Saumitra Kelkar

Saumitra Kelkar (he/him) is an ecologist and educator with degrees in forestry and environmental economics from UC Berkeley. He taught high school biology for 4 years in the Oakland Unified School District, where he taught students how to forage for plants and mushrooms and identify local species. He can identify most of the common plants and mushrooms in the Bay Area and is passionate about restoring ecosystems and building relationships between people and the living world around them.

“Saumitra was very well spoken and gave in-depth explanations of the forestry and mushrooms. He answered my child's endless questions quite scientifically (and patiently... thank you, Saumitra). He made the class so educational and intellectually stimulating.” -Participant feedback