Cross Preserve Projects
Biology • Culture • Education • Facilities & Administration • Land & Water Management • Technology
The Center creates unique learning opportunities by engaging students, faculty, partnering organization, and community members in all aspects of running preserves. Projects emerge from the needs and opportunities of each preserve and are made possible with funding through grants, contracts and donor generosity. For more projects and independent research, see Info Hub..
California Coastal Prairie Website
2010-2013
The Center worked with Diana Jeffrey and Kathleen Kraft to create the California's Coastal Prairie website, the first of its kind to bring together a diversity of information about the evolution, ecology, and management of this rare habitat. The website serves part of the training manual for the Preserve's Land Management Training program which is open to students and community members. The Project was developed as part of the Coastal Prairie Enhancement Feasibility Study, a project jointly funded by California State Coastal Conservancy, Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, UC Natural Reserve System, and the UC Davis Office of Research.
Coastal Prairie Training Materials
2009-2013
Coastal grasslands are some of the least well-known and least protected of California's plant communities. As part of the Coastal Prairie Enhancement Study, Preserve staff prepared a suite of educational materials and trains SSU students and community members how to identify, appreciate and manage these disappearing unique habitats. Training materials are made available on the California's Coastal Prairie website. These materials are used each Spring as part of the Preserve's Land Management Training program which is open to students and community members.
Marketing Plan for SSU Preserves
Spring 2013
The Center creates educational and research experiences for disciplines across campus, yet the SSU community has limited awareness of Preserve opportunities. MBA students in Kyuho Lee's Strategic Branding class developed a strategy to raise awareness about the preserves with the SSU campus and surrounding communities. These strategies are being adopted by the Center.
Soundscape Project
May-December 2013
Soundscapes of the Center's Preserves serve as the soundtrack for interpretive dance performances. This cross-disciplinary project engages biology, engineering, and performing arts students to record and interpret soundscapes of the preserves, and increases awareness about changing natural soundscapes. Performances are scheduled for November and December 2013. The project is funded by the GMC/Academic Integration Program and Sonoma County Community Foundation.
Mobile Climate Monitoring
2011-2012
Engineering Science Master's student Peiwen Yu worked with us to develop a low-cost mobile climate measurement system that can be mounted on a backpack or car to measure location, temperature and humidity. The pod is of interest to scientists interested in recording variation in climate and how it may affect organisms.