Ryan Ferrell gives a tour of the Sentinel Site. He’s pictured in front of the fog monitoring screens adjacent to the Bechtel House. Photo taken in 2019 by Gary Morgret.
Scientific Field Stations
Climate change is constantly impacting our environment, and current trends are occurring much more rapidly and intensely than in previous climatic shifts. We understand this through extensive data records. In addition to various ongoing stewardship initiatives at the preserve, Pepperwood also hosts a comprehensive scientific field station, where we collect ecological data over time.
As a field station, Pepperwood is recognized as a “Sentinel Site for Nature” (SSN). This designation is part of a statewide long-term monitoring collaborative that aims to establish biodiversity baselines and assess changes over time. Think of it as connecting nature to a monitor to check her vital signs daily, helping us detect shifts and track trends. We’re essentially watching climate change in real time, which positions us to envision solutions for our most pressing climate-related challenges.
SSN monitoring is currently defined as a site comprising four wildlife plots, each monitored for 10 weeks in the spring via one trail camera, one drift fence, and one downward-facing camera with an acoustic monitoring device, deployed once during that period to record birds and once to record bats. It’s also heavily recommended, but not required, to have at least one climate station (i.e., monitoring temp, wind, rain, etc.) and a radio receiver antenna that’s part of the “Motus Wildlife Tracking System,” an international network that tracks the migration of small birds, bats, and insects using tiny, coded radio tags.
Pepperwood is doing all this, and so much more.
Tracking Climate Trends Since Before It Was Cool
We’ve been tracking our climate for a long time—since before it was popular. Pepperwood’s 3,200 acres have served as a sentinel site for the North Bay region for the past fifteen years, starting around 2010. What began with a few meteorological stations quickly expanded and now includes over 80 long-term projects and more than 700 data streams reporting in real time. Our site is so well-established and comprehensive that it is helping to define what constitutes a “sentinel site” across California.
We systematically monitor the weather, soil moisture, stream flow, and the diversity and vitality of local plant and animal populations. Numerous projects, run by staff, citizen scientists, visiting scholars, and university partners, are active throughout the preserve. This work is part of a larger collaboration: the California Biodiversity Network, a key partner in launching California’s 30×30 initiative.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the projects funneled through the Sentinel Site
We have more than 80 active projects, with new ones being added regularly. Here’s a selection of projects focusing on key areas such as fire, climate, hydrology, and wildlife:
ALERTCalifornia
Pepperwood was the first in our region to host live camera feeds for wildfire reporting after the 2017 Tubbs Fire. ALERTWildfire launched the system in California in 2018, starting with our two 360° cameras and initiating 24-hour live reporting in our wildland region.
Learn more about Pepperwood’s ALERTCalifornia wildfire cameras.
Meteorological Stations
There are five meteorological (MET) stations distributed throughout the preserve. They all monitor the same things (precipitation, wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, etc.), but their strategic locations give us key insights into how water flows through our varied ecosystems.
Learn more about Pepperwood’s climate and weather monitoring.
One of two 170′ flux towers at Pepperwood, this one is situated in the Weimar watershed and, like its counterpart in Redwood Canyon, is instrumented with an “Eddy covariance system.” This system uses an ultrasonic anemometer and an infrared gas analyzer to measure the flux, or flow, of carbon dioxide and water vapor into and out of this watershed system.
Flux Stations & the Streamflow Enhancement Project
In collaboration with a partner site in the Northern Sierras, we installed four flux covariance towers, each over 170 feet tall—two at each location. These towers allow us to accurately measure the water and energy balances within our forest ecosystems. This project fills critical data gaps by providing some of the first empirical measurements of gas fluxes, such as water vapor and carbon dioxide, in Northern California.
Learn more about Pepperwood’s flux towers and streamflow enhancement project.
Air Quality Monitoring
Pepperwood deployed 20 air quality sensors across Northern Sonoma County and five “Fire First” air sensors in key wildfire risk areas. Initially funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), we’re now working with several local community service organizations as partners to improve air quality data and awareness. Our main goals are to collect air quality data and make it accessible to the community. We aim to improve health by reducing pollution from wildfire smoke and detecting smoke earlier in wildland areas.
Learn more about Pepperwood’s air quality monitoring project.
Wildlife Camera Array
Pepperwood introduced wildlife camera monitoring to the Bay Area in 2012 when we established a gridded wildlife camera network in the Mayacamas Mountains—one of the first deployed outside of tropical rainforest habitats. Using these innovative, low-cost wildlife-tracking methods, we monitor wildlife occurrences, behavior, and responses to landscape disturbances. The data collected informs conservation efforts and wildlife management, aiding in the identification and protection of wildlife corridors throughout the region and state.
Learn more about Pepperwood’s wildlife camera array.
Breeding Bird Surveys
The Breeding Bird Survey is a long-term program tracking bird populations, led by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and involving partners from around the world, including Pepperwood. Our Breeding Bird Survey began in 2007 and collects important data on bird populations and their distribution in the North Bay. Trained staff and volunteers conduct bird counts at 38 locations on the preserve three times between April and June. These counts measure population size, diversity, and breeding behavior.
Through our ongoing efforts, Pepperwood plays a vital role in understanding and mitigating the impacts of climate change on our natural world.
Learn more about Pepperwood’s breeding bird surveys.
Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber). Photo by Nicole Barden.
Science is a fundamental part of Pepperwood’s mission. Long-term monitoring initiatives rely on the support of generous donors like you, so please consider a gift to support this work today.
