Field Notes

Research

YWI hosts many scientists and naturalists as a part of our The Nature of This Place education series. Here are selected research articles and publications from some of those guest presenters.

Dr. Patrick Gonzalez, Ph.D.

Climate Change scientist, Patrick Gonzalez, from The Nature Conservancy and UC Berkeley, delivered a YWI presentation in December of 2007 entitled, Impacts of Climate Change on the Yuba Watershed. See attached research findings (published in February 2010) related to Dr. Gonzalez's study in the North Yuba.

Jackson Shedd

Scientist, Jackson Shedd, led a field seminar with the Yuba Watershed Institute in May 2009, entitled The Coast Horned Lizard. This rare animal has apparently disappeared from Bald Mountain on the San Juan Ridge. If you happen to spot a Coast Horned Lizard on Bald Mountain, please contact YWI immediately. See related research articles.

Daniel Nicholson, Fungus Foray

See below the Fungus Foray collection and identification data from 1997-2008.

Dr. Hugh Safford

Dr. Hugh Safford, senior vegetation ecologist for the USDA Forest Service- Pacific Southwest Region delivered a TNP presentation with YWI on March 5, 2008 on Patterns of Fire Severity in the Sierra Nevada.

See related research articles below.

Jacob Fleck and David Lawler

Jacob Fleck of the USGS and David Lawler, Abandoned Mine Lands Coordinator for the BLM made a presentation on April 24, 2008 about a Mercury removal project on the South Yuba at the Humbug Creek confluence entitled Cleaning up Mercury on the South Yuba River: An Experiment

See some of their initial research results below.

Also relevant to the mercury issue is the Mining Toxics Legacy Report prepared by The Sierra Fund. Follow link below.

Adina Merenlender

In May of 2008, Adina Merenlender, conservation biologist, met with YWI board members and staff as well as community members to discuss a possible local ecological corridor initiative in her presentation, Corridor Ecology: New Strategies for Connecting the Landscape for Biodiversity.

Summary
Corridor Ecology presents guidelines that combine conservation science and practical experience for maintaining, enhancing, and creating connectivity between natural areas with an overarching goal of conserving biodiversity. It offers an objective, carefully interpreted review of the issues and is a one-of-a-kind resource for scientists, landscape architects, planners, land managers, decision-makers, and all those working to protect and restore landscapes and species diversity.

About the Author
Adina M. Merenlender is associate cooperative extension specialist and adjunct associate professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at the University of California, Berkeley.

Resources and Links

Alicia Funk and The Living Wild Project
Alicia Funk and her associates have offered several programs with YWI  as a part of the Living Wild Project which offers a way to deepen our relationship with the land we inhabit, support local biodiversity, and fundamentally shift the way we eat, garden, and health. See the project’s website and database for more information.
http://www.livingwild.org/wiki/Main_Page

John Muir Laws
Naturalist and Artist, Jack Laws, has been a guest instructor with YWI. See below link to his website for information about his publications, research and on-going workshops.
http://www.johnmuirlaws.com/sierranevada.html

David Lukas
David has long been associated with the Yuba Watershed Institute as an instructor and author. He has been an avid birder for over 25 years, during which time he has worked on field research projects in Borneo, Peru, Central America, and every western state. As a professional naturalist he has led hundreds of birding tours, classes, and programs. David is also the author of Wild Birds of California, Watchable Birds of the Great Basin, and the newly revised Sierra Nevada Natural History, as well as many magazine articles.
http://www.sierranaturalist.com/books_articles.html

Fungi Perfecti
Fungi Perfecti is a family-owned, environmentally friendly company specializing in using gourmet and medicinal mushrooms to improve the health of the planet and its people. Founded by mycologist and author Paul Stamets they are leaders in a new wave of technologies harnessing the inherent power of mushrooms and fungal mycelium worldwide. YWI hosts the annual Fungus Foray and welcomes many mycologists and mushroom enthusiasts alike to Yuba Watershed each December. If you’d like to learn how to identify, cultivate and utilize mushrooms, visit Fungi Perfecti.
www.fungi.com

The Sierra Nevada Alliance
The Sierra Nevada Alliance produces a variety of publications to inform the public and help network conservation minded individuals and groups. See following link for a full range of informative and useful publications about the Sierra Nevada Bioregion.
http://www.sierranevadaalliance.org/publications/