Biodiversity Initiative Spring 2023

 

Projects

Cecil Hogrefe (Cliff Swallows Monitoring)

Vela Reynolds (Cliff Swallows Monitoring)

Joshua Mok (Native Bee Research)

N. Latz-Torres (Native Gardens on Campus)

Hailey Intal (Native Gardens on Campus)

 

Cecil Hogrefe Academy of the Canyons Student   Cecil Hogrefe is an Academy of the Canyons student and future botanist or entomologist who worked with Vela Reynolds on a Cliff Swallow monitoring project. Together, they monitored the Cliff Swallow population at College of the Canyons' Valencia campus, mapped out the location of Cliff Swallow nests, and created standard protocol for future years' research of these populations. You can watch the presentation here!

 

Vela Reynolds Biology Major   Vela Reynolds is a biology student who worked with Cecil Hogrefe on a Cliff Swallow monitoring project. Together, they monitored the Cliff Swallow population at College of the Canyons' Valencia campus, mapped out the location of Cliff Swallow nests, and created standard protocol for future years' research of these populations. You can watch the presentation here!

 

 

Joshua Mok Academy of the Canyons Student   Joshua Mok is an Academy of the Canyons student who continued the Native Bee research he did in Fall 2022. In addition to this research, Joshua also conducted a study of the cross-section between biodiversity and human health. For his Native Bee research, Joshua pinned, labeled, and entered data on Native Bee specimens found in the Tejon Ranch Conservatory. You can watch the presentation here!

 

N. Latz-Torres Undergraduate Student   N. spent the Spring semester researching, designing, and implementing a native garden on campus. She researched other native gardens to understand the best dimensions for her garden plot (for example, where milkweed should be planted in the garden to ensure monarch butterflies would see and use them) and also created a guide for future students to care for the garden she planted. Two species of milkweed and several nectar plants were included in this garden to help provide for monarchs and other native species. You can watch the presentation here!

 

Hailey Intal Undergraduate Student   Hailey planted two gardens on the Valencia campus--one behind maintenance and facilities, the other by the tennis courts--both of which you can still visit today. Her goal was to plant native species that could support the campus' native populations. These plants included Red flowering currant, hummingbird's sage, firecracker penstemon, and showy milkweed. She also invited other students to help with the project, sharing the importance of biodiversity and allowing others to join in being part of the solution! You can watch the presentation here!