Activities and opportunities for undergraduate students take place year round at the reserve, with specific opportunities that change throughout the year based of reserve and staff needs. Activities may include, but are not limited to:

• Field Trip Facilitator/Reserve Docent
• GIS and Drone Mapping Internships
• Wildlife Camera Trapping Studies
• Small Mammal Population Monitoring
• Vegetation Surveys
• Ecological Restoration
• Land Stewardship
• K-12 Outdoor Education/Experiential learning projects
• We would also love to hear your ideas for a specific project!

To hear about quarterly offerings, please use the following google form to sign up for our student opportuinites outreach emails:

UCSC Fort Ord Natural Reserve Opportunities Email List

Interested undergraduates may also send an application anytime in the form of an email stating which activities they are interested in, relevant coursework, internships, and a brief summary of your interest in the work. Please include a copy of your class schedule and availability. Availability and previous experience determine selection. The internships require transportation to UCSC Fort Ord Natural Reserve in Marina, Ca. which is about 45 minutes – 1 hour drive from UCSC Campus. There may be carpool available for travel to and from internship site from UCSC. All UCSC Fort Ord Natural Reserve internships require teamwork and communication. There is potential for exposure to poison oak, snakes, weather, and insects.

University credit can be arranged through the UCSC Environmental Studies Internship Program, specific UCSC program independent study courses, CSUMB Service Learning, CSUMB Science Intern ship Program, and similar programs at other institutions. Please inquire about credit through your specific program if interested, reserve staff will work with you in the enrollment process.

Additional Opportunities exists for independent research and thesis projects, which may be supported by reserve staff in conjunction with Faculty sponsorship.

Contact reserve staff for more info