 | Reserve street address has been changed: At the
urging of the UCLA Fire Marshall and LA County Fire
Department, the new address, 1201, is now in correct
alignment with others on Stunt Road. Please note: the
mailing address is still on campus - 900 Veteran Ave.,
Warren Hall, Los Angeles, 90095-1786. |
| Educational Zone Advisory Committee has convened
and will meet on an on-going basis to discuss site and
facilities use of the Reserve's Educational Zone. Members
of the committee include representatives from the
reserve, the Cold Creek Docents, National Park Service
and UCLA's Archeology Department.
|
| On-going infrastructure and facilities improvements:
The following has occurred thus far: a) consultants have
reported on the geology, road repair and water system
re-installation; b) the reserve's 67 acres have been
surveyed with the installation of rebar/PVC pipe to
highlight the survey markers and a topo map drawn that
includes survey lines; c) the reserve access road has
been mapped with preliminary fire department approval; d)
the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area of
the National Park Service facilitated the manufacture of
permanent reserve and Stunt High Trail signs that are now
installed in key locations on the reserve and on the
trail; e) a redwood entrance sign was designed and
installed as was an enclosed kiosk with information, a
first-aid kit and a sign-in book. |
| Pruning of fire damaged trees: A licensed
arborist/oak tree specialist and his crew conducted the
pruning. The dead wood was chipped and placed beneath
surviving oaks assisting their process of recovery. |
| Preliminary management plan was written: Items in
the plan included a) site description - natural features,
history, operation; b) teaching, research significance
and potential for both university level and K-12
programs; c) community outreach and resource management
issues. |
| Photo monitoring has begun: Photos of Stunt Ranch
were taken prior to the land transfer showing the
devastating effects of the 1993 fire, it's resulting
debris, beginning stages of recovery, and springtime
wildflowers. Monitoring will continue on an on-going
basis. |
| Reserve literature was written and distributed.
The items included: a) applications for research, class,
and public event use; b) reserve rules; and c) emergency
instructions. |
| Stunt Ranch Reserve was featured in the Spring '96
UC NRS Transect. The following items were highlighted:
map and directions to the reserve, history of the
transfer of land, impact of the 1993 fire,
natural/cultural history of Stunt Ranch, description of
flora/fauna, research activities, site use, educational
programs, and plans for facilities improvements. |
| Stunt Ranch Reserve is linked with sites on the
Internet: Currently the reserve can be found on the
following pages: UC NRS, UCLA Biology, Topanga Online,
CSUN Geology, SW Ecoregion Planning Group. The reserve
will soon to be linked to/from UCLA's Research Labs and
Institutes, UCLA Anthropology, and UCLA
Geography. We welcome suggestions as to other
links. |
|
Articles having to do with the reserve have
appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News, Outlook, UCLA
Daily Bruin, UCLA Today, UCLA Magazine, (UCLA) The Basics,
Topanga Messenger, Malibu Times, Malibu Surfside News,
and the San Francisco Chronicle.
|
| Mailings have been sent to key audiences: As part
of the reserve's commitment to keep the community
informed, every two to three months we have sent mailings
with brief updates, clippings, and enclosures along with
open-ended invitations to tour the reserve. |
| Charles Darwin Foundation seminar on
"Conservation Efforts to save the Galapagos
Tortoises". This event was co-sponsored by the Stunt
Ranch Reserve and UCLA Biology Department as part of a
continuing effort to promote issues of conservation
biology. |
| 1995 - 1997 UC Natural Reserve System Research Grants:
These grants were administered by the reserve for UC
faculty and students. This will continue on a regular
basis. |
| Annual UC NRS Management Workshops held at the
Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory and at the
Sweeney Granite Mountains Desert Research Center:
Attendance at these meetings provided a forum to learn
what is happening at other reserves; offered us the
opportunity to receive direct feedback on current Stunt
Ranch Reserve activities; and ideas for future
application. |
| In addition to the management workshops, site visits
were made to other UC NRS reserves to gain new insights
into ideas that can be incorporated for the Stunt Ranch
Reserve: Phil and/or Carol visited the Sierra Nevada
Aquatic Research Laboratory, Sweeney Granite Mountains
Desert Research Center, Bodega Marine Reserve,
Carpenteria Salt Marsh Reserve, Coal Oil Point Natural
Reserve ,Valentine Camp, Hans Jenny Pygmy Forest Reserve,
Sedgwick Ranch Reserve. Along with other UC NRS members,
they also visited the Nature Conservancy's Kern River
Preserve and the Kern River Research Center. |
| Stunt Ranch Reserve T-shirts: These were based on
the reserve's logo design, printed both sides and come in
green ink on blue, ash, and natural colored 100% cotton.
They sell for $12 each. |
| Phil Rundel' s activities: In addition to teaching
and reserve management, Phil has conducted field work and
participated in conferences in Thailand, S. Africa,
Bodega Bay, Mojave Desert, Brazil, Rhode Island, and
Oregon. He is currently editing a book, "Landscape
Disturbance and Biodiversity in Mediterranean-type
Ecosystems" to be published by Springer Verlag
Press, Heidelberg, Germany. |
| Carol Felixson's activities: In addition to
media/community relations and reserve management, Carol
has volunteered with the Topanga Coalition for Emergency
Preparedness including writing a column for the Topanga
Messenger. She has written and self published two
collections of haiku and poetry, "Life in the
Forest" and "Lions on Mountain". Just
weeks away from concluding over three years of study,
Carol will receive a professional certification in Public
Relations from UCLA Extension. |
