2023 Rausser College Photo Contest Winners

Over 80 images were submitted to this year's photo contest! From field research to landscapes, animals to student life, the submitted images represent the wide-ranging activities of the college community and exemplify the beauty of the world we are all working to improve. Below we share the winners of this year's contest. Be sure to see all photo contest entries on Flickr.

Fantastic Fungi 
Alienor Baskevitch, PhD student

This photo was taken on the Mendocino fungal foray field trip for PMB110: Biology of Fungi. Students joined instructors for an overnight trip of mushroom hunting and identification in the coastal redwood forests of Northern California. 

Siblings
Gracie Semmens, Undergraduate

Elephants playing taken in Damarland, Namibia

Working to save the spotted owl
Barry Weinert, BS ’76 Forestry

I worked at Mendocino Forest Products Company as its Chief Legal Officer. During a tour of our forest property in Mendocino County, one of our biologists showed me how we track Spotted Owls to preserve their nesting sites. After calling for owls, one appeared. Our biologist placed the mouse on a fallen tree and the owl came for dinner.  We then followed the owl, running through rugged forest land, until we found the tree that held its nest. We physically marked the tree and recorded its exact GPS location in a computerized ledger. This information was used to ensure that no logging occurred within the proscribed distance, usually adding an additional buffer.

Cheetah
Gracie Semmens, Undergraduate

Taken at the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia, Africa.

Orchid
Yaeko Long, Undergraduate

A yellow orchid at the UC Botanical Garden.