Written by Julian, Little Green Guards® C.S.I. INTRODUCTION In my previous blogs I reported on camera trap studies I conducted in my backyard, a surrounding golf course, and a nearby avocado grove that is next to coastal sage scrub habitat. My studies generated buzz around the neighborhood, and from local residents I found out […]
Written by Julian, Little Green Guards® C.S.I. INTRODUCTION After documenting the species that use the golf course behind my backyard, I moved on to another close by habitat for my C.S.I. project, an avocado grove. Part 3 – Avocado Grove The grove is located in an open space easement that was once coastal […]
Written by Julian, Little Green Guards® C.S.I. INTRODUCTION After discovering what animals share my backyard with me, I decided to explore another habitat type for my C.S.I. project. Part 2 – Golf Course Previously I observed that rabbits were the main animals using my backyard. They were there because my backyard has what […]
Written by Julian, Little Green Guards® C.S.I. INTRODUCTION Animals are everywhere and we often find them sharing our habitat. Which species are among us, what type of area do they prefer and when are they active? These are the questions I wanted to answer in my three-part C.S.I. project. Part 1 – My […]
Written by Sean, Little Green Guards® C.S.I. After learning about the amazing tardigrades, I investigated another biological wonder – hummingbirds. I am interested in hummingbirds because I read that they are the smallest birds in the world and have the highest metabolism of any homeotherm relative to their body size1. Hummingbirds get their energy […]
Written by Sean, Little Green Guards® C.S.I. As part of my investigation about nature I interviewed Dr. Andy Phillips (President of LVDI International) and asked him why he decided to major in biology when he was in college. Here is what he told me: “I always loved animals. I also liked art and photography. […]
Written by Dr. J. “Andy” Phillips, President, LVDI International If you are curious enough and know where to look you will be amazed by the wonders of nature all around. Early in February I discovered a female Allen’s hummingbird (Selasphorous sasin) building a small cup-shaped nest in a shrub in my backyard. She collected […]
The Conservation Science Investigators or C.S.I. is a new initiative in the Little Green Guards® program. The goal is to help children (ages 9-15) develop their curiosity about the natural world and encourage them to share their discoveries with others. A guiding principle of the C.S.I. is that children, through inquiry-based learning, become familiar […]
Building on our highly successful Little Green Guards® program, we created a new learning platform, Conservation Science Investigators (C.S.I.), to connect children with nature. This initiative was born out of The Catalyst Creative Leadership Challenge 2019 workshop series hosted by The Nonprofit Institute of University of San Diego. Under the guidance of Drs. Randy […]