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Naturalist Award Recipient 2025: Jeb Bishop

Jeb Bishop Ecologist, Volunteer, and Advocate for Native Plant Restoration

The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History is pleased to announce Dr. Jeb Bishop as the 2025 Laura Hecox Naturalist Award recipient. Jeb Bishop is a passionate ecologist and community leader dedicated to native plant restoration and ecological conservation. With an innate curiosity for the natural world, Jeb earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Michigan and enjoyed a successful career in the medical diagnostics industry before retiring in 2014.

Jeb’s interest in sustainable landscaping and drought-tolerant plants was sparked when he moved to California in 1990 during the tail end of a seven-year drought. His early efforts taking on the landscaping for his local homeowners association engendered his appreciation for native ecosystems and propelled him into volunteering in habitat restoration across Santa Cruz County. Over many years, he gained extensive knowledge of native flora and invasive species through hands-on experience and collaboration with fellow volunteers. Linda Brodman, leader of the local CNPS habitat restoration team, was a seminal influence on Jeb’s early development in restoration, providing inspiration, education, and mentoring.

Jeb gravitated over time towards two restoration projects both within walking distance of his home in the Seabright neighborhood. A few years before his retirement, he became the first volunteer in the new group formed by Nancy Lenz to restore Pilkington Creek to native habitat. Gaining experience with Nancy’s support, he became more knowledgeable in riparian woodland ecology. He later went on to lead this project for four years.

At the point of retiring in 2014, Jeb shifted his focus to a second restoration project, on Seabright State Beach, being led by Bill Henry, the founder and director of Groundswell Coastal Ecology. Acquiring new perspectives and learning dune and coastal bluff ecology under Bill’s mentorship, Jeb went on to lead a team of volunteers for eight years. They successfully transformed this area, reducing invasive species cover from about 90% to just 10% and replacing them with thriving native vegetation.

Jeb was a longterm volunteer with restoration projects at Pilkington Creek and Seabright Beach. Both within walking distance of his home in the Seabright neighborhood and the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History.

In both his work at Seabright Beach and Pilkington Creek a hallmark of Jeb’s approach to ecological restoration was his meticulous attention to soil conditions, sunlight, and seasonal factors to ensure the long-term survival of native plants. Another hallmark was persistence – returning to the same locations again and again and again over years, weeding and watering repetitively until the plants were well established and self-sustaining. These efforts revitalized the local environment, creating vital habitats for native wildlife and pollinators, including bumblebees, butterflies, snowy plovers, a burrowing owl, and many other species. Pilkington Creek is now also an acknowledged birding hotspot.

Even as Jeb faced health challenges in very recent years, the organizational and team structures he built ensured that these projects remained vibrant. His collaborations with the City of Santa Cruz, the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, California State Parks, and Groundswell Coastal Ecology helped establish sustainable practices that continue to support them. By mentoring others and passing on his expertise, he fostered a culture of environmental stewardship that endures beyond his active involvement. His leadership inspired a community of
naturalists and volunteers and created a lasting legacy of ecological restoration. Today, Jeb’s efforts serve as a blueprint for community-driven conservation, exemplifying the power of collective action and education in preserving and restoring natural ecosystems.

Fungus February 2025

Explore a month of fungi fun with the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History!

Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of mushrooms through expert-led adventures, creative art projects celebrating their beauty and diversity, and opportunities to connect with fellow mushroom enthusiasts. Discover the wonders of the forest floor and deepen your appreciation for these mycological marvels.

Upcoming Events

2/1 Land Trust Walk: West Glenwood Mushroom Exploration

In collaboration with the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, adventure through exclusive areas as you partake in a fungus exploration! Guided by a master mycologist, prepare to venture into the unknown as you scout for seasonal mushrooms. Open to ages 12+. Appropriate for all skill levels. 

Saturday, February 1st at various times
West Glenwood Open Space Preserve

2/2 Art Workshop: Fungus Forms & Features in Watercolor

Capture the intricate beauty of mushrooms with watercolors. Spotlighting local Santa Cruz County mushrooms as models, participants will learn how to paint the nuanced features of these stunning seasonal subjects.

Sunday, February 2nd from 6 – 8 p.m.
Outside the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

2/5 Naturalist Night: An Endangered Mushroom & CA’s eDNA

Join us in kicking off Fungus February with the best mushroom mystery story you’ve never heard! In collaboration with UCSC’s Genomics Institute, learn about how a state-of-the-art DNA database was hacked in order to uncover the hidden locations and scientific secrets of California’s most endangered mushroom.

Wednesday, February 5th from 6 – 8 p.m.
Inside the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

2/8 Land Trust Walk: San Vicente Redwoods Mushroom Exploration

In collaboration with the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, adventure through exclusive areas as you partake in a fungus exploration! Guided by a master mycologist, prepare to venture into the unknown as you scout for seasonal mushrooms. Open to ages 12+. Appropriate for all skill levels. 

Saturday, February 8th at various times
San Vicente Redwoods

2/8 & 2/9 Workshop: Flameworking & Glassblowing

Celebrate Fungus February with a fiery twist! Join us for a hands-on flameworking workshop where you’ll create a unique glass mushroom pendant. Guided by a master artist, you’ll melt and shape glass using specialized tools at your own station. Open to ages 16+, suitable for all skill levels, with materials and safety gear included.

Saturday & Sunday, February 8th – 9th at various times
Outside the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

2/15 Land Trust Walk: Antonelli Pond Mushroom Exploration

In collaboration with the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, adventure through exclusive areas as you partake in a fungus exploration! Guided by a master mycologist, prepare to venture into the unknown as you scout for seasonal mushrooms. Open to ages 12+. Appropriate for all skill levels. 

Saturday, February 15th at various times
Inside the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

2/15 & 2/16 Workshop: Flameworking & Glassblowing

Celebrate Fungus February with a fiery twist! Join us for a hands-on flameworking workshop where you’ll create a unique glass mushroom pendant. Guided by a master artist, you’ll melt and shape glass using specialized tools at your own station. Open to ages 16+, suitable for all skill levels, with materials and safety gear included.

Saturday & Sunday, February 15th – 16th at various times
Outside the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

2/19 Naturalist Night: Cordyceps, Cappuccinos, & Mind Control

Fungus February just got a whole lot spookier, especially when the topic is parasitic zombie fungi! Learn about the sinister Cordyceps mushroom that infects insects using mind-controlling spores and turns them into the walking dead.

Wednesday, February 19th from 6 – 8 p.m.
Inside the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

2/21 Workshop: Spore Prints & Mushroom Painting

Explore the art and science of mushrooms in this unique workshop! Using local Santa Cruz County mushrooms as inspiration and medium, you’ll learn to paint and print with spores and gills. The class includes step-by-step guidance from a master mushroom artist, covering spore pressing, layering, color theory, and more, plus a lecture on mushroom biology.

Friday, February 5th from 6 – 8 p.m.
Inside the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

2/22 Land Trust Walk: East Glenwood Mushroom Exploration

In collaboration with the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, adventure through exclusive areas as you partake in a fungus exploration! Guided by a master mycologist, prepare to venture into the unknown as you scout for seasonal mushrooms. Open to ages 12+. Appropriate for all skill levels. 

Saturday, February 22nd at various times
East Glenwood Open Space Preserve

2/26 Naturalist Night: Sky Islands, Sea Islands, Dry Islands, & the Biogeography of Macrofungi

Making maps of the distributions of organisms is one of the most fascinating topics in all of natural history. The theory of island biogeography serves as an ideal starting point in understanding broader patterns of how life travels from adaptation to extinction. How do fungi behave in comparison to other groups of organisms? In what ways do island-dwelling individuals differ from their mainland cousins? Come on an expedition to uncover the geographical mysteries of mushrooms!

Wednesday, February 26th from 6 – 8 p.m.
Inside the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

2/28 Naturalist Night: Fluorescent Fungi & Bioluminescent (DNA) Barcodes

Glowing, glowing, gone! For the last lecture of Fungus February, explore the brilliant world of bioluminesce. In this illuminating lecture, learn about the fluorescing fungi that glow under ultraviolet light, mushrooms that create their own light, even in complete darkness, and what in their DNA is coded for them to exhibit these beautiful characteristics. Using hundreds of high quality photos, explore the mysterious world of bioluminescent and fluorescent fungi, and shine some light on the science of their unique DNA.   

Friday, February 28th from 6 – 8 p.m.
Inside the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

1/29 Nature Journaling: Stick Season

Explore the hidden beauty of winter and uncover the secrets of seemingly bare forestscapes. The leaves may have fallen, but the beauty of the trees remains to be captured on canvas.

Using watercolors, colored pencils, and other mixed media, participants will make artistic observations of dormant plants’ aesthetics in winter. Develop observation skills and an awareness of nature, improve sketching and painting skills, and practice strategies to bring the 3-dimensional world onto the page. More than just an art class, nature journaling is about observation, curiosity, wonder, and honing these abilities.

Wednesday, January 29th

6 – 7:30 p.m.

Location: Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History,
1305 E. Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95062


Class Size: 30 Students
Class Fee: $38 – Museum Members receive a special discounted price applied at checkout.
Materials:  All art supplies are included in the class fee. Participants are welcome to bring their own sticks, branches, and botanical materials for reference.
Instructor: Melinda Nakagawa

This class takes place indoors. Supplies may get messy, so casual attire is recommended.

About the Instructor

Melinda Nakagawa

Melinda Nakagawa is a biologist, naturalist, and educator with a passion and skill for connecting people to nature. She founded “Spark in Nature” to guide participants to cultivate a deeper relationship with the natural world, slowing down to nature’s pace and seeing rather than just looking at the world. With an approach that bridges nature, art, and heart, she welcomes all people regardless of their skill level or background.

Website: https://www.sparkinnature.com/

Instagram: @sparkinnature

1/25 Laura Hecox Day

Join the Museum for the annual Laura Hecox Day open house, celebrating the pioneering lighthouse keeper, naturalist, and Museum founder. Born in 1854 and raised in the original Santa Cruz lighthouse, she spent her childhood exploring the tidepools and trails of our region. Laura curated a natural history collection that became the foundation of Santa Cruz’s first museum and still serves our community after 119 years.

Come learn about the Museum’s rich cultural and natural history, connect with community partners, engage in arts, crafts, and games for kids, & get your hands dirty helping with our Pilkington Creek Restoration project!

Saturday, January 25th

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Activities:

Naturalist Award Ceremony 11 to 12 p.m.

Open House 12 to 2 p.m.

Saturdays in the Soil: Volunteer Gardening 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Free Admission All Day

Outside the Museum in Tyrrell Park

1305 East Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz

The 2025 Laura Hecox Naturalist Award Ceremony

11 to 12 p.m.

This award honors individuals who embody the Museum’s mission to connect people with nature and science by inspiring others to appreciate, understand, and protect the natural world.

This year we honor Dr. Jeb Bishop, Ph.D., ecologist, volunteer, and advocate for native plant restoration.

The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History is pleased to announce Dr. Jeb Bishop as the 2025 Laura Hecox Naturalist Award recipient. Jeb Bishop is a passionate ecologist and community leader dedicated to native plant restoration and ecological conservation. With an innate curiosity for the natural world, Jeb earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Michigan and enjoyed a successful career in the medical diagnostics industry before retiring in 2014.

The award will be presented to Dr. Bishop during the Naturalist Award Ceremony at 11:00 a.m.

Satudays in the Soil at Laura Hecox Day

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Celebrate Laura Hecox Day by joining Saturdays in the Soil, a recurring volunteer event at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History’s Garden Learning Center and Pilkington Creek! Discover more about local ecology, native plants, and sustainable gardening while connecting with nature and making a lasting impact. It’s the perfect chance to roll up your sleeves, get your hands dirty, and give back!

Museum of the Macabre 2024 Photos

Thank you to the many community members who joined us for the 8th annual #MuseumOfTheMacabre! Please enjoy these photos and tag us @santacruzmuseum!

Find yourself in our photo booth!

Cotoni-Coast Dairies

For decades, local groups have fought to conserve the special cultural and natural resources on what is today the Cotoni-Coast Dairies property. Through maps, community voices and breathtaking landscapes, this exhibit explores this unique open space that is now part of the National Monument system.

A Terraced Landscape
The dynamic landscape of the Cotoni-Coast Dairies property is dominated by three cascading marine terraces. This unique topography supports a wide array of habitat types across six watersheds.

Supporting Indigenous Connections
For thousands of years, this land was inhabited by the Cotoni (Cho-toe-knee) people. Today, the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band is helping to restore Indigenous connections to the land by preserving sacred sites and protecting culturally significant plants on the property. The property’s name name honors the Cotoni people who first stewarded the land.

Preserving the Past
The rich history of this land is preserved in archeological sites throughout the property. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the land was shaped by the expansion of Euro-American industries and technologies, including farming, cattle grazing, dairying, logging, and mining. These cultural resources help us understand the past, and can help shape the future.

Looking Ahead
In the late 1900s and early 2000s, diverse community groups and government agencies fought to protect the land from threats of development, ultimately securing public ownership of the property through a national monument designation. As the property is made more accessible to the public, what do you most want to know about it? What hopes and dreams do you have for the property’s future?

Photos courtesy BLM and Santa Cruz Mountains Trails Stewardship

This Exhibit Made Possible With Support From

Thank you to our Media Partner

Unearthing Local Geology

“What on earth,” asks Frank Perry, “could tiny plankton drifting in the sea have in common with arrowheads and spear points made by people who lived here thousands of years ago?”

In his new book, Geology of the Northern Monterey Bay Region, local author Frank Perry delves deeply into the ways that geology consists of surprising connections. Grounding the reader in the stories of the rocks that underlie our lives, he artfully weaves together ancient origins, childhood nostalgia, fun facts, fossil finds, and more. The book goes above and beyond straightforward storytelling, with themed activities and field trips thrown into the mix.

This richly varied and engaging approach is especially important when unearthing the geology of a place like the Monterey Bay area. Complex and largely obscured by thick soils and dense vegetation, “our rocks” as Frank notes “have not given up their secrets easily.” Our area has more than 14 geologic formations, the units that geologists use to study rocks, several of which are famous for their fossils. In the face of this complexity, the book illuminates the history of how we have come to know the world beneath our feet – whether through observing ancient sand ripples, encountering cave creatures, or finding local faults.

Readers of the book will also find their way into the Museum’s collections, photographs of which are featured throughout the book. Similar to many of our more subtle local geologic features, our collections are often out of sight and out of mind for all but our staff. Nonetheless, they are rich in stories that connect people to nature, and Frank finds a place for many of these, including the commonalities between plankton and spear points.

Beginning with the quote at the opening of this blog, chapter seventeen of the book is illustrated in part by the following artifacts: a carved diatomite specimen, a chert cobble, and a chert point. The carving is light and airy, and it is difficult to imagine how the artist managed to inscribe an image without crushing the medium to dust. The cobble has a stark heft in comparison, with a hardness that isn’t hard to imagine being useful in the spear point of the same material. Despite these differences, the rock types are cozy bedfellows in certain parts of the Monterey Formation, a local oil-rich sedimentary formation that ranges locally between 12 to 15 million years old.

In addition to their common formation origin, these artifacts have other commonalities: we’ve used each of them in exhibits to tell stories about how people connect to nature. In this case, we have different stories of carved stone, from the First Peoples  to more recent European immigrants. 

But what about the crux of the original question, the connection between plankton and points? For that, you’ll have to grab a copy of Frank’s book from the Museum Store, either online or in person. Better yet, join us for the launch party on March 15, 2024, to see these specimens and others used in the book on display while the author himself treats us to a talk on more of the interesting connections carved out by local geology.

FULL 2/10 Mushroom Walks with Phil Carpenter (two sessions)

Join Phil Carpenter for a guided exploration of local mushrooms, part of our line-up of Fungus February events. We’ll learn how to identify mushrooms while marveling at their unique qualities. The location for these walks will be within Santa Cruz County and determined based on this season’s mushroom crop! All registrants will be notified once the location is determined.

Saturday, February 10, 2024
$20 Members | $30 General

This program has reached capacity. Email events@santacruzmuseum.org to join the waitlist

Session One | 10 a.m. to noon

Session Two | 2-4 p.m.

Registration for Fungus February programs will open on January 17 at 9 a.m. for Museum Members and on January 18 at 9 a.m. for the general public. Presale tickets limited to 2 per member. These programs often fill fast, so we recommend 1) becoming a Member if you aren’t one yet, 2) practicing signing into our website to make sure registering goes smoothly, and 3) setting an alarm clock!

Email events@santacruzmuseum.org with any questions, accommodation requests, or if you have trouble registering.

Accessibility

  • Participants should be prepared to walk up to 2 miles on uneven terrain. More specific location notes to come.
  • Youth under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration fees apply to all ages.
  • We will provide hand lenses and field guides as resources, but feel free to bring along your favorite mushroom observation tools (we have a number of resources in our online store and Members receive 10% off).
  • Leave your pets at home. Trained service animals are permitted.
  • Follow the latest guidelines for COVID safety at the time of the event.

FULL 2/4 Mushroom Walks with Phil Carpenter (two sessions)

Join Phil Carpenter for a guided exploration of local mushrooms, part of our line-up of Fungus February events. We’ll learn how to identify mushrooms while marveling at their unique qualities. The location for these walks will be within Santa Cruz County and determined based on this season’s mushroom crop! All registrants will be notified once the location is determined.

Sunday, February 4, 2024
$20 Members | $30 General

Session One | 10 a.m. to noon

Session Two | 2-4 p.m.

Registration for Fungus February programs will open on January 17 at 9 a.m. for Museum Members and on January 18 at 9 a.m. for the general public. Presale tickets limited to 2 per member. These programs often fill fast, so we recommend 1) becoming a Member if you aren’t one yet, 2) practicing signing into our website to make sure registering goes smoothly, and 3) setting an alarm clock!

Email events@santacruzmuseum.org with any questions, accommodation requests, or if you have trouble registering.

Accessibility

  • Participants should be prepared to walk up to 2 miles on uneven terrain. More specific location notes to come.
  • Youth under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration fees apply to all ages.
  • We will provide hand lenses and field guides as resources, but feel free to bring along your favorite mushroom observation tools (we have a number of resources in our online store and Members receive 10% off).
  • Leave your pets at home. Trained service animals are permitted.
  • Follow the latest guidelines for COVID safety at the time of the event.

About our Walk Leader

Phil Carpenter has been a mushroom picker (versus “hunter”) all of his life, having started picking midwest morels at a very early age. He has been pursuing mycology for nearly 40 years in California. He has been a member of the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz since it was founded, and has been an officer in the club for most of those years.

2/3 Family Fun: Mushroom Crafts

Join educators from the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for a fun crafting event all about mushrooms! Family Fun programs are great for elementary aged kids and their families, but all ages are welcome.

This program is part of our annual Fungus February series.

Saturday, February 3, 2024
Time: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Location: Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
Drop-In Program

Free with Admission*

*Free for Members and Youth under 18 | $4 General | $2 Students and Seniors

Accessibility

  • All experience levels are welcome. Materials will be provided.
  • Youth under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
  • Follow the latest guidelines for covid safety.
  • Please leave your pets at home. Trained service animals are permitted.
  • Review more details on our Accessibility page.