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Sedgwick Reserve’s Needs Due to the Lake Fire

We depend on the support of donors to fund most of our operations. We are in need of gifts to help us as we look towards recovery and reopening.

Three thousand acres of Sedgwick Reserve burned in the Lake Fire. Habitat, wildlife, trees, research plots, cameras, and other vital resources were lost. Much work needs to be done before we can reopen our Reserve to researchers, classes, and the visiting public. We have a long road ahead of us, but we are optimistic. Thank you for your support!

More information about the Lake Fire can be found here.

Work that needs to be done includes but is not limited to:

Waterline Repairs
Old pipes became exposed in the roads during the fire. These needed to be removed by staff immediately to prevent fire personnel from getting flat tires. Our waterlines are also in need of repair to restore water to some wildlife troughs and fix problems created from the high amount of heavy vehicle traffic.

Bulldozer Line Restoration
Miles of lines were bulldozed across the Reserve in an effort to stop or slow the spread of the fire. Much of these will have to be left to reseed naturally. However, ecological restoration will be conducted along some of these lines in order to facilitate the growth of native species and prevent the spread of invasives. Sedgwick Reserve only uses local specimens and so seeds will need to be collected from other parts of the Reserve and then planted.

Road and Trail Repair
While some repair and leveling of bulldozer lines and roads is being done by the firefighters, additional work will need to be done by the Reserve’s small crew of staff and volunteers. This includes a full survey of our trail network. As the fire continues to smolder, more trees will fall, posing hazards and potentially making some roads and trails impassable. In some areas, roads were widened and diverted, and these will need to be rerouted or remapped.

Invasive Species Monitoring
Firefighters came from all over California. We are grateful for the bravery of the firefighters, however these trucks could have carried seeds of invasive species not yet present on the Reserve. Systematic monitoring for the increased spread of invasives across the Reserve will need to be conducted.

Post-Fire Research Program
The Lake Fire provides Sedgwick Reserve with the opportunity to further the scientific understandings of wildfire. Quick action was taken by Dr. Frank Davis, Director of the La Kretz Research Center for Sedgwick Reserve to organize researchers around a program of post-fire data to be collected. Holding three informational meetings for interested researchers and volunteers; gathering support and fostering collaboration among the academic community. There was a great turn out of 41 people ready to collect data and support research. Now, we face the challenge of mobilizing and facilitating the research of all these eager scientists.

Fence Repair
Stretches of our perimeter and interior fences were exposed to extreme heat that weakened the materials. Fence lines will need to be replaced or repaired.

Support Sedgwick Reserve’s Recovery from the Lake Fire Today!

If you would like to discuss your support, please contact UCSB NRS Executive Director, Conner Philson (philson@ucsb.edu; 805-893-6179)