Projects Funded: 19
Total Amount Distributed: $115,841.14
Project: Arroyo Hondo Preserve Habitat Restoration & Intern Program
Total Amount Distributed $$9,772.00
The Arroyo Hondo Preserve is a 782-acre property on the Gaviota Coast. The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County purchased this property in 2001 and manages it for conservation and public access consistent with natural resource protection. The focus is restoration of the riparian corridor and enhanced habitat for endangered and sensitive species, including steelhead trout. The interns participate in all aspects of habitat restoration, including infill planting on the east side of the creek, invasive plant removal, seed collection, and maintenance of restoration sites.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.sblandtrust.org/
Project:Gray Whales Count
Total Amount Distributed: $7,100.00
The primary objectives and purposes of Gray Whales Count are research and education about marine mammals, including, but not limited to, the migration of Gray whales and their related environment: collecting and sharing data, recruiting and training volunteers, and engaging in outreach to inform publics. They continue to monitor changes and to share data to substantiate sampling and expand awareness about the migration and the whales.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.graywhalescount.org/
Project: “Fracking: Protecting our Communities from Chemical and Seismic Dangers”
Total Amount Distributed: $15,000.00
Hydraulic Fracturing (“fracking”) to increase oil and gas production poses new risks to ocean and drinking water quality in our region. Environmental Defense Center’s advocacy has created a model local rule yet to be enacted in Santa Barbara County. State and federal laws must be created for informed review of risky fracking proposals from offshore oil platforms. Funding from Coastal Fund has supported this work and a UCSB intern to coordinate a University workshop on the subject.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.edcnet.org/
Project:MPA Watch Internship
Total Amount Distributed: $7,000.00
MPA Watch is a new monitoring program that utilizes volunteers to record and track human activities in and around Santa Barbara’s newly designated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by conducting onshore visual surveys. The data collected by MPA Watch volunteers will be critical in detecting trends in human uses in our MPAs and how they correspond to biological changes resulting from the protected status of the MPAs. The program will also aid compliance and enforcement efforts to ensure that MPA regulations are followed. Funding has supported an intern coordinator position for the MPA Watch program.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.sbck.org/
Project: CCBER Native Plant Algae Book
Total Amount Distributed: $738.09
CCBER’s Native Algae Book contains images and detailed descriptions of 34 species of algae commonly found in the Santa Barbara area. The book covers red, brown and green algae. These books are targeted to specific UCSB faculty and students, but are also available to the public. Its purpose is to act as a tool from which the reader can identify species of algae. It is a valuable learning tool for students in relevant courses and interested public.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.ccber.ucsb.edu/
Project: Devereux Greenhouse and Growing Grounds Internship
Total Amount Distributed: $900.00
Goleta Valley Beautiful, in conjunction with Devereux of Santa Barbara, subleases a greenhouse on University grounds near Coal Oil Point. With the assistance of Developmentally Disabled clients and UCSB student interns and volunteers, GVB is growing 2,000 native trees and planting an average of 500 trees annually in public areas of the Goleta Valley including the UCSB campus that will protect and enhance watersheds leading to the ocean. This grant has continued the organic operations to accommodate interns interested in learning about arboriculture and greenhouse operations in addition to providing trees for volunteer planting projects.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.goletavalleybeautiful.org/
Project: Surfrider Banner
Total Amount Distributed: $51.05
This banner is used to promote the Isla Vista chapter of Surfrider. Spreading awareness about Surfrider’s presence on campus will help increase membership, which will allow Surfrider to pursue coastal campaigns even more attentively.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.islavista.surfrider.org/
Project: Devereux Native Tree Nursery Project
Total Amount Distributed: $10,320.00
Goleta Valley Beautiful, in conjunction with Devereux of Santa Barbara, subleases a greenhouse on University grounds near Coal Oil Point. With the assistance of Developmentally Disabled clients and UCSB student interns and volunteers, GVB is growing 2,000 native trees and planting an average of 500 trees annually in public areas of the Goleta Valley including the UCSB campus that will protect and enhance watersheds leading to the ocean. This grant has continued the organic operations to accommodate interns interested in learning about arboriculture and greenhouse operations in addition to providing trees for volunteer planting projects.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.goletavalleybeautiful.org/
Project: Gaviota “The End of Southern California”
Total Amount Distributed: $19,300.00
The concept for this film began 4 years ago in the production of a documentary about Naples Townsite. Research and locations have been collected; experts and indigenous people committed their support; Gaviota Coast Conservancy now has the opportunity to give international exposure to this movement protecting the Gaviota Coast. UCSB marks the start of the Gaviota Coast, therefore UCSB students should have priority for involvement, encouraging learning, outreach, and essential inter-organizational cooperation that is utilized by professionals in all fields.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.gaviotacoastconservancy.org/
Project: SBCS HomeBased Partnership Goleta Slough Study and Restoration Project
Total Amount Distributed: $1,200.00
SBCS HomeBased Partnership students, aged 5-15 will study the Goleta Slough through classroom activities, field study and restoration projects. SBCS seeks to educate the students and the broader community about important functions of the Goleta Slough as part of this local watershed system. SBCS is partnering with Growing Solutions to participate in Goleta Slough restoration activities near their native plant nursery and the Santa Barbara Airport as part of an existing project and inclusive of their interest in having an educational partner. This hands-on project focus will be to make a positive, lasting impact in this area through invasive plant removal, plantings, and maintenance in an existing Goleta Slough restoration project.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.sbcharter.org/
Project: San Nicolas Wetland Interpretive Sign
Total Amount Distributed: $2,400.00
Funding has gone toward the research, designing, and installation of an educational interpretive sign for the newly established San Nicolas Wetland project. The sign includes mention of the importance of low impact development concepts to filter run-off and reduce nutrients in the Campus Lagoon, plus capture the freshwater to support native plants and wildlife along the shore of the lagoon before it gets diluted by the saline lagoon.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.ccber.ucsb.edu/
Project: West Campus Bluffs Trail Restoration Maintenance
Total Amount Distributed: $8,000.00
CCBER successfully managed the new west campus bluffs trail installation project and restored the adjacent disturbed areas with native plants appropriate to the coastal bluff setting. Funds continue to maintain this area due to the likely influx of weeds during the winter and spring months. In addition, this grant covers annual monitoring and reporting required by the coastal commission.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.ccber.ucsb.edu/
Project: Upper Devereux Slough Restoration Planning
Total Amount Distributed: $25,600.00
CCBER is working with the Trust for Public Land (TPL) to acquire Ocean Meadows Golf Course with the goal of restoring the original hydrology to the upper arms of Devereux Slough while also returning the original topsoil to South Parcel that was stripped from the site during the creation of the golf course in 1965. The project provides benefits on multiple levels to over 200 acres of open space (OMGC, South Parcel and Devereux Slough) through natural hydrology, enhanced public access, habitat for wildlife use through restoration of soils and native plant communities. Funding has been used to prepare conceptual designs for the estuary part of the restoration. These designs incorporate specific wetland habitat goals within the context of site constraints from which CCBER will assess soil volumes, ecological function and flood reduction benefits to the region.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.ccber.ucsb.edu/
Project: CCBER Restoration Intern Training Program 2012
Total Amount Distributed: $3,600.00
Funding has been used for student interns to participate in CCBER restoration work in multiple sites and habitats from the Campus Lagoon Dune and Bluff restoration to Storke Wetland. Eligible students have generally participated in CCBER’s Restoration Intern Training Program in which CCBER Staff provide three or four options for three-hour training sessions per week for a quarter-long internship focused on a range of relevant restoration skills. This Coastal Fund grant supports 6 paid student interns per quarter who can follow-up their training with an opportunity to gain in-depth experience working with a project manager.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.ccber.ucsb.edu/
Project: Wildlife Linkages Citizen Scientific Kick-Off
Total Amount Distributed: $1,000.00
CCBER would like to continue the efforts of Serra Hoagland in studying regional wildlife linkages and establishing regular wildlife roadkill monitoring routes by providing support for new student interns. These interns maintain the routes, enter geo-referenced data, and monitor wildlife use of specific bridges and culverts using specialized sets of equipment. In addition, CCBER will hold a second public workshop on setting up tracking stations with Meghan Walla-Murphy, a veteran wildlife tracker, who donated her time for the first workshop.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.ccber.ucsb.edu/
Project: The Center for Marine Assessment and Planning (CMAP) Communication & Outreach Project
Total Amount Distributed: $960.00
The Center for Marine Assessment and Planning (CMAP) unites activities at UCSB related to science, policy, management, use and conservation of the oceans. These activities share the goal of pursuing effective and efficient ways to sustainably use and protect our marine ecosystems. The aim of this project is to transform CMAP’s website (http://cmap.msi.ucsb.edu/) from a basic informational page into a key resource on the research, people, and activities that are ongoing at UCSB related to applied marine science.
For additional information, please visit: http://cmap.msi.ucsb.edu/
Project: Groundwater flow through Devereux Slough Beach
Total Amount Distributed: $1,000.00
CCBER will install four groundwater monitoring wells into the beach and one water level monitor at Devereux Slough. These wells will collect data on the fluctuations of groundwater in the beach due to fluctuations in tides and streamflow into the estuary. Groundwater fluctuations drive the flow of groundwater into, or out of, the estuary.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.ccber.ucsb.edu/
Project: Ocean Friendly Gardens
Total Amount Distributed: $900.00
Ocean Friendly Gardens is a program that promotes sustainable gardens that reduce run off into the ocean. It implements the concept of CPR: conservation, permeability, and conservation into gardens and public facilities. Planting native plants adapted to the environment (in this case Santa Barbara) saves water because these plants have evolved to live off of small amounts of water. OFG’s ultimate goal is to retrofit a garden in Isla Vista, while educating UCSB and SBCC students about sustainable gardening practices.
For additional information, please visit: http://www.islavista.surfrider.org/
Project: Within and Among Plant Competition for Light: Effects on the Lifetime of Giant Kelp Fronds
Total Amount Distributed: $1,000.00
Kelp forests are an integral component of the Southern California coastline, not only for aesthetic and recreational uses, but also for their role in maintaining ecosystem productivity and species diversity. Kelps, especially Macrocystis pyrifera, are foundation species in temperate subtidal communities worldwide as a large number of species depend on it for food and shelter. To test the effects of neighbors and self-shading on frond lifespan, reduced neighborhood densities and reduced within-plant competition for resources will be compared to natural plant and neighborhood densities. Through a fully crossed experimental design, the team will track one monthly cohort on each plant (fronds of the same ages) to see how the treatments affect survivorship. Undergraduate interns will assist the lead researcher with site setup and with data collection in the field, will be required to read relevant scientific literature and attend regular project meetings, which will help them understand the scientific principles underlying this study.
For additional information, please visit: http://sbc.lternet.edu/