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Emerson |
Contact Information
Kenneth J. Halama
Biology Department
1208 Spieth Hall
University of California
Riverside, CA 92521
Phone: 951-657-3111
kjhalama@ucr.edu |
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Location
Riverside County, 5 mi SE
of Temecula; 45 mi S of
the city of Riverside; 50-min drive
S of Riverside campus; adjacent to
Agua Tibia Wilderness.
Map Quest |
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Facilities
On-site facilities are currently limited; future plans are for on-site housing for researchers, however at this time the site
is best suited for day use. |
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Databases
Beginning inventory of fungi,
vertebrates, and plants. |
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Personnel
Reserve director,
part-time, on-site caretaker. |
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Size
98 ha (241 acres) |
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Elevation
439 - 640 m (1,440 - 2,100 ft) |
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 Transect
Articles
specific
to Emerson |
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 Mathias
Grant Research
specific
to Emerson |
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Site Spec Sheet (PDF) |
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<••• •••> |
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Oaks Reserve |
Established in 1991 |
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| Emerson Website |
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The Emerson Oaks Reserve in the Temecula Valley lies in a transitional zone
between the California coast and the Colorado Desert. Four major climatic
zones: mountain, desert, coastal, and interior valley converge on site, helping
influence a variety of habitats. This reserve provides excellent opportunities to study
the management of oak woodlands, a habitat that is in decline throughout
California. Oak woodlands and coastal sage scrub habitats are found on the reserve’s
lower and gentler slopes. The higher and more rugged elevations support oak trees
and dense stands of chaparral. These diverse habitats and several permanent springs
help support a wide variety of wildlife. Observed fauna include: mule deer,
kangaroo rats, hawks (Cooper’s, red-tailed, and red-shouldered), American kestrel,
western scrub jays, wrentits, Hutton’s vireo, California thrashers, rattlesnakes (red
diamond and Southern Pacific), orange-throated whiptail, coast horned lizard, and
a variety of butterflies, including the California sister and Lorquin’s admiral. The
reserve, which is protected by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), is bordered by the
Pechanga Indian Reservation, Agua Tibia Wilderness, Dorland Mountain Artists’ Retreat, agricultural land, scattered residences, and lands held by the U.S. Bureau
of Land Management.
Photo Gallery |
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Selected Research
•Inventories of the site’s vertebrates,
plants, and fungi are in progress.
• A variety of research involving mycorrhizal
fungi related to live oaks.
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Habitat restoration
Removal of nonnative species in the lower canyon.
Field Courses
The site is visited by
university courses in vertebrate field
biology and mycology.
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