Sky Oaks Field Station (SOFS) is a 1600 acre research reserve at 4,800 ft altitude, 50 miles northeast of San Diego.
The weather at Sky Oaks fluctuates from extreme heat in the summer to occasional snowfall in the winter.
The landscape at Sky Oaks includes oak woodlands, chamise chaparral, red shank chaparral, mixed chaparral, coulter
pine stands, grasslands, and riparian zones. A set of baseline
studies conducted in 1983, as well as various bibliography of publications
describe the reserve in detail.
Sky Oaks Field Station has a history of important research, ranging from fire regeneration studies to ecosystem flux studies by the Global Climate Research Group (GCRG).
Sky Oaks Field Station has hosted researchers, K-12 students and educators, and general community members on its grounds and at its overnight facilities.
link provides researchers the ability to deploy cutting-edge environmental sensors and monitor them around the clock.
On July 17, 2003, the Coyote Fire burned through Sky Oaks Field Station, destroying two buildings and most of its environmental observatories. In a collaborative effort by Field Stations Program, HPWREN, and GCRG, Internet connectivity was restored and several environmental observatories were re-deployed. Efforts are underway to replace the destroyed buildings with an energy-efficient multi-use building.
