Another year has passed, and it was a privilege to put together the third newsletter for the Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration. Once again I was impressed by what was accomplished by CCBER since the last newsletter. The activities of CCBER were reviewed by the Oversight Committee in December 2007, and in a report it was stated that “CCBER is a jewel of an institution on the UCSB campus, dedicated to education, research, and outreach related to the region’s biological diversity and restoration.” One of the recommendations was to set up a “Friends of CCBER” group.

As a once-a-year volunteer activity, the newsletter is a very enjoyable and manageable (and educational) task amidst other activities. The newsletter can be seen here:

• The Nature Press

One of the more interesting articles was that about “Invaders, Restoration and Resistance—CCBER and Beyond” by Carla D’Antonio. The overgrowth of fennel, radish, harding grass, etc on More Mesa has frequently filled me with a sense of despair about how much has been damaged. It is always nice to visit other areas where there are fewer invaders. However, I was very disappointed on Sunday to see harding grass on Figueroa Mountain for the first time. This is a very dangerous plant, and once it becomes established, spreads relentlessly. What to do? There are only a dozen plants in this area now, and removal would be manageable and successful. I would take a pick axe there if it were permitted, but it is probably not. In May, I saw star thistle in many places, and pulled a few when I stopped to take photos - but on the last trip last Sunday, the thistle seems to have dried up and disappeared - unfortunately leaving seeds all over the place to grow again next spring.

(Harding Grass - Figueroa Mountain, Jun 08, 2008)