Landels Hill - Big Creek Reserve

This large reserve extends inland up to 5.5 kilometers (3.5 miles) and has nearly 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) of shoreline. The coast is predominantly open and rocky, though there are protected situations with sand or cobble substrates, as well as several cobble beaches and one sandy beach.

Eleven terrestrial plant communities occur here, often in an intricate mosaic. Along the coast there is a central coast scrub with California sagebrush, Artemisia californica, the dominant species. Inland there is some chamise chaparral with Adenostoma fasciculatum and some ceanothus shrub with California lilac, Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, predominating. Extensive patches of grassland occur, with exotics the primary cover.

Redwoods, Sequoia sempervirens, are present in pure stands in some of the side canyons and as a component of a mixed evergreen forest or a riparian association. In the mixed evergreen there are coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia, canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis, tan-bark oak, Lithocarpus densiflorus, madrone, Arbutus menziesii, big-leaf maple, Acer macrophyllum, and California coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica, predominant in the overstory. Some riparian woodlands occur which include white alder, Alnus rhombifolia, and sycamore, Platanus racemosa, as well as madrone and big-leaf maple.

In the southern portion of the reserve there is a ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa, forest with a dense shrub understory of the rare endemic Arctostaphylos hooveri. Ponderosa pines on the reserve grow within 0.75 kilometer (0.47 mile) of the coast.

The endemic Santa Lucia fir, Abies bracteata, is found in several parts of the reserve. Other endemics present here include Lupinus albifrons var. abramsii and Ribes sericeum.

A total of 344 plant species have been collected on the reserve.

The fauna of the reserve is characteristic of the central California coast. Some 26 species of mammals, 101 of birds (excluding shore and sea birds), 15 reptilian and 2 amphibian species have been observed in the area. Among the more noteworthy animals are mountain lion, Felis concolor, ringtailed cat, Bassariscus astutus, bobcat, Lynx rufus, and the introduced wild boar, Sus scrofa, goshawks, Accipiter gentilis, spotted owl, Strix occidentalis, and black swifts, Cypseloides niger. The latter breeds near, and may breed on, the reserve. A population of the California side-blotched lizard, Uta stansburiana hesperis, occurs here and represents a considerable western range extension.

There are various intermittent and permanent creeks, as well as hot and cold springs.

Integrity: Several buildings and campsites are present on the reserve, as well as connecting roads. Some damage from cattle grazing has occurred but most of the area is undisturbed.

Use: Research, educational.

Ref: Carothers, J., et al. 1980. Terrestrial Vertebrates of the Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve. Envir. Field Pro., Univ. of Calif., Santa Cruz, 86 pp.
Bickford, C. & P. Rich. 1979. Vegetation and Flora of Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve. Envir. Field Univ. of Calif., Santa Cruz, 109 pp.

June 1982