Mendocino College Point Arena Field Station Conservation Planning

Mendocino-Lake Community College District, Ukiah CA

Investigators

Abstract

Mendocino-Lake Community College District (Mendocino College) will develop a five-year strategic and infrastructure management plan for the Point Arena Field Station (http://www.mendocino.edu/coastal-field-station), a 15.2-acre oceanfront field station with seven buildings, located on the Northern California Coast. With 70+ years of limited public access, the field station sits within a relatively undisturbed natural coastal environment. The management plan to be developed will be used to guide Mendocino College in preserving the pristine habitats for scientific study and research, as well as increasing access and use of the Point Arena Field Station, making it more broadly available to researchers and educators in the region and nationally. This planning proposal includes a focused educational workshop which will identify educational needs of students at both Mendocino College and other institutions. It is the intent of the institution to deliver educational programs to all, including under-represented groups. In 2013, Mendocino College was identified as a Hispanic Servicing Institution (HSI). This planning proposal will also address the needs of the increasing women in STEM disciplines along with evaluating ADA access at the field station. Another key educational component to be addressed in the planning proposal is the identification and evaluation of collaborative STEM programs. The proposed planning activities include four specific areas: 1) Determine and develop best practices for management and operations of a field station by visiting established facilities and talking with station managers. 2) Identify and develop partnerships with 4 year universities and non-profit organizations by administering a survey to assess interest in facility use by appropriate educators and researchers. 3) Conduct focused planning sessions with educators, scientists, students and community members to determine general research and teaching goals, as well as best facility use practices. 4) Develop a comprehensive management plan that will focus on increasing access to and use of the Point Arena Field Station. The management plan will allow for the continued development and exploration of activities and collaborations that will address the needs of educators, scientists, students, and community members both regionally and nationally.