UC Santa Cruz Other Recent Work Title Kenneth S. Norris: Naturalist, Cetologist & Conservationist, 1924-1998: An Oral History Biography Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5kf1t3wg Author Reti, Irene H. Publication Date 1999 Supplemental Material https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5kf1t3wg#supplemental eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California KENNETH S. NORRIS Naturalist, Cetologist, & Conservationist 1924-1988 An Oral History Biography Interviewed by Randall Jarrell and Irene Reti Edited by Randall Jarrell Published by University Library, UC Santa Cruz Distributed in Association with University of California Press Berkeley Los Angeles London 2010 © 1999 by the Regents of the University of California. Second Printing published by University Library, UC Santa Cruz. Distributed in Association with University of California Press. Berkeley Los Angeles London. 2010. Manufactured in the United States of America. Library of Congress cataloging: QH31.N67 J37 1999 All uses of this manuscript, including electronic publishing, are covered by an agreement between the Regents of the University of California and Phyllis Norris for Kenneth S. Norris; Robert M. Norris; William N. McFarland; Donald J. Usner; Roger J. Samuelsen; William F. Perrin; Shannon M. Brownlee; Lawrence D. Ford; and Stephen R. Gliessman. All literary rights in the manuscript, including the right to publish, are reserved to the University Library of the University of California, Santa Cruz. No part of the manu- script may be quoted for publication without the permission of the University Librarian of the University of California, Santa Cruz. Cover illustration by Jenny Wardrip Keller. Granite Mountains in the Mojave Desert, looking northeast toward the Providence Mountains with male chuck- walla (Sauromalus obesus) in foreground. Black and white lizard illustration is also by Jenny Wardrip Keller. Acknowledgements Many have contributed to the making of this book. The project was started at the request of Roger Samuelsen, Director Emeritus of UC’s Natural Reserve System and Larry Ford, Vice President of the Institute for Sustainable Development; they got the project off the ground and through their fund- raising efforts we were able to inaugurate and complete this project on an accelerated timetable. The generous donors who made this possible include the Kenneth S. Norris Fund; Gary Griggs, director of the Long Marine Laboratory and Institute of Marine Sciences; Alexander A. Glazer, director of UC’s Natural Reserve System; UCSC’s Environmental Studies Department; Tom Morrish; Seeley W. Mudd, II; and an anonymous donor. My gratitude to Ken Norris, who was so generous in spending time with me as he shared many aspects of his life; he was joyous, introspective, humorous, spontaneous, and despite his weakened condition, he gave these interviews his all. I will always appreciate that we completed together as much as we did. I also experienced what so many have said about Ken: that he made each person feel unique and appreciated. He was sui generis. Ken’s colleagues and friends made themselves available for interviews on short notice during a difficult time. Their recollections and insights into Norris’s life and work have made this book possible. Irene Reti, the Assistant Editor of the Regional History Project, has been my indefatigable colleague and partner in interviewing, research, endless fact- checking, typographical decisions, design, and layout, and the mechanics of bookmaking. Her enthusiasm, hard work, discriminating eye, and devo- tion have made this a joyous endeavor from beginning to end. Larry Ford, a walking encyclopedia of Norris’s work at the NRS, in the Natural History Field Quarter, and in the Environmental Field Program, has been a constant inspiration; he wrote me numerous e-mails answering dozens of questions and assisted in fact-checking countless dates, names, and details. His abid- ing support and help throughout have been invaluable. Guy Oliver provided energy, suggestions, and enthusiasm throughout the project, providing me with much information as I conducted research and selected interviewees. My thanks to Daniel P. Costa for his permission to include his bibliography of Norris’s publications in this volume. Phylly Norris graciously answered numerous questions so we could get all the details right. Paul Rich generously shared with me his insights into Ken Norris’s evolution as a scientist and the nature of his creativity. Many thanks as well to Carol Howard and Susan Rumsey for their assistance in loaning and locating photographs for this book. When we were feeling helpless with computer problems, Raymund Ramos gave emergency computer assistance on many occasions, as did Susan Kramer. And thanks as well to Sharon Call, for her patient assistance and eagle-eye in keeping track of the numerous financial details of this project. The Regional History Project is supported administratively by Alan Ritch, the head of Collection Planning, and University Librarian Allan J. Dyson, both of whom have been enthusiastic and appreciative colleagues in this endeavor. Lorie Cahn (L) & Shoo Shoo Salasky (R) with Ken Norris, 1978. Photo by Tom O’Leary “I think of Ken Norris often—when I admire a grand expanse of wildland, when I have a new insight into why a plant grows where it grows, when I spent time with students eager for discovery, when I share companionship and laughter and song, when I sit with discipline to write at my computer, when I gaze at a clear running stream and try to embrace all of the connections in the universe in my own small way. Ken will always be an important part of my life.” —Paul Rich Photo by Donald J. Usner Contents Acknowledgements Introduction 1 Part I: Kenneth S. Norris: In His Own Voice 4 Family Life and Early History 6 World War II 8 Raymond B. Cowles 10 Early Research Interests: 13 Opaleye Perch, Girella nigricans 13 Marineland of the Pacific 14 Joining the Scientific Priesthood 18 Appointment at UC Los Angeles 19 Oceanic Institute, Hawaii 20 The Norris Family 22 Robert M. Norris 25 Appointment at the University of California, Santa Cruz 26 Founding the Joseph M. Long Marine Laboratory 28 Natural History Field Quarter 35 The Tuna/Dolphin Fishing Controversy and the Passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act 44 Society for Marine Mammalogy 48 Environmental Field Program 51 Research Interests 54 Sand Dunes 55 New Mexico 57 Desert Iguana, Dipsosaurus dorsalis 59 Carl L. Hubbs 60 Echolocation in Dolphins 61 Part II:The Scientific Legacy of Kenneth S. Norris 67 William N. McFarland Raymond B. Cowles 69 Ken Norris’s Ph.D. Dissertation 72 Uma notata 77 Marineland of the Pacific 78 Echolocation in Dolphins 83 Coral Reef Fishes 85 Wild and Crazy Antics 86 Designing Oceanariums with Ken Norris 87 William F. Perrin Meeting Ken Norris 92 The Tuna/Dolphin Fishing Controversy 93 Norris as a Founder of Cetacean Research 100 Society for Marine Mammalogy 102 Part III. The Founding of the University of California’s Natural Reserve System 105 Roger J. Samuelsen The University of California’s Natural Reserve System 106 Norris as Visionary and Activist 109 Funding for the Natural Reserve System 110 Roger Samuelsen as NRS Coordinator 112 1967 Ford Foundation Matching Grant 114 Acquiring the Sweeney Granite Mountains Desert Research Center 116 The Bunny Club 119 The Future of the UC Natural Reserve System 120 Ken Norris’s Legacy 122 Mildred Mathias 123 A. Starker Leopold 124 Clark Kerr 125 Personal Impressions of Ken Norris 127 Robert M. Norris Early Life for the Norris Brothers 130 University of California, Los Angeles 134 U.S. Navy 135 Scripps Institution of Oceanography 136 Conceiving the UC Natural Reserve System 137 Santa Cruz Island Natural Reserve 142 University-wide NRS Committee 144 The Future of the Natural Reserve System 147 Lawrence D. Ford Meeting Ken Norris 150 The Natural History Field Quarter 153 Ken Norris’s Teaching Philosophy 154 Teaching Students Observation Skills 157 Crossing the Threshold of Boredom 158 Niche-Hunting 159 Learning to Think Like an Animal 161 Working Relationship with Ken Norris 162 Environmental Field Program 164 Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve 168 Natural Reserve System 174 Kenneth S. Norris Fund for the Natural Environment 178 Packard Foundation Grant to the Natural Reserve System 179 Dr. Van Denburgh 182 Donald J. Usner Meeting Ken Norris 184 Ken Norris’s Teaching Style 186 The Natural History Field Quarter 188 A Typical Day 190 The Bunny Club 191 Crossing the Threshold of Boredom 191 Singing Sand Dunes 193 Personal Relationship with Ken Norris 194 Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve 196 Old Blue 198 Dr. Van Denburgh 199 New Mexico 200 Shannon M. Brownlee Meeting Ken Norris 204 Natural History Field Quarter 205 Ken Norris as “a Basin of Attraction” 206 Learning to Think Like an Animal 209 Personal Relationship with Ken Norris 209 Science with an Artist’s Eye 211 “Sweet and Lumpy and Full of Nutty Surprises” 212 “The Play Just Kept Him Going.” 213 Natural History Field Quarter 216 Stephen R. Gliessman Coming to UC Santa Cruz 220 Working Relationship with Ken Norris 223 Dr. Van Denburgh 225 Miss Prim 228 Field Journals 228 Natural History Observation 232 Student Presentations 236 Singing Sand Dunes 244 Environmental Politics 245 The Future of the Natural History Field Quarter 247 Appendices 251 APPENDIX I: Remarks from the Kenneth S. Norris Memorial, UC Santa Cruz, October 24, 1998 252 Lawrence D. Ford 252 M.R.C. Greenwood, Chancellor, UCSC 254 Robert M. Norris 255 William N. McFarland 258 Samuel Ridgway, Senior Scientist, Navy Marine Mammal Program 260 Roger Samuelsen 262 William Doyle, UCSC Professor Emeritus of Biology 264 Shannon M. Brownlee 268 Stephen R. Gliessman 272 Karl S. Pister, Chancellor Emeritus, UC Santa Cruz 274 Craig F. Schindler, Former Professor of Environmental Studies, UCSC 276 Alisa Fineman, Singer/Songwriter 279 Dan Warrick, Former Editor, Environmental Field Program 282 APPENDIX II: Syllabus and First Instructions, Natural History Field Quarter (1983) 283 APPENDIX III: Publications: Kenneth S.