Carmel Magazine

Winter 2017

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The Right Environment Return of the Natives Brings Students to Nature B Y R E N E E B R I N C K S ngel Jimenez Gonzalez has always enjoyed exploring the out- doors. So when a teacher introduced him to Return of the Natives (RON) a few years ago, the Salinas teenager gath- ered some friends and signed up for activities organized by the nonprofit environmental education and habitat restoration group. Throughout high school, Gonzalez participated in bird counts, planted native shrubs, collected trash at area parks and learned to identify various plant species. Those experiences motivated him to pursue an environ- mental studies degree. Today, Gonzalez is a first-generation college stu- dent at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB). In his spare time, he works with students as a group leader for RON. "I've always enjoyed being outside, and Return of the Natives is a fun way to get involved in the community," Gonzales says. "The group has really good educational activities for elementary classes, and it helps high school students develop character and be strong leaders." C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 1 7 195 ngel Jimenez Gonzalez has always enjoyed exploring the out- doors. So when a teacher introduced him to Return of the Natives (RON) a few years ago, the Salinas teenager gath- ered some friends and signed up for activities organized by the nonprofit environmental education and habitat restoration group. Throughout high school, Gonzalez participated in bird counts, planted A

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