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UCSC Campus Natural Reserve Staff

Alex Jones - Manager

Alex (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 planning 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.