JRBP('O'O) October 2023 Newsletter
October 2023
Link to 2023-2024 JRBP ('O'O) Newsletters.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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In the News!
Stanford University published a piece on Professor Tadashi Fukami as the new Faculty Director of Jasper Ridge. Tad's vision for Jasper Ridge includes building on existing research projects, expanding educational opportunities, and fostering collaboration with the local Muwekma Ohlone Tribe and Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. Read the full story here.
Save the Date for Jasper Ridge's 50th Anniversary Celebration, Thursday, November 30th, 2023, from 12- 2PM. A more detailed invitation with a link to RSVP is coming soon.
Updates to Leslie Shao-ming Sun Field Station
The work on the Leslie Shao-ming Sun Field Station roof has begun and it will continue for approximately three more weeks.
JRBP Hillside Lab Removed
After years of planning, the demolition of the Hillside Lab on trail 7 is finally underway for the next 10 days approximately. If you are visiting Jasper Ridge, please take extra precautions when hiking Trail 7 and A, C, D roads as trucks will be driving up and down. The Hillside Lab was originally built by an equestrian club. In 1974, shortly after Jasper Ridge was formally designated as a biological preserve, the equestrian club moved to a new location and Stanford made minor improvements to the Hillside Lab. Several students and researchers over the years used it as a research site. We will be reclaiming the square footage for possible future construction of the Academic Support Complex.
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RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
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Jasper Ridge student summer projects highlight the preserve’s past and future
All of us here at Jasper Ridge were busy this summer creating two new student-focused experiences for students. Both of our JRBP scientists, Nona Chiariello and Sheena Sidhu, along with the support of all of the staff and docents, led these new efforts that beautifully weaved research, education and stewardship. As the reporter writes, all of us at Jasper Ridge "spent its summer investing in the future". Read the complete story here
Thank you to our docents for helping with the September tours: Cheryl Gold, Dan Quinn, Adelaide Nye, Carl Cheney, Claire Elliot, Jane Moss, Stu Koretz, Jonathan Segal, and Clara Qin.
Seth and Katie have been sending out requests of our public and academic tours, please check your email to sign up! As always thank you Seth and Katie for your work on hosting our very popular natural history and ecology tours!
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STEWARDSHIP
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Jasper Ridge and Stanford WIldfire Management Progress
Good news! With minimal work just ahead of us, we will be able to complete the fuel reduction goals before the winter rains. In collaboration with our LBRE partners we were able to build ecologically sensitive shaded fuel breaks along Sand Hill and Westridge. Along Westridge, fuel reduction is almost completed, this includes chipping, lopping, scattering and construction of piles along Westridge. More information about our work with the piles coming soon. Mastication will occur in a small area near Mapache and between Escobar and Goya gates. All of our fuel-reduction treatment areas include a form of research and monitoring efforts which will help us follow our adaptive management plans.
We completed the fuel-reduction handwork along Sand Hill Road and Westridge. Our research plots were successfully marked pre-treatment, and we will be meeting with Professor Lau Gherardi to assess post-treatment data collection efforts. Masticator work is expected to be completed this week along some small areas on Westridge. Piles (see picture below) have been built as part of the overall fuel-management strategy. In consultation with all of our partners we are excited at the prospect of bringing fire back to Jasper Ridge.
Piles have been built as part of the overall fuel-management strategy.
Sheena Sidhu is mentoring student Zander D. Opperman (JRBP docent class of 2023) in the process of building a burn plan for Jasper Ridge. Zander is part of the inaugural cohort of the Living Lab Fellowship Program for Sustainability at Stanford University. For more information, please read our new blog titled: Summer 2023 Wildfire Fuel Reduction at Jasper Ridge. A Stanford Report article will be coming out later this week with more information.
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NATURAL HISTORY NOTE: EARTHQUAKES!
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10/18/2023 Earthquake Alert information:
Jasper Ridge is part of a network with UC Berkeley of seismometers in California that conducts essential research on earthquakes and geophysics. The Jasper Ridge seismic station (JRSC) was installed in 1994 by a team from Stanford (Robert Kovach, Geophysics), the USGS, and UC Berkeley. You can build today's earthquake seismogram from Jasper Ridge here: Make your own Seismogram! (see below for example). If you are new to California, please download the MyShake app to receive earthquake early warning alerts.
Seismogram from the 10/18/2023 earthquake
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PICTURE OF THE MONTH
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Oakmead Herbarium Dawn Neisser shows Jorge Ramos the process of voucher digitization using one of Herb Dengler's collections from April 16, 1916, a Bromus berteroanus
