Chris Lang

Chris defines us all as naturalists because we are all part of the natural world and cycle. He views a self-identified naturalist as anyone who understands that our environment is us – someone who has a curiosity to find interconnectedness across all lifeforms. Chris Lang is originally from Redwood City, CA, but his parents also had some land in Montana which allowed him to explore a different landscapes at a young age. He is now a PhD student at the Environmental Studies Department at UC Santa Cruz. He thinks the best way newcomers can identify as naturalists, is to just get outside and go for a walk. In Santa Cruz, Chris found connecting with the Buddhist community was important for helping him making his connections with his environment. One of Chris’ most memorable nature experience happened when he was working in the Bahamas with his partner. In that moment they just listened to the waves and wind, felt the sand and watched as boats sailed by. It was almost like a break from all the social contracts we make with ourselves and hold up throughout the day. Chris thinks that we can create a more diverse and inclusive naturalist environment in Santa Cruz by moving away from the traditional definition of a naturalist is someone that can identify all species.