Laserfiche WebLink
L WegetatAon mad Hmbltat <br /> <br />The Augustin Bernel Park site, along with its neighboring East Bay <br />Regional parklands, contains a lush reserve of California native plant <br />specimens and wildlife which offers a unique opportunity for interpretation <br />and enjoyment. <br /> <br />The steeper portions of the park ere covered with a mixed oak woodland <br />dominated by Blue Oak (Guercus douglsstl), along with Black Oak, Coast <br />Live Oak, Valley Oak, Big Leaf Maple, California Buckeye and California <br />Bay Laurel. Among the specimens featured on the site, is a magnificent <br />Coast Live Oak with a callper of nearly eight feet in diameter. The <br />under.tory contains much Coyote Brush (Baccharis pilularis) and Poison Oak <br />(Rhus diversiloba), which, needless to say, are common alemerits in the <br />native California landscape. <br /> <br />Lower portions of the hillside on the Golden Eagle Farms property are more <br />open with large areas of dense chapsrrsl type vegetation. These include <br />Coyote Brush, Poison Oak, Blue Elderberry (Sambucus mexicans), Coffee <br />Berry (Rhsmnus californics), and Monkey Flower (Mimulus spp.), as yell as <br />scraggly specimens of Valley Oak. In places along the Golden Eagle Trail <br />the ohmpatrol has grown so high that it obscures otherwise magnificent <br />views o~ the valley. <br /> <br />At the origin of the Golden Eagle Trail, on the Golden Eagle Farms <br />Pro~rty, is an open rolling ~adow approximately two acres in size, which <br />has been recommended by the Golden Eagle Farms development as a staging <br />ares for the main hillside trails. Several magnificent specimens o~ <br />Western Sycamore partially encircle this ares. Separated from this ares <br />by several mature trees is m somewhat smaller upper meadow which affords <br />views of the Castlewood Country Club. The natural vegetation of the <br />undeveloped meadow is a startling contrast to the veil manicured country <br />club gol~ course. <br /> <br />Along the ridgeline of the site, the woodland thins out to a savannah <br />(gram.land) condition. Various species of annual grasses and scattered <br />oak groves characterize this area. A diversity of spring wildflowers such <br />as the Mount Diablo Lily (Chmlochortus pulchellus) and the Wind Poppy <br />(Stylo~on heterophylla) are an attractive feature of the ridgeline. <br />For a more complete flora list see Appendix A. <br /> <br />In several woodland locations in the park are patches of a native bunch <br />grass, California Fescue (Festuca californica). These areas would be of <br />particular interest to groups studying the natural history of the ares as <br />they represent a vestige oZ native landscape that has been largely <br />replaced by European annual grasses. <br /> <br />The rich and varied vegetation creates an attractive habitat for a variety <br />o~ animals and rodents. According to the Ridgelands Regional Park <br />Feasibility Study, (March 1986) prepared by the Planning Collaborative, <br />Inc. these lands contain "some of the best wildlife habitat in Conera <br />Costs, Alameda, and Santa Clara counties; and are known to contain habitat <br /> <br /> - 4 <br /> <br /> <br />