Robert Steers

Grew up in southern California and developed an interest in becoming a scientist at an early age. At Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo he majored in Ecology and Systematic Biology and it was here that he developed a passion for field botany. He then received a Ph.D. from UC Riverside for his work related to invasive plant fire regimes and post- fire vegetation recovery and restoration. After graduating, Robert worked as a botanist/ecologist for various agencies, academic institutions, and consulting firms since 2000. Through his past roles, he has botanized all over California, ranging from Modoc National Forest in the northeast corner of the state, to Edwards Airforce Base in the Mojave Desert, to regional parks in San Diego County, and many other locales.

Robert has resided in Marin County for well over a decade. He previously served as the regional vegetation ecologist for the San Francisco Bay Area Network of National Parks where he managed plant monitoring programs in Golden Gate N.R.A, Muir Woods N.M., Point Reyes N.S, Pinnacles N.P., and John Muir H.S. He now does contract work for land management agencies in Marin County, mostly related to rare plants. Robert also works in the tech industry as an engineering program manager on hardware and software products. He is passionate about science, technology, and preserving California’s amazing biodiversity.