The UC Riverside departments of Evolution, Ecology & Organismal Biology, Botany and Plant Sciences, and Environmental Sciences hosted the inaugural Southern California Conference on Ecological Change on February 14. 

The inaugural event was organized in response to the effects of warming climate, larger and more frequent fires, urbanization and land development, and invasive species on Southern California's changing ecosystems.

The conference was sponsored by the College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences, UC Natural Reserves, the Department of Entomology, and the Center for Conservation Biology. Over 90 attendees came together to discuss these ecological changes, share knowledge, and identify research opportunities for sustainable management of our Southern California ecosystems. Attendees included scientists and practitioners from five UC campuses, two California State university campuses, and several county, state, and federal agencies, including USGS, USFS, NPS, CDFW, Caltrans, Riverside County Parks, and MSHCP.

Also in attendance were representatives of the non-profit organizations California Botanic Garden, Dwelling on Carbon, Mojave Land Trust, Nature Conservancy, Point Blue Conservation Science, Rivers & Land Conservancy, San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Tejon Ranch Conservancy, Urban Ecology Conservancy, and the Santa Ana Watershed association.

The conference featured plenary speeches by Dr. Megan Jennings of San Diego State University, and Amy Waltz of the Ecological Research Institute at Northern Arizona University, who emphasized collaborative engagement among researchers, land managers and communities to address regional ecological research needs.

The conference also included breakout discussions which tackled pressing environmental issues in Southern California, grant and career panels, and many opportunities for attendees to network, build new collaborations, and share ideas.