Starting in 2020, The Nature Reserve has held a program to help local high school juniors and seniors become more familiar with careers in environmental science and land management. Students are invited to apply and interview to be part of the program that runs through the fall, meeting twice a month on Saturday mornings. Each meeting introduces a different professional in the field of environmental science and the role they play with The Nature Reserve and other projects in Orange County. These professionals have helped restore habitats affected by development, conducted research to ensure sensitive habitats were protected for the wildlife that relies on them, identified locations for the creation of underpasses on major roads for wildlife to travel more safely and monitored for threats such as invasive species. Each professional shared not only the tools and techniques they used in their job, but how they became interested in environmental science as well as their educational path.  

Because the program primarily draws from our local high schools, the students that participate in the program have a window not only into a growing professional environment, but the connections to the communities they live in. The time spent with a hydrologist will leave them, for a time at least, noticing where runoff goes and what it carries eventually into the ocean. The wildlife they see and hear around their neighborhoods are viewed in a different light. The connections they create can build a stronger sense of responsibility to their community and the land around it. In turn, they bring this sense of stewardship into their career they enter and help instill it into their own family. Those that go into environmental science, or other careers, will do so with better ways of communicating the importance of caring for the land we use and live on. 

Quotes from this year’s students:
"My main takeaway from this experience was to not rush things. I learned a lot about what careers are related to environmental issues and environmental things in general. It is absolutely amazing." - Jake Legault 

"My favorite part was getting to talk and listen to each specialist. It was truly inspiring to see how each and every one of them were passionate on what they did." - Jenna Wang 

"This program has given me a much more clear idea of what I want in college and career life. Along with the information I have learned, this experience will be held dear in my heart. Thank you for this amazing opportunity." - Kyla Contreras