Younger Lagoon Reserve Staff

Elizabeth Howard, M.A. - Director

Beth's passion for the outdoors grew from a childhood spent catching frogs and turtles in the woods, springs, and cypress swamps of Florida.  

As the Director of Younger Lagoon Reserve, Beth is responsible for facilitating research, teaching and public education at the reserve. Additionally, she coordinates biological and environmental monitoring, is responsible for compliance and annual reporting, and administers the reserve’s native habitat restoration program.

Beth received her bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental studies from UC Santa Cruz in 2001 and her master's degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from UC Santa Cruz in 2022. After graduating from UCSC, she worked on sustainable agriculture projects in California and Vermont, and later on plant ecology research and native habitat restoration projects, primarily in California.

Beth lives in the Santa Cruz Mountains and is an avid gardener and beginning beekeeper. 

Mack Neal Byers - Senior Steward

Mack Neal works as the Research, Education, Outreach, and Restoration Senior Steward for Younger Lagoon Reserve, a position that supports research, education, outreach, native habitat restoration, and stewardship in this unique outdoor classroom.

He grew up in Chico, CA where he developed a deep appreciation for the natural world, fishing and exploring the creeks and rivers of the Northern Sierra Nevada Mountains.

His interest in the NRS started while enrolled in Ecology and Conservation Supercourse through UCSC, and since then he has found himself drawn to the NRS for its commitment in supporting research, education and responsible land stewardship. He received his BA in Environmental Studies from UCSC and has a long standing history with the University, working at the Arboretum, Fort Ord Reserve and most recently as a Resident Steward for Landels Hill Big Creek Reserve in Big Sur, CA.  

He looks forward to working more closely with campus, student staff and interns and is excited to be a part of Younger Lagoon Reserve’s ongoing restoration, research and monitoring efforts. Outside of work he has many interests but enjoys music, biking, gardening, backpacking and working on any number of hands-on projects at a time.  

Emily Fong - Steward

Emily Fong works as the Research, Education, Outreach, and Restoration Steward for Younger Lagoon Reserve. They support restoration work while supporting programming that brings students and the public to the reserve such as UCSC internships, visiting classes, and summer camps. 

Born in the San Francisco Bay Area, Emily's young life was consumed by questions of justice, equity, and inclusion. As a transfer student to UC Santa Cruz, classes in geology and natural history gave root to the seeds of curiosity and connection to the natural world that had been dormant inside of them. Formative experiences in the UC Natural Reserve System gave them permission and a structure in which to develop a sense of place in the wider world around them. After graduating from UCSC's Environmental Studies department, Emily followed their heart to desert, montane, and coastal ecosystems between California, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, working for many years in outdoor leadership and science education. They also worked for many years with the National Park Service in Joshua Tree and Yosemite, leading volunteers in restoration work and performing rare plant surveys.