Springs 25

11/15/16 American River Natural History Association CalNat Course

Program overview and updates Guest presenter Carmichael, CA 21



12/8/16 – 12/9/16

Instructor Training Workshop

Administrative requirements of the program: New partners and the course administrative cycle, Timeline, Course Elements 2, Collaborative Tools and VMS, Evaluation

Presenter Pasadena, CA 23

7/12/17 Instructor & Naturalist Training on VMS 3.0

2 (one for instructors and one for naturalists)

Facilitator with Marisa Rodriguez presenter

Online Zoom Meeting 10

8/18/17 & 8/24/17

Special Instructor Training Workshop

About the CA Naturalist Program (1)

Facilitator and Presenter (Co-Presenter with Brook Gamble)

Part 1: Online Zoom Meeting (8/18/17) Part 2: Face-to-Face Meeting (8/24/17)

21


9/15/16 American River Natural History Association CalNat Course

Site Audit Survey and graduation remarks

Presenter and auditor Carmichael, CA 16

6/9/17 CalNat Course Presentation

Overview of the CA Naturalist Program and Site Audit Survey (1)

Presenter & Auditor Arnold, CA 17


8/10/2016 Partner Meeting for the Development of a Davis-based CalNat Course

Overview of the CA Naturalist program, the program delivery model and the value of coordinating among partners to avoid program competition/overlap (1)

Organized and facilitated the meeting

ANR Davis 11



Educational presentations at meetings (including oral presentations and posters) Begin Date-End Date

Meeting Name Topic/no. of repetitions Role Location(s) No. of Attendees


California Environmental Education Interagency Network (CEEIN) Meeting

Citizen Science and the CA Naturalist Program

Facilitator and Presenter. Organized all meeting logistics, including securing host through partner organization

Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Carmichael, CA

17

9/21/17 California Environmental Education Interagency Network (CEEIN) Meeting

Using GIS for environmental education especially program gap analysis and diversification

Facilitator and Presenter UCANR Sacramento Valley Room

20


1/6/16 – 1/8/16

CA Naturalist All Team Annual Planning Retreat

Review of Key Documents; Thinking Strategically: Recognizing & Preparing for Opportunities & Threats; Developing the CalNat Strategy; Fix-it on the Spot; Envisioning Success; Monitoring and Reporting (Dashboard); Program Evaluation (Beyond Program Monitoring)’ Timescales for Action Planning

Developed the agenda, facilitated the meeting and aggregated outputs including elements associated with the development of the CA Naturalist Needs Assessment & Strategic Plan.

Elkus Ranch 5

3/30/17 – 3/31/17

CA Naturalist All Team Annual Planning Retreat

Finalizing the CalNat Strategic Plan; Review and Refine Team Roles; Site Visit “Audits” & Scheduling; Workplan for FY 17/18

Developed the agenda, facilitated the meeting and aggregated outputs including elements associated with the development of the CA Naturalist Strategic Plan.

Catalina Island Conservancy; Catalina Island, CA

5


2/17/16 Government Relations Meet and Greet

CA Naturalist Program Overview (20)

Statewide program representative/presenter

Davis, CA 90



2/19/16 Bureau of Land Management Youth Summit

CA Naturalist Program Overview (2) Presented an overview of the CA Naturalist program to CA Conservation Corps Members

Sacramento State University, Sacramento, CA

15

3/17/16 UCANR Second Street All Staff Meeting

UC California Naturalist Statewide Program (1)

Presented a short 10 minute overview of the CA Naturalist program to the Davis, Second Street All Staff Meeting

UCANR, Davis 88

4/2/16 Presentation at 4-H Camping Conference, Nevada 4-H Camp

From the Note Pad to the iPad: Citizen Science (2 repetitions)

Session Leader, 4-H Camp Nevada 25

4/20/16 CAL/EPA Earth Day Outreach & Extension

Adaptation Exercise Presenter CAL/EPA Headquarters, Sacramento, CA

80

9/28/16 Youth Science Literacy Program Team Colloquium

UC California Naturalist Statewide Program: Opportunities for Alignment and Collaboration with 4-H Youth Science Literacy

Presenter UCANR, Davis, CA 30

4/19/17 CAL/EPA Earth Day Outreach & Extension

Adaptation Exercise Presenter CAL/EPA Headquarters, Sacramento, CA

122

Other (including collaborations with other agencies, organizations, policy engagement)

Begin Date-End Date Description No of Instances

10/1/15 – 9/30/17 Monthly Meetings of the CA Environmental Education Interagency Network (CEEIN) 9

10/1/15 – 9/30/17 Monthly Mentoring Calls of the Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach Professionals (ANROSP) 6

10/1/15 – 9/30/17 CalNat Quarterly Instructor Calls. 8

Proposal Name 5105 Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist Training for Science Literacy

Primary StrategicInitiative Group

HFC

Name of PrincipalInvestigator (PI) and

affiliation (e.g. UCCECounty Office or Campus

and Department)

Gregory Ira, M.A, California Naturalist Academic Coordinator and Chair of the EnvironmentalEducation Workgroup, ANR

Name of Co-PI andaffiliation (if applicable)

Shannon Horrillo, Ph.D., Statewide 4-H Director, ANR; Martin Smith, Ed.D., AssociateSpecialist, Department of Population Health and Reproduction, Veterinary Medicine Extension,and Department Human Ecology, UC Davis; Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty, M.S, County Director, SanBenito, and 4-H Youth Development Advisor, Santa Cruz, Monterey, ANR

Name of collaboratorsand affiliation (if known)

Jessica Bautista, Ph.D., 4-H Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics AcademicCoordinator, State 4-H Office, ANR; Marisa Rodriguez, California Naturalist CommunityEducation Specialist, ANR; Steven Worker, Ph.D., 4-H Youth Development Advisor, Marin,Sonoma, Napa, ANR; Tony Passantino, CalNat Course Instructor, Sonoma Ecology Center;Marianne Bird, M.S., 4-H Youth Development Advisor, Sacramento, ANR; John McDermott,CalNat Course Instructor, Yolo Basin Foundation; Claudia P. Diaz Carrasco, M.Ag., 4-H YouthDevelopment Advisor, Riverside, San Bernardino, ANR; Teresa Woodard Belding, CalNat CourseInstructor, Riverside Metropolitan Museum; Sandra Derby, M.S., Project Learning Tree StateCoordinator, ANR; Sabrina L. Drill, Ph.D., Natural Resources Advisor, Los Angeles, VenturaCounty, ANR

Strategic Initiative Priority Issue Area. Please choose a priority issue area for the SI that your proposal best fits with.

Endemic and InvasivePests and Diseases (EIPD)

Priority Issues

None

Healthy Families andCommunities (HFC) Priority

Issues

Scientific Literacy (youth and adult)

Sustainable Food Systems(SFS) Priority Issues

None

Sustainable NaturalEcosystems (SNE) Priority

Issues

None

Water Quality, Quantity, andSecurity (WATER) Priority

Issues

None

Strategic Initiative (SI): describe the priority issue area(s) the proposed work will focus on.

Brief description ofproject as related to

addressing the StrategicInitiative priority issue

areas.

The project aligns closely with the existing UC ANR mission and strategic initiatives as wellas the new goals identified in the UC ANR Strategic Plan. Alignment with ANR Mission. This proposal aligns directly with the UCANR’s mission toenhance connections between the University and the people of California to achieveinnovation that supports science literacy and youth development programs.

Alignment with Strategic Initiatives within the ANR Strategic Vision. This project integratespositive youth development (PYD) with science literacy and in particular environmentalliteracy. As a result, the content associated with environmental literacy draws from four ofthe five strategic initiatives. Specifically, the project will advance the following objectiveswithin these strategic initiatives: i) increasing awareness of California’s ecosystem andbiodiversity, ii) improving scientific literacy among California Naturalist (CalNat), 4-Hvolunteers and youth, and iii) providing professional development in PYD to CalNat adultvolunteers, who in turn will work with 4-H members to enhance science literacy. Thiscontent associated with naturalist training and environmental programs serves primarily asan entry point or vehicle for achieving the other goal of this project which is positive youth

an entry point or vehicle for achieving the other goal of this project which is positive youthdevelopment. It connects academics from two separate statewide programs to collaborateacross initiatives.

Alignment with ANR Strategic Goals. Finally, this project connects very closely with the newANR Strategic Plan including its ambitious goal of engaging 1 in 10 California youth,developing a new generation of science-literate critical thinkers who participate incommunity service. Specifically, this project supports UC ANR Goal 2 which seeks toincrease programmatic participation by 10% per year over the next four years. Much ofthis increase will come from non-rural areas and will increasingly involve a more diverseaudience. Both the CalNat program and 4-H have active initiatives to reach theseaudiences including the 4-H Latino Initiative and CalNat workforce development initiatives.

Estimated Start and EndDate: please indicate an

estimated start and end datefor the entire duration of theproject. Projects in this RFP

are expected to initiate onApril 1, 2018 or August 1,

2018.

April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2020 (24 months)

Estimated Budget: pleaseindicate the estimated total

budget for the proposedproject and a brief summaryexplaining the allocation anduse of funds over the course

of the entire project.

Total Estimated Budget: $149,007. The requested budget covers three phases of theproject: 1) Design and packaging of instructional content, 2) Pilot testing and Evaluationand 3) Statewide dissemination (Year 1: $63,278; Year 2: $85,729). Salaries and Fringe Benefits: $53,889. Project Coordinator, 4-H STEM AcademicCoordinator, for 0.25 FTE for 24 months. The Project Coordinator will coordinate theregional trainings and logistics, hold regular conference calls with all sites, ensurecoordination and sharing of resources, provide ongoing support to sites to ensure success,and coordinate the Statewide Train-the-Trainer meeting ($53,889). Three 4-H CommunityEducation Specialist (CES) II (Sacramento, Marin, and Riverside) for 0.15 FTE for 15months. The 4-H CES II in each county will recruit 4-H volunteers, support the PYDtemplate/training for CalNat Capstone projects, and support CalNat volunteers with 4-Hprojects ($55,728).

Travel: $21,000. During Year 1, members from the project team will host regional PYDtrainings for CalNat volunteers. During Year 2, project team members will present atconferences, perform staff/site visitations, and conduct evaluations. Project team will alsoconduct a Statewide Train-the-Trainer model training to disseminate the program to CalNatand 4-H staff throughout California (Year 1: $1,500; Year 2: $19,500).

Supplies: $3,000. Supplies will cover PYD training materials, copies, curriculumdevelopment, materials needed for volunteer capstone projects, and StatewideTrain-the-Trainer meeting supplies (Year 1: $500; Year 2: $2,500).

Publication: $1,500. Cost for graphic design and professional production of materials.

Participant Costs: $13,890. This will cover the cost of CalNat training fees($450/volunteer) and 4-H volunteer program fees ($18-$20/4-H adult volunteer) for 30volunteers.

If your budget will changemore than 25% from yourLOI proposal, please enter

that new budget numberhere, along with an

explanation for the change.

Key Words: please list 3-5keywords most relevant to

your proposed project.

Science Literacy, Positive Youth Development, Civic Engagement, Environmental Literacy

Potential Reviewers: please provide a list of five potential reviewers that can serve to evaluate your proposed project. Reviewers may be UC or outside UC. Please note: do notrecommend reviewers if you anticipate that someone may potentially serve as a Co-PI or collaborator on your project or you are aware of a known COI.

List of Potential TechnicalReviewers: please includename, title, affiliation and

contact information for eachproposed technical reviewer.

Provide a minimum of fivereviewers.

Keith Nathaniel, Ed.D., County Director & Youth Development Advisor, Los Angeles, ANR,[email protected]; Lupita Fabregas, Ph.D., Assistant Director for Diversity &Expansion and 4-H Youth Development Advisor, State 4-H Office, ANR,[email protected]; Susie Kocher, M.S., Forestry/Natural Resources Advisor, ANR,[email protected]; Gemma Miner, M.S., 4-H Thrive Academic Coordinator, State 4-HOffice, ANR, [email protected]; Jeremy James, Ph.D., Sierra Foothill Research andExtension Center, ANR, [email protected]; Lisa Fischer, Director, Research and ExtensionCenter System, ANR, [email protected];

Project Summary: Please provide a one-page summary that presents an overview of the proposed project. It is not necessary to discuss the specific scientific components; rather theLOI should address how the project meets the criteria specified in the RFP, in addition to the points below. Be sure to include the following in your one-page summary: • descriptivetitle • rationale • overall hypothesis or goal • specific objectives • research and outreach approach • potential impact and expected outcomes

Project Summary: please upload your one-page summary in the field below.

Associated File View File

Contacts

Name Position Affiliation

Gregory Ira Principal Investigator California Naturalist Program

Letter of Intent Final: 03/20/17

4-H YDP and California Naturalist Statewide Programs 1

Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist Training for Science Literacy

Rationale. The increasingly complex environmental challenges facing California “. . . require an educated population with the skills to understand, analyze, and take part in complex decisions . . .” (California Blueprint for Environmental Literacy, 2015). The need for science literacy is well established and includes maintaining economic prosperity in a global economy (NAS, 2007), and having a citizenry able to participate in openly and constructively in society (AAAS 1989). The project also recognizes that time spent learning in nonformal environments is greater than time spent in schools (Banks, et al, 2007) and that access to these learning opportunities often varies along racial and socio-economic lines (Wimer, et al. 2006). In our schools, these challenges result in only 24% of California’s 8th grade students scoring at or above the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) proficient level in science (placing California 43rd in the US). Among the general public, it means that “about 80% of Americans are heavily influenced by incorrect or outdated environmental myths” (Coyle, 2005).

Within ANR, two statewide programs, the California Naturalist (CalNat) and 4-H Youth Development Program, address science literacy independently even though they share similarities in terms of how they define and address it. Both programs: 1) emphasize content that is locally relevant and meaningful to Californians; 2) promote well-established science processes and reasoning skills; 3) encourage discovery and inquiry-based learning, and 4) encourage application through participation in authentic, community-based service. The internal rationale for this project centers on the synergy that sustained collaboration between these complementary programs will generate to increase the number of youth reached by volunteers trained in both environmental science and Positive Youth Development (PYD).

Overall Goal. The overarching goal of this project is to improve science literacy through educational programming grounded in best practices for environmental education and PYD. This project will design, pilot test, refine and disseminate two training resources (an advanced training workshop and a capstone project template) that will integrate science literacy and positive youth development. The objectives include designing two training resources, training 120 CalNat volunteers in three pilot counties (Marin, Riverside, and Sacramento), connecting them to volunteer service opportunities in environmental education (EE) with local 4-H programs, evaluating, refining and disseminating the results statewide.

Research and Outreach Approach. Phase one of the project (0-6 months) is the design and packaging of training resources in two forms: 1) a six-hour 4-H PYD advanced training course, and 2) an eight-hour capstone project template designed for trainees currently enrolled in an existing CalNat course. The content for both training resources will focus on three key content areas: 1) PYD; 2) experiential and inquiry-based Learning, and 3) 4-H Ages and Stages. The capstone project template will offer a set of applied volunteer service options related to EE with 4-H youth, a resource guide on existing 4-H EE curriculum aligned to the CalNat Handbook, and an overview of the PYD Advanced Training. Phase two involves pilot testing, evaluation and refinement of both training resources with partners at the three pilot sites. Phase three involves refinement and dissemination of the two training resources, a webinar summarizing the project results, a statewide Train-the-Trainer model training for 25 CalNat 4-H and Environmental Education Workgroup participants. Project specific monitoring of volunteer hours, hour types, and contacts will be conducted through the UC ANR Volunteer Management System.

Impact and Expected Outcomes. This project will result in the following outcomes: 1) increased capacity of California Naturalists (i.e., knowledge, skills and dispositions) to support 4-H Youth development programs; 2) strengthen curriculum materials and programming for youth in environmental science, 3) accelerate growth in the number CalNat volunteers supporting 4-H programming and the number of 4-H volunteers pursuing CalNat certification, 4) increase in the number of 4-H members supporting citizen science, and 5) a journal article, extension publications, and two conference presentations to relevant national professional associations.

1

Project Narrative

Project Summary This project seeks to design, deliver and evaluate professional development strategies that address content and pedagogical knowledge for California Naturalists so they can effectively facilitate environmental education activities with 4-H programs in three pilot sites around the state and build scientific literacy among participating youth.

Rationale. The increasingly complex environmental challenges facing California “. . . require an educated population with the skills to understand, analyze, and take part in complex decisions . . .” (California Blueprint for Environmental Literacy, 2015). The need for scientific literacy is well-established and includes maintaining economic prosperity in a global economy (NAS, 2007), and having a citizenry able to participate openly and constructively in society (AAAS, 1989). The project also recognizes that time spent learning in non-formal environments is greater than time spent in schools (Banks et al, 2007) and that access to these learning opportunities often varies along racial and socio-economic lines (Wimer, et al, 2006). In our schools, these challenges result in only 24% of California’s 8th grade students scoring at or above the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) proficiency level in science (placing California 43rd in the US). Among the general public, it means that “about 80% of Americans are heavily influenced by incorrect or outdated environmental myths” (Coyle, 2005).

While two statewide programs within UC ANR -- the California Naturalist (CalNat) and 4-H Youth Development Program -- address scientific literacy independently, they share similarities in terms of how they define and address it. Both programs: 1) emphasize content that is locally relevant and meaningful to Californians; 2) promote well-established science processes and reasoning skills; 3) encourage discovery and inquiry-based learning, and 4) encourage application through participation in authentic, community-based service (Smith, Worker, Ambrose & Schmitt-McQuitty, 2015). The internal rationale for this project centers on the potential synergy that sustained collaboration between these distinct but complementary programs could generate to increase the number of youth reached by volunteers with the pedagogical and content knowledge in Positive Youth Development (PYD) and scientific literacy respectively.

Overall Goal. The overarching goals of this project are to improve scientific literacy – with an emphasis on environmental literacy – among youth participating in 4H programming, and increase the ability and capacity of adults to deliver youth focused environmental education. The immediate goal is to increase the efficacy of volunteers to deliver environmental education programs by improving both pedagogical and content knowledge. This project will design, pilot test, refine and disseminate two professional development modalities (an advanced professional development workshop and a capstone project template) that will integrate scientific literacy and positive youth development. The objectives include: reaching 100 existing or new naturalists with one of the two forms of professional development in three pilot counties (Marin-Sonoma, Riverside, and Sacramento-Yolo); connecting the naturalists to volunteer service opportunities to facilitate environmental education (EE) experiences with 180 (3 pilot sites x 20 participating naturalists/site x avg. of 3 youth/naturalist) youth from local 4-H programs; and, documenting, evaluating, refining and disseminating the results statewide.

Project Design. The project will be implemented in four main phases: 1) preparation of professional development resources, 2) program delivery at three pilot sites, 3) data analysis and

2

integration, and 4) dissemination and training. The content for professional development resources will focus on four key areas: i) positive youth development; ii) experiential and inquiry-based learning, iii) developmental appropriateness, and iv) scientific literacy. As part of the professional development, the volunteers will develop and implement an environmental education project or activity in collaboration with a local 4-H program.

Impact and Expected Outcomes. The general impact and outcomes of the project include increased scientific and environmental literacy of youth and adults in California and an increase in the number of adult volunteers with both the content and pedagogical knowledge necessary to effectively facilitate scientific literacy and positive youth development with an emphasis on civic engagement for environmental stewardship.

Goals and Objectives Goal: The overarching goals of this project are to improve youth scientific literacy and to enhance the pedagogical knowledge of adult volunteers to effectively facilitate environmental education with youth (especially existing or new California Naturalists).

Objectives: The project has the following objectives: 1. Improve both the content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge of adults working with

youth on environmental education. 2. Increase the likelihood that professional development on positive youth development will

result in actual volunteer commitment. 3. Increase the number of 4-H youth served by environmental education-focused programs. 4. Increase the number of California Naturalists choosing to engage in environmental

education with youth development programs. 5. Increase the number of 4-H staff and volunteers using the California Naturalist program as

a capacity building and professional learning opportunity to develop content knowledge in natural history and environmental education for their 4-H program work.

6. Identify the relative effectiveness of different modalities for professional development (i.e., stand-alone workshop versus capstone project) on environmental education.

These goals and objectives are placed into the larger context of the project in the logic model provided below.

Relation to Previous Work The project builds on the previous and ongoing efforts of both the 4-H and California Naturalist statewide programs to enhance scientific literacy among adults and youth in the state. Both statewide programs share a similar approach to building scientific literacy that includes: focusing on scientific content that is relevant and meaningful to citizens of California; emphasizing the importance of scientific reasoning skills; building on the interests and attitudes of learners toward science; and, participation and engagement through authentic community-based opportunities including citizen science, and service learning. Each program brings strengths that support the needs of the other. For example, the California Naturalist program brings a population of adults with knowledge and skills relevant to environmental education who are looking for volunteer service opportunities. On the other hand, the 4-H program has a strong pedagogical framework in youth development and an identified need for more volunteers to support demand for environmental education programming.

3

• The California 4-H program and Positive Youth Development. Since its roots in the early 1900’s 4-H has focused on the positive growth of young people through practical hands-on learning that is relevant to rural youth. With the creation of the Cooperative Extension Service in the USDA in 1914, the idea of boys and girls clubs was formalized along with the introduction of the 4-H (head, heart, hands and health) title. The focus on rural and agricultural topics evolved and broadened over time to encompass urban youth and life skills development more broadly including leadership, civic responsibility, career development, and technology. Regardless of the changes in content of programming, the focus on the context of positive youth development remained. Today, the UC 4-H youth development framework (Dogan et al., 2012) includes five Youth Development elements: Safety, Relationship Building, Youth Engagement, Community Involvement and Skill Building, and three Educational Practices (Content Areas, Teaching Methods, and Extended Learning).

• The California Naturalist program for Science, Stewardship and Citizen Engagement. The California Naturalist program seeks to build environmental literacy through the development of a community of practice built around natural history. Its definition of an environmentally literate person is consistent that developed by Hollweg, et al. (2011) “a person who, both individually and together with others, makes informed decisions concerning the environment; is willing to act on these decisions to improve the well-being of other individuals, societies, and the global environment; and participates in civic life. One of the unique features of the program is the high level of interest among naturalists – primarily those in early retirement with the capacity and interest to volunteer – to provide volunteer service after completing the course. In 2016, 29% of all volunteer service activities by California Naturalists were related to education or interpretation.

In addition to the broad mission of both the California Naturalist and 4-H statewide programs, the project specifically builds on and supports the previous work described below:

• Defining Youth Scientific Literacy in the Context of California 4-H. Martin Smith, Steven Worker, Andrea Ambrose and Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty (2014) developed an asset-based approach to defining youth scientific literacy which includes four anchor points: 1) Relevant Science Content; 2) Scientific Reasoning Skills, 3) Interest and Attitudes toward Science, and 3) Applied Participation in Local Activities Related to Science. These anchor points guide the development of instructional materials, inform the content and delivery of professional development and promote the use of consistent outcome goals for evaluation, all of which will be central to this project.

• The Role of Naturalist Programs in Environmental Education, Citizen Science and Stewardship. Based on examination of two regional naturalist programs by Merenlender, et al. (2016), survey data showed that “participants’ ecological knowledge, scientific skills, and belief in their ability to address environmental issues increased after training.” Based on course participant data from the California Naturalist program, approximately 35% of California Naturalists apply their newfound knowledge, skills and abilities through programs working with youth (either formal or non-formal). The project seeks to enhance the pedagogical knowledge of these naturalists to deliver environmental education with youth.

• 4-H STEM Initiative. The project builds on the multi-year 4-H STEM initiative led by members of the project team “to improve youth scientific literacy through educational

4

programming, grounded in youth development and educational practices as outlined in the UC 4-H Youth Development Program Framework, which uses high quality curricula and educators prepared by using research-based professional development strategies.” In a recent needs assessment of county-based programs, environmental education was the number two need for future science programming and a need for professional development for staff and volunteers focused on both pedagogy and science content (Worker, et al., 2017).

• Building Capacity through Effective Professional Development. As part of the California 4-H SET Initiative to help advance scientific literacy among youth in the state, the CA 4-H program examined the professional development of 4-H staff and volunteers. This research highlighted limitations of the traditional model of professional development characterized by teachers being passive recipients of one-off workshops, presentations, institutes and courses delivered by external experts and the absence of sustained support. In contrast, practices such as extended duration, active learning, emphasis on pedagogical and content knowledge, authentic context, the use of data and connections to broader organizational and systemic efforts are characteristics of reform-oriented strategies (Smith & Schmitt-McQuitty, 2013; NAAEE, 2017). The project seeks to build on these strategies and promising examples of broad approaches to professional development including Communities of Practice and Action Research.

Audience and Gaps. The primary audience for the advanced professional development workshops of the project include existing California Naturalists (over 2,000 statewide) and course instructors (over 80 statewide). Potential naturalists and adult 4-H volunteers are the target of the California Naturalist course option using the capstone project template. The youth audience of the project follows the demographics of the participating local 4-H programs. This project fills specific gaps related to the integration of the California Naturalist and the 4-H statewide programs by connecting the existing pool of trained naturalists with the existing demand for qualified volunteer adult leaders capable of leading environmental education projects. By addressing these gaps, the project advances the ANR Strategic Goal to increase the reach of Research and Extension impacts across California by increasing programmatic participation by 10% per year over the next 4 years.

Project Design Overall Design and Methods. The overall project design is built around four project phases to develop, deliver, analyze, refine, and disseminate a professional development strategy to prepare volunteers with the pedagogical foundations to successfully facilitate environmental education and promote scientific literacy.

Phase 1: Prepare Professional Development Resources. This phase of the project involves the design and packaging of two separate professional development options: i) a six-hour 4-H PYD advanced professional development workshop, and ii) an eight-hour capstone project template designed for participants enrolled in an existing California Naturalist course. The content for both professional development options will focus on four areas: 1) positive youth development; 2) experiential and inquiry-based learning, 3) developmental appropriateness, and 4) scientific literacy. Both professional development options will emphasize reform-based professional development strategies that involve multiple activities over time, include direct experiences, occur in authentic contexts and combine content and pedagogical knowledge. In addition, a

5

resource guide on existing 4-H environmental education curriculum aligned to the California Naturalist Handbook will be developed.

Phase 2: Program Delivery at Three Pilot Sites. This phase involves the delivery of the professional development activities in two-stages. The first stage involves two options: either a six-hour professional development workshop or participation in a local California Naturalist course. The second stage involves an applied or service learning approach where all participants from the previous stage work with a local 4-H program to deliver or facilitate an environmental education project or activity. This two-step approach extends the duration of the professional development experience, provides application in an authentic context, integrates both content and pedagogical knowledge and allows participants to reflect on and provide qualitative data about their experience.

The advanced professional development workshops will target up to 60 participants (20 in each pilot site) who are either existing or potential California Naturalists or 4-H volunteers. Through marketing and registration, the project will identify 30 participants (10 in each workshop) who will continue with the second state of professional development. The California Naturalist course option involves scholarships for 40 participants (10 from each of four courses) who have opted to complete a special template of the required capstone project related to positive youth development.

The second stage of the professional development experience adopts a service learning approach whereby the participants from the first state of professional development– in small teams of two to four – will be: matched with a local 4-H program, provided with a set of applied volunteer service options related to environmental education including a resource guide on existing 4-H environmental education curriculum aligned to the California Naturalist Handbook, and coached/mentored by local 4-H leaders as they facilitate an environmental education project or activity. The amount of time that the participants spend on the delivery of their environmental education project or activity will vary based on the type of 4-H program they work with but is expected to include an additional 8-12 hours of service over a three to six-week period.

Phase 3: Data Analysis and Integration. This phase involves integration and analysis of the quantitative data from the survey immediately following the first stage of professional development and the qualitative data gleaned from focus group discussions conducted through an online web-conference (e.g., ZOOM Meeting) following the second stage of professional development. This phase is designed to capitalize on the insights from the more detailed and contextualized quantitative data to understand and explain the quantitative survey data. This phase also involves the refinement of the pilot advanced professional development workshop design and resources as well as the capstone project template into final versions that can be shared on a statewide basis in Phase 4.

Phase 4: Dissemination and Training. This phase will focus on sharing lessons learned and training teams from new sites around the state to scale-up efforts. Lessons learned will be presented through a webinar for California Naturalist partners and 4-H programs around the state. In addition, Train-the-Trainer workshop for teams consisting of interested California Naturalist partners, 4-H partners and Environmental Education Workgroup participants from different counties in the state to examine the resources and methods and lessons learned from the project and plan their own collaborative initiative.

6

Project Methods Research Design (see Figure 1). The project seeks to address the following research questions: Do adult volunteers who receive professional development that combines pedagogical and content knowledge, extended duration, and active learning in the context of authentic settings improve learning outcomes for youth? Does professional development that combines pedagogical and content knowledge, extended duration, and active learning in the context of authentic settings affect the participants’ self-efficacy? The project will use a sequential explanatory mixed methods research design (Creswell and Plano Clark, 2011) to explain and interpret the impact of the professional development on the participant and, ultimately, the youth served by environmental education programs delivered by the participants. Initial quantitative data will be collected through existing retrospective survey instruments and scales that examine the participants’ knowledge, skills, interest and self-efficacy. These surveys will be administered immediately following both of the stage one professional delivery options using a retrospective pretest (also known as retrospective post-then-pre). Retrospective surveys help provide more complete data sets, avoid the problem of response-shift bias (Raidle, et al., 2014) and have been shown to be as effective as traditional pretest posttest surveys in professional development research (Lamb, 2005) The data from the survey will be used to identify representative groups of individuals to contact for the follow-up focus groups. The goal of the qualitative focus groups (conducted after the second stage of professional development) is to explore, interpret and explain the results obtained from the quantitative survey. The project will employ online (web conference) focus group discussions (Krueger and Casey, 2015) as the method for qualitative interviews. The results from both the quantitative and qualitative portions of the study will be integrated during this phase of the project in order to use the qualitative findings to clarify and inform the results from the quantitative survey. In addition, existing evaluation instruments from the 4-H program (including the Common Measures for Science 8-12) will be used to measure learner outcomes from the environmental education activities.

Data Collection Instruments. Data collection will involve existing instruments and those developed specifically for the project including the following: • Youth Scientific Literacy. Selected scales of the National 4-H Common Measures evaluated

by the California 4-H program (Lewis, et al., 2015) will be administered to 4-H youth using a pre- and post-test to measure scientific literacy. The measure contains 4 subscales related to science: interest and engagement in science, positive attitudes and aspirations toward science, develop science skills and abilities, and apply learning and make a contribution through science application.

• Youth Views about Science. This measure will be administered to 4-H youth using a pre- and post-test design to measure attitudes toward science. Data collection from 4-H youth in California showed that these measures differ from science mindset and the National Common Measure on Science (Lewis & Worker, 2015). The measure contains 4 subscales: usefulness of science, confidence in science, gender bias in science, and continuing motivation for science learning.

• Professional Development Survey (Quantitative). This survey to be developed specifically for the project will examine teachers’ perceptions of the professional development and whether or not the professional development activity achieved the intended outcomes. It will be administered to the participants of the advanced professional development workshop and the capstone template project as part of the California Naturalist course.

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• Focus Group Interviews (Qualitative). The project team will conduct a series of focus group interviews using ZOOM web conferencing to gather attitudes, beliefs and feelings of the adult project participants. The focus groups will involve 6-10 participants for 1.5 hours in groups based on characteristics identified by the initial survey. Discussion will be facilitated based on a series of open ended questions about the professional development experiences.

Figure 1: Sequential Explanatory Mixed Methods Research Design

Professional Development (Stage 1):

Option: Advanced Professional

Development Workshop

Professional Development (Stage 1):

Option: California Naturalist

Course with PYD Capstone Project

Project Evaluation Part I: Quantitive Data Collection Quantitative Survey of Participants (after professional development)

Project Evaluation Part II: Qualitative Data Collection Focus Group Interviews with representative groups of participants

Project Evaluation Part III: Integration and Analysis of Data How do the qualitative data explain the quantitative data?

What are the implications for the professional development modalities?

Project Monitoring and Assessment • Monitoring project outputs using Volunteer Management System and 4-HOnline • Assessment of EE Program Delivery (Youth Outcomes) using 4-H Common

Measures (Science Literacy 8-12)

Professional Development (Stage 2): Application of Environmental Education with Youth in 4-H

• Approximately 8-12 hours over 3-6 weeks (service learning) • Working with after school programs, camps, traditional clubs or SPIN clubs

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Project Monitoring. In addition to the data collection instruments described above, the project will employ existing program monitoring tools already in use by both statewide programs. This information will be used to track long-term changes in the numbers of California Naturalists volunteering with 4-H programs, the number of 4-H volunteers taking the California Naturalist course, and the number of youth served by the volunteers going through this professional development pathway.

• CalNat Course Evaluation. This existing Post with retrospective Pre- course evaluation will be used to measure gains in knowledge, skills and dispositions of course participants.

• Volunteer management system (VMS). A “Global” project will be established in the VMS to track the volunteer service of new or existing naturalists in the program including capstone title, number of volunteer hours, organization served, type of service and demographic information of contacts.

• 4hOnline. The number of youth reached by adults who participate in the advanced professional development and/or capstone project in 4-H will be tracked in the 4hOnline enrollment system as well in order to document the number of youth who benefited from the participants involved in this professional development project.

Alternatives and Limitations. Limitations to the research design include challenges not uncommon to the evaluation of projects related to environmental outcomes identified by Heimlich (2010), such as assumptions of causality, projection of motivation, and lack of theory including the weak linkages between knowledge, attitude and behavior. With these limitations in mind and with a focus on the citizens’ or participants’ perspective of scientific literacy (Smith, et al., 2015) the project cautiously approaches connections between science literacy and sound choices and behaviors related to the conservation and natural resource management goals of UC ANR.

Project Leadership and Capacity Project leadership and capacity is built around three integrated groups on the project team. The first group includes the two academic coordinators (Ira and Bautista) who will provide the day to day management and oversite of the project. The second group includes experienced Co-PI’s, who serve as technical advisors, content reviewers, and evaluation leaders (Horrrillo, Smith, Schmitt-McQuitty and Drill). The Third group includes three local pilot site teams comprised of local 4-H and California Naturalist Community Education Specialists working under the guidance of three experienced county 4-H Advisors (Worker, Bird and Carrasco).

As the PI, Ira has over 15 years of experience leading multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams of specialists on more than ten grant funded environmental education projects operating at a statewide or regional level. Ira brings a collaborative and participatory approach to project leadership and will work to ensure that project participants, collaborators and advisors work cooperatively toward the shared goals of the project. As the Project Coordinator, Bautista will work closely with the PI to ensure the implementation of project activities as outlined in the project plan and timeline. Bautista brings a wealth of project management experience as well as knowledge in the field of STEM education especially working with underserved youth. Together, Ira and Bautista will connect and coordinate efforts of statewide advisors and local collaborators.

The Co-PI’s Horrillo, Smith, and Schmitt-Mcquitty all bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and leadership related to positive youth development, and program evaluation. All are published in the field, have led statewide programs or projects, conducted applied research, designed

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evaluation, and mentored junior colleagues successfully. Horrillo brings experience and expertise in program administration, youth development, large-scale evaluations, and in communicating outcomes to stakeholders. Smith and Schmitt-McQuitty are well versed in defining environmental literacy, reform-oriented professional development strategies, curriculum development and implementation strategies, and needs assessments for the California 4-H Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Initiative. In addition to this team, Drill, a project collaborator and Associate Director for the California Naturalist Program and Natural Resource Advisor brings a strong and recognized expertise in environmental science as well as environmental education.

Each of the three project pilot sites is made up a team of collaborators comprised of 4-H and California Naturalist Community Education Specialists (Rodriguez and Gamble) and local California Naturalist program partners (Clune, Passatino, Woodard-Belding, and McDermott). These teams are guided and supported by three experienced 4-H Youth Development Advisors (Worker, Bird, and Carrasco). Worker is the former 4-H STEM advisor and is published and has led numerous projects involving curriculum development and professional development related to science literacy. Bird brings years of experience designing and implementing 4-H projects related to the environment including serving as the chair of the 4-H Camping Conference. Carrasco’s focus revolves around efforts to implement, evaluate, strengthen and expand local 4-H programming to better serve currently under-represented populations and places and has already initiated related projects involving the integration of California Naturalists with 4-H projects.

Literature Cited American Association for the Advancement of Science (1989). Science for All Americans. Banks, J. A., Au, K. H., Ball, A. F., Bell, P., Gordon, E. W., Gutiérrez, K., ... & Nasir, N. I. S.

(2007). Learning in and out of school in diverse environments: Life-long, life-wide, life-deep. Seattle: The LIFE Center and the Center for Multicultural Education, University of Washington.

Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2011). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Coyle, K. (2005). Environmental literacy in America: What ten years of NEETF/Roper research and related studies say about environmental literacy in the US. National Environmental Education & Training Foundation.

De Nevers, G., Edelman, D. S., & Merenlender, A. (2013). The California naturalist handbook. Univ of California Press.

Dogan, S. J., Miner, G., Worker, S., Bottoms, M., Hill, R., & Mautte (2012). 4-H Youth Development Program Framework. Davis, CA: University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H Youth Development Program.

Heimlich, J. E. (2010). Environmental education evaluation: Reinterpreting education as a strategy for meeting mission. Evaluation and Program planning, 33(2), 180-185.

Hollweg, K. S., Taylor, J. R., Bybee, R. W., Marcinkowski, T. J., McBeth, W. C., & Zoido, P. (2011). Developing a framework for assessing environmental literacy. Washington, DC: North American Association for Environmental Education.

Krueger, R.A. & Casey, M.A. (2015). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research (5th Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

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Lamb, Theodore. (2005). The Retrospective Pretest: An Imperfect but Useful Tool. The Evaluation Exchange, 11(1 ), 18.

Lewis, K., Horrillo, S. J., Widaman, K., Worker, S., & Trzesniewski, K. (2015). National 4-H common measures: Initial evaluation from California 4-H. Journal of Extension [On-line], 53(2) Article 2RIB3.

Merenlender, A. M., Crall, A. W., Drill, S., Prysby, M., & Ballard, H. (2016). Evaluating environmental education, citizen science, and stewardship through naturalist programs. Conservation Biology, 30(6), 1255-1265.

National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine. (2007). Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi:https://doi.org/10.17226/11463.

Public Policy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. NAAEE (2017). Guidelines for Excellence: Professional Development of Environmental Educators. National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education.

Raidl, M., Johnson, S., Gardiner, K., Denham, M., Spain, K., Lantin, R., Jayo, C., Liddil, A., & Barron, K. (2004). Use retrospective surveys to obtain complete data sets and measure impact in extension programs. Journal of Extension, 42(2).

Smith, M. H., & Schmitt-McQuitty, L. (2013). More effective professional development can help 4-H volunteers address need for youth scientific literacy. California Agriculture, 67(1), 54-61.

Smith, M. H., Worker, S.M., Ambrose, A.P., & Schmitt-McQuitty, L. (2015). Scientific literacy: California 4-H defines it from citizens' perspective. California Agriculture, 69(2), 92-97.

Wimer, C., Bouffard, S. M., Caronongan, P., Dearing, E., Simpkins, S., Little, P., & Weiss, H. (2006). What Are Kids Getting into These Days? Demographic Differences in Youth Out-of School Time Participation. Harvard Family Research Project, Harvard University.

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Milestone/Objective Start End Responsible Outcomes and Deliverable Phase I: Material Development (Apr ‘18 to Aug ‘18)

1. Creation of advanced professional development workshop materials

Apr ‘18

Aug ‘18

Smith, Bautista Six-hour advanced Professional Development workshop curriculum on Positive Youth Development created and packaged.

2. Capstone Project Template Apr ‘18

Aug ‘18

Ira, Bautista Outline for an eight-hour CalNat capstone project for someone working with youth

3. Resource Guide of EE Activities

Apr ‘18

Aug ‘18

Bautista, Ira Resource Guide of EE Activities Aligned to California Naturalist Handbook

4. Develop survey and interview instruments for project evaluation

Apr ‘18

Aug ‘18

Ira, Bautista, Smith

Research design framework including quantitative survey for the initial professional development activities, draft qualitative interview questions and data integration plan.

Phase II: Program Delivery at Pilot Sites (Sep ’18 to Oct ’19) 5. PYD Advanced Professional

Development Workshops in Three Pilot Sites.

Sep ‘18

Nov ‘18

Smith, Bautista, Ira, Local partners

60 participants (20 in each pilot site) complete a six-hour advanced professional development course on PYD with EE examples.

6. Conduct four California Naturalist Courses with PYD Capstone Template Projects in all pilot sites.

Sep ‘18

Aug ‘19

Clune Passantino McDermott W-Belding

40 participants (10 participants/course x 4 courses. Note: there are two courses in Marin-Sonoma Counties) complete the California Naturalist course using the Capstone Project Template on PYD

7. Conduct Quantitative Survey of professional development participants.

Dec ‘18

Dec ‘18


Survey administered to 100 participants from both the Advanced professional development workshop and the California Naturalist Course (with Capstone Template Project).

8. Facilitation/Delivery of environmental education activities with local 4-H groups at all three pilot sites

Sep ‘18

Nov ‘19

Project participants and 4-H CES staff.

70 participants (30 from the initial professional development and 40 from the California Naturalist courses) are integrated (in small teams of 2-4) into local 4-H programs and provide 8-12 hours of additional volunteer service in the delivery/facilitation of environmental education programming with local 4-H groups.

9. Youth outcome assessment at each 4-H program

Sep ‘18

Nov ‘19

Bautista, Worker, Bird, Carrasco

An estimated 120 4-H youth (avg. 5 youth served by reached by 24 teams of adult volunteer teams with environmental education projects) complete the pre- and post-test “youth science literacy” and “views about science” survey.

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10. Extender and youth reach tracked at each 4-H program

Nov ‘19

Out ‘19

Worker, Bird, Carrasco

Numbers and demographic data entered into 4hOnline.

11. Conduct Focus Group Interviews of participants

Jun ‘19

Oct ‘19


Approximately 40 of the adult project participants that completed both the initial professional development and volunteer environmental service programs with 4-H youth participate in an online (ZOOM) focus group interview.

Phase III: Analysis & Refinement (Oct ’19 – Jan ’20) 12. Integration & analysis of

quantitative & qualitative data

Sep’19 Nov ‘19

Ira, Bautista, Smith, Horrillo

Summary of data integration analysis completed.

13. Refine advanced professional development workshop and capstone project template

Nov ‘19

Dec ‘19

Bautista, Smith, McQuitty

Agenda and professional development workshop and capstone project template curriculum and resources finalized based on project results and observations of project team.

14. Finalize training resources based on revised project methods and resources.

Dec ‘19

Jan ‘20

Bautista, Ira Agenda for project results and sharing webinar completed. Training agenda and resources for training other teams of 4-H and California Naturalist staff/partners finalized.

Phase IV: Dissemination & Training (Feb ’20 – Mar ’20) 15. Project Sharing and

Dissemination Webinar Feb ‘20

Feb ‘20

All 50-75 participants statewide (including 4-H program staff, California Naturalist partners, members of the California Environmental Education Interagency Network, and the California Regional Environmental Education Community) attend a 45-minute webinar on the lessons learned from the project.

16. Statewide Train-the-Trainer workshop for county teams

Mar ‘20

Mar ‘20

All 30 participants (10 teams of three partners) from various counties around the state complete a one-day team training in Davis for to learn, adopt, and implement the part or all of the program methods and resources developed by the project.

17. Publications and Conference Presentations

Jan ‘20

Mar ‘20

Ira, Bautista The PI and Co-PIs will initiate publications for ANR series as well as peer reviewed journals based on the project. Ira and Bautista will develop and present results at relevant conferences.

Statement of Policy Impact and/or Outreach Efforts

Relevance. Scientific literacy is central to systematic, research-based and rational decision-making. In the absence of scientific literacy, we leave to chance the impact that individual decisions of 40 million residents of the state will have on natural resource conservation, food production, health and nutrition, and positive youth development. Environmental literacy in particular is vital in a time of rapid environmental change affecting everything from sea-level rise, larger and more frequent fires, the spread of invasive pests and disease, extreme weather, and the quality and quantity of limited water resources. These environmental changes are occurring faster than the social and cultural changes that are necessary to adapt to them. This project seeks to accelerate the existing efforts of two statewide programs to increase scientific literacy by harnessing the existing infrastructure of the statewide 4-H program to engage youth and the growing interest in volunteer service related to environmental education by adults in the California Naturalist program. The following expected outcomes, policy impacts, and outreach efforts of the project demonstrate the relevance of the project to the critical issues facing California.

Expected Outcomes. The project has identified the following expected outcomes: 1) increased capacity of California Naturalists (i.e., knowledge, skills and dispositions) to support youth development programs; 2) strengthened curriculum materials and programming for youth in environmental education, 3) accelerated growth in the number CalNat volunteers supporting 4-H programming and the number of 4-H volunteers pursuing CalNat certification, 4) changes in science attitudes, skills and application among youth, and 5) a journal article, extension publications, and two conference presentations to relevant national professional associations.

Outreach. Phase four of the project (i.e., Dissemination and Training) is specifically designed to maximize the likelihood of broader impact by focusing on outreach efforts to document and share lessons learned, methods developed and resources created by the project for use by others. These outreach efforts include the following: i) a webinar, ii) a training for county-based teams interested in replicating the project in other parts of the state, and iii) the development of publications and conference presentations.

Policy Impact. Two major statewide policy initiatives are currently underway by the legislature and the environmental education community that may inform and be informed by the project. Ongoing legislation (SB 424) seeking permanent funding for the California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) could potentially result in significant new opportunities to connect nonformal environmental educators with teachers, which would provide a valuable platform the resources developed by the project. Similarly, the state’s affiliate to the North American Association for Environmental Education is preparing to implement an environmental education certification program in the state which could significantly increase demand for high quality programs such as being developed by the project. Ultimately, while individual choices and behaviors are based on a complex set of factors, increasing ANR’s capacity to deliver programs that build scientific literacy of youth and the capacity of adults to support them will address valuable pre-requisites to achieving science-based decision making.

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Project Participants

Gregory Ira, California Naturalist Academic Coordinator, ANR (PI). Greg is the California Naturalist Program Coordinator developing and overseeing efficient and effective program operations through program planning, development, management, and evaluation. In addition, Greg serves as the Chair of the Environmental Education Workgroup under the Positive Youth Development Program Team. Greg has over fifteen years of experience in the design and delivery of environmental education programs and professional development as the director of the Office of Environmental Education in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Greg earned his BA in Environmental Studies from Prescott College and MA in Asian Studies with a focus on Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Hawaii. ROLE: Greg will oversee project’s conceptual, administrative and fiscal responsibilities and connect the project Co-PI’s with the relevant aspects of the project where their expertise is needed. He will work closely with the Project Coordinator to ensure the day-to-day activities are accomplished according to the project timeline and budget. In addition, he will supervise the management and coordination of California Naturalist Community Education Specialists and Course Instructors as they implement their local course involving the Capstone Project Template on PYD in each of the three pilot sites. Greg will also oversee the use of the ANR Volunteer Management System to monitor or track project outputs.

Shannon Horrillo, Statewide 4-H Director, ANR (Co-PI). Dr. Horrillo is the Statewide Director of 4-H Program and Policy. In her role, she provides leadership to the implementation of the 4-H Youth Development Program. This includes leadership and oversight to the 4-H Advisory Committees, the 4-H mission mandates (4-H Science, Engineering & Technology, 4-H Healthy Living, and 4-H Citizenship) and the 4-H Thrive and 4-H Military Partnership Programs. Shannon earned a Ph.D. in Human Development, an M.S. in Child Development and a B.S. in Human Development, all from UC Davis. ROLE: As the statewide director of the 4-H statewide program, Shannon will provide overall guidance and direction to all project elements as they relate to the participation and integration of project activities with local 4-H staff and their programs.

Martin Smith, Associate Specialist, Department of Population Health and Reproduction, Veterinary Medicine Extension, and Department Human Ecology, UC Davis (Co-PI). Martin is an associate Cooperative Extension specialist with a split appointment in the Department of Human Ecology and in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and specializes in youth scientific literacy and science education outreach. Martin has been on campus since 1996 and accepted a shared appointment with human ecology in 2012. He has an M.S. in biology and an Ed.D. in teacher leadership. ROLE: Martin’s role includes guidance and technical assistance on the packaging of the professional development activities and the design and analysis of the sequential explanatory mixed methods research design for the project.

Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty, County Director, San Benito, and 4-H Youth Development Advisor, Santa Cruz, Monterey, ANR (Co-PI). Lynn works as a county-based faculty member for the University of California Cooperative Extension and serves the geographic region of Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito Counties with youth development programming in nonformal science. Lynn graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point with a BS degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis

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in Outdoor Education in 1987, and obtained her MS degree in Outdoor Education in 1991 from Northern Illinois University. ROLE: Lynn will serve as an advisor for the county 4-H Youth Development Advisors sharing her experience and knowledge on effective professional development models, curricula, and deliveries, to engage youth in self-directed learning and discovery.

Jessica Bautista, 4-H Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Academic Coordinator, State 4-H Office, ANR (Collaborator, Project Coordinator). Jessica serves as the 4-H Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) academic coordinator. Jessica, will serve as the project coordinator working closely with the PI as a bridge between the Co-PI’s and the local pilot site partners to ensure successful implementation of the key project activities. ROLE: Jessica plays the lead role in the day-to-day implementation of the project including coordination of the logistics for all of the major project activities including the advanced professional development workshops, the webinar, and the training to scale-up project implementation at the end of the project. She will also oversee the general monitoring of project outputs using existing 4-H tracking tools. Bautista is also the primary point of contact for all the 4-H partners in the pilot sites.

Sabrina L. Drill, Natural Resources Advisor, Los Angeles, Ventura County, ANR (Collaborator). Sabrina Drill is the Natural Resources Advisor for UC Cooperative Extension in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties and the Associate Director of the California Naturalist Program. She holds a Ph.D. in Geography and a M.S. in Biology, both from UCLA, a B.S. in Biology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and an A.A. in Natural Science from Simon’s Rock College. ROLE: Sabrina will provide guidance, technical expertise and advice on the environmental education resources used by the project participants when they engage with local 4-H programs and the overall analysis and implications of project results from the perspective of the California Naturalist program.

Marisa Rodriguez, California Naturalist Community Education Specialist, ANR (Collaborator). Marisa is the California Naturalist Community Education Specialist who will support the Riverside pilot site activities as they relate to the local California Naturalist course. ROLE: Marisa will coordinate participation of the California Naturalist Course Instructor at the Riverside Metropolitan Museum to oversee the implementation of Capstone Project Template option of the course and ensure the particiapnts are connected to the local 4-H programs.

Teresa Woodard Belding, Education Curator Riverside Metropolitan Museum (Collaborator, Riverside Pilot Site). Teresa is the course instructor for the Riverside Museum California Naturalist course which will include 10 participants using the capstone project template. ROLE: Ensure the 10 California Naturalist course participants understand and complete the Capstone Project Template portion of the course.

Claudia P. Diaz Carrasco, 4-H Youth Development Advisor, Riverside, San Bernardino, ANR (Collaborator, Riverside Pilot Site). Claudia is the 4-H Youth Development Advisor for Riverside County and focuses on developing and implementing programing to better serve currently under-represented populations and places in the region. ROLE: Claudia will work with local 4-H community education specialists to

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facilitate the placement, integration and coaching of the small teams of participants who complete the initial professional development into local 4-H programs in the Sacramento County pilot site to conduct environment education activities.

Steven Worker, 4-H Youth Development Advisor, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, ANR (Collaborator, Marin-Sonoma Pilot Site). Steven provides leadership, support, and oversight to 4-H Youth Development clubs, camps, and programs in Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties including the development, implementation, and evaluation of educational programs and applied research around youth engagement and improving youth scientific and environmental literacy. ROLE: Steven will work with local 4-H community education specialists to facilitate the placement, integration and coaching of the small teams of participants who complete the initial professional development into local 4-H programs in the Sacramento County pilot site to conduct environment education activities.

Tony Passantino and Catie Clune, CalNat Course Instructors, Sonoma Ecology Center and Salmon Protection and Watershed Network respectively (Collaborators, Marin-Sonoma County Pilot Site). Tony and Catie are California Naturalist course instructors for the Sonoma Ecology Center and the Salmon Protection Network respectively who will each include 10 course participants using the capstone project template. ROLE: Ensure the 10 California Naturalist course participants (in each of their courses) understand and complete the Capstone Project Template portion of the course.

Brook Gamble, California Naturalist Community Education Specialist, ANR (Collaborator). Brook is the Northern California Naturalist Community Education Specialist who will support the Marin-Sonoma pilot site activities as they relate to the local California Naturalist course. ROLE: Brook will coordinate participation of the California Naturalist Course Instructors at the Sonoma Ecology Center and SPAWN to oversee the implementation of Capstone Project Template option of the course and ensure the participants are connected to the local 4-H programs.

Marianne Bird, M.S., 4-H Youth Development Advisor, Sacramento, ANR (Collaborator, Sacramento-Yolo Pilot Site). Marianne is the 4-H Youth Development Advisor for Sacramento and serves as Chair of the California 4-H Camping Advisory Committee. She has extensive experience working for and with after school programs, especially in the realm of science literacy. ROLE: Marianne will work with local 4-H community education specialists to facilitate the placement, integration and coaching of the small teams of participants who complete the initial professional development into local 4-H programs in the Sacramento County pilot site to conduct environment education activities.

John McDermott, Education Associate Yolo Basin Foundation (Collaborator, Sacramento-Yolo Pilot Site). John is the course instructor for the Yolo Basin Foundation California Naturalist course which will include 10 course participants using the capstone project template. ROLE: Ensure the 10 California Naturalist course participants understand and complete the Capstone Project Template portion of the course.

PI: Gregory Ira (UC California Naturalist Program)Project Title: Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist Training for Scientific LiteracyProject Start and End Dates: April 1, 2018; March 31, 2020Total Amount Requested: $157,790

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5Personnel Expense Types Total Budget

Faculty/PI/ Other Academic Salaries 4,384 18,604 14,371 0 0 37,359Staff Salaries 0 21,514 14,640 0 0 36,154

Graduate Student/Research Assistant Salaries 0 0 0 0 0 0Fringe Benefits Faculty/PI/Academics 1,868 8,167 6,495 0 0 16,530

Fringe Benefits Staff 0 14,202 9,905 0 0 24,107Fringe Benefits Graduate Students 0 0 0 0 0 0

Personnel Sub Totals 6,252 62,487 45,411 0 0 114,150Non-Personnel Expense Types Total Budget

Graduate Student Tuition Remission 0 0 0 0 0 0Purchase of Plants/Animals 0 0 0 0 0 0

Laboratory & Equipment Supplies 0 0 0 0 0 0Other Supplies and Materials 375 1,500 1,125 0 0 3,000

Travel 2,625 10,500 7,875 0 0 21,000Professional Services 0 0 0 0 0 0Materials Production 1,500 0 0 0 0 1,500

Shipping/Mailing 0 0 0 0 0 0Non-Personnel Sub Totals 4,500 12,000 9,000 0 0 25,500

Other Costs Total BudgetMiscellaneous 1 143 17,570 427 0 0 18,140Miscellaneous 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

Other Sub Totals 143 17,570 427 0 0 18,140

Cumulative TOTALS (Personnel+Non Personnel+Other) 10,895 92,057 54,838 0 0 157,790

ANR Competitive Grants 2017 (BUDGET TEMPLATE) Cumulative Budget (Primary + SubAward 1 + Sub Award 2)

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Budget Summary and Justification

Estimated Start and End Date: April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2020. Total project period is 24 months across three fiscal years as follows: 3 months in FY 17/18, 12 months in FY 18/19, and 9 months in FY 19/20.

Total Estimated Budget: $157,790. The requested budget covers four phases of the project reaching approximately 100 adults with professional development, 120 youth with environmental education, and 50 staff through a Train-the-Trainer workshop. Total budget by fiscal year: 17/18: $10,895; 18/19: $92,057 and 19/20: $54,838.

Salaries and Fringe Benefits: $114,150. Includes the Project Coordinator (4-H STEM Academic Coordinator) for 0.25 FTE for 24 months ($53,889). The Project Coordinator will coordinate the regional trainings and logistics, hold regular conference calls with all sites, ensure coordination and sharing of resources, provide ongoing support to sites to ensure success, and coordinate the statewide Train-the-Trainer workshop. Three 4-H Community Education Specialist (CES) II (Sacramento, Marin-Sonoma, and Riverside) at 0.15 FTE for 15 months ($41,796). The 4-H CES’s will recruit 4-H volunteers, support the advanced professional development workshop, and support California Naturalist (CalNat) volunteers with environmental education projects in local 4-H programs. Two CalNat CES’s (II and III), one each in southern and northern California, will provide course management support for the four CalNat courses at 0.10 (FTE) for 12 months ($18, 464). By fiscal year: 17/18: $6,252; 18/19: $62,487 and 19/20: $45,411.

Travel: $21,000. The project includes travel for the Project Coordinator and PI and selected Co-PIs for three regional professional development workshops (within the first 12 months), a major statewide Train-the-Trainer workshop for 50 participants from around the state in Davis, CA (within the last six months of the project), and finally, travel for the PI, Co-PIs and the Project Coordinator to disseminate project methods and resources at relevant conferences. Travel by fiscal year: 17/18: $ 2,625; 18/19: $10,500 and 19/20: $7,875.

Supplies: $3,000. Supplies will cover PYD training materials, copies, curriculum development, materials needed for volunteer capstone template projects, and the statewide Train-the-Trainer model training supplies. Supplies by fiscal year: 17/18: $375; 18/19: $1,500 and 19/20: $1,125.

Publication/Materials Production: $1,500. Cost for graphic design and professional production of professional development curriculum materials within the first three to six months of the project for approximately 60 participants of the advanced professional development workshop and 40 participants of the California Naturalist capstone project template in FY 17/18.

Participant Support Costs: $18,140. This will cover the cost of CalNat course fees (average $425/participant for 10 participants in each of four courses (subtotal: $17,000). It also includes 4-H volunteer program fees ($18-$20/4-H adult volunteer) for 30 volunteers. Participant Costs by fiscal year: 17/18: $143, 18/19: $ 17,570 and 19/20: $427.

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Relevant Publications Shannon Horrillo (Co-PI):

Lewis, K., Horrillo, S. J., Widaman, K., Worker, S., & Trzesniewski, K. (2015). National 4-H common measures: Initial evaluation from California 4-H. Journal of Extension [On-line], 53(2) Article 2RIB3. Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2015april/rb3.php/www.joe.org/joe/2015april/rb3.php.

Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty (Co-PI):

Moncloa, F.; Schmitt-McQuitty, L.; Go, C.; Nathaniel, K.; Truong, T. (2011). "A Safe Place to Learn and Grow: Fostering Youth Social Skills in Afterschool Programs." Advances in Youth Development--Research and Evaluation from the University of California Cooperative Extension 2001-2010

Sallee, J.; Schmitt-McQuitty, L.S.; Swint, S; Meek, A. (2015). "TechXcite: Discover Engineering A New STEM Curriculum." Journal of Extension 53(3): 5.

Schmitt-McQuitty, L., Carlos, R., & Smith, M.H. (2014). Learnings and recommendations to advance 4-H science readiness. Journal of Extension, 52(4). Article 4FEA1. Available at http://www.joe.org/joe/2014august/a1.php

Schmitt-McQuitty, L.; Smith, M. (2011). "Moving Beyond the Demonstration Model: The Importance of Experiential Learning in the 4-H Youth Development Program." Advances in Youth Development--Research and Evaluation from the University of California Cooperative Extension 2001-2010

Schmitt-McQuitty, L.; Smith, M.; Chin-Young, J. (2011). "Preparing Volunteers to Meet the Developmental Needs of Youth Audiences." Journal of Extension 49(1)

Worker, Steven M.; Schmitt-McQuitty, Lynn; Ambrose, Andrea; Brian, Kelley; Schoenfelder, Emily; Smith, Martin H. (2017). "Multiple-Methods Needs Assessment of California 4-H Science Education Programming." Journal of Extension 55(2): # 2RIB4.

Gregory Ira (PI):

Monroe, M. C., Marcinkowski, T., Chang, J., Kauchek, L., Smith, R., & Ira, G. (2006). A descriptive review of Florida's Environmental Education Grants Programs. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 4(2), 151-159. Available at http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15330150590934444

Martin Smith (Co-PI):

Smith, M. H., & Schmitt-McQuitty, L. (2013). More effective professional development can help 4-H volunteers address need for youth scientific literacy. California Agriculture, 67(1), 54-61. http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/repositoryfiles/ca6701p47-99930.pdf

http://www.joe.org/joe/2015april/rb3.php/www.joe.org/joe/2015april/rb3.php

http://www.joe.org/joe/2014august/a1.php

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15330150590934444

http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/repositoryfiles/ca6701p47-99930.pdf

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Smith, M. H., Meehan, C., Lewis, K., Worker, S.M., Schmitt-McQuitty, L., Schoenfelder, E., & Brian, K. (in progress). Study of 4-H professional development approaches across the U.S. Journal of Extension.

Smith, M. H., Worker, S.M., Ambrose, A.P., & Schmitt-McQuitty, L. (2015). Scientific literacy: California 4-H defines it from citizens' perspective. California Agriculture, 69(2), 92-97. Available at: http://californiaagriculture.ucanr.edu/landingpage.cfm?article=ca.v069n02p92

Smith, M.H.; Worker, S.M.; Ambrose, A.P.; Schmitt-McQuitty, L.S. (2015). "Including Civic Engagement as a Component of Scientific Literacy." Science Education and Civic Engagement

Smith, Martin H.; Worker, Steven M.; Meehan, Cheryl; Schmitt-McQuitty, Lynn; Ambrose, Andrea; Brian, Kelley; Schoenfelder, Emily. (2017). "Defining and Developing Curricula in the Context of Cooperative Extension." Journal of Extension 55(2): # 2FEA4.

http://californiaagriculture.ucanr.edu/landingpage.cfm?article=ca.v069n02p92

1

Other Current and Pending Support Investigator: Gregory Ira Role: In-Kind Support

Support: Current: Pending_X__ Future___ Transfer___

Project Title (Source): Climate Adaptation Clearinghouse (CA Governor’s Office of Planning and Research)

Award Amount Award Period June 2017 June 2018

Person Months/Yr 1 Calendar:_X__ Academic: Summer:

Investigator: Shannon Horrillo Role: Principal Investigator

Support: Current:___ Pending_X__ Future___ Transfer___

Project Title (Source): Pathways to Your Future: Destination UC (UC ANR)

Award Amount $200,000 Award Period 04/01/18 03/31/21

Person Months/Yr 2.4 months Calendar:_X_ Academic: Summer:

Investigator: Shannon Horrillo Role: Co-Principal Investigator


Project Title (Source): Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist Training for Science Literacy (UC ANR)


Person Months/Yr 6 months Calendar:_X_ Academic: Summer:

Investigator: Shannon Horrillo Role: Co-Principal Investigator


Project Title (Source): Identifying Protective Factors that Promote the Successful Transition to Young Adulthood for Mexican-Origin Youth (UC ANR)



Investigator: Shannon Horrillo Role: Principal Investigator


Project Title (Source): 2017 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health (National 4-H Council (Y17-3678))


Person Months/Yr 6 months Calendar:_X_ Academic: Summer:

Investigator: Lynn Schmitt-

McQuitty Role: Collaborator


Project Title (Source): 4976 Developing a Culturally-Relevant Civic Science Approach to Improving Scientific Literacy for Latino Youth

Award Amount $187,687 Award Period April 1, 2018 October 31, 2020





2

Project Title (Source): 5085 Pathways to Your Future: Destination UC

Award Amount $200,000 Award Period April 2018 March 2021





Project Title (Source): ANR Proposal 5074 Youth Empowerment and Health Literacy Improvements Through Agricultural and Garden-Enhanced Curricula

Award Amount $199,671 Award Period April 1, 2018 December 31, 2020


Investigator: Martin Smith Role: Principal Investigator

Support: Current:_X__ Pending___ Future___ Transfer___

Project Title (Source): Sustainable Polymer Curriculum Review Project (NSF Subaward from University of MN)

Award Amount $79,362 Award Period 07/01/11 - 06/30/2018

Person Months/Yr .05 FTE (in kind) Calendar:_X_ Academic: Summer:

Investigator: Martin Smith Role: Principal Investigator


Project Title (Source): Lesson Study Planning and Implementation Project (S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation Subaward from National 4-H Council)

Award Amount $187,000 Award Period 07/01/14-12/31/2018

Person Months/Yr .10 FTE (in-kind) Calendar:_X_ Academic: Summer:

Investigator: Martin Smith Role: Collaborator


Project Title (Source): Use of Innovative Technologies and Professional Development to Enhance Efficacy of an Evidence-Based, Comprehensive Nutrition Education Program (UC ANR Collaborative Grant)

Award Amount $428,113 Award Period 04/01/16-06/30/2018


Investigator: Martin Smith Role: Co-Principal Investigator


Project Title (Source): Backyard Poultry Care: E-learning Solutions and Youth Civic Engagement Opportunities Designed to Extend Knowledge and Skills (UC ANR Collaborative Grant)

Award Amount $150,000 Award Period




Project Title (Source): Developing a Culturally-Relevant Civic Science Approach to Improving Scientific Literacy for Latino Youth (UC ANR Collaborative Grant)



3

Investigator: Martin Smith Role: Collaborator


Project Title (Source): Youth Empowerment and Health Literacy Improvements Through the Use of Agricultural and Garden-Enhanced Curricula (UC ANR Collaborative Grant)





Project Title (Source): 4-H Youth Education at the Interface between Livestock and Predators: Protecting Predators by Promoting Livestock Husbandry project (UC ANR Collaborative Grant)





Project Title (Source): Pathways to the Future: Destination UC (UC ANR Collaborative Grant)



Riverside County 21150 Box Springs Road, Ste 202 Moreno Valley, CA 92557-8718 (951) 683 6491

June 1, 2017

Dear Gregory Ira,

The Riverside County 4-H Youth Development program is pleased to support and

participate in the proposed project “Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist

Training for Science Literacy.” The initiative is consistent with our goals to increase

our efforts to provide high quality environmental education programing in 4-H

community clubs, afterschool programs, and camps.

Our county is an active member of the Environmental Education Collaborative

serving Riverside and San Bernardino counties and members of EEC had expressed

wide interest on the initiative.

As a local 4-H program pilot site partner in the project I understand our role in the

project consists of the following activities: supporting the capstone projects of

approximately 10 California Naturalist course participants by integrating them with

our 4-H program between August 2018 and November 2018, coordinating with local

California Naturalist partners including attendance by one or our staff in the advanced

training course on Positive Youth Development, and participating in project planning

calls. I also understand that our involvement may require participation in project

evaluation efforts by our staff, volunteers, and members.

We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate on this important project.

Sincerely,

Sincerely,

Claudia P. Diaz Carrasco

4-H Youth Development Advisor

University of California Cooperative Extension

Riverside and San Bernardino Counties

[email protected]

(951) 683-6491 ext.222

UC Cooperative Extension Capitol Corridor Sacramento Office

4145 Branch Center Road Sacramento, CA 95827-3823

(916) 875-6530 office (916) 875-6233 fax

cecapitolcorridor.ucanr.edu

June 12, 2017

Dear Gregory,

The Sacramento County 4-H Youth Development Program is pleased to support and participate

in the proposed project “Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist Training for Science

Literacy.” The initiative is consistent with our goals to increase high quality environmental

education programming, especially to youth who have limited opportunity to experience, explore

and understand the natural world.

As a local 4-H program pilot site partner in the project, I understand our role involves:

Supporting the capstone projects of approximately 10 California Naturalist course

participants by integrating them with our 4-H program between August 2018 and

November 2018

Coordinating with local California Naturalist partners, including staff attendance in the

advanced training course on Positive Youth Development

Participating in project planning calls

Exploring ways to further foster the connection between California Naturalist volunteers

and the youth served through the 4-H program

I also understand that our involvement may require participation in project evaluation efforts by

our staff, volunteers, and members.

The Sacramento County 4-H Youth Development Program has a long and proven record of

quality environmental education ventures for youth including project work in 4-H Clubs, 4-H

Water Wizards in afterschool programs, and the nationally recognized 4-H On the Wild Side

project.

We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate on this important work and look forward to

integrating the resources of these two fine ANR statewide programs.

Sincerely,

Marianne Bird

4-H Youth Development Advisor

California State 4-H Office

UC ANR

2801 Second Street Davis, CA 95618-7774

Office: (530) 750-1334 /Fax: (530) 756-1148 [email protected]

http://4h.ucanr.edu/

June 16, 2017 Dear Gregory Ira, Thank you for inviting me to be a collaborating partner on ANR proposal Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist Training for Science Literacy.” The initiative is consistent with our goals to increase our efforts to provide high quality environmental education programing with our members. In this role, I will serve as the 4-H STEM Coordinator and provide guidance and support for the 4-H staff as well as the CalNat volunteers in the participating counties. I will also assist in the development, delivery, and refinement of the Positive Youth Development course and the capstone project template. I will also partake in the research activities and meetings associated with this project. As the 4-H STEM Academic Coordinator, I am excited to bring an Environmental Science Civic project that will collaborate two statewide programs within UC ANR, California Naturalists and 4-H. This project has the potential to improve youth scientific literacy by utilizing CalNat volunteers to work with youth on environmental education. I appreciate the opportunity to collaborate on this important project. Sincerely, Jessica Bautista 4-H Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Academic Coordinator University of California, Agriculture & Natural Resources California State 4-H Office [email protected] | (530) 750-1341

mailto:[email protected]

tel:%28530%29%20750-1340

PO Box 370 • Forest Knolls, CA 94933 P: 415.663.8590 • F: 415.663.9534 www. TIRN.net • www.SeaTurtles.org • www.SpawnUSA.org •

June 15, 2017 Dear Gregory Ira,

The Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN) is pleased to support and participate

in the proposed project “Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist Training for Science

Literacy.” The initiative is consistent with our goals to provide relevant capstone projects and

future volunteer opportunities for our naturalists.

As a California Naturalist pilot site partner in the project I understand our organization’s

involvement consists of the following activities: reserving at least 10 seats (participant fees

covered by the project) in our California Naturalist course between August 2018 and November

2018, adopting the new capstone template related to Positive Youth Development for those

participants in our course, coordinating with local 4-H partners including attendance by one or

our staff in the advanced training course, and participating in project planning calls. I also

understand that our involvement may require participation in project evaluation efforts by our

instructors and course participants.


Sincerely,

Todd Steiner Executive Director Salmon Protection and Watershed Network A conservation initiative of Turtle Island Restoration Network

http://www.seaturtles.org/

http://www.spawnusa.org/

http://www.gotmercury.org/

Gregory Ira 15 June 2017 UC California Naturalist Program Coordinator UC ANR 2801 Second Street 261A Davis, CA 95618 Dear Greg, I am writing in support of the proposal titled “Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist Training for Scientific Literacy.”

As a cooperator on this project and Associate Director for California Naturalist, I will be happy to provide review of materials and advice on working with California Naturalists and out instructors and partners, especially when there are opportunities to engage Naturalists from diverse backgrounds who may represent diversity found among the 4H participants. I look forward to working with you and our 4H colleagues on this project. Sincerely,

Dr. Sabrina Drill Natural Resources Advisor for Los Angeles and Ventura Counties Associate Director, California Naturalist

2801 Second Street | Davis | CA | 95618 | (530) 750-1334 | 4h.ucanr.edu

May 12, 2017

Dear Gregory Ira, As Co-PI of the proposed project “Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist Training for Science Literacy” I am committing 5% effort to this project. This project aligns with goals of the statewide 4-H Youth Development Program (4-H YDP) to increase the number of 4-H members supporting citizen science, increase the number of volunteers supporting 4-H programming, and strengthen environmental science education in 4-H through professional development of volunteers and staff.

As part of my commitment, I will provide expertise related to the statewide 4-H YDP throughout this project to inform efforts. I will collaborate on development of the content for the two training resources – an advanced training workshop and capstone project template – and the evaluation plan and survey tool(s) to assess changes in knowledge, skills, and behaviors. I will also help promote this opportunity through the 4-H network at pilot sites, contribute to the development of a statewide train-the-trainer model, and co-author journal articles, extension publications, and conference presentations to disseminate findings of the project. Thank you for the opportunity to collaborate on this important project. I am excited about the synergy this project is creating between the UC CalNat and 4-H YDP.

Respectfully,

Shannon Horrillo Statewide 4-H Director

4-H Youth Development Program

2801 Second Street | Davis | CA | 95618 | (530) 750-1334 | 4h.ucanr.edu

June 1, 2017 Dear Greg, Thank you for inviting me to be a collaborating partner on ANR proposal 5105: Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist Training for Science Literacy In this role I will oversee project planning and implementation by ensuring data collection and program materials are implemented correctly and assisting with data interpretation and project reporting. Additionally, I will also coordinate project activities including, but not limited to, coordination of volunteer professional development, and dissemination of project materials, and communication with other project staff. The project will assist in advancing awareness of California’s ecosystem and biodiversity, improving scientific literacy among California Naturalist (CalNat), 4-H volunteers and youth, and providing professional development in PYD to CalNat adult volunteers, who in turn will work with 4-H members to enhance science literacy. As a member of the CalNat PAC I am excited to see this opportunity and feel it will greatly address 4-H YDP deficiencies relative to environmental education programming opportunities and provide a purposeful and intentional opportunity for youth and adults to utilize the environment to develop positive partnerships. Sincerely, Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty County Director / Youth Development Advisor San Benito, Santa Cruz, Monterey Counties 831-637-5346 x 12 / [email protected]

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS

BERKELEY • DAVIS • IRVINE • LOS ANGELES • MERCED • RIVERSIDE • SAN DIEGO • SAN FRANCISCO

SANTA BARBARA • SANTA CRUZ

DEPARTMENT OF POPULATION HEALTH AND REPRODUCTION SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE TELEPHONE (530) 752-1358 FAX (530) 752-4278

1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive DAVIS, CALIFORNIA 95616-8743

15 June 2017 University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources 2801 Second Street Davis, CA 95618 Dear Members of the UC ANR Competitive Grants Program Review Committee: I am writing to you to confirm my participation and interest in taking a leadership role on the proposed project entitled “Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist Training for Science Literacy.” As a Specialist in Cooperative Extension focused on youth scientific literacy, I am well-positioned to serve as Co-PI and provide leadership and expert support to this effort. Specifically, I will draw upon my areas of expertise – youth science curriculum development, science education outreach, and educator professional development – to help design and implement relevant and effective educational materials and professional development models and help integrate those within the CalNat framework so they are effective.

The integration of two dynamic UC ANR programs into a collaborative effort has the potential to reach new and existing audiences with innovative programming in a manner that has not been utilized to date. I believe the potential for this project is excellent, and I look forward to the opportunity to be a part of it. Sincerely,

Martin H. Smith, MS, EdD Department of Population Health and Reproduction Department of Human Ecology 3213 Vet Med 3B University of California School of Veterinary Medicine Davis, CA 95616 530-752-6894 [email protected]


June 18, 2017 Gregory C. Ira UC California Naturalist Program Coordinator UC ANR 2801 Second Street Davis, CA 95618 Re: Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist Training for Science Literacy Dear Gregory Ira, I am pleased to serve as a Collaborator for your ANR Competitive Grant proposal to increase California Naturalist’s efforts to provide high quality environmental education programing with 4-H youth members. My role will include supporting the capstone projects of approximately 10 California Naturalist course participants by integrating them with our 4-H program between August 2018 and November 2018, coordinating with local California Naturalist partners including attendance by one or our staff in the advanced training course on youth development, and participating in project planning calls. Sincerely,

Steven Worker, PhD 4-H Youth Development Advisor serving Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Cooperative Extension Marin: (415) 473-4207 | Sonoma: (707) 565-2621 | Napa: (707) 253-4221 [email protected]

June 1, 2017 Dear Gregory Ira,

The Yolo Basin Foundation is pleased to support and participate in the proposed project

“Integrating Youth Development and Naturalist Training for Science Literacy.” The initiative is

consistent with our goals to provide relevant capstone projects and future volunteer opportunities

for our naturalists.

As a California Naturalist pilot site partner in the project I understand our organization’s

involvement consists of the following activities: reserving at least 10 seats (participant fees

covered by the project) in our California Naturalist course between August 2018 and November

2019, adopting the new capstone project template related to Positive Youth Development for

those participants in our course, coordinating with local 4-H partners including attendance by

one or our staff in the advanced training course, and participating in project planning calls. I also

understand that our involvement may require participation in project evaluation efforts by our

instructors and course participants.


Sincerely,

John McDermott

johnmcdermott

Signature

johnmcdermott

Logo

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Potential Reviewers

Potential Technical Reviewers:

Keith Nathaniel, Ed.D., County Director & Youth Development Advisor, Los Angeles, ANR, [email protected];

Lupita Fabregas, Ph.D., Assistant Director for Diversity & Expansion and 4-H Youth Development Advisor, State 4-H Office, ANR, [email protected];

Susie Kocher, M.S., Forestry/Natural Resources Advisor, ANR, [email protected];

Gemma Miner, M.S., 4-H Thrive Academic Coordinator, State 4-H Office, ANR, [email protected];

Jeremy James, Ph.D., Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center, ANR, [email protected];

Lisa Fischer, Director, Research and Extension Center System, ANR, [email protected];





The California Naturalist Program as a Catalyst for Environmental Literacy, Public Engagement and Community Resilience FINAL

NOAA Environmental Literacy Grant Proposal 2016 Page 1

Project Description The University of California, California Naturalist program (CalNat) is a statewide program whose

mission is to foster a diverse community of naturalists and promote stewardship of California’s natural

resources through education and service. Aspiring Naturalists enroll in a 40 hour course that combines

classroom and field experience in science, environmental problem-solving, communication training and

community service. Students are taught by an instructor and team of experts who are affiliated with a

local informal science organization, nature center, or natural resource agency. Each instructor and

partnering organization must meet minimum requirements and complete an instructors training

workshop before they can offer the CalNat course to participants. In less than five years, the CalNat

program has established 30 partnerships with organizations who have offered over 50 courses resulting

in 1,250 certified CA naturalists who have contributed over 45,000 hours of volunteer stewardship to

local organizations.

By modifying the CalNat course through the deployment of a new extreme weather module for the

course in six pilot sites and eventually, statewide this project will strengthen adult environmental

literacy, increase public engagement and enhance community resilience. The project involves four main

components spread out over five years across three bioregions in the state. These include: 1)

development of a core peer-reviewed publication, three bioregion specific web-based GIS Story Maps

and a set of infographics using the most up-to-date and locally specific data available on extreme

weather and associated environmental hazards; 2) capacity building of local California Naturalist

program partners and other non-formal educators through advanced trainings using the instructional

resources developed by the project; 3) the integration and delivery of the new instructional resources

into a new CalNat course module by three pilot CalNat partners; and 4) the provision of project support

systems and infrastructure to coordinate activities, monitor progress, promote course replication in

other sites, evaluate outcomes and sustain a community of practice. Ultimately, the extreme weather

module will be available to couple with CalNat trainings statewide to help course instructors align

capstone and citizen science projects with local adaptation plans.

The project is led by the California Naturalist program within the University of California Division

Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR). Partners include: the Pepperwood Foundation’s Terrestrial

Biodiversity and Climate Change Collaborative (TBC3) providing technical and scientific advisory services;

the NOAA National Weather Service (Los Angeles/Oxnard) Forecast Office for data and GIS Story Map

guidance; the Research Group from UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science for external evaluation

support; four CalNat course partnering organizations to host advanced trainings and integrate the new

module into their existing CalNat courses (American River Conservancy, SEA Lab Program of LA

Conservation Corps, Pepperwood Foundation, and Point Reyes National Seashore Association). We will

also draw on expertise from three additional UC ANR units including the Informatics and GIS statewide

program for web-based Story Map development, the Communications Support group for peer review

and publication development services, and the Information Technology unit for project-related

maintenance and upgrades to the volunteer management system.

Expected project outputs include one peer-reviewed publication, three interactive GIS Story Maps, three

topical infographics, six advanced training workshops reaching 90 participants, nine CalNat courses with

a new module delivered by six CalNat partners producing 180 certified California Naturalists, over 3,600

volunteer hours engaging 10,800 contacts in support of local adaptation initiatives, and the 40 California

Climate Action Stewards. These CA Climate Action Stewards will have advanced training and at least 40



hours of volunteer service to a local adaptation initiative. The impacts of the project components will

continue beyond the funding period as the extreme weather module will be institutionalized as part of

CalNat – a statewide UC education and service program.

Rationale/Needs Assessment Extreme weather is an ideal entry point for building environmental literacy, increasing public

engagement and, ultimately, improving community resilience to broader long term environmental

changes. Unlike the discourse around climate change, the topic of extreme weather commands

attention. The policy implications of this distinction are highlighted by van der Linden (2015) who

references multiple studies that reinforce the dominance of direct experiences with extreme weather

over more analytical processing of information related to climate change:

Yet, research has indicated that to some extent, people are able to accurately detect broad changes in

local weather and temperature patterns (Akerlof, Maibach, Fitzgerald, Cedeno, & Neuman, 2013;

Howe, Markowitz, Ming-Lee, Ko, & Leiserowitz, 2012) and that personal experiences with extreme

weather events (e.g., hurricanes) can influence risk perceptions (van der Linden, 2014b), beliefs

(Myers, Maibach, Roser-Renouf, Akerlof, & Leiserowitz, 2012), behavior (Spence, Poortinga, Butler, &

Pidgeon, 2011), and policy support (Rudman, McLean, & Bunzl, 2013).

For these reasons, a focus on extreme weather is more than just a meteorological fancy. It is an

opportunity to build understanding, increase participation, and change behaviors on topics that

traditionally have struggled to garner public attention such as earth systems science and global

environmental change. Three conditions make California (CA) a perfect setting for using extreme

weather to strengthen environmental literacy and enhance community resilience to environmental

change.

First, California has experienced some of the most extreme weather conditions of any region in the

country. The recent record-breaking drought and related wildfires have impacted every segment of the

population from public safety, to agriculture, to municipal water supplies, and the economy. The

following examples from NOAA’s Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters online database (NOAA

National Centers for Environmental Information) illustrate the economic impact that these three

extreme weather events have had in the state in the last 20 years:

Extreme Heat: 2014 was the warmest year on record since record keeping began in 1895.

Drought: 2012-2015. Historic drought conditions affected the majority of California for all of 2014

making it the worst drought on record for the state. Notably, in 2015, the most costly wildfires

occurred in California where over 2,500 structures were destroyed due to the Valley and Butte

wildfires with the insured losses alone exceeding $1.0 billion.

Extreme Precipitation: 1997. Torrential rains (10-40 inches in 2 weeks) and snowmelt produced

severe flooding over portions of CA, WA, OR, ID, NV, and MT. 1995. Frequent winter storms caused

20-70 inch rainfall and periodic flooding across much of California.

Based on this, the project will focus on three main forms of extreme weather and their significance and

ramifications for the 10 bioregions of the state: 1) extreme precipitation events and flooding, 2) drought

and wildfire, and 3) record high temperatures and heat waves.



Second, California is one of the most environmentally and culturally diverse states in the country. This

diversity presents a huge challenge in addressing geographically-specific extreme weather threats, and

cultural factors affecting local vulnerability and resilience. For example, A Pacific Institute (2012) report

found that in California “A disproportionate number of those with high vulnerability were located in Los

Angeles County. Approximately 27 percent of the state’s population lived in Los Angeles County. Yet,

more than 40 percent of those in census tracts with high social vulnerability, or about 5 million people,

were located in Los Angeles County.”

Finally, while California is considered the forefront of climate adaptation planning and legislation

(Georgetown Climate Center’s State and Local Adaptation Plans Database) and state and local

government plans continue to proliferate, there isn’t a concurrent rise in knowledge or action at the

community level. Systematic public engagement is a frustratingly elusive goal and typically even well-

planned efforts fail to achieve more than cursory or fleeting participation. This project addresses this

need which is clearly articulated by Moser and Pike (2015) who refer to public engagement as the

“Great Unmet Need.”

Climate change adaptation – to be politically feasible and socially acceptable – will not happen

without broad public support. To date, however, the public is barely engaged on finding such timely

and effective solutions to the challenges posed by climate disruption in their communities.

They go on to outline five key elements of building engagement capacity: “1) Identifying and engaging

potential trainers to build a larger cohort of climate communication/engagement experts; 2) Training

the trainers; 3) Financially supporting communication/engagement efforts; 4) Continuously building the

community of practice; and 5) Evaluating communication and engagement efforts.” The CalNat model

adopted for this project directly addresses four of these five recommendations.

Project Strategy The California Naturalist program’s social franchise business model has demonstrated success in

meeting the demand for systematic and high quality training program for volunteers and staff working

in a range of environmental stewardship activities. In this model, the California Naturalist program uses

a train-the-trainer approach to build capacity among community-based organizations to reach members

of their own community. The California Naturalist program provides the backbone infrastructure

including the course design, course content, course evaluation instrument and, tracking of participant

volunteer hours and related data through the California Naturalist Volunteer Portal. Local partners

deliver the course bringing with it their own local knowledge, expertise and community connections. In

just under five years, the program has been adopted by 30 partner organizations around the state,

produced 1,250 certified naturalists, generating 45,000 hours of volunteer service. These certified

naturalists are in a unique position to facilitate the connection between local climate adaptation

initiatives and the public audiences they urgently need to engage.

The primary project strategy involves several modifications to the standard 10 week CalNat course by

infusing the extreme weather theme throughout. These changes start before the course with the course

instructors connecting with local government units and community based organizations involved in local

adaptation and hazard mitigation efforts. Next, the new instructional resources (publication, GIS Story

Maps, and infographics) are integrated into to the course during the “flex” week -- preferably following

the unit on soils, geology and climate. As a course theme, extreme weather will also be infused into the



course units on water, fire, and global environmental issues. Most importantly, the class citizen science

project and participant capstone projects should contribute to a local adaptation or hazard mitigation

initiative. As stated in the Update to the 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy (CNRA, 2014)

citizen science, “. . . not only helps identify threats to ecosystems and to observe changes . . . “ it “ . . .

can also provide unique opportunities for public education and engagement.”

This strategy maintains and builds on an existing, sustainable, and replicable model for strengthening

adult environmental literacy and translating that into public engagement through a variety of

stewardship activities including education/interpretation, restoration/conservation, and citizen science.

(i) Objectives

The goal of the proposed effort is to improve environmental literacy and public engagement for

community resilience to extreme weather events through the existing and highly successful California

Naturalist educational network. The project has four objectives: 1) Increase access to user-friendly,

research-based extension materials specific to CA bio-regions; 2) Increase the environmental literacy

and self-efficacy for science communication and environmental action among a non-formal educators;

3) Increase environmental literacy and public engagement related to local hazard/climate adaptation

plans among participants in the CalNat course; and 4) Increase the active status and retention rate of

California Naturalists through the establishment of a community of practice (CA Climate Stewards) as a

subset of California naturalists.

(ii) Activities

The project is designed around seven key activities: 1) technical advisory committee scoping meetings,

2) publication peer review process finalization 3) production of bioregional GIS Story Maps and fact

sheets, 4) capacity building through advanced training courses, 5) California Naturalist course delivery,

7) community of practice support, and 7) project coordination, monitoring and evaluation.

1. Technical advisory committee scoping meetings. The initial phase of the project brings together a

technical and scientific advisory team comprised of the UC ANR project team, members of the

Terrestrial Biodiversity Climate Change Collaborative, the project representative from the NOAA

National Weather Service Office in southern California, and other UC ANR units including Informatics

and GIS, publications, and the California Institute for Water Resources. The initial conference of the

technical advisory committee will focus on the scope of the core peer-reviewed publication

patterned after the Natural History of the Sierra Nevada, a UC ANR California Naturalist bioregional

publication. The publication will outline the nexus between extreme weather events, climate drivers

of these events, the resulting natural hazards, and the specific vulnerabilities of specific areas in the

state. The initial convening will establish the parameters on the main elements of the publication.

These include the extreme weather and environmental hazards to focus on and related climate

processes such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), atmospheric rivers, atmospheric carbon

dioxide, and ideas on how to address bioregional variation. Finally, opportunities for the public to

engage in ongoing adaption and environmental hazard mitigation efforts and build community

resilience will be solicited. The convening will also result in outline for the publication, identify key

resources, assign technical advisory committee members to sections/chapters to review, establish

mechanisms for coordination between specific advisors, the staff research associate and the Principal

Investigators (PIs), and refine the timeline for producing the draft for a full team review. The second

convening of the technical advisory committee in year two will provide an opportunity for team



members to review the draft publication and provide additional technical review and input. At the

end of this meeting, the publication transitions toward finalization with the staff research associate,

the PIs

2. Publication peer review, design and printing. After the manuscript is completed by PIs with help

from the staff research associate and TAC members, it will be submitted to the UC ANR Publications

unit where the series editor refines the document and submits it for peer review as part of the UC

ANR 8000 publication series. After completing the peer review process, UC ANR Publications design

and produce the publication for use in the project. The publication will be available to the public and

distributed electronically to all California Naturalist instructors, partners and graduates and a limited

number are printed for advanced training and CalNat course participants in the project.

3. Bioregional GIS Story Maps and Infographics. Building on the content and resources identified for

the primary publication, supplemental educational resources -- namely three bioregion-specific

infographic fact sheets and three GIS Story Maps -- will be developed for the three bioregions where

the materials will be integrated into existing California Naturalist courses. The UC ANR informatics

and GIS unit (IGIS) will work closely with the project manager and the staff research associate in the

development of these materials.

4. CalNat Advanced Training Courses. Starting in year three, the CalNat Project Management team

together with the project’s Community Education Specialist and the three CalNat partnering

organizations (Pepperwood, American River Conservancy, and SEA Lab LA Conservation Corps) will

plan and deliver three one-day advanced training workshops that will focus on the new resources

related to extreme weather and environmental hazards. The target audience for these advanced

trainings includes non-formal educators including existing California Naturalists, California Naturalist

course instructors, local decision-makers, and land managers in the three bioregions.

5. California Naturalist Courses with the Extreme Weather Module. Starting in year four, the project

turns to the integration and delivery of the CalNat courses with the new extreme weather module.

The integration led by the Community Education Specialist and the local course instructors includes

three elements that are built into the regular courses’ “flex” week: 1) the core publication as the

primary reference for the module, 2) the GIS Story Maps as an interactive tool for investigating

extreme weather and environmental hazards, and 3) a focus on capstone and citizen science projects

that address local adaptation and hazard mitigation efforts in the community or region with an

introduction to the five steps of community resilience (US Climate Resilience Toolkit). In addition to

focusing the course content and stewardship opportunities on local adaptation initiatives, the

courses themselves will be marketed to local community-based organizations already engaged in

these initiatives. The CalNat program has already documented its ability to increase environmental

literacy and self-efficacy in environmental action. By focusing select CalNat courses on this topic, it

expects to see increased volunteer engagement of the course participants in efforts that support

these initiatives. The participants of these courses will be drawn from local community-based

organizations, public land managers, and local decision-makers engaged in climate adaptation efforts

in the region. Project activities are clustered under the four main project components.

6. Community of Practice Support. The CalNat program promotes a community of practice among

California Naturalists by communicating regularly, connecting them to new opportunities, convening

in person at the biennial conference, and commending them for reaching designated volunteer

stewardship milestones. This same set of principles will guide the development of a community of



practice for a subset of California Naturalists known as CA Climate Stewards who will be recognized

as such after reaching 40 hours of climate adaptation service in one year.

7. Project Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation. In addition to the existing CalNat program

infrastructure for course development, course evaluation, and volunteer management and tracking,

the project will provide the necessary coordination among partners through regular conference calls

and project updates as well as face-to-face meetings with partners in association with key project

activities.

(iii) Geographic Scale

The project involves activities that span multiple geographic scales over its five year time frame. The

first two years will focus on the development of instructional resources at two levels: 1) a statewide

peer-reviewed publication covering extreme weather as it relates to all 10 bio-regions of the state, and

2) three bioregion-specific supplements that include printed fact sheets and GIS Story Maps addressing

specific extreme weather and associated natural hazards for the project’s three focal bio-regions

(Bay/Delta, Sierra, South Coast). Years 3 and 4 will focus on advanced training in each of the three bio-

regions for non-formal educators directly engaged in environmental literacy and community resilience

efforts as well as certified California Naturalists, local decision-makers and other community leaders.

Years 4 and 5 continue the bioregional focus through the integration and delivery of the new module

into three existing CalNat courses – one in each bio-region. In year 5, the project will add three new

CalNat courses doubling the number of courses and participants, and open access to the new module to

the 30 CalNat courses statewide. The following diagram illustrates the relationship between the

temporal, spatial and topical activities of the project.

Local Level: Course delivery and public engagement(Yrs. 4-5)

Bio-regional Level:Advanced training for multiple CalNat partners (Yrs. 3-4)

Statewide Level: Instructional material development (Yrs. 1-2)

Extreme Weather Instructional Resources (TBC3 and UC ANR)

Bay/Delta

Pepperwood

Pt. Reyes Nat'l Seashore

Assoc. CalNat Course

Sonoma County Climate

Action

Other Community-

based Organizations

Sierra

American River Conservancy

CalNat Course

Sierra Climate Action &

Management Plan

Other Community-

based Organizations

South Coast

SEA Lab LACC CalNat Course

L.A. Regional Collaborative for Climate

Action

Other Community-

based Organizations



(iv) Target Audience

The project targets three primary audience groups:

1. Informal educators, specifically trainers/instructors from our local CalNat course partners together

with training, communication and education staff from local organizations involved in ongoing hazard

mitigation/adaptation planning efforts. These organizations include land trusts, state and federal

resource agency staff, environmental centers, UC Research and Cooperative Extension centers, park

and watershed associations, workforce development programs, and gardens and museums. This wide

range of organizations cover multiple sectors of society from urban-rural, youth-adult, male-female,

working and retired.

2. Volunteers/docents of community-based organizations, primarily from local CalNat partner

organizations involved in environmental stewardship. This audience is typically white (87%), female

(70%), over 40 (77%), and highly educated (85% have either a Bachelors or Post-Graduate degree).

3. Public audiences of aforementioned community-based organizations. The average CalNat volunteer

contributes 40 hours of volunteer service in the first year after graduation. The audience they reach is

typically the population that participates in “free choice” activities and events associated with the

community-based organizations described above.

4. Underserved young adults. In keeping with ongoing efforts, the project will continue to diversify its

target audience to increase participation of “non-traditional” audiences in this field including younger

(18-30 year olds), non-white, non-retired populations. Specific efforts to diversify this audience

include forming partnerships with diversity focused organizations for outreach, offering need based

course scholarships and conference registration (50% of cost), developing programs with groups

serving diverse audiences, promoting community college based programs and partnering with

workforce education focused programs such as our current partner SEA Lab Los Angeles Conservation

Corps.

(v) Partners and Coordination

The project envisions two levels of partnership: 1) project-wide and 2) regional project nodes. At the

project-wide level the University of California Naturalist Program will provide project leadership and

direction. Regional project nodes will include an existing CalNat program partner, a local climate

adaptation/hazard mitigation planning initiative, and community-based environmental organizations

interested or connected to either the CalNat program or the ongoing climate adaption/hazard

mitigation planning initiative or both.

Statewide Partners:

UC ANR California Naturalist Statewide Program. The mission of the California Naturalist Program is

to foster a diverse community of naturalists and promote stewardship of California's natural

resources through education and service. The California Naturalist program uses a social franchise

model where it partners with qualified organizations, provides them with training and course

management resources and volunteer management systems. The California Naturalist program

includes 5 program staff in three locations.

Pepperwood’s Terrestrial Biodiversity and Climate Change Collaborative (TBC3) is a vibrant

collective of university, non-profit and government experts focused on bringing the best available

science to inform climate adaptation strategies for natural resources. The mission of TBC3 is to bridge

cutting-edge climate research and natural resource management strategies, with a focus on

ecosystem-based approaches, to increasing the resilience of our region’s watersheds, plants, and



animals. Their goal is to combine our unique skill sets in innovative ways to advance a cross-

disciplinary understanding of how climate and biology intersect in the stunning mountains and

valleys of our region. They engage directly with land and water managers to help navigate the

complexities of measuring and modeling relationships between climate, hydrology, and ecosystem

response in terrestrial and freshwater environments. They utilize Pepperwood as a home-base for

workshops, trainings, adaptive management pilot projects and long-term integrated climate-water-

ecosystem “sentinel site” monitoring.

NOAA National Weather Service Forecast Office (Los Angeles/Oxnard). As the primary NOAA

partner on the project Jayme Laber, Sr. Service Hydrologist, will support the Technical Advisory

Committee, provide guidance on NOAA assets and resources relevant to the project including their

own collection of GIS Story Maps related to extreme hydrological events, and facilitate connections

to local hazard mitigation and emergency preparedness plans.

Research Group, Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Berkeley. The Research Group at the Lawrence Hall of

Science delivers a full spectrum of services to provide evidence and insights that foster high-quality,

equitable, and innovative science and mathematics learning experiences. They provide independent

research services and partner on national initiatives to support the development and implementation

of innovative Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning opportunities for

both formal and informal education needs. The evaluation team provides full-service evaluation;

tailored evaluation services; customized evaluation tool kits; convening expert peer or scientific

review.

ISeeChange.org. I See Change is an online community climate and weather journal that combines

citizen science, participatory public media, and cutting-edge satellite and sensor monitoring of

environmental conditions through a collaboration between NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, public radio

partners and communities. Molly Peterson who represents ISeeChange’s efforts in Southern

California will serve on the Technical Advisory Committee and provide guidance about how

Naturalists can incorporate participatory media technology in their outreach efforts.

UC ANR Informatics and GIS (IGIS) Statewide Program. IGIS provides research technology and data

support for ANR’s mission through the analysis and visualization of spatial data. IGIS creates the

infrastructure to deliver research tools, data, and technology to the ANR researcher. This program

will develop three geographically-specific web-based Story Map interactive tutorials based on the

content of the UCANR Series 8000 publication and available interactive media. IGIS’s partnership with

the UC Berkeley Geospatial Innovation Facility (GIF) includes collaboration on the Cal-Adapt project

providing access to the latest news, resources, case studies, and state and local initiatives related to

adaptation. Cal-Adapt’s content on extreme temperature, precipitation and wildfire provide

background for locally specific adaptive strategies outline in the proposed Story Maps.

UC ANR California Institute for Water Resources (CIWR). The mission of the California Institute for

Water Resources is to integrate California's research, extension, and education programs to develop

research-based solutions to water resource challenges. The project will build on the experience of

the CIWR to develop relevant and timely research-based information on water issues.

Regional and Local Partners

The project includes activities in three bioregions around the state: 1) Bay/Delta, 2) Sierra, and 3) South

Coast. In each of these bioregions, the project has a number of California Naturalist partnering

organizations currently offering the original CalNat course. One of these partnering organizations will

host an advanced training for each entire bioregion late in year three or early in year four of the project.



At a more local level within each bioregion, one primary CalNat partnering organization will offer the

new course module in year four and year five. This “primary” CalNat course partner will collaborate with

a local climate adaptation or hazard mitigation initiative to identify opportunities where the course

participants can support the initiative either as part of their capstone project or citizen science project

or through volunteer opportunities after graduating from the class. The sections below list these

partners by bioregion.

Bay/Delta Bioregion. The first advanced training course scheduled for year three will be hosted by

the Pepperwood Foundation. Pepperwood was a founding partner of the CalNat program and has

offered the course regularly over the last four years. The primary CalNat partner for this region is the

Point Reyes National Seashore Association (PRNSA). PRNSA works closely with the park staff at the

Point Reyes National Seashore and, as in past courses, will have access to the NOAA Science on a

Sphere global display system at the Bear Valley Visitor Center. Possible fifth year expansion partners

include existing CalNat partnering organizations at Sonoma Ecology Center and the Salmon

Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN).

South Coast Bioregion. The advanced training course for this region will be conducted at either the

South Coast Research and Extension Center or the Hansen Research and Extension Center. SEA Lab

managed by the LA Conservation Corps will serve as the primary CalNat course partner for this region

offering the new course module in year four and five. Possible fifth year expansion partners include

existing CalNat partnering organizations Preserve Calavera, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Tejon

Ranch Conservancy and Camp Ocean Pines.

Sierra Bioregion. The advanced training course for this region will be conducted at the American

River Conservancy (ARC), an existing CalNat partnering organization. The ARC will also serve as the

primary CalNat course partner for the region offering the new course module in year four and five.

Possible fifth year expansion partners include existing CalNat partnering organizations and Sagehen

Creek Field Station, Sierra Streams Institute, and Calaveras Big Trees Association.

(vi) Qualifications

The following table outlines the qualifications of the principal investigators, project manager, project

staff and key project partners.

Name (Role) Affiliation Qualifications

Adina Merenlender, Ph.D. (Principal Investigator) Cooperative Extension Specialist-UC Berkeley and Director, UC California Naturalist Program-UC ANR

Adina is a Cooperative Extension Specialist at UC Berkeley and is an internationally-recognized conservation biologist. She has published extensively on research related to landscape scale change and conservation planning in California and is the co-author of the California Naturalist Handbook. She directs the California Naturalist statewide program, and continues to do research in conservation science including habitat connectivity for climate change adaptation funded as a part of California’s 4th Climate Change Assessment. See attached resume.

Sabrina Drill, Ph.D. (Co-PI) UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Natural Resources Advisor for Los Angeles

Sabrina is the UCCE Natural Resources Advisor for Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, where she helps communities, non-profits, and government agencies manage and restore aquatic ecosystems, from developing water related curricula for ESL Learners to coordinating training programs to inform stakeholder-driven watershed management. She lead role in the development of the CalNat citizen science database – and is currently



and Ventura Counties and Associate Director, UC California Naturalist Program-UC ANR

collaborating with the weather focused citizen science program “I See Change” and spearheads efforts to diversify the CalNat program’s audience by collaborating with workforce development organizations and community colleges. See attached resume.

Gregory C. Ira (Project Manager) Program Coordinator II, UC California Naturalist Program-UC ANR (Davis)

Greg is the CalNat Program Coordinator involved in the planning, management and operations of the program and its many partnerships. Greg has over 15 years of experience in environmental education and has led multiple grant-funded projects as the Director of the Office of Environmental Education at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Greg developed the Cultural Competency Self-Assessment Tool through a NOAA BWET funded project in Florida. This tool was subsequently used in multi-state EPA-funded projects on environmental education along the Gulf of Mexico. See attached resume.

Jayme L. Laber, Ph.D. (NOAA Project Advisor) Sr. Service Hydrologist NOAA NWS Forecast Office (LA/Oxnard)

Jayme is the primary NOAA Advisor for the project. He has 25 years of hydrology experience in Southern California. He provides 24/7 weather watch and warning operations for Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo Counties and works closely with Emergency Preparedness Coordinators, city, county, and state governments on high impact hydrology event support. Jayme also has a special interest in GIS data visualization tools (including Story Maps) and received the 2015 ESRI Special Achievement in GIS Award. See attached resume.

Lisa Micheli, Ph.D. (Technical Advisory Committee Coordinator) CEO/President Pepperwood Fdtn. and TBC3 Co-chair

Lisa is a watershed scientist with over 25 years of experience applying her technical, policy, and fundraising expertise to the design and implementation of ecological restoration, research and education programs. She is the co-founder of the North Bay Climate Adaptation Initiative and Co-chair of the Terrestrial Biodiversity Climate Change Collaborative (TBC3). See attached resume.

Bernadette Chi, Ph.D. (External Evaluation) Senior Research and Evaluation Specialist, The Research Group, Lawrence Hall of Science, U C Berkeley

Bernadette has extensive experience in research and evaluation of K-12 educational and community-based programs. She currently involved in evaluation of the BEETLES (Better Environmental Education, Teaching, Learning and Expertise Sharing) curriculum field test process and professional development institutes. Bernadette received her bachelor's degree in public policy from Stanford University and her master’s degree and doctorate in Educational Policy, Organization, Measurement, and Evaluation from University of California, Berkeley.

Elena DeLacy (CalNat pilot site: Sierra bioregion) Stewardship Director, American River Conservancy

Elena is the Conservation and Stewardship Project Manager at American River Conservancy (ARC) where she has worked since 2003. In addition to leading the ARC’s CalNat course, her work includes local efforts to adapt to climate change – including an upcoming restoration project at the American River Headwaters to implement restoration and management actions to increase forest resilience to catastrophic fire. These efforts are also connected to the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP) for the Cosumnes, American, Bear and Yuba rivers which addresses climate change adaptation in the central Sierra. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology and Management from UC Davis.



Tyler Vaughn (CalNat pilot site: Bay/Delta bioregion) Director, Field Institute Point Reyes National Seashore Association

Tyler directs the Point Reyes National Seashore Association’s Field Institute which offers continued education for the Point Reyes National Seashore. Graduates of the California Naturalist course at Point Reyes National Seashore have the opportunity to work with park staff on resource management and interpretation which includes the NOAA Science on a Sphere global display system for earth system science.

Maria Madrigal (CalNat pilot site: South Coast bioregion) SEA Lab Program Director

Maria is an education coordinator with the SEA Lab facility of the Los Angeles Conservation Corps which offers the CalNat course in support of the Corps mission to “provide at-risk young adults with opportunities for success through job skills training, education and work experience with an emphasis on conservation and service projects that benefit the community.”

Sean Hogan (GIS Story Map developer) Program Coordinator, Informatics and GIS statewide program, UC ANR

Sean is an academic coordinator for the Informatics and GIS statewide program of UC ANR. He provides training, analysis, technical support and product development services related to GIS products. Sean has a special interest in the development of Story Maps as a means of tailoring complex online data and visualizations to the needs of non-technical audiences. Sean earned his B.A. in Spanish and Geography from CSU Sacramento and his M.A. in Geography from UC Davis. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Geography at UC Davis.

Other UCANR Personnel

The strength of UCANR is in its diverse personnel brining research based solutions to Californians. Also providing technical advisory support to the project are Faith Kearns, Ph.D., Academic Coordinator, California Institute for Water Resources; Max Moritz,. Ph.D., UC Center for Fire Research and Outreach; and supporting the project Community Education Specialist are Brook Gamble, Community Education Specialist serving the Northern Half of the state with expertise in conservation, marketing, graphic design and social media; and Shayna Foreman serving Southern California (M.S. in Biology) with a background in environmental education and a strong interest in the development of course instructional materials.

(vii) Integration of NOAA Assets

This project directly addresses two of NOAA’s mission goals. Under the Climate Adaptation and

Mitigation Goal, the project addresses the objective to support a climate-literate public that

understands its vulnerabilities to a changing climate and makes informed decisions. Under the Weather

Ready Nation mission goal, the project addresses the objective to reduce loss of life, property, and

disruption from high-impact events. In at least one of the selected project sites, the project also

addresses a third mission goal of Resilient Coastal Communities and Economies by supporting the

objective to build resilient coastal communities that can adapt to the impacts of hazards and climate

change. The table below highlights specific NOAA assets that will be used by the project.

NOAA Resources Form of Project Integration

NOAA NWS “Story Maps”

Story Maps developed by the project’s NOAA advisor Jayme Laber will serve as a model for and provide content to the project’s three bioregion specific GIS Story Maps which will be integrated into the advanced training workshop and the new CalNat course module.



NOAA Ocean Service “Infographics”

This site serves as both a source of content and examples for the development of supplemental materials to the core publication. One of the two forms of supplemental materials is infographics. These resources are well-suited as outreach and extension materials as they convey complex concepts using attractive graphics accessible to a wide range of audiences.

U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit

The U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit will serve as the primary content related to community resilience which will be integrated into the GIS Story Maps, the advanced training workshops and the new CalNat course module.

NOAA Visualizations Laboratory

This site is a resource for images and visualizations for the project with an emphasis on important earth systems science concepts.

NOAA Education Resources

While geared primarily toward formal educators, this website serves as a clearinghouse for useful educational resources for the project including the National Weather Service’s Weather Outreach and Education pages.

NOAA National Climatic Data Center (Storm Events Database)

This database allows the project to search the three project bioregions by county and weather event type to identify historical storm events and build a more accurate picture of locally relevant extreme weather events based on real cases.

NOAA Climate Stewards Education Project

This NOAA initiative will be the source of continuing education and should they wish to apply for advanced professional development and funding to support specific projects they can apply for the Stewardship Community. These resources will complement the project’s efforts to build and sustain a CA Climate Stewards community of practice.

US Drought Monitor This website is the authoritative source for one of California’s most significant extreme weather conditions: drought.

Climate.gov (Extreme Events page)

The Extreme events page of the Climate.gov website includes numerous resources based on specific events that go beyond weather and climate and include how change affects the environment and society.

CW3E The Center for Wester Weather and Water Extremes is a leading resources for imagery and data on atmospheric rivers.

(viii) Integration with state/local Hazard Mitigation or Adaptation Plans

The table below outlines the project’s connections to local climate adaptation and/or hazard mitigation

plans at the local, regional and state level.

South Coast Bioregion. The primary partner for the South Coast bioregion will coordinate with the

Los Angeles Regional Collaborative for Climate Action and Sustainability (LARC) and LA County’s

Community Climate Action Plan

Sierra Bioregion. The primary CalNat partner for the Sierra bioregion is already linking their volunteer

stewardship efforts with the regional Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP) for the

Cosumnes, American, Bear and Yuba rivers. The IRWMP addresses climate change adaptation and

hazard mitigation in the central Sierra region. The American River Conservancy is also an active

member of the Sierra Nevada Alliance, an organization that runs the Sierra Nevada Alliance Regional

Climate Change Program.

Bay/Delta Bioregion. The primary CalNat partners in the Bay/Delta bioregion are already connecting

their activities with the Climate Ready North Bay initiative and the Sonoma County Climate



Adaptation efforts. Additional collaboration is expected with the North Bay Climate Adaptation

Initiative and, possibly, the Bay Area Ecosystem Climate Change Collaborative.

Statewide. On the state level, the project draws from the California Adaptation Planning Guide:

Planning for Adaptive Communities (CEMA and CNRA, 2012) whose recommendations for engaging

the public closely mirror this project’s objectives including localization of issues, partner with other

local agencies, community organizations to build on existing relationships with communities, and use

both traditional media and new forms to reach your audience. In addition, the project builds on the

Update to the 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy (CNRA, 2015), which promotes “public

education and outreach efforts to support climate education in the biodiversity and habitats sector.”

(ix) Evaluation

The California Naturalist program has strong internal capacity for evaluation and will use existing

evaluation instruments for several project components. The project will also engage external evaluation

expertise from the UC Berkeley Lawrence Hall of Science to develop a new evaluation instrument

focused on the advanced training workshops and to examine the overall integration of the various

evaluation instruments used in the project.

Project evaluation is designed around three main evaluation questions:

1. In what ways, if any, does the core publication and related instructional materials – serve the

trainers’ and course participants’ needs to understand complex extreme weather events, subsequent

natural hazards, and the implications for building community resilience?

2. In what ways, if any, does the California Naturalist Program model – with an extreme weather focus –

increase self-efficacy of the course participants with regard to communicating science and

undertaking environmental action?

3. In what ways, if any, does the California Naturalist Program model – in service to local organizations

engaged in Climate Adaptation initiatives – increase public engagement among local organizations

and individuals in the local service area?

Formative evaluation in year one and two will focus on evaluating the best methods for delivering the

advanced training using the core publication and associated resources to meet the needs of the

participants, identifying areas of strength and improvement in the materials.

Summative evaluation to analyze the influence of the materials and training on participants is built

around the existing evaluation systems employed by the California Naturalist program and involves

several components.

First is the course evaluation instrument developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. This “post with

retrospective pre” instrument examines change in content knowledge, self-efficacy in science

communication, self-efficacy in environmental action, and motivations for participating. Standardized

evaluation questions used in the pre- and post-surveys came from the Developing, Validating, and

Implementing Standardized Evaluation Instruments (DEVISE) protocol developed from a comprehensive

evaluation study of citizen science project participants (Bonney et al. 2015; Phillips et al. 2014). The

questions measure individual learning outcomes as a result of project participation and rely on a nine-

point Likert scale. It asks 16 questions about information found in the curriculum (de Nevers et al. 2012),

to measure differences in knowledge before and after the course. Analysis of results includes

examination of mean scores from before and after the course, significant differences based on paired t-



test, 95% confidence intervals, and statistical power for comparing means given observed standard

deviation calculated.

The second component is a new evaluation instrument (online survey) to be developed specifically for

the participants of the Advanced Training Workshops by the Research Group at the Lawrence Hall of

Science. This instrument will combine elements of the CalNat course evaluation, but place special

emphasis on how the advanced training participants made use of their training one and two years after

attending the course, particularly tracking participants’ sense of self efficacy.

The project will also analyze data on the volunteer actions/behavior of the naturalists following the

training courses using an online volunteer reporting system. In addition to the naturalist’s profile, the

data includes, the number of hours of service contributed by type of project (i.e., citizen science,

conservation and stewardship, interpretation and education, or program administration), activity

descriptions, comments and more detailed information. Upgrades to the volunteer management system

may include an option to further classify the volunteer type or activity description by noting if it was

related to an ongoing adaptation or hazard mitigation initiative. Each activity is assigned a geographic

scope: local, intrastate-regional, state, multistate, national, or international. In addition, the system

collects data on the contacts/people reached by the volunteer service. This data includes number of

contacts per activity and demographic information on the contacts (reported by the volunteer) in the

following categories: race/ethnicity, youth/adult, and male/female.

Finally, the project evaluation component will include the development of a cultural competency self-

assessment tool for non-formal educators patterned after the tool developed for teachers developed

for a NOAA B-WET grant in Florida and tested in a regional EPA Gulf of Mexico funded project. The tool

will serve three purposes. It will be used as in introduction to cultural competency for the advanced

training participants, and serve as a self-assessment tool for instructors delivering the CalNat course

with the extreme weather module, and it will also inform the project evaluation component.

The logic model below outlines the relationship between inputs, activities, outputs and outcomes and

the expectations for the project. The project’s overall goal is to improve environmental literacy and

community resilience related to geographically-specific extreme weather and associated natural hazards

in selected locations in California.

(x) Dissemination of Results

The dissemination and sharing of project results will take place through the existing channels of the

statewide CalNat program including any of its 30 existing courses that may integrate the project content

into their syllabus, advanced training courses offered by UC CalNat or partner organizations, the biennial

statewide California Naturalist conference, and through the program’s established social media

channels. In addition, the project management team will advance the results through three statewide

and national channels: 1) the UC ANR statewide Cooperative Extension Network, 2) the broader UC

System, 3) the national Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach and Service Programs (ANROSP). The

project will also coordinate dissemination and sharing with relevant NOAA programs including the

California Nevada Applications Program of NOAA’s Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA)

program.



Project Logic Model

Objectives Inputs Activities Outputs Short Term Outcomes

Medium & Long Term

1. Increase access to science-based educational resources for community education

2. Increase the

environmental literacy, self-efficacy for science communication and environmental action

3. Increase

environmental literacy and public engagement

4. Increase the active

status and retention rate of California Naturalists

Project Partners

UC ANR units

CalNat program team

CalNat partnering organizations (course providers)

Educational resources developed by the project

NOAA Assets

CalNat Infrastructure

1a. Technical advisory services

1b. Publication development

1c. GIS Story Map & Infographic development

2. Deliver 5 advanced training workshops

3. Conduct 9 CalNat courses with new module

4a. Statewide Conference to support community of practice

4b. Project coordination, monitoring and evaluation

1b. One peer-reviewed publication

1c. Three GIS Story Maps and Infographics

2. 60 non-formal educators complete advanced training workshops

3. 180 participants complete new CalNat course

4a. 3,600 volunteer hours engaging 10,800 contacts in support of local adaptation initiatives

4a. 40 new CA Climate Stewards

For objectives 2 or 3:

Increase in:

Knowledge

Skills

Attitude

Motivation

Self-efficacy: learning & doing science

Self-efficacy: science communication skills

Self-efficacy: environmental action

For objectives 2 or 3:

Increase in:

Volunteer hours

Volunteer retention rate

Volunteer activities related to adaptation

# of contacts reached by volunteers and demographic data

Reduced vulnerability on selected measures from local resilience programs

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