One of Santa Cruz County's Although Santa Cruz is Conservation and most important natural famous for its beaches, one resources is... of the County’s most important stretches of sand lies Protection of Sand SouthBen Ridge Lomond spineflower and Ben Lomond high up in the Santa Cruz wallflower also grow on West Ridge. West Ridge wasMountains, in an area known as the Endangered Species dedicated as a conservation easement in 1998. Zayante sandhills. Tucked between the communities he 32.6-acre South Ridge contains the best or many years, biologists and local residents have T of Bonny Doon and Scotts Valley, the sandhills are F remaining example of sand parkland habitat in the acknowledged the rarity and importance of the isolated pockets of ancient sand that support an world. This delicate area supports important and Habitats at native and animal communities at Quail ecologically distinct assortment of and populations of all four endangered species. Steep Hollow. As part of its animals. Once covering about 6,365 acres, the slopes and exposed soils make South Ridge an approved Habitat sandhills are now restricted to less than 1,500, Quail Hollow Quarry extremely fragile site. South Ridge was purchased Conservation Plan, making it one of the rarest habitats in the state. by Santa Cruz County in 1998. Graniterock has dedicated 110 acres of the quarry to the conservation and long- Protected Area term protection of native species, including four Quail Hollow Quarry in Felton contains some of endangered species--Mount Hermon June beetle, the best remaining examples of Zayante sandhills he 45.2-acre Protected Area links the three Zayante band-winged grasshopper, Ben Lomond T habitat in the region and is home to four Federal ridges and provides a buffer against quarry spineflower, and Ben Lomond wallflower; and two and State endangered species. Graniterock is operation. Smaller populations of Mount Hermon rare plants--naked-stemmed buckwheat, and silver- working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, June beetle, Zayante band-winged grasshopper, Ben leaved manzanita. Divided into four conservation California Department of Fish and Game, Santa Cruz Lomond spineflower, and Ben Lomond wallflower zones, these areas are home to two of Santa Cruz County, and community members to protect and occur here. Although not a conservation easement, Countyís rarest plant communities--sand parkland manage this unique resource. it is pro-tected by Graniterock from disturbance and and northern maritime . mining. The Protected Area was established in 1998.

North Ridge

The 11.1-acre North Ridge is a patchwork of Quarry Conservation Areas northern maritime chaparral, sand parkland and oak woodland habitats. The chaparral and parkland communities are home to Mount Hermon June Protected beetle, Ben Lomond spineflower, and Ben Lomond Area wallflower. North Ridge was set aside through a West North conservation easement in 1997. Ridge Ridge Quarry Protected Area West Ridge

Quarry The 21.1-acre West Ridge is dominated by sand parkland and northern maritime chaparral. Open, South sandy patches on top of the ridge are important Ridge habitat for Zayante band-winged grasshoppers. Both Mount Hermon June beetle Ben Lomond spineflower Graniterock has operated the Quail Hollow Quarry What Polyphylla barbata var. hartwegiana since 1997. The quarry is an internationally recognized source of high-quality, fine-grained sand makes the sandhills so unique? used to make glass containers and glass fiber The Mount Hermon June beetle The Ben Lomond spineflower is a products. Graniterock is operating under a permit is a 1/2-inch long, striped beetle wiry, 10-inch tall annual in the from Santa Cruz County to mine sand deposits for covered with scattered brown hairs. buckwheat family. It has small pink shipment to off-site production facilities. The sandhills sit on an ancient sandstone terrace It spends most of its 2-3 year life to purple flowering heads that are Graniterock is in compliance with both state and that was uplifted when the Santa underground. Males emerge in June and fly close to clustered on upright stalks. Plants county mining regulations, and federal and state Cruz Mountains were formed. The the ground in search of females. Female June germinate in the fall and flower in environmental laws. Graniterock has developed a soils that developed here are beetles do not fly, but remain in their underground April and May. They set seed shortly after and die Habitat Conservation Plan and has established a sandy, erodible, and nutrient- burrows. Newly-hatched larvae tunnel from the by June. Ben Lomond spineflower requires sandy, management fund to provide for the long-term poor. Many plants, including burrows to feed on plant roots. open areas for germination and growth. conservation and protection of rare and endangered redwoods, cannot grow under species and native plant communties at Quail these conditions. Other plants; however, Status: Federal endangered species Status: Federal endangered species Hollow. Graniterock is committed to combining have become uniquely adapted to this harsh Range: Restricted to the Zayante sandhills in Santa Cruz County Range: Restricted to the Zayante sandhills in Santa Cruz County responsible mining practices with long-term environment. Some of these plants, like ponderosa protection and stewardship of the land. pine ( Pinus ponderosa), are usually found elsewhere Zayante band-winged grasshopper Ben Lomond wallflower For further information, please in the state, while others, like Ben Lomond contact Graniterock at: spineflower and Ben Lomond wallflower, are found Trimerotropis infantilis teretifolium nowhere else in the world. email: [email protected] Phone: 831.768.2000 he Zayante band-winged he Ben Lomond wallflower is a T T Fax: 831.768.2201 grasshopper is a 1/2-inch short-lived perennial in the mustard Mailing Address: Graniterock At Quail Hollow, long, gray to brown family. It’s distinct yellow flowers P. O. Box 50001 sandhills conservation grasshopper with yellow, do not appear until after its first or Watsonville, CA 95077 centers around two banded hindwings and pale blue hindlegs. Adult second year. As a seedling, it sensitive plant grasshoppers take flight between late May and early forms a basal rosette of leaves communities. Northern August, often moving no more than a few feet. that die back with the growth of maritime chaparral covers Zayante band-winged grasshoppers prefer open, its flowering stalk. Ben Lomond the lower slopes of the ridges, and is home to the wallflower requires open, sunny areas for rare silverleaf manzanita ( sunny areas and require bare, loose soil to lay their eggs.germination and growth. silvicola). Rarer still is sand parkland, found along the Location Map of Quail Hollow Quarry Status: Federal endangered species Status: Federal and state endangered species ridgetops. With its carpet of diminutive native plants . d ZAYANTE Range: Restricted to the Zayante sandhills in Santa Cruz County Range: Restricted to the Zayante sandhills in Santa Cruz County R and sparse overstory of ponderosa pines, sand t FIRE HOUSE s

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parkland stands in sharp contrast to the County’s E

e t Mission 9 n a dense redwood forests. With less than 200 acres y Springs F a e Z lto Felton unt remaining in the world, sand parkland represents n Mo H Scotts . a E d r Valley one of Santa Cruz County’s rarest habitats. mpire R m on Mt. Hermon R G d. ra ham H i 17 l l

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d 0 2400 6000 . feet Photos courtesy of Jodi McGraw Illustrations by Peg Edwards