ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank the Hollister Ranch Conservancy for presenting us with the opportunity to conduct a study of the botanical resources of the Ranch and for providing funding to assist with the project. Additional funding was provided by Kilovac. We also thank the Hollister Ranch Owners Association and the many individual land owners for providing access to Hollister Ranch. We give special thanks to Sue Benech, past President of the Conservancy, Dave Hill, President of the Conservancy, and Conservancy members Judy Sahm, Bryan Mitchell, A. J. Field, Paul Huebner, and Bruce Mahall for their invaluable and ongoing assistance with the study including facilitation of access, field work, and report preparation. We also appreciate their patience and good will during the several years that this study took place.

The Geographic Information System was constructed by Joe Walsh at the Biogeography Laboratory in the Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara. Figures 4- 6 are the result of this effort, for which we are very grateful. The Dibblee Foundation granted permission to digitize geology maps, and Science Applications International, Inc. provided the digitized soils map in exchange for the vegetation map of Hollister Ranch. UCSB Artworks provided the graphics for the report cover, divider pages, and several figures; Terri Dunson assisted with word processing; Jennifer Thorsch assisted with editing; and Pulse Copy & Technology Center at UCSB assisted with and printed the document.

Many individuals provided assistance with plant identification, field work, and herbarium assistance including Cliff Smith, Steve Junak, Mary Carroll, and Dieter Wilken from the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (SBBG). We also thank SBBG for use of their herbarium. Martin and Debbie Fletcher contributed their knowledge from a past study (Fletcher 1983).

Finally, we thank the UCSB Museum of Systematics and Ecology, the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, and the UCSB Foundation for assisting with the management of this project.

COMMENTARY

The Hollister Ranch Conservancy thanks the staff of the UCSB Herbarium for their dedication and enthusiasm during the investigation of the botanical resources of Hollister Ranch, and during the preparation of this publication. We extend special thanks to Wayne Ferren, who furthered immensely an understanding of the importance of Hollister Ranch. We also thank field botanists Beth Hendrickson and Tamara Klug for their many contributions to the study, the publication, and the collection of voucher specimens. Lastly, we thank the Hollister Ranch owners and everyone who volunteered during the study (1992-1998) and preparation of the publication.

Since 1989, the Hollister Ranch Conservancy has continued to meet the Hollister Ranch Owners' Association formal charge to conduct the study, to undertake the management and conservation of the Hollister Ranch environment, to implement a scientific and access program, and to educate of the owners. The publishing of Botanical Resources of Hollister Ranch, Santa Barbara County, California fulfills a major goal of the Hollister Ranch Conservancy.

Funds for the study of the flora of Hollister Ranch and for the publication of the results of this study were raised by the Hollister Ranch Conservancy.


Hollister Ranch Conservancy
December 1998