We believe that having a strong connection to nature and the environment is a prerequisite for environmental stewardship. Dedicated in the fall of 2014, the Eddy Family Outdoor Learning Lab is a one-acre parcel of restored coastal sage scrub habitat adjacent to the Beckman Center in Escondido’s beautiful San Pasqual Valley. The Outdoor Learning Lab is designed to increase knowledge about our native flora and fauna and the research techniques we use to monitor it, as well as to positively influence community members’ attitudes toward conserving local biodiversity and their ability to contribute meaningfully to local conservation efforts. The interactive field research curriculum associated with the Outdoor Learning Lab, entitled Life in a Biodiversity Hotspot, engages visiting students and teachers with the techniques that our conservation researchers use to monitor the abundance and diversity of species over time, illustrating the impact of human activities on the health and composition of natural communities, with the ultimate goal of inspiring environmental stewardship.