SNARL Management Plan Summary 

The Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory (SNARL) is one of the most heavily used and most productive sites in the University of California's Natural Reserve System (NRS). SNARL is a world-class field station with modern housing, laboratory facilities, scientific instrumentation and a state-of-the-art experimental stream system. In addition to the on-site research, SNARL provides a base of operations for research and instruction on a diverse array of natural features on public lands in the surrounding region. Located in the eastern Sierra Nevada, users of the Reserve have access to a 13,000-foot elevational gradient encompassing everything from Mojave and Great Basin Desert habitats to alpine tundra. SNARL is administered by the University of California, Santa Barbara jointly with Valentine Camp as the Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve. This plan identifies the goals, implementation, status and limitations of the various programs at SNARL. Opportunities exist to increase research use and productivity as well as instructional use of the Reserve. Various public service uses, including K-12 education, of the Reserve are already quite extensive. There are needs for facilities improvement and development. The latter will require aggressive and creative fundraising efforts. The plan strongly supports the need for recurring funding for staffing at SNARL. Most staff are paid with non-recurring funding and many of the programs at the Reserve, including those at Valentine Camp, would be at serious risk if staffing were reduced. The Director is spending considerable time on private fundraising, with good results. Additional grant funding may also be possible. With one-time funding of $1,000,000 all the high priority needs identified in this plan could be addressed. With additional recurring funding of $100,000/year all of the high priority recurring funding needs could be met.

Valentine Camp Management Plan Summary

 Valentine Camp, located in Mono County, is one of the most dramatic sites in the University of California's Natural Reserve System (NRS). Although small (150 acres), Valentine Camp contains some of the most pristine subalpine montane habitat in the Sierra Nevada. In addition to on-site research, Valentine provides a base of operations for research and instruction on public lands in the surrounding region. Located in the eastern Sierra Nevada, users of the Reserve have access to a 13,000-foot elevational gradient ranging from Mojave and Great Basin Desert habitats to alpine tundra. Valentine Camp is administered jointly with SNARL as the Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve (VESR) by the University of California, Santa Barbara. This plan identifies the goals, objectives, status and limitations of the various programs at Valentine Camp. Opportunities exist to increase research use and productivity, instructional use, and various public service uses, including K-12 education. There are pressing needs for additional environmental monitoring, database management and facilities development. The latter will require aggressive and creative fundraising efforts. The plan strongly supports the need for additional staffing at VESR. Non-recurring funds are being used for a seasonal maintenance worker (Cabot Thomas), an environmental monitoring technician (Peter Kirchner), a Database Manager (Robert Jellison), the Education Coordinator (Leslie Dawson), and the Education Assistant (Sherry Taylor). These positions are all critical to VESR operations and permanent funding for them needs to be consolidated. There are also important non-recurring needs. With one-time funding of $90,000 all the high priority, non-recurring needs identified in this plan could be addressed.