UCLA and the National Park Service (NPS) opened a field station in the Santa Monica Mountains last week. The field station will serve as headquarters and center of operations for the university’s La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, according a NPS press release.

The new field station is housed in NPS facilities and was renovated through the generous endowment provided by UCLA alumnus and philanthropist Morton La Kretz.

The field station, a project that began three years ago, will have many uses including serving as an off-campus location for classes as well a place where UCLA’s world class researchers will work to save and renew Southern California’s Santa Monica Mountains, says the release.

As the headquarters for La Kretz Center activities, the field station will encourage more conservation research in the Los Angeles area, said UCLA conservation biologist Brad Shaffer.

“Having a home base in the middle of the Santa Monica Mountains makes it much more attractive to do research,” Shaffer said. “For the first time, we have a building where students, researchers and our agency partners can work, brainstorm, and stay in the mountains.”

To read the full story by Eric Thomas click here.

Published: Friday, February 01, 2013