The Southern Sierra Research Station is headquartered in the Kern River Valley, near the South Fork of the Kern River, near Weldon, California (map), with two satalite offices strategically located in southeastern Arizona (Tuscon/Patagonia region), and northern New Mexico (Los Alamos).
Our station headquarters sits adjacent to the 2,749 acre Kern River Audubon Preserve and is surrounded by numerous protected lands (Sequoia National Forest, Canebrake Ecological Reserve, South Fork Wildlife Area). Together, these areas harbor an incredible diversity of habitats and species, including ~ 20% of California’s remaining native riparian habitat, the Mojave desert, the Great Basin Grasslands, and the Sierra Nevada forests.
We conduct many of our research projects right here in the Kern River Valley. However, we also travel to work all over California in locations such as the Owen’s River Valley, the Central Valley, the southern deserts and coastal California. Our satellite offices in New Mexico and Arizona are strategically located near pinyon-juniper woodlands and southwestern riparian corridors which are critcal habitats to many species of concern, such as Yellow-billed Cuckoos and Pinyon Jays, that SSRS has studied for many years.
Our Research Station Facilities
Our research station in Weldon, CA, serves as SSRS’s main office space. Additionally, our station is a full house, with kitchen, bunk/bed rooms, multiple bathrooms/showers, internet, full library, and more. This is where our seasonal staff lives during the summer, however during the off-season, we have the capacity to house 5-7 researchers/students in shared room facilities for reasonable fees. Please contact us if you are looking for housing in the Kern River Valley area for your research or educational needs.
We also host several workshops each year based at our research station. Check out our Workshop pages for information about upcoming Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Banding and Motus workshops!
