DRAFT July 14, 2008 Natural Regeneration of Three Oak Species at the Enid W. Pearson-Arastradero Preserve in Santa Clara County, California A Report By: Dr. Lynne Trulio and the Advanced Environmental Restoration Class Department of Environmental Studies San Jose State University San Jose, CA 95192-0115 July 2008 DRAFT July 14, 2008 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY …………………………………………………………………… . 6 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................... 10 VALLEY OAKS (Quercus lobata)............................................................................................. 12 Range and Physical Appearance............................................................................................... 12 Physical Conditions .................................................................................................................. 15 Growth Habits........................................................................................................................... 15 Interactions with Other Important Species ............................................................................... 16 Factors in Regeneration ............................................................................................................ 17 BLUE OAK (Quercus douglasii)................................................................................................ 19 Range and Physical Appearance............................................................................................... 19 Growth and Physical Conditions .............................................................................................. 21 Population ................................................................................................................................. 22 Interactions with Other Important Species ............................................................................... 23 Factors in Regeneration ............................................................................................................ 23 COAST LIVE OAK (Quercus agrifolia)................................................................................... 26 Range and Physical Appearance............................................................................................... 26 Interactions with Other Important Species ............................................................................... 29 Factors in Regeneration ............................................................................................................ 30 ARASTRADERO PRESERVE HISTORY.............................................................................. 33 Early History to Pre-1970 ......................................................................................................... 33 History from 1970 to 1990........................................................................................................ 36 History from 1990 to present ....................................................................................................38 STUDY SETTING and SAMPLING DESIGN........................................................................ 43 Setting ....................................................................................................................................... 44 Stand Selection.......................................................................................................................... 45 Sampling Design....................................................................................................................... 49 DATA COLLECTION ............................................................................................................... 40 Plot Data.................................................................................................................................... 51 DRAFT July 14, 2008 Sapling Data.............................................................................................................................. 53 Adult Data................................................................................................................................. 53 Data Preparation........................................................................................................................ 54 DATA ANALYSIS...................................................................................................................... 55 GIS Mapping............................................................................................................................. 55 Statistics .................................................................................................................................... 55 RESULTS .................................................................................................................................... 56 DISCUSSION .............................................................................................................................. 60 Characteristics of Saplings........................................................................................................ 63 Factors Affecting Seedling Location ........................................................................................ 65 Climate Considerations............................................................................................................. 67 RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................................................ 68 General...................................................................................................................................... 68 Planting ..................................................................................................................................... 71 Monitoring ................................................................................................................................ 73 REFERENCES............................................................................................................................ 79 Appendix 1: Protocols for Field Data Collection ………………………………………...…..88 Appendix 2: Field Data Sheets…………………………………………………………………90 Appendix 3: Protocols for Data Entry ………………………….. ........................................... 94 Appendix 4: Total Number of Saplings and By Species for Each Stand Sampled……… ... 95 Appendix 5: UTMs for Plots Sampled………………………………………………………105 DRAFT July 14, 2008 Figures Figure 1: Range of Valley Oaks in California .............................................................................. 13 Figure 2: Lobed leaves of Valley Oak .......................................................................................... 14 Figure 3: Bark of Valley Oak........................................................................................................ 14 Figure 4: Valley Oak Acorns ........................................................................................................ 19 Figure 5: Distribution of Blue Oaks.............................................................................................. 20 Figure 6: Blue Oak Bark ..................................................................................................... 21 Figure 7: Blue Oak Leaves .......................................................................................................... 21 Figure 8: Coast Live Oak leaves................................................................................................... 27 Figure 9: Coast live oak acorns..................................................................................................... 27 Figure 10: Drawing of an Original J.H. Cutter Whiskey bottle.................................................... 34 Figure 11: Depiction of Camp Fremont during its operation. ...................................................... 35 Figure 12: Boundary and Trail Map of Arastradero Preserve ...................................................... 37 Figure 13: Distribution of Tree Species at Arastradero Preserve. ................................................ 46 Figure 14: Locations of Juvenile Oaks Planted at Arastradero Preserve in 2007......................... 47 Figure 15: Locations of Mowed Regions at Arastradero Preserve............................................... 48 Figure 16: Location of Stands Chosen for Sampling.................................................................... 50 Figure 17: Stratified Classification used for Each Stand.............................................................. 51 Figure 18: Sampling Plot Design.................................................................................................. 52 Figure 19: Spherical Densiometer ................................................................................................52 Figure 20: Clinometer................................................................................................................... 54 Figure 21: How to Measure the Height of a Tree on a Flat Surface............................................. 54 Figure 22: Sapling Distribution in all Strata................................................................................. 57 Figure 23: Sapling Distribution in Tree Strata.............................................................................. 57 Figure 24: Sapling Distribution in Adjacent Strata......................................................................