Santa Cruz Island Reserve

04/10/2026

Help support Santa Cruz Island Reserve- any donation counts and helps us keep our facilities and vehicles operational in order to foster science and education at the reserve!

https://giveday.ucsb.edu/giving-day/117357/donate?des=758888&dept=117371

12/24/2023

Happy Holidays from all of us at the Santa Cruz Island Reserve!

It’s been an amazing and busy year at the field station, with nearly 200 K-12 to university-level students, and just under 2,000 researchers, artists, students, professors and other visitors total. We’ve been privileged to welcome amazing painters and sculptors, an incredibly talented Chumash flint knapper, bat researchers, high school students collecting college level data, lichenologists,(the list goes on!) out to the Santa Cruz Island Field Station this year. Thank you to everyone for your support and interest! We’re wishing you all a wonderful end to 2023, and a beautiful start to another great year in 2024.

Keep up to date with the latest happenings at the reserve by signing up for our newsletter via the link below!

https://santacruz.nrs.ucsb.edu/subscribe-to-our-mailing-list/

06/27/2023

Over the last few years, National Geographic has been visiting the Santa Cruz Island Reserve to film scenes for their new series, America's National Parks! The series has now premiered on Disney + and National Geographic, and The Channel Islands are featured on season two, episode three! It's a wonderful exploration of what makes the Channel Islands such a unique, inspiring place, and how important the the islands are to continue to preserve. So hop on over to Disney+ to watch!

05/08/2023

For our first plant ID challenge, we want to see if you know what this delicate, elegant flower is called. This particular specimen was seen on the west end of Santa Cruz Island. Bonus points if you can give us the scientific name! 🌱☘️

04/24/2023

Our friends at Channel Islands Restoration and Island Conservation are hosting an online event this Wednesday, April 26th! It will be an awesome opportunity to learn about the conservation work happening on island communities worldwide.

Chad Hanson of Island Conservation will share the challenges and opportunities we face as a global island community. Co-hosted with Channel Islands Restoration, this virtual webinar will delve into several projects, including work on the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, where Island Conservation is now working to eradicate invasive rats, mice, and feral cats from Floreana Island. Chad will also speak about Chanaral and Chorol Islands in Chile, where invasive rabbits have devastated seabird colonies. Join this exclusive event to learn more about global efforts to restore island ecosystems and their surrounding waters with Channel Islands Restoration and Island Conservation. Sign up for this event at www.cirweb.org/webinars

04/17/2023

Thank you SO much to all who made a gift last week during UCSB's 2023 Give Day. We're so grateful for this community's support. We are thrilled to have reached our donor challenge to receive the generous $5,000 bonus gift from Lynn Gamble and Glenn Russell!

Video from UC Santa Barbara | Office of Development - UC Santa Barbara

04/14/2023

Don't snooze on this chance to support the Santa Cruz Island Reserve! 15 hours left in and only ONE donor away from a $5,000 bonus gift to Santa Cruz Island Reserve! Link below

https://giveday.ucsb.edu/giving-day/65293/donate?dept=65307

04/14/2023

Today is UCSB’s give day! We have a special challenge going for the Natural Reserve System—we are only THREE donors away from a $5000 gift to the Santa Cruz Island Reserve from Dr. Lynn Gamble and Glenn Russell. If we can reach 20 donors they will contribute a very generous $5000 donation to our reserve! Link below . Your support of our unique reserve system is invaluable.

https://giveday.ucsb.edu/giving-day/65293/donate?dept=65307

01/02/2023

As the first day of the new year comes to a close, we are feeling grateful for all of you joining us here, for the amazing people we work with, for this incredible RAIN and of course, for Santa Cruz Island and all the creatures that call it home. Happy New Year, to one and to all!

12/26/2022

However and whatever you’re celebrating this year, we hope you’re all staying safe and warm this holiday season. Wishing you all the best from all of us at the Santa Cruz Island Reserve! (Including JJ the Scrub-Jay, pictured here at the field station)