A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR PROJECT IDEAS – Note that I solicited ideas for projects from a number of locally resource managers and got the following replies. Here they are. The discussions of the topics are directly as written by the agency folks, so they would need to be modified somewhat to fit the class assignment. If a topic strikes you as interesting I can get you in touch with the person and we can work on refining the question. If you have done an internship in the past you may want to contact your agency sponsor directly to see if they have suggestions for a project topic that would be of interest to them. - Karen

Elizabeth Howard (UCSC Natural Reserve Steward) and Karen Holl

Based on past coastal sage scrub restoration efforts, what recommendations can be made for restoring coastal sage scrub and grassland near Long Marine Lab?

As part of the expansion of the UCSC Marine Science Campus near Younger Lagoon, UCSC is required to restore coastal sage scrub and grasslands as mitigation. The planning for this restoration project is in progress. A first step is to research pass successes and failures in restoration of these ecosystems in order to inform future restoration efforts.

Lauren Gilligan (Clean Boating Coordinator – Save Our Shores)

How does oil affect marine mammals and the marine environment, and what strategies could be used to minimize the impacts of oil on the marine environment?

My role here at Save Our Shores involves oil spill prevention through community outreach boater education, mainly we give the boaters free kits with supplies to clean up oil off their boat or if there is an accidental spill.  I have been doing some research about how oil affects marine mammals and the marine environment and I think it would be a great project for one of your students.  The information we use is somewhat outdated, we talk about how oil can be absorbed into the tissue of fish and birds can get it on their feathers if they dive through an oil slick, but we really want updated more detailed information for the program.   

Grey Hayes (Elkhorn Slough Coastal Training Coordinator

How do land owners balance fire safety and conservation of sensitive species along the Central California coast?

First, there is the issue of fire safety and natural resources conservation. This is especially appropriate given the recent developments on the central coast.  The problem is the need to provide fire safety to the public in general and private communities specifically by reducing fuel loads; this is an issue because of the rarity of the chaparral communities that are often targeted for fuels reduction.  For example, at the Martin Road Ecological Reserve, CalFire and Fish and Game have organized fuels reduction and fire fighting access projects that could have implications for rare species.  The same elsewhere, where property owners and 'Fire Safe Councils' are trying to clear roadside brush (eg., silver leaf manzanita) and running up against conservationists and conservation regulations.  I am helping to facilitate a new group the 'Central Coast Fire Learning Network' which is bringing together researchers, fire safety agencies, and conservationists to explore ways to better plan for and respond to wildfire.  But, it is unclear how to bridge the great divide...I'm sure that there are good examples elsewhere that could be brought to bear.  We are also wondering about how logging and fire interact, etc., etc.

What are the relative risks vs. benefits of vegetated buffer strips in agricultural lands?

Second, the issue of food safety needs some work.  The extensive work to create vegetated buffer strips is now being undermined by the perceived need to eliminate any wildlife habitat near farms (by insurance companies) due to the recent vegetable contamination incidents.

What programs have been developed to monitor rangeland health and how effective have they been?
Third, in the Central Coast Rangelands Coalition we are facing an ongoing issue with regards to public trust organizations (DFG and State Parks) arguing that there are no 'universal' indicators of rangelands health.  On the other hand, the National Academy of Sciences has issued guidelines suggesting that one look to the water cycle, nutrient cycle, and resilience to assess the health of rangelands.  I think that this might be an interesting thing for students to examine.  Have other states, countries, looked to monitoring ecosystem functions (instead of species, etc) to assess their management results? 

Rich Casale (District Conservationist, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service)

I have been very involved in restoring watersheds and landscapes following wildfire this past year with all fires we have had. In addition, I have been assisting other NRCS offices throughout the state

with their wildfire restoration efforts. We have been coordinating our efforts as much as possible with CalFire, CA Native Plant Society (CNPS) and various others trying to provide a consistent message relative to what can be done and what shouldn't be done by property owners, counties, resource agencies, etc in the aftermath of wildfire.

One of the biggest dilemmas/debates has been seeding and replanting after fire. When do you seed and/or re-plant after fire (if at all) and when is it okay in order to prevent erosion and future fire hazard in the urban/wildland interface? More specifically, what seed and what plants?

One huge controversy is native vs non-native and which plants have the best fire hazard retandant abilities. I have produced several lists over the course of the last 6 months since the fires with help from local plant ecologists, CNPS, and others but I remain a little frustrated because every time I turn around someone tells me that one plant or another on the list is not a fire hazard retardant plant or really isn't

a native or something else.

I believe additional research is needed and/or at least a more thorough literature/research search to assemble the best information available on this subject and to develop a more iron clad list, and/or at least guidelines, to help property owners make the wisest choice when it comes

to restoring the fire damaged landscape.