Younger Lagoon Reserve Internship Program

UC Santa Cruz stewards five Natural Reserves along the California Central Coast. From fog-enshrouded redwood forest to maritime chaparral, the UCSC Natural Reserves provide unparalleled beauty and natural study sites for University scientists, students and interns.

On the west side of town, adjacent to UCSC’s Marine Science Campus is a 70 acre gem, the Younger Lagoon Reserve, one of the few relatively undisturbed wetlands remaining on the California Central Coast. For over 50 years, the land surrounding Younger lagoon was farmed. Today the land is a mix of coastal grassland, scrub and seasonal wetlands that provide habitat for wildlife including coyotes, bobcats, hawks and herons.

This transformation from agricultural land to native habitat is the result of restoration work by NRS staff and a small but energetic cadre of student interns.

“Our undergraduate interns are the heart and soul of the reserve", reports Elizabeth Howard, Manager of the Younger Lagoon Reserve. The team has made huge strides in rooting out pernicious non-native plant species and restoring native grasses and shrubs. At the same time, interns are getting the type of high quality field experience that takes them to the next level in their studies and careers.

Our goal is to raise $2,500 to create 5 additional internships at Younger Lagoon. By helping us expand our internship program, you will be part of the unfolding journey of habitat restoration at Younger Lagoon and will provide UCSC students a stepping stone in their own journeys of work and study in the natural sciences. Please give now!