The purpose of this trip is to introduce students enrolled in the California State University, Long Beach course "Environmental Science & Policy 200: California Environmental Issues" to the Anza-Borrego desert environment, to the history of the state park and local management of diverse habitats and species, and to local environmental issues, such as desert habitat conservation, climate change impacts on desert environments and species, and plans for restoration of the Salton Sea. For many students this is their first visit to a California desert environment and may be their only chance to engage in an active and experiential learning experience in the ecosystem that we are studying throughout the semester. During the visit to the reserve, students will engage in hiking activities, lectures from local park rangers, a visit to the Salton Sea and Salton City, and talks from other local conservationists involved in desert conservation and the Salton Sea restoration planning.

Approved