1994-95 Research, Teaching, and Public Outreach

CSMR continues to receive active use at many levels. Minimum figures based on the on-site visitor register include a total of 647 users who visited the reserve for 1,145 user days. These figures include: (1) 82 researchers and assistants for 442 user days; (2) 328 visitors for instructional purposes for 356 user days; and (3) 237 public service visitors for 347 user days. Research and monitoring projects included nutrient cycling and enrichment studies spearheaded by Mark Page and Robert Petty; plant competition and facilitation studies by Ray Callaway (University of Montana) and Steve Pennings (University of Georgia); fish recruitment studies by Andy Brooks; trematode parasite studies by Kevin Lafferty, Armand Kuris, Theresa Stevens, and Kimo Morris; and monthly bird censusing by Robert Hansen. Instructional uses of the reserve include field trips for UCSB courses such as Biology 141 (Biology of the Marine-Land Interface), Botany 140 (General Plant Ecology), and Geology 162 (Marine Micropaleontology and Paleobiology) and courses taught by personnel at Ventura Community College, Westmont College, and Antioch University.

CSMR and the reserve manager also participated in an outreach program to local primary and secondary school districts. K-12 classes from private schools such as Cate and Crane Schools and from public schools such as Aliso, Washington, and Carpinteria High Schools visited the reserve. Art classes from the Santa Barbara Adult Education program used the reserve on several occasions to paint various coastal resources. Other educational programs that focused on CSMR included those at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (SBBG) and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (SBMNH). In an effort to integrate common interests in youth-oriented educational programs, CSMR hosted a breakfast meeting and tour of the reserve for the directors and staff of UCSB NRS, SBBG, and SBMNH. Use of existing docent programs, and the potential willingness of the local school districts to participate, could result in the development of a K-12 curriculum that focuses on the local NRS reserves. Public service is an important part of the activities at CSMR. This year we accommodated many groups through field trips, tours, and lectures. Private institutions included the SBBG and SBMNH who offered public field trips to the reserve. Organizations included the Audubon Society, California Native Plant Society, and the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County. Many local residents also visited the reserve through tours offered by the reserve manager. CSMR and the reserve manager have worked with, advised, and provided access to many federal, state, and local agencies regarding many regulatory issues. Federal agencies included the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Animal Damage Control, and National Park Service; state agencies included the California Department of Fish and Game, California Coastal Commission, and State Coastal Conservancy; county and city agencies included the Santa Barbara County Vector Control District, Flood Control District, and the City of Carpinteria Public Works Office and Planning Commission. Agency activities were related to marsh restoration and enhancement plans and projects, purchase of properties, water quality, oil spill contingency plans, and feral animal and mosquito control. Private companies that used the reserve in relationship to agency plans or projects included Moffatt & Nichol Engineers, Fugro, Habitat Restoration, SAIC, George Girvin & Associates, Susan Van Atta & Associates, and Clean Seas, Inc.

Academic Year 1994-1995 was an important year for research, education, public service, and growth of programs at CSMR. The reserve manager and the Natural Reserve System thank all those who contributed to these activities. Carpinteria Salt Marsh is now cited as one of the most studied estuaries in southern California.