This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve. Located in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains seven miles west of Stanford’s main campus, the preserve is home to about 16 species of mammals and 800 species of vascular plants, providing a natural laboratory for researchers from around the world and an open classroom for students and docent-led tourists.
A record number of people—about 3,000—registered for this year’s Parents’ Weekend, including about 130 grandparents and 80 siblings. Among them, over 90 percent of parents registered online.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is investigating whether the University has violated the Endangered Species Act by blocking steelhead trout from migrating to spawning streams.
Grosso, who lived in the Stanford-owned Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve in Portola Valley, Calif., was the area’s unofficial guide. Especially after the University opened in 1891, Grosso enjoyed the company of many visitors. Hiking through maze of foot trails he maintained throughout the hills was a popular Sunday afternoon community pastime. Stanford students hiked the trails often, and even Jane Stanford is reported to have dropped in on occasion. Hospitable to the extreme, Grosso would sight visitors from afar and raise some combination of his American, Italian, French and Chilean flags.
The newly formed Searsville Alternatives Study Steering Committee is now directing planning efforts for potentially major changes to the Stanford-owned Searsville Dam and Reservoir. Because the dam controls water flow to Stanford’s Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve and has a controversial environmental impact on surrounding areas, the committee formed to conduct thorough studies over the next two years to precede any action, according to Philippe Cohen, administrative director of Jasper Ridge and a committee member.
Parents’ Weekend 2012 began today with a welcome address from Provost and Acting President John Etchemendy.
Four lawyers stand still in an office hallway surrounded by elevators. Dressed in typical business attire, the men’s backs are to each other, and they don’t say a word. The lawyer on the left makes the first movement, reaching over to slap his shoulder. The rest follow in a series of gestures and expressions as they bend, stretch, point and shout. What appeared to be a normal scene of lawyers in suits is transformed into a dance.
Until late 2009, it had never been seen. The only clues of its existence were fecal matter, slain deer and some paw prints discovered in 2005. Motion-activated cameras set up in 2006 never snapped a photograph of it. But in late 2008, Trevor Hebert, Jasper Ridge geographic information systems and data manager, began an experiment, installing a new motion-activated camera. Almost a year later, a photograph finally surfaced. The clues were confirmed. There was at least one mountain lion roaming Stanford’s Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve.