Grey Hayes

Dr. Grey Hayes currently an environmental educator at Cal Poly Swanton Ranch near Davenport. He also is a farming collective partner and an advisor to various environmental and land management agencies. Grey views a naturalist as someone who is curious about nature and keeps memories of their explorations of nature. Some of Grey’s most memorable field experiences occurred when he was out working in the field with others and they were able to stop and enjoy the scenery together.

Grey enjoys being a naturalist in Santa Cruz county because there is such a wide variety of diverse ecosystems and organisms. He also notes that oral tradition is an important way to pass knowledge within the Santa Cruz naturalist community. He is concerned that naturalist knowledge will be lost in future generations, especially because he finds that younger naturalists often do not interact with older naturalists. He thinks one of the best ways for someone to become a naturalist is to sit in one spot and just observe everything around there. Come back again and again and eventually your time, devotion and general curiosity for nature will make you a naturalist.