Competing against 22 universities from across North America, 11 Cal Poly Humboldt students represented the program at this year’s event. The annual competition, held in Monterey, featured rigorous plant identification challenges in which students were asked to identify 100 plants—from grasses to trees—with just one minute per specimen to record its family or tribe, genus, species, life history, and origin.
Rangeland Resource Science instructor Todd Golder led the team, guiding students through months of preparation for the fast-paced and highly technical event. “Participating in this event has been especially rewarding for our students, who showcase their technical knowledge and their strong foundation in plant science which this program is known for.”
Cal Poly Humboldt teams have consistently demonstrated excellence in past competitions, earning first in the U.S. and second-place finishes in team events as well as individual outstanding student awards.
The achievement comes on the heels of another major milestone: last fall, Cal Poly Humboldt’s Rangeland Resource Science program became the first in California to earn accreditation from the SRM, a distinction that underscores the program’s academic rigor and growing national reputation.