| The California Naturalist Program (CalNat) is a new education program focused on communicating environmental science across cultural boundaries. Participants become certified California Naturalists by completing a 40+ hour course that combines classroom and field experiences in natural history, including information on plant and wildlife communities, communication training, and community service. Survey based research from over 300 California Naturalists from diverse ages and backgrounds revealed significant increases in participants' ecological knowledge, scientific skills, and belief in their ability to address environmental issues. To address the need for contemporary and locally relevant climate change science and opportunities to participate in local solutions, plans are underway for a climate education and service program that will: (1) increase access to up-to-date climate science learning locally relevant for California's bio-regions to improve climate literacy through a CalNat course module and advance trainings; (2) improve self-efficacy and agency to improve science communication, civic engagement, and conservation action on the ground; and (3) establish a community of Climate Stewards as a subset of the California Naturalists community of practice for life-long shared learning. Ultimately, this training will prepare participants to better engage with local climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. |