Abstract
China Camp State Park and Rush Ranch Open Space Preserve contain rare examples of historic tidal wetlands, undeveloped coastal hills and grasslands, and a variety of ecotones once common (but now rare) in the San Francisco Estuary. The San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve was designated in 2003 to support coastal management through long-term monitoring and research at China Camp and Rush Ranch. This two-part Special Issue [9(3) and 10(2)] summarizes the current regional context of the marshes at China Camp and Rush Ranch and reviews key aspects of their ecology. Scientific activities at these sites are complemented by stewardship and education programs that offer unique opportunities to improve the conservation and restoration of tidal wetlands throughout the estuary.
Highlights
The San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve was designated in 2003 to support coastal management through long-term monitoring and research at China Camp and Rush Ranch. This two-part Special Issue [9(3) and 10(2)] summarizes the current regional context of the marshes at China Camp and Rush Ranch and reviews key aspects of their ecology. Scientific activities at these sites are complemented by stewardship and education programs that offer unique opportunities to improve the conservation and restoration of tidal wetlands throughout the estuary
Conservation of natural resources is critically important in the San Francisco Estuary (SFE) where recent human activities have had devastating effects on wetlands and other estuarine habitats, their associated terrestrial ecosystems, and the species that live there
Because tidal wetland plant diversity increases from the Golden Gate towards the western Delta where future salinity stress is expected to be severe, increased resilience of marshes might be best achieved by maximizing conservation and restoration efforts near the freshwater end of the estuarine salinity gradient (Vasey and others)
Summary
Conservation of natural resources is critically important in the San Francisco Estuary (SFE) where recent human activities have had devastating effects on wetlands and other estuarine habitats, their associated terrestrial ecosystems, and the species that live there. The combination of rising sea level, climate change, and other persistent anthropogenic stressors makes it especially important that at least selected estuarine wetlands and their upland counterparts are protected as much as possible from further alteration and development Such minimally disturbed ecosystems could serve both as refuges for sensitive species and as points of reference for understanding and managing other, more impacted areas around the estuary. Ca.gov) and the Interagency Ecological Program (http://www.water.ca.gov/iep/), San Francisco Estuary Institute (http://www.sfei.org), and PRBO Conservation Science (http://www.prbo.org) Many of these groups continue to conduct monitoring and research at China Camp and Rush Ranch, both independently and in collaboration with the NERR. Coordination of research, education, and stewardship with the goal of connecting scientists and managers with each other and the human communities they serve in order to improve resource management and conservation (Figure 3) In pursuit of these objectives, the NERR actively facilitates regional and national research with a spirit of cooperation and collaboration. That impetus is reflected in the communication of this Special Issue
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