Swanton Pacific Ranch - Research Conducted

Research Conducted

Dr. Dietterick, Brian

Long-term Evaluation of Suspended Sediment Exiting a Coastal Mountain Stream Following Selection Timber Harvesting Activities.

Full Report

Current Santa Cruz County and State of California forest practice rules regarding timber harvesting have not been tested to see if these practices adequately protect local watersheds from possible resultant adverse sediment-related impacts. This project will evaluate the effects of selection timber harvesting in the Little Creek watershed using a paired watershed and upstream/downstream study design. Event-based samples will be collected using automated water quality samplers and analyzed in a lab on-site. Five years of data will be analyzed before the next harvesting activity planned for 2004, allowing for a broad range of baseline conditions.

Long-Term Water Quality, Geomorphic, and Habitat Evaluation of a California Coastal Mountain Stream Following Selection Timber Harvesting Activities

Full Report

This project is essentially an augmentation of an existing ARI project (00-3-011) which uses a paired watershed design to study the effects of timber harvesting practices on water quality. This new proposal enhances the project by monitoring additional water quality parameters, and geomorphic and habitat parameters. Sophisticated interaction between instream sensors and automated water quality samplers will maximize sampling efficiency and statistical validity of the results. Remote data access capabilities will enable monitoring of real-time weather and sampling data to efficiently dispatch field personnel for sample pickup and troubleshoot hydrologic instrumentation.

LIDAR Geomorphic Evaluation of Watershed and Channel Characteristics in the Little Creek Watershed, Swanton Pacific Ranch

Full Report

Recent developments using LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging) technology has permitted high-resolution, three-dimensional mapping and the ability to evaluate landscape features, such as channel and watershed characteristics. The ability of high-resolution laser altimetry to accurately identify and evaluate watershed and channel characteristics will be investigated. Comparisons will be made between field-mapped inner gorge areas, streamside landslides, and channel characteristics with the same landscape features generated with digital terrain models derived from the laser altimetry. The results of this study are expected to determine whether LIDAR technology can provide an accurate and cost-effective alternative to delineating watershed and channel characteristics that contribute to cumulative watershed effects analysis required under California Forest Practice Rules. A model will be developed to identify areas susceptible to streamside landslides to help predict potential sediment sources for the cumulative effects analysis and to possibly warrant additional WLPZ (watercourse and lake protection zone) considerations.

Dr. Piirto, Doug

Silviculture Management Strategies for Pitch Canker Infected Ano Nuevo Stands of Monterey Pine

Full Report

Pitch Canker (Fusarium subglutinans) has become a major cause of growth loss, mortality, and associated economic impacts in California Monterey pine forests. There remains a strong need for science based forest management guidelines of the Monterey pine forest in California given the high public interest and concern over the spread of pitch canker and the decline of the Monterey pine forest. An opportunity exists to develop long-term Monterey pine forest management studies for pitch canker infected native stands at California Polytechnic State University's forest property in Santa Cruz County.

Funding was provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to: 1) initiate long-term forest management studies in the native Monterey pine forests at Swanton Pacific; and 2) develop guidelines for regeneration and management of Monterey pine forests in California in the presence of pitch canker. The research work is being done in collaboration with a number of institutions, organizations, research scientists, and graduate student.

An initial ARI grant was awarded to cover the first three of six proposed objectives: 1) install a Continuous Forest Inventory System for the Scotts Creek Study Area; 2) collect seed from Monterey pine pitch canker resistant trees; 3) plant this resistant seed in greenhouse nurseries; $0 outplant these resistant seedlings as part of the group selection experimental design; 5) evaluate the effectiveness of broadcast seeding; and 6) develop a model to visually characterize the influence of pitch canker on Monterey pine stands.

Dr. Mark, Walter

Sudden Oak Death Distribution, Detection, Ecological Impact, Control, and Spread Modeling

Full Report

In recent years, an alarming disease was found killing oaks in Marin County and has now spread to 10 surrounding counties. The cause of this disease was identified only last year to be a fungal pathogen Phytophthera ramorum. The disease this pathogen causes is called Sudden Oak Death (SOD).

Since 1995, SOD has been confirmed from southern Mendocino County to Big Sur, and is particularly severe in Marin, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Counties. Dying trees have been observed in urban and rural forests and woodlands. The main species of affected overstory plants are coast live oak, California black, and tanoak. The disease has also spread to Shreve's oak, California laurel, California buckeye, bigleaf maple, toyon, huckleberry, honeysuckle, rhododendrons, and arrowroot. Concern now exists that the pathogen may spread throughout California oak forests, be transported to the forests of other western states and even to the eastern United States. In fact SOD was discovered in Southern Oregon through aerial survey work in 2001. With the discovery of the pathogen on rhododendrons, there exists a much greater risk of human transport of the disease via ornamental plants. The actual current geographic range of SOD Phytophthera is unknown.

Project Objectives include

1) Statewide Survey of Extent of SOD-this will result in a comprehensive analysis and reporting of the extent of SOD in the State.

2) Predicting SOD Spread using GIS and Remote Sensing: A GIS model will be developed that will be verified by continued monitoring of the spread of SOD. At the end of the project a predictive spread model will be available. Landscape effects will also be modeled to show the impact of SOD on landscapes.

3) Ecological Consequences of SOD progression in oak woodlands: This data will become incorporated into the GIS model and will show the impact of SOD on oak ecosystems.

4) Testing of Existing Phytophthora Control Compounds: Efficacy testing will determine if a compound has the potential to be utilized to control SOD.

Development of Pitch Canker Resistant Stock of Monterey Pine, Ano Nuevo Stand

Major Objective (s): 1.) to install a Continuous Forest Inventory and associated baseline for the Scotts Creek area; 2.) collect seed from pitch canker resistant trees; 3.) plant this resistant seed in greenhouse nurseries; 4.) outplant resistant tree seedlings as part of a CDF funded group selection experimental design; 5.) develop a growth model for that will enable us to visually characterize the influence of pitch canker on stands.

(CSIRO-FFP Client Report No. 1581)

Establishment Report for the IMPACT P. radiata Pitch Canker Resistance Trial

Phase 2 of the IMPACT Project has begun. Agreements were put in place before the beginning of July 2004 by which time additional seedlots had been sent to the USDA Forest Service, Institute of Forest Genetics (IFG). Seedlots from among those tested in Phase 1 (greenhouse) were selected and the additional seedlots representing reciprocal cross pairs were sent from CRSIO. Seedlots were germinated at IFG and shipped to the California Polytechnic State University planting site near Ano Nuevo where they were planted on 12 February 2005. S