Coal Oil Point Natural Reserve
Map SatelliteLocated on the West Campus of the University of California at Santa Barbara, this Reserve includes four distinctive habitats.
At the Point there is a rocky reef, probably the largest low-lying reef on the south coast of Santa Barbara County. It supports a rich and diverse assemblage of plants and animals including many species of algae, starfish, crabs, octopus, and numerous molluscs.
Immediately northeast is a lagoon, with surrounding mudflats, which is a part of the Campus Reserve. The outlet of this lagoon cuts through the Reserve. Numerous birds, including egrets, curlews, plovers, sanderlings and godwits, visit the lagoon. It is fringed by a community of highly specialized salt-tolerant plants.
There is a series of shoreward dunes which are some of the few remaining coastal dunes in Southern California. They support a cover of great diversity; most of the species are confined to coastal dunes and are not found on regular beaches or inland. The flora of the dunes is geographically and biologically transitional between northern and southern California. Here are northernmost reaches of the southern beach primrose, Camissonia bistorta, and essentially the southernmost representatives of the northern bush lupine, Lupinus arboreus.
The species composition of the dune flora changes rapidly with distance from the shore. Just behind the first ridge of dunes one species of sand verbena, Abronia maritima, is replaced by a second, Abronia umbellata. At their point of contact, many intermediate plants occur, providing a classical example of interspecific hybridization.
The more interior dunes, along the outlet of the lagoon, are largely covered by willow Salix sp.and poplar trees and are relatively stabilized. The openings in the thicket support a variety of smaller plants. This area provides a suitable habitat for a number of animals, including gray fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus, weasel, Mustela frenata, opossum, Didelphis virginiana, and white-tailed kites, Elanus leucurus.
Integrity: Though much of the area has been disturbed and portions, particularly the reef, have been heavily collected, controlled use is restoring the area.
Use: Research, education.
February 1975
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman
