DOCSLIB.ORG

Oak Woodlands of Mendocino County: an Assessment of Their Distribution, Ownership Patterns and Policies and Projects Affecting Their Conservation

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Oak Woodlands of Mendocino County: an Assessment of Their Distribution, Ownership Patterns and Policies and Projects Affecting Their Conservation Mendocino County Oak Resources Assessment Report February 2001 Oak Woodlands of Mendocino County: An Assessment of Their Distribution, Ownership Patterns and Policies and Projects affecting their Conservation. Giusti, G. A. 2001. Oak Woodlands of Mendocino County: An Assessment of Their Distribution, Ownership Patterns and Policies and Projects affecting their Conservation. [online] URL: http://danr.ucop.edu/ihrmp. 66 pp. 1 Mendocino County Oak Resources Assessment Report February 2001 reface P An ancient Chinese proverb reportedly counsels those contemplating a risk by asserting that every long journey begins with the first step. This report is just such a step. It is the beginning of a long and challenging exercise for the people of Mendocino County and the land they call home. It is the beginning of a process to evaluate, understand and choose a direction for the oak forests found within its boundaries. History paints the current scenes in other California counties where natural resources were not conserved while still plentiful. Sadly, oak-rich dominated counties of the central valley have lost most, if not all, of their rich natural heritage which were once dominated by the grandeur of valley oaks, sycamores, vernal pools and associated wildlife and fish populations. The same legacy is true for many of the coastal counties surrounding the San Francisco Bay and the counties farther to the south. Unfortunately, today, many of those regions are struggling to deal with past practices that have forced people to haggle and fight over remnant stands of oaks, even trees, where once stood magnificent forests. Mendocino County has a rich past and a bright future that are intimately intertwined between the people and their land. Today, we know that past forest activities were not always conducted in such a way that afforded the highest attention toward stewardship and conservation for the land. This attitude toward the land can be and is being altered, and affords an opportunity for those of us now charged with stewardship to protect and enhance our resources for our children and us. The lessons of history also remind us all to be diligent to the ever-present threat of newly introduced pests and diseases. The oak landscape has been changed forever during the past century with the introduction of numerous plant and animal species that have shaped the land that we witness today. Even today, a newly discovered disease threatens the oak woodlands immediately south of Mendocino. As is the case with so many forest tree diseases a cure to the problem does not appear close at hand. This report outlines the current state of knowledge with regard to oak forests within Mendocino County. It identifies the different kinds of oaks found within the county, ownership patterns, conservation and educational efforts aimed at oak stewardship and current local policies targeting oak conservation. As the ancient proverb teaches us, it is just the first step in a planning process that hopefully will help Mendocino County avert the path taken by too many regions of California. Gregory A. Giusti UC Integrated Hardwood Range Management Program 2 Mendocino County Oak Resources Assessment Report February 2001 cknowledgments A An effort of this magnitude could only be successful with the assistance and input from a number of devoted individuals who gave tirelessly of their time and energy. The following individuals provided valuable input toward the development of this document. I would like to express my sincere thanks to: Charlotte Ambrose, Blaine Baker, Margaret Baumgratz, Dave Bengston, Linda Blatchford, Jack Booth, Peter Bradford, Rich Burns, Dianne Chocholak, Phyllis Curtis, Mike Devany, Joe Dillon, Allen Fallari, Jerri Finn, Kate Frey, Nancy Gard, Judy Garret, Linda Gray, Jim Guntley, Evan Johnson, Gary Johnson, Jeanette Knutson, Rudy Light, Charles Martin, Sam Masters, Greg Mangan, Ann Maxwell, John Nickerson, Linda Perkins, John Phillips, Julie Price, Richard Ruddick, Dave Sagehorn, Steve Smith, Roger Sternberg, Bruce Strickler, Bob Whitney, Chuck Williams, Jim Xerogeanes. Gregory A. Giusti Integrated Hardwood Range Management Program 3 Mendocino County Oak Resources Assessment Report February 2001 Table of Contents Executive Summary 5 Introduction 8 Phase I 10 An assessment of current status of oak woodlands in Mendocino County Phase II 17 An assessment of current programs and activities focusing on oak woodland conservation in Mendocino County. Phase III 25 An Assessment of Oak Resources at Risk. Phase IV 29 An Evaluation of Current Programs, Policies and Future Considerations. Appendices Appendix 1 38 1993 Letter Sent to Mendocino County from the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection Directing County-based Approach to Oak Conservation. Appendix 2 42 An Abridged Version of Brooktrails Township – Oak Woodland Policies and Regulations. Appendix 3 48 General Plan Language for the County of Mendocino. Appendix 4 53 Conservation Strategy for Mendocino County submitted by Rudy Light Appendix 5 61 Oak and Vegetation Distribution Maps of Mendocino County. Appendix 6 66 Invited Participants for Oak Conservation Committee. 4 Mendocino County Oak Resources Assessment Report February 2001 xecutive Summary The Oak Conservation Committee was a collaborative effort between the ECounty of Mendocino and the UC Integrated Hardwood Range Management Program (IHRMP). The Committee membership, developed by the IHRMP, consisted of individuals who have long had an interest and/or experience in oak woodland management throughout Mendocino County. The committee was charged with addressing the directive provided to counties by the Board of Forestry in 1993 to develop locally based conservation strategies (Appendix 1). The committee met monthly over a period of six months. The meetings were structured to allow focused presentations and discussions on selected topics. The committee’s agenda was divided into four comprehensive phases with each phase guiding the focus for the monthly meetings. Phase I – An assessment of current status of oak woodlands in Mendocino County. This first phase allowed participants to understand the current distribution, ownership patterns, land-use patterns and biological and physical aspects of the oak woodlands found within the county. This phase provided an opportunity for members to have an equitable understanding of the issues and topics to be discussed. Phase II – An assessment of current programs and activities focusing on oak woodland conservation in Mendocino County. A number of independently organized efforts are currently underway addressing a number of conservation issues throughout the county. This phase gave participants an opportunity to hear from land trusts, educators, land managers and special districts and their current efforts aimed at oak woodland conservation. Phase III – An assessment of oak resources at risk. The term risk has different definitions for various audiences. This phase gave committee participants an opportunity to hear information pertaining to physical, biological and social risks in the absence of strategies to conserve oak woodlands. Identified risks include: 1) loss of biological diversity, 2) fragmentation of functional habitat, 3) impacts to family farming operations, 4) increased regulatory oversight, and 5) decreased land values. Conservation strategies were identified and discussed that could benefit landowners and landscape level issues. 5 Mendocino County Oak Resources Assessment Report February 2001 Phase IV – A comprehensive evaluation of current programs and future needs. This phase provided an opportunity for the participants to discuss and debate the information that had been provided during the previous meetings. Information gaps were identified in addition to possible future actions. It became clear that both voluntary and mandatory solutions might be appropriate for specific projects. Phase V – Final report of the committee’s efforts. According to the Fire Resource Assessment Program (FRAP) of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF), Mendocino County has approximately 374,000 acres of oak woodlands (based on 1990 estimates). These acres are considered those dominated by true oaks and other hardwood species. This figure does not include hardwood acres found in association with conifers growing on timberlands, e.g. tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) growing on redwood sites. Today, oak woodlands continue to provide quality agricultural sites in addition to opportunities for residential, commercial and industrial development. However, modern development practices are often more aggressive than historical land use practices resulting in the net loss of contiguous oak woodland canopy which has led to increasing public concern over the resource. Future planning processes must identify and address the various land use practices impacting oak woodlands and develop appropriate mechanisms that achieve conservation objectives. This fact captures the essence of the current dialogue occurring throughout California as the State wrestles with the challenge of an ever-increasing human encroachment on a finite natural resource base. This document is intended to provide a basis for discussion to assist Mendocino County in addressing similar pressures that continue to impact local resources. The development of any future conservation plan for natural resources must include an overview of ownership patterns and the recognition of the juxtaposition of both public and private
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Persea Species Restoration in Laurel Wilt Epidemic Areas
    Persea Species Restoration in Laurel Wilt Epidemic Areas Photo: Chip Bates Photo: LeRoy Rodgers Melbourne, Florida Ambrosia beetles are typically harmless But, some are causing mass tree mortality Xyleborus glabratus – redbay ambrosia beetle Clonal symbiosis! Raffaelea lauricola - Ophiostomatales Lauraceae are dominant canopy species throughout the tropics • Over 3000 species so taxonomy is poorly understood • Important essential oils: repel insects, perfumes, spices, fragrant wood and www.mobot.org medicine • Agriculturally important: avocado and spices Non-native Lauraceae susceptibility to Raffaelea lauricola Cinnamomum pedunculatum (Japanese cinnamon) Lindera megaphylla 30 days PI (Asia) wilt some, then stop 20 days PI overall tolerant but not resistant Persea podadenia (Mexico) overall susceptible 30 days PI ~35 more species to test Known hosts in the USA Persea borbonia - Redbay Persea palustris – Swamp bay Persea humilis - Silkbay Persea americana - Avocado *Persea indica Cinnamomum camphora – Camphor tree AGprofessional.com Sassafras albidum - Sassafras *Umbellularia californica – California bay laurel Laurus nobilis – European bay laurel *Lindera benzoin - Northern spicebush en.wikipedia.org/ aLindera melissifolia - Pondberry wiki/Sassafras aLitsea aestivalis - Pondspice *Licaria triandra - Gulf licaria *Ocotea coriacea - Lancewood *Persea mexicana – Mexican redbay *artificial fungal inoculation a threatened or endangered Palamedes swallowtail (Papilio palamedes) Laurel Wilt Disease-Widespread and High Mortality Percent redbay
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogeny and Historical Biogeography of Lauraceae
    PHYLOGENY Andre'S. Chanderbali,2'3Henk van der AND HISTORICAL Werff,3 and Susanne S. Renner3 BIOGEOGRAPHY OF LAURACEAE: EVIDENCE FROM THE CHLOROPLAST AND NUCLEAR GENOMES1 ABSTRACT Phylogenetic relationships among 122 species of Lauraceae representing 44 of the 55 currentlyrecognized genera are inferredfrom sequence variation in the chloroplast and nuclear genomes. The trnL-trnF,trnT-trnL, psbA-trnH, and rpll6 regions of cpDNA, and the 5' end of 26S rDNA resolved major lineages, while the ITS/5.8S region of rDNA resolved a large terminal lade. The phylogenetic estimate is used to assess morphology-based views of relationships and, with a temporal dimension added, to reconstructthe biogeographic historyof the family.Results suggest Lauraceae radiated when trans-Tethyeanmigration was relatively easy, and basal lineages are established on either Gondwanan or Laurasian terrains by the Late Cretaceous. Most genera with Gondwanan histories place in Cryptocaryeae, but a small group of South American genera, the Chlorocardium-Mezilauruls lade, represent a separate Gondwanan lineage. Caryodaphnopsis and Neocinnamomum may be the only extant representatives of the ancient Lauraceae flora docu- mented in Mid- to Late Cretaceous Laurasian strata. Remaining genera place in a terminal Perseeae-Laureae lade that radiated in Early Eocene Laurasia. Therein, non-cupulate genera associate as the Persea group, and cupuliferous genera sort to Laureae of most classifications or Cinnamomeae sensu Kostermans. Laureae are Laurasian relicts in Asia. The Persea group
    [Show full text]
  • Corridors, Corridors, Everywhere
    Plant Communities and Corridors Plants in Nature and Plants in Gardens What are native plants? What are endemic plants? Arctostaphylos mewukka Indian Manzanita, an example of endemism California Floristic Province Ecological Hotspot Criteria: • Over 1500 species of irreplaceable endemic vascular plants CA has over 2100 • Less than 30% of original vegetation CA has 24% • 35 hotspots in the world • Cover just 2.3% of Earth’s land surface • Support more than 50% of plant species • California is one of just 5 Mediterranean hotspots Geology and topography help determine what grows where: Soils from ocean sediment, uplift, glaciation, volcanoes… Plants evolved on varied substrates They’re evolving while we speak! Plants in nature don’t use fertilizer Organic matter: leaves, stems, animal manure, dead things… Soil biota: decomposers (fungi, bacteria) and ‘soil animals’ (protozoa, nematodes) Decomposition by microbes is extremely complex. They decompose and build new organic Nutrient exchanges compounds. Soil interacts with the compounds. Native plants drive ecosystems via evolutionary interdependencies Each member provides ecosystem services There are multiple nutrition strategies Plants tend to congregate in overlapping Plant Communities Examples: • Oak Woodland • Chaparral • Dry Perennial/Scrub • Grassland • Riparian * These are just the main plant communities around Placerville and Cameron Park Oak Woodland Community 5 main oak species (Blue, Valley, Interior, Canyon, and Black oak) Grey pine Toyon Mexican elderberry California bay California
    [Show full text]
  • Classification of the Vegetation Alliances and Associations of Sonoma County, California
    Classification of the Vegetation Alliances and Associations of Sonoma County, California Volume 1 of 2 – Introduction, Methods, and Results Prepared by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program California Native Plant Society Vegetation Program For: The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District The Sonoma County Water Agency Authors: Anne Klein, Todd Keeler-Wolf, and Julie Evens December 2015 ABSTRACT This report describes 118 alliances and 212 associations that are found in Sonoma County, California, comprising the most comprehensive local vegetation classification to date. The vegetation types were defined using a standardized classification approach consistent with the Survey of California Vegetation (SCV) and the United States National Vegetation Classification (USNVC) system. This floristic classification is the basis for an integrated, countywide vegetation map that the Sonoma County Vegetation Mapping and Lidar Program expects to complete in 2017. Ecologists with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the California Native Plant Society analyzed species data from 1149 field surveys collected in Sonoma County between 2001 and 2014. The data include 851 surveys collected in 2013 and 2014 through funding provided specifically for this classification effort. An additional 283 surveys that were conducted in adjacent counties are included in the analysis to provide a broader, regional understanding. A total of 34 tree-overstory, 28 shrubland, and 56 herbaceous alliances are described, with 69 tree-overstory, 51 shrubland, and 92 herbaceous associations. This report is divided into two volumes. Volume 1 (this volume) is composed of the project introduction, methods, and results. It includes a floristic key to all vegetation types, a table showing the full local classification nested within the USNVC hierarchy, and a crosswalk showing the relationship between this and other classification systems.
    [Show full text]
  • Two New Species of Lauraceae from Espírito Santo, Brazil
    TWo NeW SPeCIeS oF LAuRACeAe FRoM eSPíRITo SANTo, BRAzIL PEDRO LUÍS RODRIGUES DE MORAES,1, 2 TAMIRIS BIANCA FERNANDES,3 IGOR HENRIQUE FREITAS AZEVEDO,4 AND TIAGO DOMINGOS MOUZINHO BARBOSA5 Abstract. Two new species from the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest of Espírito Santo State, Licaria spiritusanctensis and Ocotea teresae, are described and illustrated. Their putative relationships within the respective genera are discussed. We also provide illustrations and comments on micromorphological and anatomical features of leaves of these new species, comparing them to those of congenerics and showing that they can be useful for recognition of different taxa. Keywords: leaf cuticle, leaf vascular bundle, Licaria, Ocotea, taxonomy In this study, two new species are described respectively published a synopsis of the genus, proposing its subdivision for Licaria Aubl. and Ocotea Aubl. The work is a by-product into smaller informal entities, which encompassed 29 groups of the treatment of the Lauraceae for the Flora of Espírito of species sharing morphological affinities, and 54 species Santo, Brazil. The descriptions and illustrations of the new treated singly. No subsequent monographic treatments of species are presented below, as well as a discussion on their these groups have been published, except for the study of possible relationships with congenerics. the Ocotea indecora (Schott) Mez group (Assis and Mello- Licaria is a Neotropical genus of about 65 species Silva, 2010). A synopsis of the Central American species was (Trofimov and Rohwer, 2018 [although 77 names are published by van der Werff (2002), but the South American currently in use by different authors]), distributed from species are still less well known (Moraes and van der Werff, southern Florida and Mexico to southern Brazil and Bolivia 2011; van der Werff, 2011).
    [Show full text]
  • Quercus Agrifolia Noah Marthinsen -California Native
    Quercus agrifolia Noah Marthinsen -California Native -Awesome Plant, does some very cool things. -Used as food source, capital punishment, political symbol and temporary residences in Berkeley, CA for thousands of years. Classification Fagaceae - Beech family (with Fagus, Castanea, Lithocarpus, etc) Quercus - Oak genus (600+ species; important genus historically and economically) Lobatae- Subsection of Red Oaks (also includes kelloggii, palustris, shumardii, etc) Identification Acorns- Slender reddish-brown acorns 2-4 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide borne on each season’s growth Cupule covers ~1/4, has appressed scales. Green when immature, matures in 7-8 months Leaves- Dark green, oval-obovate Spiny margins, convex, axillary hair on leaf vein Bark- Smooth grey bark, can become deeply fissured, and resemble carving. Older trees can be quite gnarly. Oak flowers? -Yes! (wind pollen) -Flowers in early- mid spring. - Imperfect flowers: male catkins are 5- 10 cm, female flowers less conspicuous, but give rise to acorns (better way of IDing Oaks) Structure • Potentially epic architecture – Training or not? • Can also be hedged (ugly) • My favorite thing about oaks. Habitat & Culture • California Endemic- range from Mendocino to Baja – Coast to Sierra Nevada foothills- up to 1500 m • Sunset Zones 7-9, 14-24 (includes every single non- desert or non-alpine zone in California) • Best close to coast (but not ON coast) – Stabilizing temperatures, salt-air tolerant, coastal fog helps with dry summers… • Prefers well-drained soils, such as coastal hills and plains – Very tenacious and spreading root system. Oak Woodland • Dominant in Coast Live Oak Woodland ecosystem type – w/ Aesculus californicum, Umbellularia californicum, Heteromeles arbutifolia, • Classic California Landscape Cultivation • Popular as landscape, park and street tree.
    [Show full text]
  • An Evaluation of Classification By
    AN EVALUATION OF Sachiko Nishida2 and Henk van der Werff 3 CLASSIFICATION BY CUTICULAR CHARACTERS OF THE LAURACEAE: A COMPARISON TO MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY1 AN EVALUATION OF Sachiko Nishida2 and Henk van der Werff 3 CLASSIFICATION BY CUTICULAR CHARACTERS OF THE LAURACEAE: A COMPARISON TO MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY1 ABSTRACT Cuticular characters are epidermal or stomatal characters and are often used in the taxonomy and classification of fossil or extant Lauraceae. However, there is no consensus on their usefulness, especially as to which characters take priority and at which taxonomic level. This study compared the cuticular characters of species within the Neotropical genera of the Ocotea Aubl. complex to the reported molecular phylogeny. Species of the following genera are included in this study: Aiouea Aubl., Aniba Aubl., Dicypellium Nees & Mart., Endlicheria Nees, Kubitzkia van der Werff, Licaria Aubl., Nectandra Rol. ex Rottb., Ocotea, Paraia Rohwer, H. G. Richt. & van der Werff, Pleurothyrium Nees, Rhodostemonodaphne Rohwer & Kubitzki, Umbellularia (Nees) Nutt., and Urbanodendron Mez. Species groups based on cuticular characters, especially characters of the stomata, agreed well with the various clades in the molecular phylogeny, but did not agree with species grouped according to the traditional generic concepts. Stomata characters showed little or no variation within the clades found in the molecular phylogeny. Because the number of character states is limited, cuticular features by themselves cannot be used to define genera or clades or will not allow the identification of specimens. Key words: Aiouea, Aniba, classification, cuticle, Dicypellium, Endlicheria, epidermis, Kubitzkia, Lauraceae, Licaria, Nectandra, Ocotea, Paraia, Pleurothyrium, Rhodostemonodaphne, stomata, Umbellularia, Urbanodendron. The pantropical family Lauraceae, which consists Rowett, 1996; Nishida & Christophel, 1999; Nishida of about 50 genera comprising 2500 to 3000 species, & van der Werff, 2007; Carpenter et al., 2010).
    [Show full text]
  • Susceptibility of Persea Spp. and Other Lauraceae to Attack by Redbay Ambrosia Beetle, Xyleborus Glabratus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)
    Scientific Notez 783 SUSCEPTIBILITY OF PERSEA SPP. AND OTHER LAURACEAE TO ATTACK BY REDBAY AMBROSIA BEETLE, XYLEBORUS GLABRATUS (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE: SCOLYTINAE) J. E. PeÑA1,*, D. CARRILLO1, R. E. DUNcAN1, J. L. CApINeRA2, G. BRAR2, S. McLeAN2, M. L. ARpAIA3, E. FOcHT3, J. A. SmITH4, M. HUgHes5 ANd P. E. KeNdRA6 1University of Florida, Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead, FL 33031 2University of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology, Gainesville, FL 32611 3University of California, Department of Botany ad Plant Sciences, Riverside, CA 92521 4University of Florida, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Gainesville, FL 32611 5University of Florida, Department of Plant Pathology, Gainesville, FL 32611 6USDA-ARS, Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, Miami, FL 33158 *Corresponding author; E-mail: [email protected] Redbay ambrosia beetle (RAB), Xyleborus gla- collections, some have been discovered recently, bratus Eichhoff (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Sco- and some have resistance to diseases that afflict lytinae), a native of Asia, was first discovered in their commercial relative, the avocado (Skutch the USA near Savannah, Georgia in 2002 (Haack et al. 1992; Scora & Bergh 1992; Zentmyer & 2001; Rabaglia et al. 2006). RAB is an effective Schieber 1992). Thus, their susceptibility to RAB vector of Raffaelea lauricola T.C. Harr., Fraedrich and LW warrants evaluation. Another member of & Aghayeva (Harrington et al. 2008) that causes the Lauraceae of much concern is the California laurel wilt (LW), a lethal disease of several trees bay laurel [Umbellularia californica (Hook. & in the Lauraceae in the southeastern USA (Crane Arn.) Nutt.], a dominant hardwood species of the et al. 2008; Mayfield et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Host and Habitat Index for Phytophthora Species in Oregon
    Hansen, E., Reeser, P., Sutton, W., and Sims, L. 2012. Host and habitat index for Phytophthora species in Oregon. Forest Phytophthoras 2(1). doi: 10.5399/osu/fp.2.1.3026 Host and Habitat Index for Phytophthora Species in Oregon • Everett Hansen • Paul Reeser • Wendy Sutton • Laura Sims Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331 USA Corresponding author: [email protected] 1. Introduction Phytophthora species are known as pathogens of agricultural crops or invasive pathogens destroying forests, and their prominent inclusion in various host-pathogen-indices reflects this importance. It is increasingly evident, however, that Phytophthora species are abundant in streams in healthy forests and widespread in forest soils causing cryptic diseases, in addition to their more traditional roles as aggressive pathogens. While their ecology in non-agricultural ecosystems remains poorly understood, we now know that a numerous and diverse, nutritionally complex community of Phytophthora species is present in a variety of associations with forests and forest trees. In this contribution we compile existing records from available sources of reliably identified Phytophthora species from forests and forest trees in Oregon, USA. The results are summarized by host and habitat in Tables 1-3. A searchable version of this information may be found in the Forest Phytophthoras of the World Disease Finder (select USA-Oregon). Details of specifically documented isolates, including locations and available cultures and Genbank acquisitions, as well as citations are included in the supplemental spreadsheet. We have included isolations from soil and streams in forests that are often not associated with any specific disease symptoms.
    [Show full text]
  • Umbdlularia Californica (Hook. & Am.) Nutt. California-Laurel
    Umbdlularia californica (Hook. & Am.) Nutt. California-Laurel Lauraceae Laurel family William I. Stein California-laurel (UmbeZZuZaria californica) is the most valued and best publicized hardwood species in '450 the Western United States. It is a monotypic, broad- --IL leaved evergreen with many common names, includ- ing bay, laurel, California-bay, Oregon-myrtle, myrtlewood, Pacific-myrtle, spice-tree, and pepper- wood (50). The names are derived from leaf, fruit, or wood characteristics and also from some similarities often mistaken for relationships with the myrtle and laurel trees of the Mediterranean area (12,25). Decorative items made from the hard, beautifully grained wood are widely marketed as myrtlewood. Habitat Native Range The range of California-laurel (fig. 1) spans more than 11” of latitude, from below the 44th parallel in the Umpqua River Valley of Douglas County, OR, south beyond the 33d parallel in San Diego County, CA. In the Coast Ranges, the southern limit is on eastern slopes of the Laguna Mountains, a short dis- tance from the Mexican border (19). In the Sierra Nevada, it extends as far south as the west slope of Breckenridge Mountain in Kern County (58). Eastward from the coast, California-laurel extends to the foothills of the Cascade Range in Oregon and California, into the western Sierra Nevada for its entire length, and to the inland side of the Coast Ranges south of San Luis Obispo, CA. Its farthest extent inland, about 257 km (160 mi), is in the southern Sierra Nevada. Climate California-laurel grows in diverse climates, rang- ing from the cool, humid conditions found in dense -300 coastal forests to the hot, dry atmospheres found # inland in open woodlands and chaparral.
    [Show full text]
  • Halls Gulch Bridge Replacement Project
    Rowes Creek Bridge (No. 10C-0123) on Sherwood Road Replacement Project Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration and Initial Study Public Draft February 2015 Prepared for: Mendocino County Department of Transportation 340 Lake Mendocino Drive Ukiah, California 95482 Prepared by: 5000 Bechelli Lane, Suite 203 Redding, California 96002 Rowes Creek Bridge (No. 10C-0123) on Sherwood Road Replacement Project Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration and Initial Study Public Draft February 2015 Prepared for: Mendocino County Department of Transportation 340 Lake Mendocino Drive Ukiah, California 95482 (707) 463-4622 FAX: (707) 463-5474 Prepared by: 5000 Bechelli Lane, Suite 203 Redding, California 96002 (530) 222-5347 FAX: (530) 222-4958 NSR 51385 Project Information Page i 1. Project Title: Rowes Creek Bridge (No. 10C-0123) on Sherwood Road Replacement Project 2. Lead Agency Name and Address Mendocino County Department of Transportation 340 Lake Mendocino Drive Ukiah, CA 95482 3. Contact Person and Phone Number Jackson Ford, Environmental Compliance Specialist (707) 463-4622 4. Project Location Rowes Creek bridge on Sherwood Road, approximately 5.6 miles northwest of Willits, Mendocino, County, California; Township 19 North, Range 14 West, Section 22, Burbeck, California quadrangle; Assessor Parcel Numbers: 037-640-19, 037-640-06, 037-640-07, 037-690-02, and 037-690-01 5. Project Sponsor’s Name Scott Heegler, P.E., Project Manager Mendocino County Department of Transportation 340 Lake Mendocino Drive Ukiah, CA 95482 6. General Plan Designation Upland Residential (RMR20) 7. Zoning Upland Residential (UR) 8. Description of Project The Mendocino County Department of Transportation (County) proposes to replace the existing bridge (No.
    [Show full text]
  • Umbellularia Californica Family: Lauraceae California Laurel
    Umbellularia californica Family: Lauraceae California Laurel Umbellularia californica is the only species in this genus. Its name is derived from the Latin umbellula, a small umbel, describing the flower cluster (inflorescence). Umbellularia californica-Acacia, Acacia Burl, Balm-of-heaven, Bay, Bay Laurel, Bay Tree, Black Laurel, Black Myrtle, Cajeput, Cajeput-tree, California Bay, California Bay Tree, California Laurel, California Olive, California Sassafras, Californian Olive, Laurel, Mountain Hemlock, Mountain Laurel, Myrtle, Myrtle Tree, Myrtly, Oregon Mirt, Oregon Myrtle, Oreodaphne, Pacific Myrtle, Peppermintwood, Pepperwood, Spice Tree, White Laurel, White Myrtle, Yellow Laurel, Yellow Myrtle Distribution Pacific coast region of southwest Oregon, south mostly in Coast Ranges to southern California and in the Sierra Nevada to central California. The Tree This tree grows to 80 feet in height and 3 feet in diameter. California Laurel grows at elevations from sea level to over 6,000 feet. It is tolerant of various soil types and conditions, and grows in many habitats from flatlands to mountain slopes, the best conditions being alluvial deposits from streams and rivers. It grows in association with coastal redwood, sequoia, Port Orford cedar and Douglas fir. They are slow growing and have multiple trunks in poorer soils. The leaves are used by spice companies as "bay" leaves. The leaves are evergreen and glossy, while the flowers are small and yellowish green in color. It produces spherical purplish fruits. This species is planted as an ornamental shrub in warmer climates of the south & west. The small twigs are pale green, turning reddish brown over time. The bark is a dark red brown and sometimes an inch thick.
    [Show full text]