Burton Creek Natural Area

This Natural Preserve is located in the Burton Creek State Park. (See also Antone Meadows Natural Preserve.) Much of the area consists of a coniferous forest with white fir, Abies concolor, red fir, Abies magnifica, Jeffrey pine, Pinus jeffreyi, and lodgepole pine, Pinus murrayana. There is a mixed understory containing large patches of pine-mat manzanita, Arctostaphylos nevadensis, and squaw carpet, Ceanothus prostratus.

Montane chaparral is present in small areas with mountain white thorn, Ceanothus cordulatus, generally the dominant species; mountain mahogany, Cercocarpus betuloides, bush chinquapin, Chrysolepis sermpervirens, and bitter-brush, Purshia tridentata, are also present.

Of note is a small area of scrub, with the uncommon, low-growing sagebrush Artemisia arbuscula and a prostrate buckwheat, Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale, predominant. These species are found in shallow, rocky soils covering the edge of an ancient lava flow and are spaced rather evenly at about 1-meter (3-foot) intervals. For the most part, the space between plants is bare, rocky soil but there are occasional sulphur-flowers, Eriogonum umbellatum var. polyanthum, and squirreltail grass, Elymus elymoides ssp. elymoides, scattered through the scrub.

A riparian association occurs along Burton Creek and includes black cottonwood, Populus trichocarpa, dogwood, Cornus sericea ssp. sericea, mountain alder, Alnus tenuifolia, quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides, and several willows, Salix lemmonii, Salix lasiandra, Salix jepsonii and Salix scouleriana.

There is a small meadow with such species as Hordeum brachyantherum, Elymus glaucus, Leymus triticoides, Veratrum californicum, Sidalcea oregana and Perideridia parishii present.

Integrity: There is a small dam on the creek and several jeep trails are in the area; otherwise the preserve is virtually undisturbed.

Use: Research, educational, observational.

July 1982