Naomi Fraga
@naomibot.bsky.social
Director of Conservation at California Botanic Garden and Associate Professor at Claremont Graduate University. I study the biodiversity extinction crisis, flora of Western North America, alkali wetlands, rare plants, #monkeyflowers.
It’s hard to believe, it's already been three weeks since I married my love and #Teambuckwheat co-conspirator @bitterwaterblue.bsky.social in a beautiful ceremony in the Amargosa River Basin. 💕
November 17, 2025 at 2:36 AM
It’s hard to believe, it's already been three weeks since I married my love and #Teambuckwheat co-conspirator @bitterwaterblue.bsky.social in a beautiful ceremony in the Amargosa River Basin. 💕
Reposted by Naomi Fraga
A fossil-fueled surge in U.S. data center growth to serve the #ArtificialIntelligence boom threatens to sabotage the country’s already faltering climate goals, according to our recent report: Data Crunch.
Get the full report ➡️ bit.ly/4hvYguI
Get the full report ➡️ bit.ly/4hvYguI
October 29, 2025 at 10:11 PM
A fossil-fueled surge in U.S. data center growth to serve the #ArtificialIntelligence boom threatens to sabotage the country’s already faltering climate goals, according to our recent report: Data Crunch.
Get the full report ➡️ bit.ly/4hvYguI
Get the full report ➡️ bit.ly/4hvYguI
The more I hike this road the more and more I want to proselytize for chaparral love ❤️
I am pretty sure this California towhee sitting on a San Gabriel scrub oak is feeling it with me.
I am pretty sure this California towhee sitting on a San Gabriel scrub oak is feeling it with me.
September 23, 2025 at 11:46 PM
The more I hike this road the more and more I want to proselytize for chaparral love ❤️
I am pretty sure this California towhee sitting on a San Gabriel scrub oak is feeling it with me.
I am pretty sure this California towhee sitting on a San Gabriel scrub oak is feeling it with me.
I overheard someone say the thing they didn’t like about living in CA was the lack of “seasons”. I didn’t want to be rude, but I wanted to say that maybe haven’t been paying close enough attention. Go outside, touch some grass & maybe a buckwheat. I’ll forgive you if you don’t touch the poison oak.🍂
September 23, 2025 at 2:12 AM
I overheard someone say the thing they didn’t like about living in CA was the lack of “seasons”. I didn’t want to be rude, but I wanted to say that maybe haven’t been paying close enough attention. Go outside, touch some grass & maybe a buckwheat. I’ll forgive you if you don’t touch the poison oak.🍂
Reposted by Naomi Fraga
Finally! 🤩 Our position piece: Against the Uncritical Adoption of 'AI' Technologies in Academia:
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
September 6, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Finally! 🤩 Our position piece: Against the Uncritical Adoption of 'AI' Technologies in Academia:
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
Reposted by Naomi Fraga
I fired up the old newsletter machine for the first time in a while. In it, I take a lay of the land of the Western public lands extraction boom. TLDR: it's chaos.
Read more: sageandsand.substack.com/p/sage-and-s...
Read more: sageandsand.substack.com/p/sage-and-s...
August 29, 2025 at 3:38 PM
I fired up the old newsletter machine for the first time in a while. In it, I take a lay of the land of the Western public lands extraction boom. TLDR: it's chaos.
Read more: sageandsand.substack.com/p/sage-and-s...
Read more: sageandsand.substack.com/p/sage-and-s...
Reposted by Naomi Fraga
The Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University is Hiring!
We are searching for a Director of the Oregon State University Herbarium and applications are welcomed at the ranks of assistant, associate, or full professor.
We are searching for a Director of the Oregon State University Herbarium and applications are welcomed at the ranks of assistant, associate, or full professor.
August 6, 2025 at 4:58 PM
The Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University is Hiring!
We are searching for a Director of the Oregon State University Herbarium and applications are welcomed at the ranks of assistant, associate, or full professor.
We are searching for a Director of the Oregon State University Herbarium and applications are welcomed at the ranks of assistant, associate, or full professor.
Reposted by Naomi Fraga
More bad news for butterflies. Our new paper led by Wendy Leuenberger shows common species are declining even more rapidly than rare ones. @ZipkinLab
Three decades of declines restructure butterfly communities in the Midwestern United States | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2501340122
Three decades of declines restructure butterfly communities in the Midwestern United States | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2501340122
Three decades of declines restructure butterfly communities in the Midwestern United States | PNAS
Insects are declining worldwide. These declines have been documented across taxonomic
groups and are worrisome given ecosystem services provided by...
www.pnas.org
August 4, 2025 at 10:10 PM
More bad news for butterflies. Our new paper led by Wendy Leuenberger shows common species are declining even more rapidly than rare ones. @ZipkinLab
Three decades of declines restructure butterfly communities in the Midwestern United States | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2501340122
Three decades of declines restructure butterfly communities in the Midwestern United States | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2501340122
In a time where a new crisis seems to drop every min due to the current political regime, two crises remain at center of all life on earth: biodiversity & climate. Our inability to plan, prioritize & rein in consumption leads us to a false choice between the existence of a whole species and a mine.
Commentary: A climate-saving lithium mine could doom an endangered desert flower
The dilemma at Nevada's Rhyolite Ridge offers a preview of the hard choices ahead.
www.latimes.com
August 3, 2025 at 7:44 PM
In a time where a new crisis seems to drop every min due to the current political regime, two crises remain at center of all life on earth: biodiversity & climate. Our inability to plan, prioritize & rein in consumption leads us to a false choice between the existence of a whole species and a mine.
This story is not new but a presentation at #Botany2025 raised awareness on the impact of avocado production on biodiversity. U.S. demand is driving deforestation in rich Mexican cloud forests which also support monarch butterflies. www.nytimes.com/2023/11/28/u...
Americans Love Avocados. It’s Killing Mexico’s Forests. (Published 2023)
www.nytimes.com
August 2, 2025 at 10:48 PM
This story is not new but a presentation at #Botany2025 raised awareness on the impact of avocado production on biodiversity. U.S. demand is driving deforestation in rich Mexican cloud forests which also support monarch butterflies. www.nytimes.com/2023/11/28/u...
The story of our fight to save Tiehm’s buckwheat continues. “There’s a real tension there, where we need to avert the worst of the climate crisis. But in doing so, we can cause real harm to ecosystems,”story by @sammyroth.bsky.social @latimes.com
www.latimes.com/environment/...
www.latimes.com/environment/...
Commentary: A climate-saving lithium mine could doom an endangered desert flower
The dilemma at Nevada's Rhyolite Ridge offers a preview of the hard choices ahead.
www.latimes.com
August 1, 2025 at 12:44 PM
The story of our fight to save Tiehm’s buckwheat continues. “There’s a real tension there, where we need to avert the worst of the climate crisis. But in doing so, we can cause real harm to ecosystems,”story by @sammyroth.bsky.social @latimes.com
www.latimes.com/environment/...
www.latimes.com/environment/...
My talk is today Aug 30 at 3pm in Conservation Biology III in Smoketree C.
I'm almost ready to upload my #Botany2025 talk. Mining for the Renewable Energy Transition Threatens Plant Diversity. Its a not so cheery topic, but an urgent one. How can scientists prevent extinction in the face of accelerated mining and does a just energy transition include biodiversity?
July 30, 2025 at 6:43 PM
My talk is today Aug 30 at 3pm in Conservation Biology III in Smoketree C.
Reposted by Naomi Fraga
The West’s data centers suck (water and power). Lots of great information and visualizations here from @landdesk.bsky.social @highcountrynews.org www.hcn.org/issues/57-8/...
The West's data centers suck (water and power) - High Country News
From simple searches to chatGPT, the big digital buildup threatens the grid and water supplies.
www.hcn.org
July 28, 2025 at 7:48 PM
The West’s data centers suck (water and power). Lots of great information and visualizations here from @landdesk.bsky.social @highcountrynews.org www.hcn.org/issues/57-8/...
Above Palm Springs is the NE face of the San Jacinto Mountains, the steepest escarpment in the continental US rising from 800 to 10,834 feet in 7 horizontal mi. A nice way to get your heart rate up in the morning! I am awake and ready for #Botany2025.
July 28, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Above Palm Springs is the NE face of the San Jacinto Mountains, the steepest escarpment in the continental US rising from 800 to 10,834 feet in 7 horizontal mi. A nice way to get your heart rate up in the morning! I am awake and ready for #Botany2025.
I'm almost ready to upload my #Botany2025 talk. Mining for the Renewable Energy Transition Threatens Plant Diversity. Its a not so cheery topic, but an urgent one. How can scientists prevent extinction in the face of accelerated mining and does a just energy transition include biodiversity?
July 28, 2025 at 1:21 AM
I'm almost ready to upload my #Botany2025 talk. Mining for the Renewable Energy Transition Threatens Plant Diversity. Its a not so cheery topic, but an urgent one. How can scientists prevent extinction in the face of accelerated mining and does a just energy transition include biodiversity?
Hey #Botany2025! The California Botanic Garden is only a 1 hour drive from the convention center and attendees get free admission when showing their badge at the ticket kiosk. It’s a botanists paradise, the perfect side trip while you are here! Don’t miss the buckwheats in bloom!
July 27, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Hey #Botany2025! The California Botanic Garden is only a 1 hour drive from the convention center and attendees get free admission when showing their badge at the ticket kiosk. It’s a botanists paradise, the perfect side trip while you are here! Don’t miss the buckwheats in bloom!
Reposted by Naomi Fraga
A little belated but I've started a faculty position at Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology department at @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social. I'm absolutely stoked! I'll be recruiting at all levels and will be at #Botany2025
Reach out!
www.martinezgomezlab.com
Reach out!
www.martinezgomezlab.com
Martinez-Gomez Lab
Plant Evo-Devo
www.martinezgomezlab.com
July 25, 2025 at 8:09 PM
A little belated but I've started a faculty position at Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology department at @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social. I'm absolutely stoked! I'll be recruiting at all levels and will be at #Botany2025
Reach out!
www.martinezgomezlab.com
Reach out!
www.martinezgomezlab.com
I am excited to welcome #Botany2025 to my big backyard in the California desert. I kicked off the conference with a field trip up the Palm Springs tramway to explore the beautiful flora of the San Jacinto Mountains. I hope everyone enjoys Palm Springs!
July 26, 2025 at 11:19 PM
I am excited to welcome #Botany2025 to my big backyard in the California desert. I kicked off the conference with a field trip up the Palm Springs tramway to explore the beautiful flora of the San Jacinto Mountains. I hope everyone enjoys Palm Springs!
Reposted by Naomi Fraga
One week until #Botany2025! Check out the (unofficial) starter pack below to follow along. Let me know in the replies if you're attending and would like to be added.
go.bsky.app/Gu9T4st
go.bsky.app/Gu9T4st
July 20, 2025 at 12:27 AM
One week until #Botany2025! Check out the (unofficial) starter pack below to follow along. Let me know in the replies if you're attending and would like to be added.
go.bsky.app/Gu9T4st
go.bsky.app/Gu9T4st
Each year we trek out the Death Valley region to monitor the Amargosa Niterwort. These rare alkali wetland plants like it hot 🔥 and July is peak season. To accommodate working in extreme temps we start our day at first light to take advantage of the cool morning hours (about 80° F).
July 4, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Each year we trek out the Death Valley region to monitor the Amargosa Niterwort. These rare alkali wetland plants like it hot 🔥 and July is peak season. To accommodate working in extreme temps we start our day at first light to take advantage of the cool morning hours (about 80° F).
In the face of mounting threats, we are in a race to document the rare plants of NV. We’re using remote sensing to identify previously undocumented pops of rare plants in alkali wetlands. Spiranthes infernalis is now known from 3 new locations, unfortunately, all are highly threatened.
June 24, 2025 at 2:35 AM
In the face of mounting threats, we are in a race to document the rare plants of NV. We’re using remote sensing to identify previously undocumented pops of rare plants in alkali wetlands. Spiranthes infernalis is now known from 3 new locations, unfortunately, all are highly threatened.
Thank you @alanhalaly.bsky.social @reviewjournal.com for covering the potential devastation to a rare plant population in the path of the Greenlink West Transmission Line. My student, Chloe Novak has been collecting data to shed light on this issue. www.reviewjournal.com/business/ene...
A flower could slow construction of NV Energy’s costly transmission line
In rural Nevada, a battle is brewing over whether the state has an obligation to protect the sodaville milkvetch flower.
www.reviewjournal.com
June 19, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Thank you @alanhalaly.bsky.social @reviewjournal.com for covering the potential devastation to a rare plant population in the path of the Greenlink West Transmission Line. My student, Chloe Novak has been collecting data to shed light on this issue. www.reviewjournal.com/business/ene...
I had the opportunity to speak with @sammyroth.bsky.social from the @latimes.com about the lithium dilemma on the Boiling Point Podcast. Listen as we discuss the risks to biodiversity and Nevada, a special place that had been deemed a sacrifice zone. boiling-point.simplecast.com/episodes/the... 🎧
The Lithium Dilemma at Rhyolite Ridge, Part 1 | Boiling Point
Sammy Roth travels to Esmeralda County, Nevada, to meet Naomi Fraga, a botany professor at Claremont Graduate University, and see the endangered Tiehm’s buckwheat up close. The wildflower stands in th...
boiling-point.simplecast.com
June 13, 2025 at 2:40 AM
I had the opportunity to speak with @sammyroth.bsky.social from the @latimes.com about the lithium dilemma on the Boiling Point Podcast. Listen as we discuss the risks to biodiversity and Nevada, a special place that had been deemed a sacrifice zone. boiling-point.simplecast.com/episodes/the... 🎧
Flower filled hikes have always been a respite from the daily grind, but they have take on a greater importance for me in these challenging times. I am so grateful to have access to these beautiful public lands. Castilleja foliosa, Tauschia arguta, Lithophragma affine, Clematis lasiantha.
April 27, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Flower filled hikes have always been a respite from the daily grind, but they have take on a greater importance for me in these challenging times. I am so grateful to have access to these beautiful public lands. Castilleja foliosa, Tauschia arguta, Lithophragma affine, Clematis lasiantha.
Reposted by Naomi Fraga
🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴
For American students planning to start grad school who are reconsidering their USA offers (or had offer rescinded), my Canadian university #QueensU announced a special funding call. Want to join my lab to study #plant #evolution? Get in touch!
🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴
For American students planning to start grad school who are reconsidering their USA offers (or had offer rescinded), my Canadian university #QueensU announced a special funding call. Want to join my lab to study #plant #evolution? Get in touch!
🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴
April 25, 2025 at 4:37 PM
🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴
For American students planning to start grad school who are reconsidering their USA offers (or had offer rescinded), my Canadian university #QueensU announced a special funding call. Want to join my lab to study #plant #evolution? Get in touch!
🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴
For American students planning to start grad school who are reconsidering their USA offers (or had offer rescinded), my Canadian university #QueensU announced a special funding call. Want to join my lab to study #plant #evolution? Get in touch!
🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴 🌿🌸🌾🪴