GENERAL INFORMATION

Use of the Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (CSMR) is limited to bona fide research and class use in the field sciences and humanities and must be coordinated through the UCSB Natural Reserve System campus office. Applications to visit the reserve must be approved in advance by the reserve director.

APPLICATION PROCESS

•Please contact the reserve director for an application to visit the reserve.

•Signed applications should be submitted to the UCSB campus office three weeks prior to the initial visit.

•You must be file a separate application for each purpose:

Research projects: if you have more than one research project, a separate application must be filed for each project. It is important to indicate on the application the approximate duration of the proposed research project. Approved applications are valid for one field season only (from date of approval through June 30) but may be renewed annually via phone or email for the duration estimated on the application. Non-UC researchers may need to sign a release form.

Field trip and class-use: a separate application must be submitted for each visit or series of visits.

• The group leader is also responsible for making sure each participant is aware of the reserve policies and guidelines listed on the application and in the information packet.

All visitors and researchers must sign in at the register at the front gate EVERY DAY they use the reserve.

The CSMR gate is locked at all times. Arrangements for borrowing a key can be made when the initial visit is scheduled (a $10.00 refundable deposit is required). Please lock the gate behind you once you have entered the reserve and lock it behind you again when you are leaving the reserve.

All keys to the reserve gate must be returned to the UCSB NRS office. Keys should not be transferred to other users without permission from the UCSB NRS campus office or reserve director.

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

A portable toilet, small boat, lathhouse, and tool shed are among the facilities available to reserve users. Please check with the reserve director regarding potential use of these facilities. A small first-aid-kit should be located in the register podium at the gate to the reserve. A GIS database is under development.

RESEARCHERS

To insure the integrity of research sites, do not remove stakes, pipes, flags, traps and other miscellaneous items that may belong to other researchers. To inform the reserve director and other users which stakes or other research-related items are yours, it is helpful to put your initials and a date on them. At the end of a research project, each user should take the responsibility to police the sites used to ensure that all materials are removed, unless specific items such as plot markers or traps are to be left for research purposes. When a project is completed, please inform the reserve director so that he can discuss with you any points of interest or make decisions regarding the removal of materials that could be of use once they are no longer needed for your work.

Annual Summary of Research Project: Please provide the following by June 30 of each year (the summary and list of publications will be published in the NRS Annual Report and on the NRS systemwide Web Page):

• A brief summary of your research accomplishments, including the title of the project, a list of all participants on the project with their affiliations.

• A list of your current publications based on research done on the reserve (complete references).

• Two copies of all published materials, including conference proceedings, abstracts, and technical reports (one bound copy only of theses and dissertations), resulting from your research. Please acknowledge the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESERVE SYSTEM, UCSB CARPINTERIA SALT MARSH RESERVE, in all publications which result from research done at the reserve.

• Source of funding for your project, dates of funding, and the funding amount.

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

The wetlands of the Carpinteria Salt Marsh are home to various rare, threatened, and endangered animal

(e.g., Light-footed Clapper Rails and Belding's Savannah Sparrows) and plant life (e.g., Salt Marsh Bird's Beak and Salt Marsh Goldfields). Please take time to become familiar with the resources of the reserve and help protect this sensitive and important ecosystem. Researchers are continually involved in ongoing projects at the reserve, so important to know where to walk and what to look for so as to not disturb projects, wildlife, plants, rocks, etc.

• Take care to protect yourself from injury due to broken glass, rusty pipes, nails in boards, unstable banks, and other things that can cause bodily harm.

• Use caution when crossing the railroad. Watch for flashing red and yellow train signals located on the tracts some distance to the east and west of the gate to the reserve. If children are present in your group, do not permit them to linger on the tracks.

• Collect refuse found in the reserve and put in the trash can located near the gate. Please take care to distinguish between refuse and equipment, markers, stakes, pipes, flags, traps, etc. being used in ongoing research projects.

• Record in the register or report to the reserve director all items of interest that might assist with the management of the reserve or contribute to the understanding of the natural history of the estuary and its surroundings.

• While you are at the reserve, please refrain from making loud noises and fast movements that might scare wildlife being observed by other users.

• At the earliest convenience, please report to the reserve director or other reserve official any acts of vandalism, unauthorized use, or other illegal activities. However, do not put yourself in a potentially difficult position by confronting those who may be acting without proper authorization.