AN ECOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE PROPOSED STONE CORRAL-JOSEPHINE PERIDOTITE RESEARCH NATURAL AREA

(L.E. HORTON-DARLINGTONIA BOG RESEARCH NATURAL AREA) ON THE SIX RIVERS NATIONAL FOREST, DEL NORTE COUNTY,

CALIFORNIA

(Purchase Order # 40-9AD6-5-907) Todd KeeLer-Wolf December 1986 INTRODUCTION ACCESS SCIENTIFIC INTEREST JUSTIFICATIONS FOR ESTABLISHMENT RARE FLORA ENDEMIC TAXA UNDESCRIBED TAXA THE DARLINGTONIA BOG PORT ORFORD CEDAR GEOLOGY SOILS CLIMATE VEGETATION BOG FOREST RIPARIAN VEGETATION DWARF FOREST LOWER DWARF FOREST JEFFREY PINE WOODLAND DOUGLAS-FIR FOREST CANYON FOREST IMPACTS RECOMMENDATIONS LITERATURE CITED APPENDIX 1; VASCULAR LIST FIGURES INTRODUCTION

The proposed Darlingtonia bog Research Natural Area, also knawn as the L.E. Horton RNA covers approximately 1305 acres of eastwardly-facing slopes above the North Fork of the

Smith River in extreme northwestern . The area lies just four miles from the border and includes portions of Sections 24, 25, and 36 T. 18 N. R. 11 W.

(Latitude 41' 55' N., Longitude 124' W.) Elevations range from ca. 600 ft. along the North Fork of the Smith River to slightly over 2400 ft. along the ridgetop south of the Stone

Corral site.

Terrain is steep and rugged in most of the southern and central portions of the study area, but becomes more gradual in the northern portion (see location map). It is in this northern area that the Darlfngtonia bogs occur (discussed as bog forest in the vegetation section).

In addition to the Darlingtonia bogs (Figure 1) the site contains several other vegetation types including dwarf forest, Jeffrey pine woodland, lower dwarf forest, canyon forest, Douglas-fir forest, and two types of riparian vegetation. All of these associations occur on ultramafic soil derived either from peridotite or gabbro. An extremely large percentage of the flora is composed of serpentfnite

(peridotite and other ultramafics) endemics, many of which are rare, endangered, and restricted to the Klamath Geologic

Province, The Darlingtonia bogs house a number of these

interesting taxa, but a greater number are found in the dwarf

and lower dwarf forests (see justifications section).

Because so much botanical interest lies ia the area

outside of the DarlLngtonia bog forest and because

Darlingtonia bogs are of relatively common occurrence in northwestern California, I feel the name of the proposed RNA

should reflect something more specific either regarding the

attributes of the area or its location. With this in mind I

will offer the two following suggestions for a more

appropriate name:

1) Stone Corral-Darlingtonia Bog -RNA; the sfte of Stone Corral is indicated on all recent Forest Service and USGS

maps and is located within the proposed boundaries of the

area. This name affords specificity with regard to location

and also indicates one of the major botanical values of the

area. 2) Stone Corral-Josephine Peridotite -'RNA* the Josephine Peridotite is the name given to the huge ultramafic sheet

which covers this part of the Klamath Geologic Province.

Many of the most interesting and unusual of the area are endemic to the Josephine sheet and the proposed RNA is representative of the flora found over much of this region,

The Stone Corral portion of the name adds locational specificity, This is my preferred choice and the one 3 will

use in this report. The formerly proposed -L.E. Horton-Darlingtonla Bog -RNA is undesirable in my opinion because it is not specific enough (several proposed RNA's and/or botanical areas have well-developed Darlingtonia bogs) and it also sets the questionable precedent of naming an RNA after a still-living person.

Access:

The study area may be easily reached by taking the Wimer

Road where it joins route 197 north west of Xiouchi and traveling ca, 14 miles northeast, A shorter route from the

Gasquet R.D. makes use of road 17N49, which takes off to the north from highway 199 ca. 2.5 miles west of Gasquet. Using this route (which is gated and may be closed during parts of the year) it is ca. 11 miles to Stone Corral.

Scientific Interest:

Perhaps the first scientist to stress the botanical and vegetational uniqueness of this portion of the Klamath

Mountai,ns was R.W. Whittaker (1954, 1960) who studied serpentine plant ecology and compared vegetation on peridotite of the Josephine Sheet with vegetation on gabbro and granitic rock in the Siskiyou Mountains of adjacent

Oregon, After Whittaker, many botanists have been intrigued by the floristic uniqueness of the area (e,g, Kruckeberg

1984, Waring 1969, White 1971). However, specific knowledge of the components of the aerpentinite flora in the Klamath

Province is surprisingly weak.

Kruckeberg (1984), in the most recent discussion of California's (and adjacent Oregon's) serpentine flora acknowledges the Klamath Ranges as a remarkable region for serpentine endemics with over 30 tsxa. However, he devotes only a short paragraph to this area in contrast to much longer discussions of better known, but less diverse serpentine floras of the state. In fact, the number of serpentine endemics to the Klamath Province probably exceeds any single region discussed by Kruckeberg including the south

Coast Ranges, the Saa Francisco Bay region, the Napa-Sonoma-

Lake County area, the Mendocino-Colusa-Tehama-Humboldt County area, and the Sierra .

Over the past several years much controversy has been raised concerning the possible broad-scale mining of chromite ore from the Low Divide-Hardscrabble Creek-Gasquet Mountain area immediately south of the study area. It was only within the past several years that botanists working with environmental impact firms and the Forest Service discovered the great botanical wealth of this small area. They, at least indirectly, led to the nomination of the present candidate RNA by the Six Rivers N.F.

JUSTXFICATIONS FOR ESTABLISHMENT

Rare and Endemic Flora:

Simply stated, the Stone Corral-Josephine Peridotite RNA contains a higher percentage of rare and endangered plant species than any other Candidate RNA so far nominated in California, The serpentinite terrain of northern Del Norte

County and adjacent Curry and Josephine counties of Oregon holds among the highest percentages of rare endemics in the entire North American continent, A total of 40 taxa (25% of the entire vascular flora of the study area) are considered in some way rare and endangered (Smith and York 1984). These taxa may be broken down into groups based on the categories in the California Native Plant Society List. The following taxa are considered as rare and endangered plants of highest priority (CNPS List lb):

Arabis aculeolata

Sedum laxum subsp. flavidurn

Both of these plants occur at lower elevations in the study area on rocky exposed sites in the inner canyon of the North

Fork of the Smith River. The Arabis was seen more frequently than the Sedum, but both could be considered uncommon in the area. Both of these taxa are serpentine endemics to the

Klamath Province and both are threatened by mining and logging operations.

The following species are rare and/or endangered in

California but are more common elsewhere (CNPS List 2):

Horkelia sericata (locally common in dwarf forest and

Jeffrey Pine woodland; Figure 2)

Gentiana affinis (common in dwarf forest; figure 3)

Pinguicula macroceras (locally common in bogs; Figure 4) pendulum (fairly common at mid-elevations)

Castilleja elata (uncommon in bogs) Senecio lingulifolius (occasional in dwarf forest) Iris innominata (occasional in dwarf forest)

Only Gentiana affinis and Piaguicula macroceras are widespread species found outside of the Klamath Province of

NW California and SW Oregon. The other species are all

Klameth serpentine endemics.

The following species are representatives of CNPS List 3

(plants about which we need more information).

Gentiana setigera (fairly common in bogs; Figure 5)

Calamagrostis crassiglumis (rare edge of Douglas-fir forest)

Lilium voLlm.eri. (occasional riparian areas)

Aster p,aI~dicola(common in bogs)

Three of these species are uncertain taxonomic entities, while Calamagrostis crassiglumis, with more information, is probably referable to list Ib, -G. setigera and -L. v~l'l~eri:. are considered Klamath serpentine endemics.

The following taxa are considered members of list 4 (plants of limited distribution - a watch list); Darlingtonia californica (common in bog forest; see Fig. 1)

Lilium bolanderi (occasional in dwarf forest) Monardella purpurea (uncommon in dwarf forest)

Lomatium howellii (common in dwarf forest)

Haplopappus racemosus subsp. congestus (common in Jeffrey

Pine woodland and bog edges; Figure 6)

Eriogonum tetnatum (occasional Jeffery Pine woodland) Veratrum insolitum (occasional dwarf forest)

Tauschia glauca (fairly common dwarf forest) Epilobium rigidum (fairly common intermittant creek beds and

among boulders in upper riparian zone; Figure 7)

.Ariica spathulata (occasional dwarf forest)

Angelica arguta (occasional riparian)

Aster brickellioides (common dwarf forest)

Sanicula peckiana (occasional dwarf forest)

Trillium rivale (uacommon shaded riparian zone)

Lathyrue delnorticus (occasional dwa~fand canyon forest)

Salix delnortensis (occasional riparian)

Salix tracyf (occasional riparian)

Antennaria suffru,fescens- (occasional lower dwarf forest) Lomatiurn tracyf (occasional lower dwarf forest, inner Smith

River canyon, not listed for Del Norte Co.)

Vancouveria chrysantha (common dwarf forest) -Poa piperf (locally common dwarf forest and Jeffrey pine) A11 of these specfes except Angelica arguta are endemic to the Klamath Province and are at least local serpentine indicators, if not high-fidelfty serpentine indicators

(Kruckeberg 1984).

The following taxa are members of Appendix 1 in the

CNPS invsntory (plants considered as possibly rare and endangered but not included):

Arctostaphylos ciuerea (fairly common dwarf forest)

Arctostaphylos parviflora (occasional dwarf forest)

Arctostaphylos intricata (uncommon lower dwarf forest) Viola cuneata (occasional dwarf forest and Jeffrey Pine

woods) Fritillaria glauc,a (occasional dwarf forest)

Juniperus communis var. fackii (common dwarf forest) Three species in this list ($. cinerea, &. parviflora and -J. cohnis jackii) are uncertain taxoaomical1y while the other h three taxa have been considered in past CNPS lists, but are now known to be common enough to not warrant consideration.

Endemic Taxa:

Tn addition to the above mentioned taxa, a number of other more common plants . in the proposed RNA are restricted to the Klamath Province. It is likely that almost all of these rill prove to be serpentine endemics or indicator species, though Kruckeberg (1984) does not list all of them as such, The following taxa are those not mentioned previously as endemic to the Klamath Province:

Arctostaphylos intricata

Ceanothus pumilus

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana

Cordylanthus viscidiflorus

Erigeron foliosus conf inis

Galium ambiguum var. siskiyouensis

Hieracium bolanderi

Holodiscus discolor var. delnortensis

Lithocarpus densfflora vat. echinoides

Lupinus latifolfus var. virid3folSus

Perideridia oregena

Pinus contorta subsp. nov. (see Griffin and Critchfield Polygonurn spergulariforme

Rhamnus californica subsp. occidentalis

Rudbeckia californica var. ~Iauca

Silene campanulata subsp. greenei

Trifolium longipes var. shastense

A total of 53 taxa, or 33% of the total known flora of the study area, are Klamath endemics. This is a remarkably high percentage. Stebbins and Major (1965) discuss centers of in California and consider certain portions of the Central Coast Ranges to be exceptionally high in endemics, One of their highest points of endemism is the area where Napa, Lake, and Colusa Counties abut. The FrenzeL

Creek RNA is in this area and yet only ca. 17% of the Freneel

Creek flora is endemic to the Central Coast Ranges (Keeler-

Wolf 1983). At the time of their publication the lack of detailed knowledge of the flora of the Klarnath Province precluded Stebbfns and Major from doing any local analysis in that area. Yet it is likely that the northwestern Klamath

Province contains a per-area richness in endemics comparable to the highest centers of endemism in the state (e.g. portions of ).

The combination of a mild climate with a great range in over short distances, topographic diversity, and geological complexity has provided a rich ground for speciation in this part of the Klamath Province. This coupled with the long-persisting geological and environmental stability of the area (Whittaker 1961) has resulted in a large number of relict species, in addition to the neoendemics.

Undescribed Taxa:

Two species of plants encountered in the study area were not referable to any published description, The first haa been known in the area for some years and is a subspecies of Pinus coatorta. This is a very common small throughout the mid-and upperdelevations of the study area.

It tends to dominate the dwarf forest on relatively gently- sloping, but well-drained ground, None of the were - m seen to exceed ca. 40 ft. tall and ca. 9 inches dbh, W.B. Critchfield (pers. comma) believes that this tamis subspecifically distinct from both the beach pine (~fnus contorta subsp. contorta) which occurs along the coast to the west, and the lodgepole pine (E. 5. subsp. murrayaaa) which occurs in the higher portions of the Klamath Mountains to the east. The local race appears to be more closely related to the coastal form, with asymmetrical, prickly, serotinous cones and relatively thick bark. However, it appears to be strongly restricted to ultramafic soils. It has been seen as far south as Red Mountain in southern Del Norte County (pers. observ.). It is probably endemic solely to the Josephine

Peridotite.

The other species is a member of the Liliaceae and is likely to be a Schoenolirion (a.k.a. Hastingsia). It is a relatively common species in the grassy understory of the

Jeffrey Pine woodland at Stone Corral and is scattered in the upper elevation dwarf forest. The dried pe.rianth segments appeared longer than the typical description for the widespread -S. album. And -S. album, as it occurs in the study area, is a larger plant restricted to the riparian zone of rivulets and the Smith River. It is possible that it is -S. bracteosum, a rare serpentinite endemic to the northwestern Klamath Province. However, the local plants are consistantly small (under 5 dm) and have simple, unbranched unlike descriptions of bracteosum. If it does turn out to be -S. bracteoeum this will be the first recent verified locality in California according to Smith and York

The Darlingtonia Bog:

The flora of the boggy meadows of the northwestern

'the species could also be Hastingsia atroputpurea, a recently described taxon from southwestern Oregon (Becking 1986). portion of the study area is unique to the lower elevation

Western Klamath Province. Although Darlingtonia californica

(~eliforniapitcher plant) is a widespread species of the

Klamath area ranging into adjacent botanical provinces to the north and south, it occurs in a unique assemblage of plants in this area. Several other candidate RNA'S or botanical areas have Darlingtonia bogs including Butterfly Valley,

Cedar Basin and Mt. Eddy. However these areas are at substantially higher elevations and at more inland locations than Stone CorraL. Thus, their floras are different. Such species as Aster ~aludicola,CastiLLefa elata, Gentians setigera, Rudbeckia californica var. glauca, Calamagrostis nutkaensis, Sanguisorba microcephala, Pinguicula macroceras, and Deschampsia caespitosa sabsp. beringensis have not been recorded from any of the other Darlingtonia bogs in Forest

Service Botanical Areas or proposed R#ABs (Keeler-Wolf 1982,

Whipple and Cope 1979, Knight et al. 1970). Other Stone

Corral bog species such as Aster alpigenus subsp. andersonii and Juncus orthophyllus, although present at higher elevation

Darlingtonia bogs have not been listed as occu$ing at such low elevations.

Port Orford Cedar:

Port Orford Cedar (POC) is one of the most distinctive relict species of the Klamath region. It has recently had much attention called to it because of the serious threat to it8 native existence by the Lethal rot fungus Phytophthora lateralis (see Zobel 1986, and other documents available from Western Natural Resources Law Clinic Law

Center, University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403). Although the stands of POC in the study area are not as dense and as large as some others under consideration for protection, they are uninfected by the fungus and represent a different association type than any listed by Ateet and Wheeler (1984 and see vegetation section). They also represent the oldest trees and the highest biomass per unit area association on peridotite in the study area.

One unusual feature of the local POC stands is that at least some of them are made up of clonal trunks which appear to have a common root system . Figure 8 depicts a partially exposed horizontal root from which arise several main stems, each of which is at least 16 " dbh. This root in turn seems ultimately related to a large dead trunk, which may have been killed by fire ca. 100 years ago. Several such clonal clumps were seen in the boggy areas of the site, I have not seen obviously clonal POC stems in any other POC stand in the state. Perhaps this type of reproduction may only be possible in extremely moist environments.

GEOLOGY

The largest exposures of ultramafic rock in North America are in the Klamath Mountains province (1rwin 1981).

The ultramsfic terrane in the vicinity of the study area is known as the Josephine Peridotite Body (~rwin1966, 1981).

This huge mass of peridotite, cumulate gabbro, diabaae, and spilite stretches for 150 km along the western border of the

Klamath Province. St rivals the Trinity Ultramafic Sheet la

the eastern part of the Rlamath Province as the largest single ultramafic body in the province. The Josephine sheet

is considered to be a Lower or Middle Jurassic slice of the

upper mantle or oceanic crust (Irwin 1981).

The entire study area is within the Josephine

Peridotite. For the most part the rock type in the area is

serpentS.'tlfzed peridotite, which may be highly sheared in some

places. However, much of the surface rock is highly

weathered into blocky or rounded reddish-to-greenish boulders

up to 10 ft in diameter (locally known as "buckskins").

Larger outcrops occur in the inner canyon of the North Fork of the Smith River. Some of these are conglomeratic, with smaller fragments of serpentinite cemented together by calcium carbonate.

The only other rock which occurs obviously within the study area 2s gabbro. A small gabbro intrusion occurs just south of Stone Corral and is responsible for the locally well-developed Douglas-fir foreat there, Gabbro also occurs locally along the drainage below the main Darlingtonia bog.

The study area has been rather intensively explored for mining sites (see Impacts). Presumably the majority of these mining claims have' been for chromite, which occurs commonly in pods in this part of the Klamath Province (Albers 1966).

The pod deposits consist of clean ore that can be mined easily. Pods commonly occur in shear zones and may be up to several hundred feet wide and several miles long (Albers

1966), Other valuable minerals associated with ultramafic rock in the Josephine sheet include nickel and mercury.

However, mining for these elements has not proven economical so far. A copper mine (Copper Creek Mine) occurs ca. one mile west of the proposed RNA. Apparently the copper occurs in a sulfide deposit which is closQ to the contact between the Josephine Peridotite and dpper Jurassic metasediments of the Coast Range Province.

SOILS

The soils of the study area are generally poorly developed and rocky, Locally, as on the northern-central boundary of the area, relatively deep lateritic soils occur,

These are bright rusty in color and may be three or four feet deep before fractured bedrock is reached. The soils underlying the bogs are the best-developed in the area with dark, organically rich upper horizons. They may be six feet thick in the largest bogs,

The poorest soils occur on the steep inner canyon of the

Smith River where in many places they only occur in pockets a few inches thick surrounded by serpentindite rocks of various sizes. The unusual chemical imbalance of ultramafic soils, with

extremely high magnesium and extremely low calcium levels, is

of course, largely responsible for the varied and open

stunted, scrubby and endemic-rich vegetation which grows here

in lieu of a luxurious, uniform, and endemic-poor Douglas-fir

forest. Unlike other more arid serpentinite areas, there

appear to be no large "barrens". Locally, areas of "blocks"

(relatively solid rock outcrops) are much larger and more

extensive than sheared, crumbly matrix zones (often called

"barrens"). This itself may be a factor of the high

precipitation quickly eroding the matrix areas. Or it could

be a factor of the original structure of the Josephine Sheet.

Regardless, even in the most highly sheared matrix zones the

extremely high precipitation must be compensating for the

physically and chemically harsh environment. Thus, the local

serpentinite vegetation in the study area fa denser and more highly developed than on any other serpentinite area I have seen.

CLIMATE

Despite the stunted, open nature of the vegetation,

throughout much of the study area, the Stone Corral- Darlingtonia Bog CRNA receives among the highest rainfall

totals in the state. Estimates in Kahrl (1979) and by the

Gasquet R.D. suggest that the area receives an average of

between 110 and 125 inches per year. However, as is true throughout the state, yearly rainfall fluctuates widely in irregular cycles. Totals in excess of 200 i~chesper year have been recorded at comparable elevations nearby in the

Siskiyou Mountains (Greg Peck, pers. comm.) while during drought gears totals may be no more than 50 inches.

The rainfall is not only higher fa this area than in any other part of the state but it is also more equitably distributed through the year. Even during August, the driest month of the year, the area probably averages between

1-1.5 inches of rain.

Due to the relatively low elevation and proximity to the coast, temperatures throughout the year are mild, probably regularly drifts in from the ocean and either blows over the rfdgetop or creeps up the Smith River Valley during the summer months. During my stay in mid August temperatures rose to ca. 87'F in the early afternoon and dropped to 58-

61°F at night. These are probably close to the mean highs and lows for this time of year. The fog level in the mornings was ca. 1200 ft. in the canyon to the west of the area and burned off quickly. Fog was absent from the area during my visit. Winter lows may occasionally descend to ca,

25'~at the upper elevations above 2000 ft. However, mean

January lows are probably more like 30°F. Light snows probably fall nearly every year above 2000 ft., but do not linger on the ground for more than a day or two. VEGETATION

The vegetation of the proposed Stone Corral-Josephine Peridotite RNA is dominated by a low shrubby coniferous forest which varies locally in its dominant species. Because this forest is physiognomically rather uniform, but varies floristically, I have named it based on its physical characteristics rather than on its composition. Thus, in this report I have called it simply dwarf forest. Several other major vegetation types exist in the proposed RNA.

These additional vegetatfon types range from rather xeric

(~effreyPine woodland, lower dwarf forest) through mesic

(~ouglae-firforest, canyon forest), to hydric (bog forest, riparian).

In the field work for this report I quantitatively sampled portions of the dwarf forest, bog forest, Jeffrey

pine woodland, and Douglas-fir forest by using 10x10 m plots.

The remaining vegetation types are described quaLitatfvely.

Bog forest:

This series includes the target element for the proposed

RNA, Darlingtonia bog. However, closely associated with the true bog, dominated by herbaceous species is a woody

vegetation dominated by trees and . These two types

meet and intermingle throughout the main bog area in the

east-central portion of Section 24 (see vegetation map),

Generally in the wettest, muckiest areas herbaceous

vegetation prevails, while woody vegetatfon predominates in

the slightly drier margins or where the soil is not as deep.

Because of the fine-grained patchiness of each type (Figure

9), it was unpractical to differentiate them during vegetation sampling or on the vegetation map. As they are

clearly interrelated they are considered as parts of a single

association in the following discussion.

The local bog forest occurs on gently sloping terrain

(plots ranged from 5-15' slopes) facing an easterly direction

.(plots ranged from compass bearings of 75-100'). Ten 100 sq.

m plots were sampled in this association. Tables 1-4

summarize the results.

The bog forest is moderately dense with 135 stems over 2

m tall per 0.1 ha able. I).Port Orford cedar (POC) is overwhelmingly the dominant tree, almost twice as important

as western white pine, the most significant subdominant.

Pinus contorta subsp. nov. is a common associate occurring

on 80% of the plots. Knobcone pine and Douglas-fir are

incidental, overlapping from adjacent dwarf forest. Saplings

and seedlings (Table 2) are in similar proportions of density

and frequency to the trees with Port. Orford cedar, western

white pine and "beach pine" predominating. The most

hydrophilic tree is POC. It commonly occurs aa saplings and Table 1: Summary of vegetation sampling for trees over 2 m

in ten 10x10 rn plots in bog forest.

Z Den. Freq. Cover Rel.Den. Rel.Freq. Rel.Cov. I.V. (sq.in.)

1 POC 0,051 1,OO 7147.44 0.378 0.323 0.791 149.2

WWP

TOTALS 0.135 3.1 9034.23 1.000 1.000 1.000 300.0

Table 2: Summary of vegetation data for saplings and seedlings on

ten 10x10 m plots in bog forest.

dens. f req. rel. dens, rel.freq, X.V.

POC

WWP

BP

DF

TOTALS

1 abbreviations are: POC= Port Orford Cedar; WWP-western white pine; BPibeach pine (Pinus contorta subsp. nov.); DF-Douglas-fir; KP=knobcone pine.

stands for importance value (relative density + relative frequency + relative cover X 100) seedlings even in the wettest portions of the bog. It is the indicator tree of this association and occurs in much higher den-sities and greater cover than in the other associations where it grows locally (canyon forest, dwarf forest, streamside riparian). The other tree species tend tomoccur C a more as a fringing border around the larger expanses of bog and are more widespread in the more xeric dwarf forest association beyond. There is reason to believe that POC in the bogs are the most venerable trees in the study area. A

31 inch dbh individual was ca, 282 years old at 48 inches from the base. Several large trees slightly over 3 ft. dbh are probably ca. 350-400 years old. All of the large POC observed had fire scars and a few charred stumps were seen.

Another POC was aged at 146 years ca. 29" from the base where it was ca. 24" in diameter. This indfvidual had light charring at its base indicating at leaet one fire in the past 1.5 centuries.

Other trees in this association are considerably more short-lived. A western white pine 16 " dbh aged at 71 years was one of the largest of that species seen in the association. One of the largest Pinus contorta seen in the bog forest was only cam 4" dbh and was ca. 48 years old.

Heights of the dominant POC are cam 16-18 m and the tallest

Pinus monticola are ca, 13 rn.

The shrubs of the bog forest are in general rather poor indicators of the association. Most of these species (Table

3) occur in similar densities in adjacent dwarf forest except Table 3: Frequency and cover of species in ten 10x10 m

bog forest vegetation samples.

- species x I. cover frequency

Ledum glandulosum 1 Lithocarpus densiflora

Rhamnus californica

Rhododendron occidentale

Vaccinium parvifolium

Arctostaphylos nevadensis

Quercus vaccinffolia

Gaultheria shallon

Vaccinium ovatum

Ho'lodiscus discolor

Umbellularia californica 1.3

Myrica californica 0.2 0.2

1 represented only by the shrubby var. echinoides for the more abundant Gedum, Rhododendron occidentale, and

Gaultheria shallon. Species such as Lithocarpus, Rhamnus, and Vaccinium parvifoli-urn appear surprisingly indifferent to soil moisture conditions. Perhaps this is a result of the extremely high rainfall totals (and perhaps water table) throughout the area. Thus, the seemingly xeric dwarf forest may actually be deceptively moist most of the year and provides a similar soil environment to the margins of the bog. Ledum and Rhododendron are the only species which regularly enter the saturated soil areas,

The most distinctive element of the bog flora is the herbaceous component, Table 4 lists the frequencies of the sampled herbaceous species. About 53% of the 38 species listed are locally restricted to this association. The dominant herbaceous crop formers of this association are

Darlingtonia californica, Scirpus criniger, Carex serratodens,

Sanguisorba microccphala, and Narthecium californicum. These and other hydrophilic herbs tend to dominate to the exclusion of woody species in the centers of moat bogs. These areas are typically gently sloping concavities bisected by flowing rivulets (figure 10).

This vegetation type has not been discussed in Atzet and

Wheeler's (1984) summary of the POC vegetation series of the

Siskiyou Mountain Province. If 1 were to define the local community in their terms I would call It the Chamaecyparis lawsoniena/ Ledum glandulosum/ Darliagtonia californica association. Apparently none of their samples came from the Table 4; Frequencies of herbaceous species in ten 10x10 m

bog forest vegetation samples. species

Scirpus cririiger

Rudbeckia californica

Helenium bigelovfi

Sanguisorba microcephala

Narthecium californicum

Darlinetonia californica

serratodens

Carex sp. Tofieldia glutlnoaa

Drosera rotundifolia

Aster , p~ludicola

Parnassia palustris

Gentiana setigera

Horkelia sericata

Danthonia californica

Stipa lernmonff

Calamagrostfs nutkaensis

Trifolium oreganum

Pinguicula macroceras

Deschampsia caespitosa

Habenaria sparsiflora Table 4: (continued) species frequency

Carex angustior

Juncus orthophyllus

Haplopappus racemosus

Gentian8 affinis

Galium ambiguum

Sanicula peckiana

Epipactis gigantea

Agrostfs hallii

Xris ianominata

Delphinium nudicaule

Lomatium californicum

Trientalis latifolia

Lomatium howellii

Erfgeron foliosus

Arnica spathulata boggy areas of the Josephine Sheet (e,g. the Kalmiopsis

Wilderness). They indicate no meadowy or boggy types. The most similar of their POC communities to the local type is the Port Orford cedar/box-leaved silktassel type. This type is actually more closely related to the dwarf forest, as they state that POC is frequently subdominant or codominant with Pinus monticola, Emjeffreyi, z, attenuata, and Pseudotsuga menziesii.

Riparian Vegetation:

In addition to the bog forest there are two other hydric associations in the proposed RNA. Both occur along flowing water and thus they both can be considered riparian vegetation. The first subtype occurs at the outlet streams of the bog forest where the gradually sloping, seepy bog areas give way to more steeply-sloping channelized stream courres.

Three or four small perennial rivulets flow down the steeply- sloping inner canyon of the North Fork of the Smith River to join it within the study area. Lining these small streams is a vegetation type distinct from the rfverine riparian zone along the Smith River,

Streamside Riparian: This vegetation is domfnated by herbaceous species which form a narrow border only a foot or two wide along the streams flowing through the steep gullies of the RNA. Typically the surrounding vegetation is dominated by woody species of the canyon forest association.

Occasional C- may occur in this riparian zone, but they never form a well-defined tree strata. The following species are characteristic of this vegetation: Lilium voLl,,meri, Trilium rivale - > Adiantum pedatum var. aleuticum

Carex serratodens

Schoenolfrion album

Epipactis gigantea

Lathyrus delnorticus

The vegetation is not particularly well-developed for two reasons; 1) the surrounding steep gully slopes and overhanging vegetation from canyon forest shades out a number of halophilic species, and 2) the steep,rocky and bouldery substrate provides limited space fox rooting of hydrophilic plants.

Riveriae Riparian: This ia the better-developed of the two riparian associations in the RNA, although the cover along the Smith River is by no means extensive. The North

Fork of the Smith River is a large,clear bouldery stream 25-

50 ft. wide bounded by steep banks (Figure 11). It is subject to major fluctuations in water level through the year; thus flooding periodically scours the stream course and restricts the size and cover of the dominant vegetation. The major woody species are typically only shrub-sized even though some such as Alnus oregona have the potential of beco ming large trees. Other woody species include the two L/ Klamath endemics: Salix delnortensis and -S. tracyi, a third as yet undetermined Salix, and Physocarpus capitatus. Sub- shrubby and herbaceous species include Lotus oblongifolius,

Erigeron sp., Angelica arguta, Agrostis hallii, Brickelia greenei, Chrysopsia oregana, Trifoliurn longipes, and EpiXobium rigidurn. The latter species (~igure7) is characteristic of bouldery substrate at or near high spring runoff levels,

Dwarf Forastz

This forest, the most extensive vegetation type of the study area has a peculiar quality about it. Despite the fact that the highest elevations in the area are under 2500 ft. the physiogynomy of this forest, as manifested by the harsh chemical properties of the soil, is reminiscent of an upper montane or even subalpine forest. The stunted, compact nature of many of the trees and shrubs in conjunction with the presence of typically montane species such as Pfnus contorta, x. monticola, z, jeffreyi, Quercus vaccinffolia, Juniperus communis, and Arctostaphylos nevadensis aids in this deception (Figure 12).

The dwarf forest is best developed on the more gently- sloping upper elevations of the study area. There it forms a nearly continuoua spindly forest, broken only occasionally by small herbaceous openings on more steeply sloping, rocky, or otherwise xeric sites (Figure' sampled 10 plots in the western portion of Section 24. Tables 5-8 summarize the data.

The tree stratie(Tab1e 5) is dominated by spindly individuals of Pinus contorta. Pinus attenuata, -P. monticola, and Pseudotsuga menziesii may also be locally dominant. Pinus contorta predominates on the most gently sloping areas where its densities may exceed 50 trees per 100 sq. m. Total stem density is 196 per 0.1 ha. As can be seen 5 from ~able~however,the cover in this forest is extremely low (1470 sq. in./O.l ha). Dominant individual trees are generally no latget than 10-11 inches dbh. These are typically E. monticola. Pinus contorta and 1. attenuata are usually no larger than ca 4-5" dbh. The largest and oldest tree I measured in the dwarf forest was a Pseudotsuga ca. 20" dbh with a height of ca.9.5 me This tree was aged at 20" from the base as 205 years old. The ages of four 10-11" dbh

. - western white pines ranged from 86-104 years, The numerous small -P. contorta and -P. attenuata appear to never attain ages greater than ca. 60 years and average ca. 40 years,

The young ages of the majority of the trees in the dwarf forest seems to be primarily a consequence of the extremely wet environment rather than the frequency of fite. Disease

(blister rust, dwarf mistletoe, other fungus) is extremely common on the trees, particularly the beach pines and the western white pines. Fallen stems of recently killed 4-5 inch dbh -P. attenuata, -P. monticola, and -P. contorta rot very rapidly giving evidence of the fast decomposition rate. Table 5: Summary of vegetation sampling data for trees on ten 10x10

m plots in dwarf forest.

den. f req. cover rel. den. rel.freq. rel.cov, I.V. (sq.in.)

BP 0.104 0.6 445.86 0.531 ,

KP 0.049 1.0 287.6 0.250 '

WWP 0.025 0.8 435.79 0.128

DF 0,016 0.8 288.51 0,082

JP 0,001 0,i 12-57 0.005 0.029 0.009

POC 0.001 - 0.1 0.2 0,005- 0.029 0.000

TOTALS 0.196 3.4 1470.43 1.001 0.999 1.000 300-0

Table 6: Summary of vegetation data for seedlings and saplings on

ten 10x10 m plots in dwarf forest.

density frequency rel, dens re1.f req. 1,V.

WWP

BP

DF

POC

TOTALS Apparently there have been no widespread fires in the dwarf forest fo"r several decades. The lack of fire scars or charring on the 90+ year old -P. monticola ox on the 200 year old Pseudotsuga suggest that recent fite influence has been minimal. However, the many 40-50 year old -P. contorta and -P. attenuata suggest that perhaps there was a fire ca. 50 years ago.

A small lightning fire burned ca. 5 acres of dwarf forest near the highest point (ca. 2400 ft.) in the RNA on August 8, 1981. This fire killed all of the dominant -P. eonticola and -P. contorta at the heart of the burn. Thus, it seems unlikely that the older -P. monticola scattered throughout the dense stands of spindly -P. contorta and -P. attenuata in the dwarf forest could have a11 survived an extensive fire.

Sapling and seedling data a able 6) indicate that of the four most important trees listed in table 5 only Pinus attenuata is not presently reproducing well. This suggests that fite may be necessary to perpetuate the g. attenuata,but is probably not necessary for the other dominant species, The ubiquity of -P. attenuata as indicated in Table 1,may not necessarily come from one widespread fire 50 years ago, but from a few smaller fires which did not effect the entire dwarf forest. Of all the California closed-cone pines -P. attenuata has the greatest seed wing length/seed size ratio

(Peattie 1953). Thus, the relatively small (0.25"), long- winged (1.25") seeds could be scattered by the wind well beyond the edges of a fire. The varying denslty of -P. atteuuata on the sample plots (from 1-11 per 100 sq. m)

suggests that colonization was not uniform and this may have

resulted from varying distances from source areas. On the recent 5 acre burn seedlings of -P. monticola and -P. contorta were common, however -P. attenuata was not represented, as apparently there were no burned parent trees.

Beneath the spindly tree layer 5s a typically well-

deveLoped shrub cover (Figure 14). Table 7 indicates 15

species of shrubs on the 10 sample plots. Shrubs may cover

over 50% of the surface in some areas. The most important

species is probably Lithocarpue densiflora var. echinoides,

followed by Quercus vaccinifolia, Rharnnus californica,

Arctostaphylos nevadensis, and Umbellularia californica.

All of the important apecies of shrubs in this association resprout after fire. On the 1981 burn resprouts

of Lithocarpus, Umbellularia, Juniperus communis, Rhamnus,

Rhododendron occidentale, and Quercus vaccinifolia were vigorous, having grown as much as 4 ft. in the past .4 -years (Figure 15). The sprouts of Lithocarpus, Rhamnus and

Umbellularia were already bearing fruit. In addition,

seedlings of Lithocarpus and Arctostaphylos cinerea were

common.

The herbaceous layer is also well developed in the dwarf

forest. As mentioned by Whittaker (1960) the herb and ehrub layers may freqpently form a two phase understory with

essentially clohed patches of shrubs alternating with Table 7: Frequencies and mean percent cover for shrubs on

ten 10x10 m plots in dwarf forest. - species frequency x X cover

Rhamnus californica occidentalis 1.0

Lithocarpus densiflora echinoides 0.9

Arctostavhvlos nevadensis

Vaccinium parvifolium

Umbellularia californica

Juniperus communis jackii

Holodiscus discolor delnortensis 0.6 0.5

Ceanothus pumilus 1.3

Rhododendron occidentale 0.7

Arctostaphylos cinerea 1.5 -Rosa gymnocarpa tr. Amelanchier florida 0.2

Arctostaphylos parviflora 0.2

Vaccinium ovatum tr. herbaceous openings. The herbaceous openings tend to dominate on the relatively xeric, steeply sloping areas

(Figure 16), while shrubs dominate on more gradual slopes.

Table 8 lists 42 species of herbs on the 10 sample plots. Many of these herbs are widely scattered and comprise only a small portion of the total ground cover. However, such species as Xerophyllum and the grasses Festuca californica, Stipa lemmonii, Agrostis hallii, and -Poa piperi may locally cover up to 35X of the plots. Herb cover and diversity is generally less on more steeply sloping, rocky areas.

The recent fire in the dwarf forest had an invigorating effect on most of the common herbaceous species. Species which appeared to increase particularly in frequency on the burned area included Gentiana affinis, Phacelia sp. and

Whipplea modesta. The Phacelia was the only species not encountered on the 10 non-burned plots.

Colonization of the recent mining roads in Section 24 appears to be relatively slow. The most noticeable dwarf forest colonizer is the grass Agrostis hallii. Most shrubs and herbs have not begun to colonize these 4-5 year old cuts.

However, on some of the ca. 10 year old cuts young individuals of such species as Rhamnus californica and

Ceanothus pumilus occur along with various herbs.

Lower Dwarf Forest:

The character of the dwarf forest changes below ca. 1200 Table 8: Frequencies of herbaceous species on ten 10x10 m

plots sampled in dwarf forest. species frequency

Xe~ophyllum tenax

Galium ambiguum siskiyouensfs

Vancouveria chrysantha -Iris chrysophylla & innominata Gentfana affinis

Arnica spathulate

Lomatiurn howellii

Phlox maoccidentalis

Carex sp.

Delphinium nudicaule

Lupinus latifolius

Senecio ligulifolius

Aater brickelliofdes

Berberis pumila

Trientalis latifolia

Horkelia sericata

Achillea milLefolium

Cslystegia occfdentalis

Sanicula peckiana

Cordylanthus viscidus

Erfgeron foliosus confinis

Festuca californica

Stipa lemmonii Table 8 continued:

Lilium bolanderi

Schoenoliron bracteosum (1)

Zigadenus micranthus

Castilleja pruinosa

Perideridia oregana Haplopaepus racernosus congestus -Poa piperi Agrostis hallii ptinglei

Smilacina racemosa amplexicaulis

Trifolium oreganum

Festuca idahoensis

Onychium densum

Lathyrus deluorticus

Tauschf a glauca

Disporum hookeri

Whipplea modesta

Polygonurn spargulariforme

Aster 1 palddicola ft. in the steep inner canyon of the Smith River. Pinus contorta no longer occurs, apparently being restricted to the upper, more gradual slopes, and the density of Pinusmm monticola, and P. attenuata decreases. Densities of - I Pseudotsuga appear to increase slightly and the incense cedar. - (~alocedrusdecurrens), which is rare in upper dwarf forest becomes one of the dominant species. Tree densities in general are substantially lower than at higher elevations and the overall effect is more of a dwarf woodland than a dwarf forest (Figure 17). This is particularly true on the steeper southerly slopes where shrubs tend to dominate. Tree stature is still small, yet somewhat larger than the dwarf forest,

The dominant Calocedrus are ca. 12-14 inches dbh,

Shrub cover also changes in this lower level type with species such as Arctostaphylos cinerea and Garrya buxifolia increasing in importance and Lithocarpus and Quercus vaccinlfolia decreasing. In addition, species rare or absent from upper elevations such as Erfapoaiam pendulum, Eriodictyon californlca, Arctostaphylas parviflora, and -A. intricata appear.

The herbaceous component is also substantially different than at upper elevations. Phlox speciosa, Penstemon azureus,

Chrysopsis oregana, Sedum laxum subsp. flavidum, Selaginella wallacei, Toxicodendron diversiloba, Arabis aculeolata,

Lomatium tracyi, Stipa lemmonii, Phacelia nemoralis (?), and Arenaria nuttallif (or A. rosei) are among the most common species. Cover is generally lower than at the higher elevations due mostly to the steeper, rockier slopes.

Jeffrey Pfne Woodland:

A small portion of the upper elevations at and near the

Stone Corral site is vegetated by an open woodland of Pinus jeffreyi (Figure 18). This association differs considerably

from the adjacent extensive dwarf forest and from the small

patch of Douglas-fir forest below Stone Corral. Jeffrey Pine

woodland extends southwestward across the Wimer Road from

Stone Corral on the broad, rounded south-facing ridgetop.

Apparently the basis for the vegetation differences is

edaphic with the open ridgetap composed of relatively deep, sheared serpentinite wh5le the surrounding dwarf forest is

underlain by blocky peridotite. However, the difference is

less obvious at Stone Corral where the soil at least in part

is derived from blocky peridotite similar to adjacent dwarf forest.

Three 10x10 m plots were sampled in the Jeffrey pine

woodland at Stone Corral. Tables 9-12 summarize the data. As Table 9 shows, total tree density is low (73 per 0.1 ha)

while total basal covet is high (ca. 1160 sq. ia./100 sq. m. versus only ca. 147 sq. in./lOO sp. m in dwarf forest). The

only other tree species, Pinus monticola, is an unimportant

member. Seedling and sapling density is low (Table 10) with

Jeffrey pine predominating.

Shrub cover is much lower in this association than ia typical dwarf forest as is the diversity (Table 11). The Table 9: Summary of vegetation sampling for trees on three

10x10 m plots in Jeffrey pine woodland.

. .. .------.- -- den. freq, cover releden. rel.freq. rel.cov, I.V.

JP 0.070 1.0 3459.03 0.959 0.752 0.994 270.5

WWP 0.003 0.33 19.63 0.041 0.248 0.006 29.5

TOTALS 0.073 1.33 3478.66 1.000 1.000 1,000 300.0

Table 10: Summary of vegetation sampling for saplings and seedlings

on three 10x10 m plots in Jeffrey pine woodland.

dens, freq. rel.den. rel.freq. I.V.

JP 0.013 0.667 0.813 0,667 148.0

WWP 0.003 0.333 0.188 0.333 52.1

totals 0.016 1,000 Table 11: Mean cover and frequency of shrubs on three 10x10 m plots

in Jeffrey pine woodland. species frequency -x I. cover

Arctostaphylos nevadensis 1.0 16.0

Quercus vaccinifolia

Rhamnus californica occidentalis 1.0

Holodiscus discolor detnortensis 0.67

Umbellularia californica 0.67

Ceanothus pumilus tr.

Amelanchier florfds

Juniperus communis jackii tr.

Table 12: Frequencies of herbaceous species on three 10x10 m plots

in Jeffrey pine woodland. species frequency

Festuca calffornica

Erigexoa foliosus confinfs

Achillea millefolium

Schoenoliron bracteosum ?

Haplopappus racemosus congestus 1.0

Calystegia occidentalis

Trifolium oreganua Galium ambiguum siskiyouensis

Carex sp. -Iris sp. Table 12 continued:

Horkelia sericata

Gentiana affinis

Stipa lemmonif -Poa piperi ELyrnus glaucus

Onychium densum

Danthonia californica

Perideridia oregaaa

Lomatium howellii moat important crop former is Arctostaphylos nevadensis. The

largest percentage of ground cover is provided by the 19

species of herbs and grasses noted in the association (Table

12), especially Festuca califarnica, which may cover up to

40% of the plots. The size and ages of the trees are not great. Typical dominant -P. jeffreyi are ca. 20-22 m tall 20 " dbh and ca. 100 years old, However growth rates vary depending on

microclimate. The largest tree measured was 24" dbh ca. 24 m

tall and was 105 years old at 18" from the base. This

individual occurred in the bottom of a swale adjacent to

well-developed Douglas-fir forest. Another tree ca. 101

years old at 18 inches from the base was only 12.5" dbh.

This iadivfdual grew near the upper edge of the Jeffrey pine woodland adjacent to dwarf forest, A third -P. jeffreyi growing under typical modal conditions was 19" dbh and 87

years old at 14" from the base. #o fire scars were seen on

any of the trees, suggesting very low fire frequency in the

past 100+ years.

Douglas-fir Forest:

As I mentioned previously, if the soil type of the Stone

Corral-Darlingtonfa Bog CRWA was not ultramafic, it would

probably support a lush Pseudotsuga-dominated forest. Some

indication of what this forest might be like is given in a

small patch of forest on gabbro (ultramafic, but less harsh than peridotite-serpentinite) in the extreme west-central portion of the proposed RNA. Here Pseudotsuga dominates over a subcanopy of Arbutus menziesif, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, tree-sized Lithocarpus, and Quercus chrysolepis

(Table 13). The shrub and herb layers are not as diverse as the more open associations and only 6 species of shrubs and 7 species of herbs were tallied in the two 10x 10 m plots sampled able 14). Gaultheria shalloa and Polystichum munitum were the most important understory members along with a thick carpet of in many areas (Figure 19).

The size and age of the dominant Pseudotsuga are not great. Typical dominants are ca. 20-23 " dbh, 26 m tall, and 95 -111 years old. None of the Douglas-firs or Port Orford cedar in this association had fire scars, however the multiple 11-19" dbh trunks of madrone in this area suggest that perhaps it was burned slightly over 100 years ago. No larger Douglas-fir were seen anywhere in the RNA and the only older trees are the occasional isolated stunted Douglas-fir in the dwarf forest and the venerable POC up to 300+ years old in the bog forest. Thus, it appears likely that slightly over 100 years ago (ca. 112-120 ) there was a major fire which burned a substantial portion of the proposed RNA effecting large portions of the dwarf forest, Jeffrey pine woodland, and Douglas-fir forest.

Canyon Forest:

Lining the narrow, steep gullies whfch descend the slopes to meet the N. Fork of the Smith River is a plant Table 13: Density and cover (sq. in. basal area) for trees on two 10x10 m plots in Douglas-fir forest on gabbro.

species density cover

Pseudotsuga menziesii 0.065

Arbutus menziesii

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana

Lithocarpus densiflara

Quercus chrysolepis

totals

Table 14: Shrubs and herbs present on two 10x10 m plots in Douglasr fir forest on gabbro.

shrubs:

Lithocarpus densiflora echinoides

Rubus ursinus

Vaccinium parviflorun

Gaultheria shallon Vaccfnium ovatum

Umbellularia californica herbs:

Disporum hookeri

Goodyera oblongifolfa

Bromus marginatus

Whipplea modesta

Chimaphila menziesii -Iris sp. association related to both the dwarf forest and the Douglas- fir forest. Despite the fact that the substrate in most of these small canyons is peridotite (with occasional small outcrops of gabbro), the stature of the vegetation is substantially greater than in the surrounding dwarf forest

(Figare 20). The most important members of this association are Lithocarpus densiflora. (typically 10-12" dbh), ~rbutus meaziesii (up to ea. 10 " dbg, Quercus chrysolepis, occasional Calacedrus, Chamaecyparis, Pseudotsuga, and Pinus monticola (up to 45" dbh,the largest tree anywhere in the study area). Understory shrubs are shared with the surrounding dwarf and lower dwarf forest and include: Garrya buxifolia, Lithocarpus densiflora, var. echinoides, Quercus vaccinifolia, Rhamnus californica, and Vacciaium ovatum.

Berberis piperiana was the only shrub species apparently restricted to this type. Herbs are typically more mesophilic than those of the surrounding dwarf forests and include:

Vancouveria chrysantha, Whipplea modesta, Pteridium aquilinum, Hierochloe occidentalis, Disporum hookeri,

Trientalis latifolia, and what is probably a species of

Heuchera.

The density of the tree stems, particularly of the tanoak and canyon oak is often high, making travel through the ravines difficult. The comparatively high biomass of vegetation in this association is a result of the more mesic nature of the environment (sheltered and adjacent to permanent or semi-permanent water, as well as possibly a locally favorable substrate (gabbro outcrops).

IMPACTS

By far the greatest impacts threatening the proposed

Stone Corral-Darllngtonia bog RNA involve the effects of mining operations. As of mid-August 1985 there were several rough buldozed tracks regularly punctuated with exploratory pits in the proposed RNA. At least one of these pits was marked with a metal tag which indicated grid coordinates, a pit number, the depth of excavation (6 m) and the date (Sept.

22, 1980). Apparently, many of the buldozed trails and the pits dug in Section 24 were constructed after June 1980 (the date of the most recent aerial photography I saw of the area).

As of May 1975 (when an earlier set of aerial photos was taken) there were none of the extensive excavations in the northeastern 1/4 of Section 24 and fewer in the western portion of Section 24. Apparently the buldoeed road which now exists approximating the ZOO0 ft. contour reaching from the northernmost point of the proposed boundary nearly to

Stone Corral was made after 1980.

The impact of these various excavations is not as severe aa one might think on a flora with such a high percentage of rare taxa. This is primarily a factor of the relatively even dispersion of most of the members of the dwarf forest flora.

The most localized members of the Stone Corral dwarf forest flora are not those which are the most threatened and sensitive as indicated by the 1984 CNPS list. Perhaps the most threatened taxa locally are Lilium bolanderi,

Schoanoliron bracteosum (T), and -Poa piperi. These species are both rare regionally and localized in the dwarf forest in areas with mining damage. The two most threatened species of the local flora listed by CNPS, Arabis aculeolata and Sedum laxum subsp. flavidum are both locally uncommon, but their apparent restriction to the undisturbed lower canyon of the

N. Fk. of the Smith River offers them more protection than the above taxa.

Because of the harsh ultramafic soil, the recent mining spurs have not become colonizatioa routes for introduced ruderals. The only non-natives seen in the area were a few scattered indfviduaLs of Lolium per en?^ along the Wimer Road and one individual of the grass Setari.a viridis growing in a can with non-ultramafic soil in it. Hence, there is no threat of competition from non-natives in this area.

A greater threat to one important member of the bog forest, Port Orford cedar, is presented by the proliferation of roads fn and adjacent to the up-slope parts of the study rea. Because the fungus Phytophthora lateralis is easily transported on muddy fenders of cars and trucks, there is a distinct possibflity of infection of the local POC stands. This is particularly true in the northernmost portion of the

area where roads come within only a few meters of well-

developed bog forest.

Fortunately, despite the number of buldozed tracks in

the study area, there is little evidence of recent vehicular

or foot travel on them. Some of them are already heavily

eroded in parts and are virtually impassible to all but the

most ardent 4x4 enthusiasts, Fortunately erosion of

undisturbed areas adjacent to these roads is not a major

problem, This is because most of the roads in Section 24

cross relatively gentle terrain.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The great botanical value of the area, with its wealth

of rare and endemic taxa, perhaps unsurpassed in the state,

is certainly enough to recommend the establishment of this

area as an RNA. Despite the disturbance created by mining

exploration in Section 24 there are still large areas of the site which are totally undisturbed, including virtually all

of Sections 25 and 36 lying within the proposed boundaries.

Because Section 24 houses the best-developed dwarf forest and the only areas of bog forest it is important to include it within the proposed boundaries, in spite of the local disturbance there.

Certainly any further disturbance related to mining exploration will be curtailed by the establishment of the RIA. However, additional action should be taken to prevent vehicular travel. I recommend closing off all access roads into the study area including even the short spurs in order to prevent the spread of root rot fungus. This can be done effectively using a backhoe at the point where these routes join the Wimer Road.. In addition, the jeep road leading to the Hole-in-the-Ground Mine, which forms the northwestern boundary of the area should be gated at the junction with the

Wimer Road. If at all possible vehicular travel on this road should be limited to the dry part of the year, when the threat of spread of root rot fungus is minimal,

Because the Wimer Road follows the ridge line along most of the western boundary of the study area carfull steps should also be taken to prevent the spread of root rot via drainage culverts and channels into the RNA. Wherever possible the road should be banked to drain to the west into the Copper Creek drainage. LITERATURE CITED

Albers, J.P. 1966. Economic deposits of the Klamath Mountains. pp. 51-61 -IN E.H. Bailey (ed.) Geology af . Calif. Div. Mines and Geol. Bull,

190.

Atzet, and Wheeler. 1984, Preliminary Plant associations of

the Siskiyou Mountains Province. Unpublished report on

file at PNW, Portland, Oregon. Becking, R.W. 1986. (see insert at end of literature cited). Griffin, J. and W. Critchfield, The distribution of forest

trees in California. USDA Forest Service Research Paper

PSW-82/1972. Irwin, W.P. 1966. Geology of the Klamath Mountains province. pp, 17-38 -IN E.H. Bailey (ed.) Geology of Northern California. Calif. Div, Mines and Geol. Bull.

190.

Irwin, W.P. 1981. Tectonic accretion of the Klamath Mountains. pp. 29-49 -IN W.G. Erast (ed.) The Geotectonic Development of California. Prentice-Wall,

EngLewood Cliffs, .

Kahrl, W.L. (ed.) 1979. The California Water Atlas, State of California.

Keeler-Wolf, T. 1982. An ecological survey of the proposed

Cedar Basin Research Natural Area, Siskiyou County

California. Unpublished report on file at PSW,

Berkeley.

Keeler-Wolf, T. 1983. An ecological survery of the Frenzel Creek Research Natural Area, Mendocino National Forest.

Unpublished report on file at PSW Berkeley.

Knight, W., I. Knight, and J.T. Howell. 1970. A vegetation survey of the Butterfly Botanical Area, California.

Wassrnan Jour. Biol. 28:l-246.

Kruckeberg, A.R, 1984. California Serpentines: Flora,

Vegetation, Geology, Soils, and Management Problems.

U.C. Press, Berkeley.

Peattie, D.C. 1953. A Natural History of Western Trees.

Bonanza, New York

Smith, J.P. and R. York, 1984. Inventory of Rare and

Endangered Vascular Plants of California. California

Native Plant Society, Berkeley, California

Stebbins, G,L, and J. Major. 1965. Endemism and speciation

in the Calffornia flora. Ecolog. Monogr. 35: 1-35.

Waring, R.W. 1969. Forest Plants of the Eastern Siskiyous:

their environmental and vegetational distribution.

Northwest Science 43:l-17.

White, C.D. 1971, Vegetation-soil chemistry correlations in

serpentine . Ph.D. dissertation University of

Oregon, Eugene.

Whipple, J.J. and E. Cope. 1979

the proposed Mt. Eddy Research Natural Area.

Unpublished report on file at PSW, Berkeley.

Whittaker, R.H. 1954, The ecology of serpentine soils. I.

Introduction. Ecology 35:258-288.

Whittaker, R.H. 1960. Vegetation of the Siskiyou Mountains, Oregon and California. Ecolog. Monogr,

30:279-338.

Whittaker, R.H. 1961. Vegetation history of the Pacific

Coast States and the *'centralt' significance of the

Klamath Region. Madrono 16~5-23.

Zobel, D.B. 1986. A land-allocation program for Port Orford

Cedar. Unpublished report on file at Western Natural

Resources Law Clinic, University of Oregon, Eugene.

Beckfng ,Ill, W. 1986. Ha.stl.n.gsia purpurea (Li1iacea.e : Asphodeleae) , a new species from southwestern Oregon. Madron.0 33~175-181. APPENDIX I: List of Vascular Plants

This list of ca. 162 entities includes only those taxa I identified from the area between August 11 and 13,

1985. The follows Munz (A California Flora and

Supplement, 1968 U.C. Press) unless otherwise noted. The parentheticaL "in Abrams" refers to the taxonomy according to

Abrams' An Illustrated Flora of the Pacific States (in four voLume8) Stanford Press. Those species followed by an asterisk are endemic to the Klamath area.

Symbols followfng the name of the taxa denote the folLowing habitat types: df...... ,.dwarf forest lower df...... ,...... low elevation (< 1100 ft.) dwarf for. dff...... ,..,..douglas-fir forest jp...... Jeffrey pfne woodland b...... bog bf...... bog forest r...... riparian cf...... canyon forest

Achillea millefolium; df Adiantum pedatum var. sleuticum; r Agrostis hallii var, pringlei; df ALnus oregana; r Allium campanulaturn 1; df Amelanchier florida; df Angelica arguta; r Antennaria suffructesceas;* df Arabis aculeolata Greene (in Abrams);* df Arbutus menelesii; dff, lower df, cf Arctostaphylos cinerea;* df, jp, lower df Arctostaphylos glandulosa; df Arctostaphylos intricata; * df Arctostaphylos nevadensis; df Arctostaphylos parviflora;* df Arenaria nuttallii subsp. gregaria ? (or A, rosei*); lower df Arnica spathulata;* df Aster alpigenus subsp. andersonii; b, not list < 4000ft. Aster brickellioides;* df Aster - paladicola;* (in Abrams) b Berberis pumila; df Berberis piperiana; cf BrickeUia greenei; r (boulders above river) Bromus marginatus (possibly brevirostris) jp, dff Calamagrostis crassiglumis dff-jp border Calamagrostis nutkaensis; b Calocedrus decurrens; df Calystegia occidentalis; df, jp Carex sp. b Carex sp. ; df Carex angustior? b Carex serratodens; b Caatilleja elata;* b Castilleja pruinosa; df Ceanothus pumiLus;* jp, df Chamaecyparis lawsoniana;* bf, df Chimaphila menzfesii; dff Chrysopsis oregana; r boulders above Scott River. Cordylanthus viscidus;* df Danthonia californica; b Darlfngtonia californfca; b Delphinium nudfcaule; df Deschampsia ca$epitosa; b Descharnpsia caespitosa subsp. beringenais; b Disporum hookeri; dff, cf Elymus glaucus subsp. jepsonii jp Epilobium rigidurn;* r, df Epipactis gigantea; r, b Eriodictyon californicurn; lower df Erigeron sp.; r Erigeron foliosus var. confinis;* df, jp Erfogonum nudum; df Eriogonum pendulum;* lower df Eriogonum ternaturn;* jp Festuca californica; jp, df Festuca idahoensis; jp Festuca subulata; moist canyon Fritillarfa glauca; jp, df Galium ambiguum var. sfskiyouensis;* df Garrya buxifolia;* df Gaultheria shallon; dff, bf, Oayophytum ramosissimum; jp Gentiana affinis; df, jp Gentiana setigera;* b Goodyera oblongifolia; dff Graninae; Melica?, Bromus? broad glumes and florets, lemmas ciliate on margins and scabdous on tops with short- awned emarginate tips, df Habenaria sparsiflora; b Haplopappus racenosus subsp. congestus;* df, jp, bf Helenium bigelovii; b Hierachloe occidentalis; cf Hferacium bolanderii* df Holodiscus discolor var. delnortensis;* df, bf Horkelia sericata;* df, jp, bf Iris innorninata;* df, jp Iris chrysophylla;* df Juncus confusus jp Juncus orthophyllus; b, heads 2-4 flowered, below elev, range Juncua phaeocephalus; b, r Juniperus communis var. jackii;* df, jp Lathyrus delnorticus;* df Ledum glanduloaum subsp. columbianum; b Lilium bolanderi;* df Lflium vollvmeri;* r Lithocarpus densiflora; dff, cf Lithocarpus densiflora var. echinoides;* df, bf, jp Lolium perenne; along road Lomatium californicum; df, bf Lomatiurn howeLlii;* df Lomatium tracyi;* lower df Lotus oblongifolius; r Lupinus latifolius subsp. viridifolius;* df Monardella purpurea;* df Myrica californica; b Narthecium californicum; b Onychium densum; jp, df Oryzopsis? sp.; Stipa-like but deciduous awn, df Pernassia palustris; b Penstemon azureus; df Perideridia oregana;* df Phacelia neaoralis or corymbosa; df, lower df Phlox diffusa; df Phlox speciosa subsp. occidentalis; df Physocarpus capitata; r Pinguicula macroceras b Pinus attenuata; df, Pinus contorta subsp, nov.;* df, bf Pinus jeffreyi; jp, df Pinus rnonticols df, bf Poa piperi;* df, jp Polystichurn muniturn; dff, cf Polygonurn spergulariforrne;* jp Pseudotsuga menzieaii; df, tiff, cf Pterfdium aqualinum; df Pyrola picta subsp. dentata; df Quexcus chrysolepis; dff, canyon forest Quercus vaccinifolia; df, b Rhamnus californica subsp, occidentalis;* df, bf, jp Rhododendron occidentale; bf, r Rhododendron macrophyllum; df Rosa gymnocarpa; df Rudbeckia californica var. glauca;* b Rubus ursinus; dff Salix delnortensis;* r Salix sp.; leaves entire and narrow (cf. hfndsiana, breweri) but not pubescent Salix tracyi;* r at 6-700 ft., not listed above 500 ft.

Figure 1: Typical dense aggregation of Darlingtonia californtca backed by bog forest dominated by ~hamaecyparislawsoniana in central portion of Section 24. .

Figure 2: The silvery-eilky baeal leaves of the rare Horlcelia sericata in understory of Jeffrey Pine woodland at Stone Corral. Figure 31 The rare Geatiana affinis in understory of dwarf forest.

Figure 4: The insectivorous basal leaves of the rare Pfnguicula macroceias in a mucky section of bog forest. Figure 5: The rare Gentiana setiffera se en do ciao s en ti an) la wet portion of bog forest.

Figure 6: The rare Haplopappus racernosus subsp. congestus in understory of Jeffrey pine woodland at Stone Corral. Figure 7: The rare Epilobium rigidum festooning boulders above the banks of the North Fork of the Smith River.

Figure 8: Detail of a clonal stand of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana in bog forest showing two stems connected by a common large surface root. Another root, which connects to two more stems continues off to the Left rear of the photo. Figure 9: Typical mosaic of herb-dominated and tree-dominated segments of bog forest.

Figure 10: Detail of herb-dominated portion of bog forest surrounding a small rivulet. Figure lit View looking northeast along the North Fork of the Smith River. The boundary of the proposed RNA is on left bank. Note sparse riparian vegetation.

Figure 12: Typfcal montane specie6 such as Juaiperur communia and Arctostaphylos nevadtnsts at 1500 ft. elevation among peridotite boulderr. Figure 13: View northeast across dwarf forest. Note small herb-dominated opening in foreground. Taller trees are -Pinus monticola over shorter, more uniform -P. contorta and -P. att.enuata.

Figure 14: A section of dwarf forest with dense understory of shrubs. Figure 15: A view of the dwarf forest burned in August 1981. Note vigorous resprouting of Lithocarpus and other shrubs and completely killed canopy of Pinus manticola and -P. contorts.

Figure 16: Typical herbacour opening in dwarf forest dominated by grasses such as Festuca californica, Pea piperi, and Stipa lemmonif. The low shrubs in the opening are Arctostaphylos nevadensis. Ffgure 17t Low elevation dwarf forest-woodland about 200 vertical feet above Smith River, Trees in foreground are -Pin are mas

Figure 18r Jeffrey pine woodland looking southeast at Stone Corral. Mote thick carpet of grass (mostly Feetuca californica) in understory. Figure 198 Dense, lush understory of Gaultheria shallon and masses at the base of Peeudotsuga trunks in Douglas-fir forest on grbbro.

Figute 20s Tall specimens of -Pfnus monticola and Arbutus meacfesii in canyon forest.