California Naturalist Course with American River College
About the Event
Take any of the following courses in the Environmental Conservation Program at American River College Department of Natural Resources to obtain California Naturalist Certification. Environmental Conservation is an interdisciplinary program that advances the understanding of ecological systems and their interrelationships, including those with human society. Everyone is welcome! No prerequisites.
NATR 302 Introduction to Wildlife Biology, 4 Units
This course is an introduction to the science of wildlife biology and the basic principles and techniques involved in wildlife research, conservation, and management. It emphasizes ecological aspects of wildlife populations and communities such as predator-prey relationships, population dynamics, diseases and parasites of wildlife, and wildlife habitat. Animal behavior, nutritional ecology, and other aspects of wildlife biology are also explored. Human dimensions of wildlife management including wildlife restoration and conservation, human-wildlife conflicts, hunting, invasive species, impacts of global climate change, and other relevant issues are examined. Social, economic, and ecological implications of management alternatives are investigated. Additionally, this course provides hands-on experience with habitat and population sampling, data analysis and interpretation; radio telemetry; wildlife capture and handling; and critical analysis of wildlife management policies and the development of a wildlife management plan. Field trips are required.
Dates: January 17 - May 21, 2026
Delivery Mode: In-Person
Lecture: Wednesday(s), 9:00 am to 12:05 pm
Lab: Friday(s), 9:00 am to 12:05 pm
Fees: ARC class fees are $46 per unit (without financial aid). In addition to unit fees and lab fees (eligible for hardship fee waiver), California Naturalist Certification fee ($55 per student) will be covered for most students by a scholarship fund through the Environmental Conservation program’s current Strong Workforce grant.
Contact: Jennifer Neale, NealeJ@arc.losrios.edu
Registration:
About the Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Neale has been working in the environmental field for more than 30 years. Her formal education includes a B.A. in Environmental Studies from U.C. Santa Cruz, M.S. in Wildlife Biology from U.C. Berkeley, Ph.D. in Ecology from U.C. Davis, and Postdoc in Environmental Toxicology and Immunology. She has also studied California floristics with a focus on native vascular plants especially in the context of wildlife habitat. Her research and teaching background has focused on vertebrate wildlife and terrestrial vascular plants; she has been working full-time as a professor at American River College since 2006.