CCBER Newsletter
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Director's Foreword 1 Jennifer Thorsch Ecological Restoration 3 The office space under Harder Stadium recently evolved into a "hotspot" for biodiversity and Education 6 ecological activity at UCSB. The Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration Biodiversity (CCBER) was formed in 2005 through the fusion of the Museum of Systematics and Ecology (MSE) Collections 8 and the Ecological Restoration Program. Founded by the former Director, Wayne Ferren, the Field Notes 10 restoration program grew from MSE’s involvement in the study, preservation and restoration of rare Research 11 wetland habitats in the vicinity of campus. The union of these elements into CCBER created a campus News and Events 13 community dedicated to education, research and outreach of the region’s biological diversity and Getting Involved 15 restoration. Faculty and Staff 16 The founders of the Herbarium and the Vertebrate Collections, Drs. CH Muller and Mary Erickson, Contact, Subscription 17 respectively, with subsequent contributors to the botanical and zoological collections and programs Newsletter PDF represent some of last century’s leaders in ecology, behavior, plant structure and the development of modern systematics. For over 60 years these valuable collections have contributed to the research and education missions of the University In August 2005, CCBER moved to the Harder Building near Storke Field. The newly renovated facility includes a state of the art classroom, CH Muller Conference Room and Library, separate rooms for the specimen collections and interpretative displays developed by the CCBER staff. We thank our many donors and friends both on and off campus who have contributed to the development of the Cheadle ... a campus community dedicated to education, Center. research and outreach of the region’s biological The role and mission of CCBER expanded during the past decade with new responsibilities for diversity and restoration. managing and restoring many of the biologically diverse natural areas on campus including the Lagoon, North Bluff, Storke Wetlands, Manzanita Village and most recently the San Clemente Housing project. This role enhances the academic interest in conservation and the teaching and research opportunities for faculty and students while providing a focal point for restoration ecology studies campus wide. New Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration at Harder South Photo by Jim Bartsch < 1 > ... continued CCBER will continue to support: ● Teaching Director's Foreword 1 ● Research Ecological Restoration 3 ● Natural lands management Education 6 ● K-12 academic preparation and community education programs Biodiversity ● Public service and professional advising Collections 8 Field Notes 10 Research 11 News and Events 13 Getting Involved 15 Faculty and Staff 16 Contact, Subscription 17 Newsletter PDF Cheadle Esau collection room at the new Center Photo by Tony Mastres By housing a permanent repository of biological specimens, CCBER has developed the expertise to provide assistance with collection protocols, preparation and preservation techniques, and information on valuable research specimens. By providing access to these specimens, CCBER supports the teaching of diverse undergraduate courses in many departments on campus, as well as the research interests of faculty, graduate, undergraduate students and staff. The Nature Press is published by: Natural Lands management of the campus native areas is coordinated and supervised by CCBER staff The Cheadle Center for and fulfills the University’s obligation to provide stewardship of biodiversity-rich campus lands. These Biodiversity and Ecological areas serve as an on-campus living laboratory for studies in plant and restoration ecology, and Restoration. © 2006 CCBER, vertebrate biology. Students gain internship credit by participation in restoration and management All rights reserved. activities. Graphics Design: Kelly Campbell CCBER’s academic preparation programs enhance the next generation’s role in the study and preservation of biodiversity. The “Kids in Nature” program serves the educational and outreach mission Newsletter Consultant: of the university and brings hundreds of school children to our facilities each year. Community Lynn Watson education programs are offered year-round through tours, workshops and a regular seminar series. Providing valuable scientific information and advice to public and private entities is also an important role provided by the CCBER’s Staff and Faculty Curators. As CCBER settles into its new campus home, we look forward to expanding our commitment to the educational and research missions of this unique campus. We thank our many donors and friends both on and off campus who have contributed to the development of the Cheadle Center. < 2 > Campus Lagoon Restoration – Reviving the Neglected Gem Director's Foreword 1 Lisa Stratton Ecological Restoration 3 Historical records indicate that the areas currently known as Campus Point and Lagoon ‘Island’ were Education 6 valued by the Chumash as temporary village sites. The areas were later used by early westerners for Biodiversity agriculture, asphaltum mining, firewood collection, fill material, military structures, and experimental Collections 8 non-native street-tree planting sites. UCSB has since recognized the ecological value of this site for its Field Notes 10 coastal open space and potential to support increasingly rare native plant and animal assemblages. The Research 11 impacts from past land uses left a legacy of disturbed soils dominated by near mono-cultures of non- News and Events 13 native plants; however, the site’s restoration potential to a range of plant communities is just being Getting Involved 15 realized. In 1995 shore bird habitat was created adjacent to the UCEN and coastal sage and oak Faculty and Staff 16 woodland plant communities were restored to the western slopes. In 2001 coastal dune areas were Contact, Subscription 17 researched and restored by a restoration ecology class. This past year we initiated several large projects to establish oak woodland on north-facing slopes, increase dune habitat and restore coastal sage scrub Newsletter PDF on south-facing slopes. These projects would not have been possible without the help of many individuals and organizations. Campus Lagoon has been formally recognized by the University as an Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area (ESHA). There is a general management plan and we are currently working on a The impacts from past land $100,000 planning grant for the area so that we can move towards implementing larger projects on the uses left a legacy of disturbed site. soils. However, the site’s restoration potential is just Coastal Bluffs being realized. While annual grasses provide seed for mice and rodents, they provide few resources for California’s diverse insect and bird fauna. Native coastal sage scrub and oak woodland plants support a higher diversity of native creatures that have evolved with the plant structure and steady stream of nectar and pollen resources. In addition, perennial plants don’t dry up by mid-July the way annual plants do. West facing slopes of Lagoon Island were cleared, stabilized with coconut mat, to reduce run-off; and planted with over 850 plants from ten species of flowering coastal sage scrub shrubs, including: Isocoma menziesii (Coastal Goldenbush), Mimulus aurantiacus (Bush Monkey Flower), Eriogonum parvifolium (Seacliff Buckwheat), Eriophyllum confertiflorum (Golden Yarrow), Epilobium canum (California Fuchsia), Rosa californica (California Wild Rose), Phacelia ramosissima (Branching Phacelia), Lotus scoparius (Deerweed), Encelia californica (California Sunflower), Scrophularia californica (Figwort), Rhus integrifolia (Lemonade Berry), Dudleya lanceolata (Lance-leaved Dudleya) and Sisyrinchium bellum (Blue-eyed Grass). Shoreline Preservation Fund supported the student group, Sigma Chi Omega, who planted over 80 plants a piece on a Saturday morning. Campus Depressions – Sand dune restoration in progress Another project is the restoration of West Depression from an iceplant dominated flat patch of land, to a more diverse habitat with small dunes, dune swales, salt marsh and coastal sage scrub bluffs. We placed black plastic over the iceplant from August to December. This ‘solarization’ process heats and kills iceplant without disturbing the soil and exposing the seed bed. The sandy site was planted during the March rains with over 250 Camissonia cheiranthifolia (Beach Evening Primrose) seedlings, plus seeded and planted with other dune species including: Atriplex leucophylla (Beach Saltbush), This 'solarization' process Ambrosia chamissonis (Beach-bur), Abronia maritima (Red Sand Verbena) and Abronia umbellata heats and kills iceplant (Beach Sand Verbena). without disturbing the soil and exposing the seed bed. < 3 > Campus Lagoon Restoration – continued Director's Foreword 1 A back dune and dune swale region includes Juncus mexicanus, Juncus acutus, Jaumea carnosa Ecological Restoration 3 (Jaumea), Frankenia salina (Alkali Heath), Eschscholzia californica (California Poppy), Deinandra Education 6 increscens (Tarweed), Lupinus arboreus (Bush Lupine), Lotus scoparius (Deerweed), Isocoma Biodiversity menziesii (Coast Goldenbush), Distichlis spicata (Saltgrass). Student interns and CCBER staff helped Collections 8 with this project. Field Notes 10 Research 11 News and Events 13 Getting Involved 15 Faculty and Staff 16 Contact, Subscription 17 Newsletter PDF Planting of coast