Northern California Botanists

About Us

A Cooperative Association of Federal, State, Academic, Consulting, and other Botanists in the Northern California Region

Northern California Botanists (NCB) is an organization with the purpose of increasing knowledge about botanical issues concerning science, conservation, education, and professional development.  Our primary objectives are to establish a communication forum via occasional meetings, scholarship funds for student research and special projects related to botanical problems and exploration in northern California, a job forum, and symposia that focus on the botany of northern California.

The geographic range for defining the NCB are of interest for symposia presentations, associated workshops, and scholarships includes the area extending northward-from the southern boundary of San Luis Obispo County and western slope of the Tehachapi Mountains, following the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, to the southern boundary of Mono County.  Students from any accredited college or university doing research within the NCB geographic range may apply for NCB scholarships.  NCB welcomes members from all areas.

News/Updates

Barbara Castro Student Botany Research Scholarships

Applications for the 2025-2026 scholarships will be available in early December.  See our Scholarships Page for past recipients.

Dean W. Taylor Botanical Exploration Memorial Award - The application period for 2025 is now open!

The aim of the award is to cover costs associated with botanical exploration in Northern California. Please the Dean W. Taylor Memorial Award Page for 2025 application information and instructions.  The application period is now closed.

NCB Budding Botanists Program

Northern California Botanists’ Budding Botanists Program includes early career botanists in the professional community. Members of the Northern California Budding Botanists will be added to our NCB listserv and receive notifications about classes and workshops. Members can also contact experienced botanists for career advice. Members are also invited to careers sessions during the Northern California Botanists Symposia. To join, ask career questions, or volunteer to answer career questions as an experience botanist and mentor, please contact us at buddingbotanists@norcalbotanists.org

2025 Northern California Botanists Symposium

Northern California Botanists will hold it's 13th symposium on January 13-14, 2025 with workshops on the 15th.  The 2025 symposium will be combination of in-person and online. See the 2025 Symposium Page for more information. Registration is open.

NCB welcomes sponsorships and cannot hold the Symposium without sponsor support.  Although our main 2025 webpages are not online yet , you can access the sponsorship page here.  If you would like to be a sponsor and have additional questions, please contact ncbotanists@gmail.com.    Thank you!

Symposia

Our botanical symposium is held every January at CSU Chico, and has included a reception, banquet, keynote speaker, presentations, and workshops. View upcoming and past events here.

Scholarships

We provide competitive botany and plant ecology scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students attending a college or university. View them here.

Newsletters

We produce a semi-annual newsletter Botanical Leaflets. We invite members to submit articles relating to botany in the north state. Over two-dozen issues are online.