Science Institute News Recent accomplishments of CDFW's scientific community Ridgway’s Rail Release January 9, 2018 in General The Ridgway’s rail is a grayish-brown, chicken-sized bird with a long, downward curving bill and a conspicuous whitish rump. Previously known as the clapper rail, the species name was changed in 2014 to honor ornithologist Robert Ridgway. Three subspecies of Ridgway’s rail are resident in California, all of which depend on mudflats or very shallow water (wetland habitat) where there is both forage and taller plant material to provide cover at high tide. They rely on marsh plants such as cordgrass and pickleweed for breeding and feeding. Tagged With: Batiquitos Lagoon, birds, California, CDFW, clapper rail, Ecological Reserve, endangered species, Fish and Wildlife, Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy, light-footed, Living Coast Discovery Center, Ridgway's Rail, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, SeaWorld San Diego, Team Rail, US Navy, USFWS California Native Plant Week April 18, 2017 in General California hosts approximately 6,500 different kinds of plants that occur naturally in the state, and many of these are found nowhere else in the world. Some of these plants are so rare or have been so impacted by human influence that they are at risk of permanent extinction from the wild and have been protected by state and federal laws. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Native Plant Program is developing and implementing standardized and repeatable monitoring plans for ten state and federally listed plant species on nine CDFW Ecological Reserves throughout the state. This work is funded by a federal grant awarded in 2015. Tagged With: Baldwin Lake, botany, CDFW, Holcomb Valley, meadowfoam, native, pebble plains, Big Bear, Bjerke, Burton, Butte County, California, ecological reserve, habitat conservation, monitoring, Native Plant Program, Native Plant Week, plants, Table Mountain, thelypodium Not Just for the Cows: Grazing workshop highlights contributions of livestock to habitat functionality March 22, 2017 in General For some public properties, livestock grazing can be an important land management tool to help maintain specific habitat conditions, control invasive weeds and reduce fire hazards. In areas invaded by non-native vegetative species, it is necessary to control vegetation height and density in order to keep habitats functioning for certain sensitive species. Tagged With: Ecological Reserve, ER, habitat, invasive, R2R, Rancher to Rancher, Reeves, tool, weeds, Wolf, Burg, CDFW, cow, grazing, livestock, management, public lands, Rancho Jamul, San Diego, vegetation, workshop
Subscribe to receive Science Institute news by email. Email Subscribe Recent Posts Restoring Habitat at Southern California’s Salton SeaJanuary 6, 2021New Issue of CDFW Scientific Journal Focuses on WildfireJanuary 4, 2021Spotlight: Kokanee Salmon Egg Collection from Stampede ReservoirDecember 14, 2020New Issue of CDFW’s Scientific Journal Reviews Environmental Impacts of Cannabis CultivationOctober 30, 2020Endangered Fish Get a Lift to Safety After WildfiresOctober 21, 2020Read More Archives 2021January (2) 2020January (1) February (1) March (2) April (1) May (3) June (3) July (4) August (3) September (2) October (3) November (1) December (1) 2019January (2) February (3) March (4) April (4) May (2) June (2) July (2) August (1) September (1) October (1) December (1) 2018January (5) February (4) March (3) April (5) May (4) June (2) July (5) August (3) September (4) October (4) November (1) December (2) 2017February (2) March (3) April (4) May (5) June (3) July (3) August (5) September (4) October (4) November (4) December (3) Mammals Birds Reptiles and Amphibians Fish Invertebrates Plants Ecosystems Pollution and Water Quality Climate and Renewable Energy