The importance of counting the raindrops
We needed more than an average year of rainfall to help alleviate a record drought—so we are fortunate that this winter is bringing near record levels of rain. The Santa Rosa Basin averages around 30 inches of rain each year, and to date we've already received over 46 inches! Some places, such as Cazadero have experienced even more.
Green hillsides are a welcome sight at Pepperwood.
Pepperwood has been diligently tracking rainfall using 29 rain gauges in several transects across our preserve. Why does one 3,200 acre preserve need 29 rain gauges, you might ask? These gauges are part of our Sentinel Site monitoring network that is taking the pulse of the plant and animal communities that call Pepperwood home.
Just as rainfall varies from the Santa Rosa Basin to Cazadero, it also varies significantly within the confines of our preserve. Pepperwood's rain gauges—paired with hundreds of other sensors and biological monitoring plots on our preserve—are painting a high resolution picture of how variance in short-term weather events, as well as long-term climate trends, impact plant and animal life. The more gauges and sensors, the clearer the picture!
The result is a data goldmine that helps scientists gain insights into the impacts of climate change, and helps managers make our natural resources more resilient for the future. For example, data from our Sentinel Site is used by the Sonoma County Water Agency to better understand how water moves through the landscape and into reservoirs and aquifers.
Want to learn more about how Pepperwood supports the Russian River Watershed? Scroll down to read blog posts by Pepperwood Stewards Natasha Granoff and Gary Morgret all about water.
Upcoming event highlights
Registration for our Spring 2017 courses is now open! View our first events of the new year below.
3/04 The Incredible World of Plants
3/04 Volunteer Workday
3/11 Public Hike
3/18 Family Walk
3/25 Making Paper from Junk Mail
4/02 Illustrating Wildflowers in Colored Pencil
And save the date for our next Discover Nature lecture:
Animal Encounters: Up Close and Personal with Wildlife!
Friday, April 7th, 2017 | 7pm lecture
View all upcoming classes and events on our website.
JUST FOR MEMBERS
State of Pepperwood Address
Thursday, March 23rd, 2017, 6:30pm-8:30pm
(New date—rescheduled from earlier this month.) Join our President & CEO, Dr. Lisa Micheli, as she shares recent developments and the inside scoop on our goals and aspirations for 2017 and beyond. Wine, appetizers, and great camaraderie are all part of the evening!
If you'd like to join in the fun, please RSVP to Julie by email or at (707) 591-9310 x 202.
Help nature thrive and join a community of like-minded nature enthusiasts. Become a Pepperwood member today for as little as $50! (Discounts available for seniors and students.) Click the link below to read more about membership levels and benefits.
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Better decision making
Climate change poses a big challenge for natural resource managers—especially because there are so many uncertainties. How will native plant communities respond to hotter temperatures and more sporadic rainfall? What can be done to help make our open spaces more resilient? Pepperwood and our TBC3 research team have been answering these questions through Climate Ready North Bay, an initiative aimed at empowering cities and agencies in Sonoma, Napa and Marin counties to take preventative action inspired by science. Tomorrow, Pepperwood is hosting a workshop connecting 20 local resource managers with our TBC3 researchers to assess the effectiveness of climate tools created to help inform management. Pepperwood serves as science advisor to many of the organizations and agencies involved.
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Citizen Science for schools
Twenty-five elementary school teachers gathered at Pepperwood yesterday to learn how to integrate citizen science into their science classrooms! Offered as a partnership between Pepperwood and UC Davis, this training aims to increase student engagement with science that extends beyond the classroom walls and connects to the Next Generation Science Standards—a new, interactive method of teaching science concepts. In citizen science projects, students work with scientists to support data collection, make observations, and contribute to science in the real world. This training shares how to engage students with activities such as sketching and data collection, and demonstrates what citizen science can look like in their classrooms. We're excited to partner with UC Davis to enhance science learning for elementary students! |
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A watershed moment
Have you ever wondered why the Bay Area has so many different microclimates, and how some places can receive completely different rainfall amounts than others? Pepperwood Steward Natasha Granoff wrote a great article about water at our preserve that explains some of the geologic processes responsible for shaping such a diversity of landscapes and habitats. Click here to read Natasha's article. Natasha completed the Fall 2016 semester of Bio 85 The Natural History of Pepperwood at the Santa Rosa Junior College. Students in this two-semester course can choose to write a natural history article for our blog. Stay tuned for more—and in case you missed it, click here to check out Pepperwood Steward Gary Morgret's great blog article on the importance of watersheds! |
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