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Central
Coast Bioregion
This is the type of ecosystem that Californians most associate
with their state– gentle grassy savannas bordered with
live oak. There’s much more, though, including brushy
coast ranges and dramatic cliffs and deep forested canyons
that define much of the coast.
Vegetation
The Central Coast bioregion has a wide variety of habitats
and vegetation, including coastal prairie scrub, mixed hardwoods,
and valley oaks on the rolling hills and mountains that descend
to the ocean. In Santa Cruz County there are redwood forests.
Farther to the south are oak woodlands and chaparral. San
Francisco Bay is home to coastal salt marshes, while both
freshwater and brackish marshes in the Delta provide crucial
wintering spots for migrating birds. These marshes offer pickleweed,
great bulrush, saltbush and cattail. Eucalyptus, manzanita,
northern coastal scrub, California buttercups and goldfields
populate the bioregion.
Rare plants: Marin western flax and Point Reyes checkerbloom.
Endangered plants: Tiberon mariposa lily, Baker’s manzanita
and Sonoma sunshine. |
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| Carrizo
Plain. Photo courtesy of Mark Hoshovsky,
California Dept. of Fish and Game |
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Climate
The temperatures in this Mediterranean climate don’t
vary much with the seasons. The northern coast (which includes
San Francisco) experiences relatively cool, often foggy summers,
mild falls, and chilly, rainy winters. Farther inland, hot,
dry summers and warm autumns are followed by mild, wet winters.
Snowfall is rare. The area to the south (encompassing the
cities of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara) is characterized
by a mild, sometimes foggy climate. This makes for rich farmland
and vineyards. |
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| Barbara
Menzies © California Academy of Sciences |
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Major
natural features and areas
The Central Coast bioregion is one of the most populous in
California– it encompasses the San Francisco Bay Area,
the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and the farmlands south
of them. The geography of the bioregion is varied. It features
coastal mountains including the Santa Lucia and Santa Ynez
ranges, with several peaks rising above 3,000 feet–
including Mt. Diablo at 3,849 feet. Near the ocean lie sand
dunes and gently rolling hills, the latter providing grazing
for wild and domestic animals including dairy cattle. |
The
Los Padres National Forest covers much of the southern part
of the Central Coast bioregion. The Salinas and Cuyama rivers
feed two major watersheds. Soquel Demonstration State Forest,
near Santa Cruz, provides an example of sustainable logging. |
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Wildlife
Wetlands in the Central Coast bioregion, both brackish and
freshwater, provide the single-most important migratory stopover
for waterfowl between Mexico and Alaska.
Birds include canvasback, western grebe, black-crowned night
heron, great egret, snowy egret, white pelican, gull, acorn
woodpecker, golden eagle, western bluebird, Caspian tern,
American avocet and cedar waxwing. Other wildlife found throughout
the region includes grey fox, mule deer, bobcat, raccoon,
Pacific tree frog and swallowtail and painted lady butterflies.
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| Swallowtail
butterfly |
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Harbor
seal, sea lion, leopard shark and bat ray are just a few
of the species that make the region’s marine wildlife
among the most diverse in the world.
Threatened and endangered species: California least tern,
California black rail and clapper rail, California brown
pelican, Smith’s blue butterfly, salt marsh harvest
mouse, California freshwater shrimp, northwestern pond turtle,
tidewater goby and Chinook salmon.
Threats
Development– Because the area is so heavily populated,
development is a major issue in the Central Coast bioregion.
Housing and commercial developments are continually eating
up fast-disappearing open space and precious habitat.
Water– The Central Coast bioregion is the focus of
a great debate over conflicting demands for the water that
flows through the Delta. Two-thirds of the state's residents
receive at least a portion of their drinking water from
the Delta.
For more information on issues threatening the Central Coast
bioregion, visit:
The Committee for Green Foothills
www.GreenFoothills.org/index.shtml
California Oak Foundation
www.californiaoaks.org
Citizens for Responsible Forest Management
www.crfm.org/
California Wilderness Coalition
www.calwild.org
Los Padres ForestWatch
www.lpfw.org
Santa
Cruz Mountains Bioregional Council
www.scmbc.net
The Sempervirens Fund
www.sempervirens.org
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FORESTS
FOREVER
SAN FRANCISCO
| 50 First St., Suite 401, San Francisco, CA 94105
SACRAMENTO
| 1196 K St., Suite 47, Sacramento CA 95814
phone 415.974.3636
• fax 415.974.3664
mail@forestsforever.org
©
2010 Forests Forever
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