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Truckee….. The first experimental forest to be established in over 40 years was dedicated on Saturday, June 24, as the three primary partner organizations met at Sagehen Field Station, 10 miles north of Truckee in the Tahoe National Forest. This new 8,000 acre experimental forest encompasses most of the upper Sagehen watershed, important for its hydrology and riparian ecosystem components including the perennially flowing Sagehen Creek, meadows, fens and fir forests.
Although the primary management of the experimental forest lies with the Forest Service and is shared between the research branch, the Pacific Southwest Range and Experiment Station and the Tahoe National Forest, the University of California, Berkeley is also closely tied to the research mission as the third partner. The University also manages the Sagehen Creek Field Station located within the experimental forest. The Tahoe National Forest manages the land encompassed by both the field station and the experimental forest.
At the Saturday dedication, the experimental forest was described in glowing terms as a living laboratory, living library, living legacy, center for discovery, vibrant focal point, magnet for research, center of excellence, and as a part of a powerful research network. The purposes of experimental forests were defined as places where ecological research can be maintained over the long term, encompassing whole watersheds for large-scale research. Additionally, experimental forests participate within a variety of ecological research networks world-wide, which allows scientists to compare data gathered at the differing sites and to evaluate ecological processes at regional, national, and international scales.
Amidst an audience of more than 50 people, representatives from the cooperating agencies reaffirmed the importance of the partnerships and the value of this new experimental forest. Hosted by Jeff Brown, Sagehen Creek Field Station Manager and Joanne Roubique, Truckee District Ranger, Tahoe National Forest, the day’s events included tours of the forest and field station as well as presentations from the primary organizations. From Washington DC, Ann Bartuska, Deputy Chief for Research and Development with the Forest Service emphasized the importance of networks and of partnerships between forest research and forest management working together. Bernie Weingardt, Regional Forester for the Pacific Southwest Region (National Forests in California), also emphasized the value of partnerships for taking the newest research and applying it to the land – to help understand how complex ecosystems function. Steve Eubanks, Forest Supervisor for the Tahoe National Forest and one of the initiators of this new experimental forest identified the extensive support for this effort and for a renewed commitment to the Sagehen Field Station. According to Jim Sedell, the Director of the Pacific Southwest Research Station, the Sagehen Experimental Forest is the 12 th experimental forest in California, a system totaling 75,000 acres. When combined with Research Natural Areas, the total area dedicated to forest research in California increases to 225,000 acres – more than any other research organization in the State.
Jim Kirchner, Director of the Sagehen Creek Field Station and University Professor at UC Berkeley, identified some of the many research projects that are ongoing at the field station and within the new experimental forest including fire hazard reduction projects, bears, Lahontan cutthroat trout reintroduction, the processes that plants use to chemically communicate with each other and how water circulates through forest ecosystems. “It is my hope that 50 years from now, people will look back and appreciate what we did today – that we had the vision to establish this experimental forest,” Kirchner said.
Photograph
Left to right: Bernie Weingardt, Regional Forester for the Pacific Southwest Region, Jim Sedell, Director,
Pacific Range and Experiment Station, Jeff Brown, Sagehen Creek Field Station Manager, Ann Bartuska,
Deputy Chief for Research and Development, Forest Service, Jim Kirchner, Director, Sagehen Creek Field
Station, UC Berkeley, Steve Eubanks, Tahoe NF Supervisor, Joanne Roubique, Truckee District Ranger,
Bob Price, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research, UC Berkeley, and Laurie Goldman, Director of Planning
and Research, UC Berkeley.
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