Sedgwick was established in 1996 and is administered through the University of California, Santa Barbara, the 5,896 acre Sedgwick Reserve is located in the Santa Ynez Valley, 35 miles north of the city of Santa Barbara, California.
With an elevational range of 1,300 feet, the Sedgwick Reserve is noted for both its large size and environmental heterogeneity. It contains a major geologic fault system and two distinctive geologic formations: relatively young Paso Robles alluvium and much older Franciscan metamorphosed seafloor, including large areas of serpentine. Diverse vegetation types include grassland, oak communities, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, pine forest, serpentine, riparian, vernal habitats, and agricultural fields. The site contains major portions of two watersheds and a variety of localized wetland habitats, notably vernal pools.
Limited overnight accommodations/ classroom available on site; ranch buildings and infrastructure serve as a base for staff and researcher housing, laboratory, and teaching facilities; frame relay internet connection to UCSB campus.
Encompassing 24 square kilometers (9.2 square miles) on the southern slopes of the San Rafael Mountains, the Sedgwick Reserve spans an elevational range of 500 meters (1,650 feet) and is noted for both its large size and environmental heterogeneity.
The reserve contains a major geologic fault system and two distinctive geologic formations: relatively young Paso Robles alluvium and much older Franciscan metamorphosed seafloor, including large areas of serpentine. Diverse vegetation types include coast live oak forest, blue oak woodland, valley oak savannah, buckbrush chaparral, coastal sage scrub, grassland, willow riparian forest, serpentine outcroppings, and agricultural lands.
The site contains major portions of two watersheds and a variety of localized wetland habitats, notably vernal pools. The region has a rich Native American heritage, and at least one Middle Chumash habitation site (1,500 to 2,000 years old) rests on site. The reserve’s large size enables research of varying scales on native ecosystems.
Contact Information:
Kate McCurdy,
Reserve Director
Sedgwick Reserve
3566 Brinkerhoff Road
Santa Ynez, CA 93460-0848
Phone: 805-686-1941
Monday, June 29, 2026 Sign In
