I am ecologist working in California. My job includes monitoring and habitat stewardship for rare plants and wildlife and compliance with state and federal regulations that protect these species. While my educational background is in botany, I also have a long-standing fondness for reptiles and amphibians.

I am relatively new to iNaturalist. In May of 2023, I attended a Jepson Herbarium Workshop in which we used iNaturalist as a tool for recording plant collections. I learned how fun it is to use iNaturalist to keep a record of the places I explore and to connect with other people who are enthusiastic about observing the natural world.

I appreciate any feedback you can provide on how to more accurately identify the plants and animals I observe. I still have a lot to learn, and I have learned the most from iNaturalist from the people who have disagreed with my identifications. If you disagree with an identification, please tell me why.