Saving California begins with you: the Natural Sciences Colloquium

While Phase I construction continues, the Natural Sciences team has been hard at work planning for the Phase II reinstallation. In June, the Oakland Museum of California hosted a colloquium of eight Golden State scientists to help us identify what stories should be told in the new Natural Sciences Gallery.

The existing Natural Sciences Gallery is unique in its use of dioramas. Rather than traditional taxidermy mounts where a single organism is encased in glass, these displays depict the complexity of an ecosystem, the diversity of a habitat, and the behaviors of the organisms living in each area. However, these displays convey a sense of the pristine California untouched by human impact, whereas many of these animals and their environments face serious threats today. California is the most geologically, biologically, and ecologically diverse state in the U.S., but the biological richness that makes this state unique has been under constant threat since the arrival of humans. Habitat destruction, mining, logging, over-fishing, pollution, loss of fresh water, and introduction of invasive species have seriously diminished wildlife and their habitats – and the looming threat of global warming will only make these issues more significant. When the new Natural Sciences Gallery re-opens, our exhibits must address how dramatically California has changed in the 40 years since this Museum was founded, how these changes are still continuing, and how we can all work to slow or reverse these changes.

To keep the gallery relevant to these issues, the Natural Sciences team met with a diverse group of California scientists, each with their own specialty. Among the guests were Gretchen LeBuhn, a plant ecologist at San Francisco State University; Chris Cogan, a mapping and habitat specialist at Cal State Channel Islands; Julia Sankey, a paleontologist and evolutionary biologist at Cal. State Stanislaus; Lisa White, a geologist at San Francisco State University; Mark Jennings, a herpetologist with the California Academy of Sciences; Bruce Herbold, a fisheries and water ecology specialist from the Environmental Protection Agency; Steve Torres, a wildlife biologist from the California Department of Fish and Game; and Andrew Devogelaere, a marine biologist and research coordinator with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The discussion helped Museum staff to better understand what current issues face the survival of California’s wildlife and wild lands, what has changed in 40 years, and what are the urgent messages and stories we need to tell. One thing was clear and unanimous: we must use current science in a way that is accessible and understandable to the visitors.

Sadly, the conversation painted a grim picture of survival for many species, several critical habitats, and some entire ecosystems. It became clear that our exhibits must show visitors the right steps toward successful preservation of our unique and diverse land for future generations. In addition to providing a basic knowledge of biology and ecology, we also need to communicate the complex interrelationships between both organisms and their environment, and how human interaction can affect ecosystems at every level. The Natural Sciences Gallery must engage and motivate visitors to embrace and protect California’s wildlife by showing our guests how they can make a difference. Based on the colloquium’s findings, the new exhibits will explain why California’s biota is so unique and worth saving; identify the threats and provide solutions; explain how science can show us the paths toward successful conservation; and demonstrate what each person can do to contribute to the overall survival of our state – in large and small ways

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