Timing Is Everything
It started with a white buoy bobbing off the coast of Bradford Jones’ beachside home. Who placed it there, and what did it mean? As beginner kayakers, Brad and his partner, Julie Black, set their sights on reaching it. When they did, they found it emblazoned with “UCSB Marine Research.” It was the first of many signs that something special was underway in their underwater backyard.
“When you’re kayaking in the kelp forest, it feels like a sanctuary. You can see fish hatching and species coexisting together — it’s like a cradle of life, and I understand its fragility,” said Julie.
Over time, Brad and Julie observed UC Santa Barbara researchers outside their property on Arroyo Quemada beach in north Goleta. Each encounter heightened their curiosity. When they ran into researcher Kyle Emery taking drone measurements, they seized the opportunity to learn more. Emery told them about the kelp beds and the creatures that rely on them and on the kelp wrack that washes ashore, as well as the researchers’ mission to understand kelp forest ecology.
“They were curious about the project in general, and they mentioned being interested, and if they could learn more and contribute,” Emery said. “I talk to people while doing fieldwork all the time, but rarely do I encounter folks interested in becoming more involved.”
That chance encounter inspired Brad and Julie to make a significant investment in Santa Barbara coastal research and the many projects that intersect at Arroyo Quemada. One such project is the Santa Barbara Coastal Long Term Ecological Research (SBC LTER) program. Based at UC Santa Barbara’s Marine Science Institute, SBC LTER is an interdisciplinary program established in 2000 to understand the ecology of coastal communities, including kelp forests. It is part of the National Science Foundation’s Long Term Ecological Research network, which addresses ecological questions that cannot be resolved with short-term observations and provides scientific baselines and predictions needed to conserve, protect, and manage natural systems and the services they provide. UC Santa Barbara is leveraging the SBC LTER to bring more research and educational experiences to students and faculty.
Brad and Julie established the Santa Barbara Coastal Research Fund, an endowment created to support coastal research leadership, undergraduate scholars, graduate and postdoctoral fellows, and program operations. The endowment will also support expanding research at the LTER and related work at UC Santa Barbara’s Marine Science Institute.
Located where the land meets the sea, UC Santa Barbara is one of the few universities that not only specializes in marine research but also has direct access to the ocean. The university’s location, prestige and collaborative ethos attracts top talent and makes UC Santa Barbara a leader in kelp research.
The Arroyo Quemada kelp forest is a vibrant habitat that provides shelter and food for fish, crustaceans, marine mammals and seabirds. The beach along this stretch of coast is dynamic and supports marine life in its rocky intertidal and sandy beach habitats, as Brad and Julie discovered while tide pooling with SBC LTER researchers. Enhanced understanding of climate change and other threats to our marine and coastal ecosystems underscores the need for conservation.
“Arroyo Quemada is one of the best spots for coastal research in this region. It’s one of our core research spots because it’s a stable, foundational, protected kelp forest. This January, tremendous storms wiped out much of the California coast. This kelp along Arroyo Quemada was practically the only patch that survived for a long distance all the way to Santa Barbara,” said Robert Miller, SBC LTER director.
“UC Santa Barbara coastal research is helping us document and understand the species that rely on kelp forests. The world has to be really conscious of conservation to protect these habitats. Now is the time to invest in conservation to reverse the damage that humans have done,” said Brad, co-founder of venture capital firm Redpoint Ventures.
“Timing is everything,” added Julie.