Webinar: Restoring Urban Nature – A 21st Century Necessity

Submitted by the Event Organizer

Speaker: Jonathan Young

Zoom reservations required:

https://cnps-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_X6pV3EBGR3mASMkwSVp16A

The global human population is increasingly more urban than rural. Traditional urban development notoriously changed the natural landscape in many ways resulting in the reduction and/or loss of the natural environment. Contemporary science has been showing the importance of healthy environments in terms of human benefits, such as clean water and improved mental health. The conservation of nature was traditionally viewed as remote from these urban centers… out of sight and out of mind, with only the privileged few able to visit distant “nature.” Restoring and conserving urban nature is a 21st-century concept intended to bridge the disconnect of people and the natural world, improve quality of life for local residents, and bring conservation action and education to these peoples in the hopes of fostering a more environmentally literate community while instilling a deeper sense of place. This talk will focus on these ideas through the lens of wildlife in San Francisco’s Presidio national park.

Jonathan Young was born and raised in foothills of the Angeles National Forest on the outskirts of L.A. county where he spend much of his youth exploring all that southern California has to offer, from the beaches to the mountains to the desert. After completing his Bachelor’s degree in Biology from San Diego State University he traveled around central and south America for the better part of a year before moving to San Francisco. It was then that he began his long-term relationship with the Presidio national park. Starting as a volunteer habitat steward, Jonathan worked his way through several Presidio natural resources internships while completing his Master’s degree at San Francisco State University studying urban amphibian conservation and disease ecology. Upon the completion of his studies he was hired by the Presidio Trust as the first dedicated staff member with the sole focus on wildlife. Since then he has been developing the Presidio’s wildlife program which includes surveying, monitoring, managing, and restoring the diversity of animals found in the park. His favorite part of the job is collaborating with the many local naturalists, scientists, and educators throughout the Bay Area, all of which are integral in enhancing this beautiful region and he is proud to be an active member in that community.]

Jonathan Young is the wildlife ecologist for the Presidio national park. He started at the Presidio as a volunteer habitat steward, working his way through several Presidio natural resources internships while completing his MA studying urban amphibian conservation and disease ecology. Upon completion of his studies he was hired by the Presidio Trust as their first wildlife ecologist. Since then he has been developing the Presidio’s wildlife program, which includes surveying, monitoring, managing, and restoring the diversity of animals found in the park.

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