Dawson Los Monos Canyon
Map SatelliteOn this Reserve the permanent Agua Hedionda Creek has cut a heavily fractured and decomposed segment of the Southern California batholith to form the steep-sided Los Monos Canyon. Portions of the crests of the north and south facing slopes, some 200 meters (600 feet) apart, are over 110 meters (360 feet) above the canyon floor.
Several plant communities are present: coastal sage scrub with such species as California sagebrush, Artemisia californica, white sage, Salvia apiana, black sage, Salvia mellifera; chamise, Adenostoma fasciculatum, is found on the south-facing slopes. There is chaparral in much of the area, including the north slopes where scrub oak, Quercus sp., mountain mahogany, Cercocarpus minutiflorus, Arctostaphylos bicolor, and toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, are common. Along the stream there is a typical Southern California riparian association, with sycamore, Platanus racemosa, and arroyo willow, Salix lasiolepis. There is some oak woodland, with California live oak, Quercus agrifolia, dominant.
The animal life is varied and includes over 20 species of mammals, more than 25 nesting species and well over 100 non-resident species of birds, with occasional large concentrations of the white-tailed kite, Elanus leucurus.
Integrity: A part of the University of California's Natural Land and Water Reserves System, the area is virtually undisturbed.
Use: Educational, research.
October 1975
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman
