Future directions: Research

Research reserves greatly enhance opportunities for Berkeley faculty to pursue Federal funding opportunities now emerging for the support of large scale, transdisciplinary field sciences. These include new or developing initiatives (e.g.,the National Science Foundation's National Ecological Observatory Network and the Biodiversity Observatory Network), the Packard monies going to support consortia of researchers engaged in large-scale environmental research (e.g. the PISCO consortium), Long Term Ecological Research proposals of the kind recently funded at U.C. Santa Barbara, Sea Grant proposals, environmentally based NSF Science and Technology Centers, and NSF programs for the support of Field Stations and Marine Laboratories. Capitalizing on these opportunities requires a long-term commitment of support for the base budget of Berkeley's field stations.

The Angelo Coast Range Reserve is planning to integrate its data collection and management into the national framework recently articulated by the Organization of Biological Field Stations (OBFS). This framework involves establishing an Internet-based network for data sharing and archiving among Biological Field Stations, and involves 160 OBFS member stations, Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites, and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) and the San Diego Supercomputing Center (SDSCS). Protocols and standards for data management and sharing through the development of an OBFS network were proposed in order to answer questions about the condition of strategic natural resources nationwide, and to contribute to the development of more informed land use and environmental policies (Stanford and McKee 2000). Among other things, the framework allows for the sharing of metadata, and provides a mechanism for both housing and sharing individual data files among researchers, a specific goal of the Reserve. (Luby, 2001).

Integration of data collected at the Angelo Reserve into the OBFS system is designed to update the informal policy which has been in place the past several years. In the last few years, researchers have been encouraged to share data with one other on relevant projects and to supply copies of data files to the Faculty Manager. In addition, because the Natural Reserve System maintains a web site that outlines recent activities at the Angelo Reserve, the web master at the NRS has coordinated the distribution of field-based information. Either through the hiring of new personnel or working with existing staff, data files will be incorporated into the OBFS framework. In the Database Report referred to above, it was also recommended that computing capabilities at Angelo be upgraded from a modem connection to a more sophisticated system so that installing a local server, web connectivity, and more efficient data file sharing over the Internet would be possible. Together with networked desktops in the new Environmental Center, and advice from experts assembled for workshops, upgraded computing facilities would facilitate Angelo's integration into the OBFS framework.

Future directions: Teaching

The Angelo Reserve has long served as a venue for field courses, and for graduate training in field research. Their educational potential, however, is compromised by inadequate infrastructure and inconsistent administration. Research opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students also need to be more effectively communicated across the campus -- for example, through web links to the University's home page. Their educational potential, however, is compromised by inadequate infrastructure and inconsistent administration. Research opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students also need to be more effectively communicated across the campus -- for example through web links to the University's home page.
(dint of luck sentence-to be stolen from White Paper for field stations)

Future directions: Outreach

The campus' research reserves give it a presence in regions where Californians otherwise would not encounter the University locally. Some of these neighbors are potential donors, attracted to the same aesthetic or natural qualities of landscape that originally inspired protection for the reserves. Communicating the right message about Berkeley to these neighbors requires that these properties be responsibly and professionally maintained and used. State and Federal Agencies, and the public at large, could be educated about the University's contributions towards the understanding and wise management of the natural resources of California. Reserves can also play an important role in the University's K-12 outreach.

Goals of the Angelo Coast Range Reserve

  • G1 Capture, archive, and disseminate field data through the use of computerized database systems and the world wide web; locate and map past study areas; curate data from prior studies; and to compile metadata;
  • G2 Continue to improve the ability to conduct research and teaching in general, and to expand the range and types of studies conducted;
  • G3 Enhance research efforts in several areas, particularly in studies of river and watershed geomorphology, food webs and ecosystems, and to facilitate research of the most recently introduced research initiative at the reserve, investigations of tree canopy biology;
  • G4 Build on outreach and educational programs to educate the local community about Reserve activities and to encourage participation in environmental education;
  • G5 Continue the administrative stability gained for Angelo by consolidating ties to the California Biodiversity Center, and by increasing communication between the CBC and the U.C. Natural Reserve System;
  • G6 Develop a comprehensive web site, with access to policies, procedures, and research and educational material;
  • G7 Develop a budget and development framework for the Reserve, through development of grants, a "Horseshoe Bend Foundation: Friends of the Angelo Coast Range Reserve" group, contacts with campus and NRS budget and development staff, and other approaches;
  • G8 Outline duties for On-site Science Manager position at the Reserve, to coordinate research and teaching use of Reserve and new Science Center, and seek funding for position;
  • G9 Conduct an annual research review at the Reserve, where researchers who have used the facility over the past year are asked to informally share their projects and the results of their studies with the Angelo research community;
  • G10 Explore uses of Reserve in Arts and Humanities;
  • G11 Establish site-specific "reasonable use" levels for the Reserve.

Key Challenges facing the Angelo Coast Range Reserve

  • C1 Facilities and property
    Center for Environmental ScienceThe research and educational potential of the Angelo Reserve however, is compromised by inadequate infrastructure. Although the new Center for Environmental Science establishes fine laboratory and meeting space for the Angelo Reserve for the first time in its history, funding was not sufficient for constructing more researcher housing. Funds for the replacement of outbuildings associated with the headquarters, to be used for the storing of scientific equipment on site, were also not secured, and only the most basic components of the tree canopy platform were funded. Furthermore, outside of the Goldman gift, funds to obtain scientific equipment for the new lab are not yet available, and funds for a GIS-based computer system to archive, manage and share data collected in the field have not been identified. Although the new facilities will provide a strong foundation for conducting basic research at the reserve, additional facilities are needed to meet the promise the new Center holds, especially in the vital areas of researcher housing, scientific equipment and computing support. In sum, a disparity exists between the state-of-the-art Center for Environmental Science and the reserve's housing supply, while the deficit of basic scientific and computing equipment will restrict the Reserve's research potential.
    • Historic Buildings-provide security and stabilization for the White House; explore its possible renovation and use as conference area.
    • Headquarters-is currently degrading; we must explore rehabilitation and enhancement
    • Adjacent Lands Issues---we need to protect relationships with neighbors to maintain researcher access; we would like to develop an acquisition fund for adjacent or sensitive land holdings as these become available.
  • C2 Community Relationships-open houses; Horseshoe Bend Foundation Friends of the Reserve group; involvement of local teachers and students in monitoring projects (butterfly censuses; birds counts, vegetation monitoring); docent training for high school students.
  • C3 Regulatory Framework: ESA and research activities
    The general issue of how to gain sufficient access to endangered species and to their potential habitat in order to obtain information crucial to their management and protection is presently vexing and unresolved. For example, studies of old growth redwood and Douglas fir canopy biology by several expert investigators in the area are presently forestalled by regulatory concerns for the marbled murrelet, as are some studies of the bird's biology. At present, the need to develop a Habitat Conservation Plan for possible impacts on marbled murrelets is impeding the use of the canopy walkway at the Angelo Reserve. This problem of resolving regulations for protection with research needed to identify how to protect species will only spread and intensify as natural reserves become more isolated in landscapes, and serve more and more as 'life boat' refuges for remnant populations of increasingly endangered species.
  • C4 .Funding - Research natural history reserves like the Angelo Coast Range Reserve greatly enhance opportunities for Berkeley faculty to pursue Federal funding opportunities now emerging for the support of large scale cross-disciplinary field sciences. These include new or developing initiatives (e.g.,the National Science Foundation's National Environmental Observatory Network and the Biodiversity Observatory Network), collaborations with environmentally oriented National Science and Technology Centers like NCED, Seagrant proposals, and NSF programs for the support of Field Stations and Marine Laboratories. Capitalizing on these opportunities requires a long-term commitment of support for the base budget of Berkeley's field stations requires a long-term commitment of support for the base budget of the Reserve. Funding sources for the current Reserve Facilities Manager position need to be stabilized, and funds for an on-site Ph.D. level Reserve Science Manager position need to be identified.
  • C5 Teaching and Education - Research opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students need to be more effectively communicated across the campus -- for example through web links to the University's home page.
  • C6 Cultural and Historic Resource Management- identify resources, determine how to proceed; create a "human history" of Angelo

Plans to Accomplish Goals and Meet Challenges over next five years include the following:

  • P1 Planning Grant: addresses facilities issues and regulatory setting; a workshop is planned during the 2003 fiscal year. The workshop will supply the Reserve with expert assessments of the adequacy of the facilities at the Reserve for conducting research in specific areas.
  • P2 Application in 2004-05 for a Facilities Improvement Grant to furnish and equip the new Environmental Science Center building, and to build adequate housing for visiting investigators. This funding will also be used to expand the minimal canopy facility, build an aquatic sampling platform to serve during high river stages, and fto expand instrumentation to monitor environmental conditions in the terrestrial watershed, including at the forest canopy-atmosphere interface.
  • P3 Database Initiatives in collaboration with the California Biodiversity Center (Mary Power, Director, John Latto, Academic Coordinator), the National Center for Earth Surface Dynamics D (Collin Bode, UCB, Charles Ngyuen, U. Minn.), the informatics group at the Berkeley Natural History Museums (Craig Moritz, Director, John Deck), the Earth Resources Center, (George Brimhall, Director) the Forest Experimental Stations (John Battles, Director) and the new NSF Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM, Bill Dietrich, PI)
  • P4 Apply for K-12 educational grants (the first application submitted in summer 2002, Prof. Rosie Gillespie, PI, was awarded, Angelo will be a partner on other proposals being sent by educational outreach staff at NCED (Diana Dalbotten))
  • P5 Build community relationships with nearly annual open houses.
  • P6 Continue efforts to offer stable administrative home for the Reserve at the California Biodiversity Center on the Berkeley campus.