May 31, 2003:
A Day at the Hastings Reserve in Carmel Valley

The University of California Natural Reserve System (NRS) is the largest, most diverse University-managed reserve system in the world. From the Channel Islands to the high Sierras, from the Mojave Desert to the coastal redwoods, the system includes 34 key California habitats set aside for teaching and research. To protect ongoing research projects, these sites are rarely open to the general public, but on Saturday, May 31, NCSWA members are invited to enjoy a day-long visit to one of the most spectacular reserves in the System – the Hastings Reserve in Carmel Valley.

The day will begin about 11 a.m. when we gather at Hastings for a quick overview of the Natural Reserve System, and an introduction to Hastings by Reserve Director Mark Stromberg. Established in the 1930’s Hastings has been host to a number of long-term research programs throughout its history. Currently, there are more than 50 research programs going on at the Reserve. Following a “bring your own” picnic lunch, we will hear short talks by some of the resident researchers involved in these programs.

These will include a talk by Dr. Stromberg on his research into native California grasslands and his work to promote large-scale restoration of these grasslands. Stromberg has studied grasslands, and the animals they support, throughout the western United States. His current work focuses on describing long-term patterns in California grasslands, and trying to understand the plant ecology of California coastal terrace grasslands.

Dr. Walter Koenig will also talk about his research into the social behavior and mating systems of acorn woodpeckers. Koenig has been studying woodpeckers at Hastings for more than thirty years and has pieced together a picture of the bird’s complex social structure that includes both competition and cooperation. His work is a perfect example of the value of long-term studies that are only possible in reserves like Hastings.

To conclude the day, we will travel to Rana Creek Habitat Restoration, a nearby native plant facility involved in a cooperative project with Hastings to produce large quantities of native plant seeds. Founder Paul Kephart, one of the top native horticultural experts in California, will give us a tour of the fields and facilities, and talk about his restoration work. One of Kephart’s interests is in creating “green roofs” for homes, commercial buildings, and large public structures. He is currently involved in designing a native California grassland community for the roof of the new Cal Academy building in Golden Gate Park.

Participation in this trip is limited to 25 adults. Guests are welcome, but please limit this to one guest per member. Children are also welcome but must be closely supervised by an adult. To sign up send an email to Jerry.Booth@ucop.edu. Space is limited, so these will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. All participants will need to sign and return a waiver before the trip, so please include a home address in your email. Complete driving directions to the reserve will be provided. Driving time from the Bay Area is about two hours.

To Find Out More:

• The Natural Reserve System
• The Hasting Reserve
• Rana Creek Habitat Restoration

Again, to sign up, send an email to Jerry.Booth@ucop.edu.