Staff
Alex in a suspiciously old photo that obscures the realities of aging
UCSC Campus Natural Reserve Staff
Alex Jones – Manager
Alex (he/him; UCSC ENVS 1998) works as the UCSC Campus Natural Reserve Manager and supports education, research, and stewardship activities on campus natural lands. He brings his passion for natural history, ecology, and stewardship to UCSC students through undergraduate course field trips, internships, and volunteer opportunities. Alex also leads UCSC’s monitoring and management efforts for the federally-endangered Ohlone tiger beetle and assists with campus-wide efforts related to wildfire and vegetation management.
Prior to his start with the UCSC Natural Reserves, Alex conducted natural resource inventories on Maine Coast Heritage Trust properties in coastal Maine as an independent ecological consultant. These projects involved development of comprehensive vascular plant species lists, delineation and mapping of natural communities and sensitive landscape features, and documentation of incidental observations of vertebrate and invertebrate wildlife species. Alex has also conducted surveys for breeding birds, amphibians and reptiles, rare plants, and vernal pool species. His Master’s thesis summarized the results of surveys to identify remnant populations and potential restoration habitat for New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis), an ESA Candidate Species.
In addition to these experiences with field ecology, Alex has been environmental educator for over 25 years, building his natural history knowledge while teaching students of all age groups, from preschoolers to graduate students, post-graduates, and senior citizens.
Shoot for the moon because even if you miss you’ll land among the frogs in the pond
Samantha Montejano – Field Researcher/Steward
Samantha (she/her; UCSC EEB 2023) is an early-career Field Researcher and Steward for the UC Santa Cruz Campus Natural Reserve. A first-generation college graduate and child of immigrants, Samantha earned her B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from UC Santa Cruz after transferring from community college.
Her introduction to fieldwork and the UC Natural Reserve System began as an undergraduate through the Ecology and Conservation in Practice Supercourse, followed by an internship with the UCSC Campus Natural Reserve. During her internship, she investigated the breeding success of the California red-legged frog, using acoustic monitoring software to detect adult frog calls and develop a model for presence at local ponds. This formative experience, along with her coursework, sparked a lasting passion for amphibians and reptiles.
After graduating in 2023, Samantha joined the UCSC Natural Reserve System as a field technician, conducting biological surveys at the Santa Cruz Mountains Reserve—most notably small mammal trapping to monitor the endangered Santa Cruz kangaroo rat. She continues to monitor California red-legged frogs across multiple reserve sites while also serving as a steward to the Campus Natural Reserve. In this role, she helps lead student interns in the field, supports various wildlife research efforts, and contributes to educational programming that introduces students to field ecology and the Reserve System.
Samantha is enthusiastic about helping students find their path through UCSC and is always open to answering questions about her career and future plans. She hopes to continue a career centered on wildlife research and conservation, with plans to pursue graduate studies in herpetology in the future.