Trees, Going, Going, Gone! |
Hardwood Rangelands |
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| The alluvial terraces and river bottoms of California were some of the first areas settled and farmed in California. This pattern began in earnest in the 1800's. Currently the Central Valley has been converted almost entirely to human uses. In the late 1980's the riparian forests in the Central Valley were estimated to cover only 0.45% of the Valley, even though the floodplains cover 13.4% of the Valley (Hunter et al. submitted). What little remains of the riparian forests are for the most part privately owned and not managed for preservation or biological diversity. Is the trend found in the Central Valley also occurring in the hardwoods rangelands of the California foothills? |
| According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Forest and Rangeland Resources Assessment Program (FRAP) the hardwood rangelands are characterized by four cover types: valley foothill hardwood, montane hardwoods, valley riparian and montane riparian. The valley foothill hardwood cover type consists of blue oak, valley oak, Englemann oak, line oak, coast live oak, canyon live oak, and sometimes digger pine. The montane hardwood cover type consists of canyon live oak, tanoak, madrone, California black oak, Oregon white oak, Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, redwood, white fir, Coulter and Jeffrey pine. The valley riparian cover type consists of cottonwood, California sycamore, valley oak, white alder, boxelder and Oregon ash. The montane riparian cover type consists of Black cottonwood, bigleaf maple, dogwood, boxelder quaking aspen, white alder, Oregon ash willow and thinleaf alder (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 1988). |
| The hardwood zone significantly affects California's water quality, biodiversity, and recreation. Riparian areas provide a filtering system for the water passing through the hardwood zone. The diversity of riparian vegetation helps stabilize banks and reduces erosion during high water events. Riparian systems also play a role in aquifer recharge (Elmore, 1988). |
| In addition to its role in maintaining water quality, riparian systems are important habitats for many California vertebrate species. The hardwoods, including riparian areas, provide habitats for over 300 vertebrate species (Standiford et al., 1996). It is estimated that 25% of California's land mammals are dependent are riparian systems (Leopold, 1984). It is estimated that 83% of the amphibians and 40% of the reptiles in California are dependent on riparian systems for part or all of their life cycle (Brode and Bury, 1984). |
| Hardwood rangelands have been managed primarily for grazing since European settlement. Currently most of the riparian areas are on private land not managed for biodiversity. The lack of protection for hardwood riparian areas leaves them vulnerable to development. California's population in 1996 was estimated by the California Department of Finance to be 32,383,000 and is estimated to reach 47,507,000 by the year 2020. As the population increases, California is rapidly converting agricultural lands and wildlands to urban landuse. Without a coordinated landuse plan, the riparian hardwoods could become fragmented and degraded. |
| Reference List: |
1. Brode, John M. and Bury, R. Bruce. The Importance of Riparian Systems to Amphibians and Reptiles Richard Warner and Kathleen Hendrix. California Riparian Systems Ecology, Conservation, and Productive Management; 1981 Sep 17; Davis, California. Berkeley, California: University of California Press; 1984; c1984. |
2. Elmore, Wayne. Rangeland Riparian Systems. Proceeding of the California Riparian Systems Conference; 1988 Sep 22; Davis, California. Berkeley California: Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station; 1989 Jun: pg.98-95. |
3. Forest and Rangeland Resources Assessment Program(FRAP) California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. California's Forests and Rangelands: Growing Conflict Over Changing Uses. California; 1988 Jul. |
4. Hunter, John C.; Beardsley, Karen; McCoy, Michael C.; Quinn, James F., and Keller, Kaylene E. The Prospects for Preservation and Restoration of Riparian Forests in the Sacramento Valley, California. Environmental Management. submitted. |
5. Leopold, A. Starker. Forward. California Riparian Systems Ecology, Conservation, and Productive Management; 1981 Sep 17; Davis. Berkeley California: University of California Press; 1984; c1984. |
| 6. Standiford Richard B.; Klein, Julia, and Garrison, Barry. Sustainablility of Sierra Nevada Hardwood Rangelands. Status of the Sierra Nevada; Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project Final Report To Congress Volume III. University of California ; 1996. |
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