statement of work.doc

STATEMENT OF WORK

June 1, 2015

1. General The UCSB Coal Oil Point Reserve (COPR) is renovating a 5,390 square foot building adjacent to the Reserve on the former Devereux School property that will serve as a Nature Center (the Center) as well as a the new headquarters for COPR’s ongoing education, scientific research, and environmental stewardship programs.

The vision for this Center is to maximize the Reserve’s potential for research and teaching and for the public to learn about and engage in natural history, conservation, and restoration. The Reserve already serves over 6,000 people of all ages each year, but has lacked an appropriate space to support outreach activities. The Nature Center will provide a place to train tour guides and the docents supporting the Reserve's Snowy Plover Management Program, and provide interpretive and interactive displays for visitors. Having facilities for lectures and discovery will expand opportunities for the Reserve staff and volunteers to implement education programs and facilitate research. When the building is completed, we expect to implement 30 per cent more research projects, which is typical of other reserves with a field station. We also expect to increase the visitation for education by 50 per cent.

2. Scope The displays located in the large meeting room will be a central attraction of the Nature Center that will convey information about the COPR ecosystem and special status species. The Reserve is home to several threatened and endangered species. The Reserve's educational programs provide opportunities to view these species in their natural habitat. The displays in the Center will enhance a visitor's experience at the Reserve by providing an introduction to the Reserve's natural resources prior to a tour or other programmed activity.

3. Deliverables - Methods/Schedule:

Funds are requested to design and install key exhibits in the Center and at the entrance to the Reserve. Specifically, the following exhibits are proposed:

1) Topographic model of the Devereux Watershed showing the dynamics of the flow of water from the ocean and the upper watershed The goal of the topographic model is to demonstrate the concept that the Reserve is part of a larger watershed and is impacted by activities that occur throughout the watershed. The model will also show the dynamic hydrological regime in the estuary which seasonally varies from fresh to hyper-saline. If possible, the model will include running water and a mobile sand bar that can be manipulated by the visitor to demonstrate how the water level in the slough changes with the seasons and exposes the mudflat.

2) Terrarium with beach arthropods and Western Snowy Plover (WSP) chicks

The terrarium will have the typical beach arthropods including the ones that live on kelp wrack and an identification guide next to it. During the WSP breeding season the terrarium may include abandoned WSP chicks that are being hand raised. The terrarium will have a one way glass so the chicks can’t see the visitors but the visitors can see the chicks.

3) Endangered and Threatened species short movies Director Michael Love has recently produced a documentary that provides an excellent introduction to Coal Oil Point Reserve. Funds would be used to hire Mr. Love to produce short (5-10 min) movies about the natural history of the rare, threatened and endangered species at COPR, including the Western Snowy Plover, the California Least Tern, the Globose Dune beetle, and the Tidewater Goby. The film will show natural history information and conservation efforts to protect these species.

4) Media room A small room will be dedicated to visitors for watching short videos. There will be sitting for 20 people so small classes can watch the videos as a group. Funds are requested to purchase chairs, large HD monitor, and computer.

5) Adaptation One of the most remarkable qualities of the Reserve is the diversity of birds. When looked closely, these birds illustrate the diversity of adaptations to the various habitats of the Reserve. This display will show a variety of beak and feet shapes of birds of the Reserve and explain why these shapes are adaptations to function in each particular habitat.

6) Plankton of the ocean and slough, a monitoring program An aquarium will have freshly collected plankton from the slough or ocean and visitors can make their own slides to see the plankton magnified on a monitor. A guide to the various plankton life will help them identify the groups of plankton and the ones that cause red tide. This set up will be part of a citizen science monitoring program that monitors red tide, an important event in our region that causes high mortality of birds and marine mammals. Funds would be used for the aquarium set up including camera (Moticam 480 microscope camera), microscope, and TV monitor.

7) Acknowledgement sign At the entrance to the center a sign will display the names of the numerous partners that have collaborated in the development of the COPR Nature Center. The sign will have the logo and name of the agency and short description of what they do.

8) Direction sign of WSP nesting areas.

In addition to the displays in the Nature Center, funds would be used for a sign that will be installed at the entrance to Sands Beach and will show visitors to the WSP habitat the direction and distance to other WPS nesting sites on the California coast. The sign will consist of a wooden post with large wooden arrows pointing in the direction of other nesting sites and labeled with the distance to the site. The goal of the sign is to create public awareness of the limited number of areas that provide nesting habitat for the WSP.

4. Period of Performance

Schematic Design for the building renovation: Completed

Renovation of the building: Fall 2015-Summer 2016

Design of exhibits: Summer-Fall 2015

Installation of exhibits: Summer-Fall 2016 5.

EVALUATION AND ACCEPTANCE

Evaluation and acceptance will be based on the attainment of deliverables, as described above in section 2 above, as determined by the technical coordinator at Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office.

6.

AVAILABILITY

VFWO will provide any additional assistance to the contractor possible.

7.

TECHNICAL COORDINATOR

Bill Standley U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office

2493 Portola Road, Suite B

Ventura, California 93003

(805) 644-1766, extension 315 Alternate: Jeff Phillips U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office

2493 Portola Road, Suite B

Ventura, California 93003

805-644-1766, extension 285