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Valentine |
Contact Information
Daniel R. Dawson
VESR, Route 1, Box 198
1016 Mt. Morrison Road
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
Phone: 760-935-4334
dawson@icess.ucsb.edu |
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Location
Mono County, on the eastern slope of
the Sierra Nevada next to the town of
Mammoth Lakes.
Map Quest |
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Facilities
Housing for 20 in three renovated cabins
w/ modern cooking, sleeping, bathroom
facilities; electricity; spring water; limited
parking/storage space; new log classroom
building; supplies available in neighboring
Mammoth Lakes; lab/living space for
researchers, dormitory space for class
groups (up to 25) available at SNARL. |
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Databases
Synoptic collections of plants/insects
available at SNARL and UCSB;
bibliography of publications based on onsite
research; aerial photos; geographic
information system (GIS) being developed. |
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Personnel
VESR staff reserve manager located at
SNARL; year-round resident caretaker at
Valentine Camp. |
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Size
62 ha (154 acres) |
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Elevation
2,437 to 2,605 m (7,994 to 8,545 ft) |
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Average Precipitation
51 to 64 cm (20 to 25 in) per year |
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Average Temperature
July maximum: 25°C (77°F)
January minimum: -10°C (14°F) |
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 Transect
Articles
specific
to Valentine |
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 Mathias
Grant Research
specific
to Valentine |
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Site Spec Sheet (PDF) |
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<••• •••> |
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Camp
A component of the Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve |
Established in 1972 |
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| Valentine Website |
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 Valentine Camp is a center for research in the high Sierra Nevada and the upper
Owens Valley. The reserve lies in a glacier-carved basin in a transition zone
between the sagebrush desert of the Great Basin and the coniferous forests of the
high Sierra Nevada. With its varied topography and soils, the site encompasses
several distinct habitats: Sierran upper-montane forest and chaparral, Great Basin
sagebrush, and wet montane meadow, all occurring within a relatively small area.
Mammoth Creek flows through the site, bordered by high montane riparian
vegetation. Several large springs and small seeps add to diverse habitats. Valentine
Camp joins with the NRS’s nearby Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory
(SNARL) to comprise the Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve (VESR). |
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Forest management
Low-impact
horse-logging and hand crews engaged
on site to reduce fire hazards and improve
forest health.
Public outreach
Outdoor science education
programs for local schools; K-7
summer school; college internships;
public tours; short courses.
Field courses
Site visits by university
courses in wetland delineation, botany,
and plants of the high country.
Environmental monitoring
Spring discharge
at reserve monitored to assess
effects of groundwater pumping by local
Mammoth Lakes community; monitoring
spring flows in Mammoth Creek;
reserve manager monitors development
in surrounding area and participates in
local planning. |
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 Selected Research
• Fire ecology: Valentine Camp firehistory
studies, stand-age analysis, and
fuel-loading maps will be used to develop
a fire management plan.
• Wetland mapping project: Identification
and delineation of wetlands in
Long Valley.
• Plant ecology: Population ecology, ecophysiology,
and genetics of mountain
brome grass.
• Avian ecology: Artificial nest boxes are
used to attract house wrens for study in
breeding behavior and endocrinology.
• Expanded research opportunities: Studies
of insects, mammals, and amphibians
are conducted on the reserve and at
other regional sites. |
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