FSML-All Terrain Vehicles for Sedgwick Reserve

塞奇威克保护区（SR）拥有160公里的牧场公路，垂直跨度近400米。许多道路无法通行，乘用车甚至四轮驱动车辆，特别是在多雨的冬季。全年进入保护区的许多地方仅限于其他车辆，如全地形车（ATV）和步行交通。如果向研究人员提供ATV，自然保护区的研究机会将大大增加。目前卡车无法到达的大部分地区是保护区地形崎岖的东北角。该地区的生态特征包括几条小溪和菲格罗亚河的支流以及春天的池塘。此外，还有陡峭的峡谷，密集的河岸植被，包括弗里蒙特棉杨（白杨）和干燥的山脊，灌木橡树（栎）灌木，这在保护区的其他地方是没有的。如果没有ATV，研究人员很难进入这些社区，因此是保护区中最不为人所知的地区。在保护区的这一部分，一个肥沃的调查区域是这些溪流和河岸地区与毗邻的洛斯帕德雷斯国家森林菲格罗亚山区娱乐区的栖息地连通性。有了ATV通道，研究人员可以更容易地调查水源流动过程和野生动物对河岸栖息地走廊的使用。

ABSTRACT Sedgwick Reserve (SR) has about 160 km of ranch roads that traverse almost 400 vertical meters. Many of the roads are inaccessible to ,passenger cars and even 4- wheel drive vehicles, especially during the rainy winter months. Year-round access to many parts of the Reserve is limited to alternative vehicles, such as all-terrain-vehicles (ATV's), and foot traffic. Research opportunities at the Reserve would be significantly enhanced by having ATV's available to researchers. Much of the area currently inaccessible by truck is the topographically rugged northeastern corner of the Reserve. Ecologically significant features of the area include several small streams and tributaries of Figueroa Creek and vernal pools. Additionally there are steep canyons with dense riparian vegetation including Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontia) and dry ridges with scrub oak (Quercus berberidifolia) chaparral which occur no where else on the Reserve. These communities are not, without ATV's, readily accessible to researchers and consequently are the least known areas of the Reserve. A fertile area of investigation in this part of the Reserve is the habitat connectivity of these streams and riparian areas to the bordering Los Padres National Forest Figueroa Mountain Recreation Area. With ATV access, researchers could more easily investigate headwater stream processes and the use of riparian habitat corridors by wildlife.