Research
Mount Pinos Sooty Grouse Survey (May 2009)
The Mt. Pinos Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus howardi), a priority 2 California Species of Special Concern, is an endemic subspecies of Sooty Grouse that historically ranged through the southern Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi Mountains, to Mt. Pinos. The Mt. Pinos Sooty Grouse requires mature conifer/fir forests for its habitat. This subspecies has not been observed in the southern portion of its range since the early 1980s, and discovery of an extant population on Tejon Ranch would be important to the conservation of this subspecies.
In May 2009 the Conservancy conducted a focused survey for this species in the conifer forests on Tejon Ranch with Mr. James Bland, an authority on the species. Three days of surveys were conducted using standard protocols: walking transects through patches of forest habitat looking for sign (feathers and droppings) and listening for responses to recorded female grouse vocalizations. All suitable habitat on the Ranch was surveyed but no Sooty Grouse were detected.
Download the Sooty Grouse report.
Hawk Watch
During the Fall of 2009, the Conservancy sponsored a pilot Hawk Watch to assess the potential for establishing a docent-led Hawk Watch program at Tejon Ranch. Over the years, biologists have observed numerous raptors and other species migrating through mountain passes in the Tehachapi Mountains across Tejon Ranch, occasionally in large flocks.
The Conservancy contracted with Greg Smith, a highly experienced birder and natural history tour guide, to run the pilot Hawk Watch. Greg conducted surveys on 8 days over a nearly one-month period from a position on the flank of Winter’s Ridge with a view of the San Joaquin Valley. Greg observed 88 individual raptors during this period – not the high numbers of birds that we were expecting. The limited migration that was documented, led us to the conclusion that as a volunteer, citizen science activity, hawk watching is not a high priority. However, Conservancy biologists will continue to assess the migratory patterns of raptors and other species to see if another location might be better.
Download the Hawkwatch report.
Development of conceptual models and ecological baselines to support monitoring and adaptive management of Tejon Ranch, California (Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, April 2009 – March 2010)
The Conservancy was excited to have the opportunity to commission the first Bren School group masters project at Tejon Ranch. The Conservancy was fortunate to have a stellar team of five students (Dana Roeber Murray, Jonathan Applebaum, Lisa Kashiwase, Erin Brown, and Shaina Forsyth), advised by Conservancy Board member Dr. Frank Davis, to pull together foundational information in support of our efforts to develop a monitoring and adaptive management plan (i.e., the Ranch-wide Management Plan) for the enormously complex conserved lands of Tejon Ranch. The project team assembled existing information to document baseline conditions of the Ranch and to develop conceptual ecological models. Given the great ecological importance of riparian areas, the Conservancy funded two summer internships for Jonathan and Erin to conduct more in-depth field research on riparian systems of the Ranch.
For additional information go to the "Bren Tejon Group Project site" Bren Tejon Group Project site.
Assessment of management and monitoring strategies in support of adaptive management of oak woodlands at Tejon Ranch, California, April 2010 - March 2011
The Conservancy is continuing its relationship with the Bren School with a new group masters project at Tejon Ranch. The Conservancy is fortunate to have another great team of students (Anderson Shepard, Serra Hoagland, Andrew Krieger, and Shannon Moy), advised by Conservancy Board member Dr. Frank Davis, to assess the condition of oak woodlands on the conserved lands on Tejon Ranch and to help us think through oak woodland monitoring and management approaches. The Conservancy is funding two summer internships for Andrew and Shannon to conduct extensive field surveys of oak woodland structure and condition.
For additional information go to the "Bren Tejon Group Project site" Bren Tejon Group Project site.
Ongoing Graduate Research Projects
The Conservancy is happy to be hosting research for the projects of three graduate students in 2010:
- Jessica Shade, UC Berkeley – Trait matrices comparisons between Lupinus nanus and L. bicolor
- Sheri Spiegal, UC Berkeley – Soil-grass relationships and pedogenesis in the Northwestern Antelope Valley
- Chris Evelyn, UC Santa Barbara – Distribution, abundance and habitat use by Batrachoseps salamanders on Tejon Ranch
More information on these projects will be provided as they develop.
Other Conservancy-Sponsored Research Projects
The Conservancy has contracted with several organizations to help us document the biological resources (plants, reptiles and amphibians, and mammals) in the five Acquisition Areas on Tejon Ranch.
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David Magney Environmental Consulting –botany Download report summary
- Dr. Brian Cypher, Endangered Species Recovery Program, CSU Stanislaus – mammals
- Dr. Mark Jennings, Live Oak Associates – reptiles and amphibians
More information on these projects will be provided as they develop.
