Santa Cruz Mountains - Ecology

Ecology

The Santa Cruz Mountains are a region of large biological diversity, encompassing cool, moist coastal ecosystems as well as warm, dry chaparral. Much of the area in the Santa Cruz mountains is considered temperate rainforest. In valleys and moist ocean-facing slopes some of the southernmost coast redwoods grow, along with Coast Douglas-fir, which is at the southern extent of its range. Coast live oak, Pacific madrone, Pacific Wax Myrtle, Big leaf maple, California bay laurel, and California Black Oak also occur in the Santa Cruz Mountains. There do exist several small and isolated stands of old-growth forest, most notably at Henry Cowell Redwoods and Portola Redwoods State Parks and one sizeable old-growth redwood forest at Big Basin. At higher elevations and on sunny south slopes a more drought-resistant chaparral vegetation dominates: manzanita, California scrub oak, chamise, and chaparral pea. Spring wildflowers are also widespread throughout the range.

The area welcomes a tremendous number of species of birds. (see: bird list). Black-tailed Deer, a subspecies of Mule deer are common, as are Western Gray Squirrels, chipmunks and raccoons. Foxes, coyotes, bobcats, cougars and human-introduced Virginia Opossums also inhabit the region but are rarely seen. Rattlesnakes are also inhabitants, mostly in the high, dry chaparral.