The Stone Center at UC Berkeley catalyzes unique convenings and collaborations to help solve our most pressing conservation challenges. We tackle some of the biggest problems in conservation by fostering collaborations between Tribes, researchers, landowners, students, local residents, and more. Some examples of these collaboration include:

• American Keystones with the National Geographic Society: We are launching a new collaboration with the National Geographic Society (NGS), which is looking to identify a new cohort of Explorers working on American Keystones. The initiative will combine science, education, and storytelling to spark a national conversation about the species that shaped our past, and the people, partnerships, hope, and vision that are shaping our future.  Applications are now open (deadline is 5/23/25).
• Berkeley Wildlife is a problem-driven, interdisciplinary program that conducts cutting-edge research and trains future leaders to tackle complex problems in wildlife ecology, management and policy. The Stone Center partners with faculty and students in Berkeley Wildlife on research initiatives and publications.
• California Wolf Project: Part of Berkeley Wildlife, the California Wolf Project works to understand the ecology and wolf-human interactions of the recolonizing population in California. Utilizing innovative and interdisciplinary methods, we gather data on wolf spatial ecology, diet, predator-prey dynamics, and recolonization within California, while contributing to conflict reduction strategies for rural communities and agricultural producers. Check out their latest Annual Report.
• Federal Policy Advocacy: Our faculty co-director, Arthur Middleton, served as the first Senior Advisor for Wildlife Conservation at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) from 2021-2024. Arthur focused on improving USDA coordination and action, such as with Working Lands for Wildlife, to benefit migrating wildlife and rural communities. We worked with state and Tribal authorities to improve public land management and enhance voluntary-locally led conservation that respects private property rights.