335

Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Areas of High EcologicalSignificance

The problem, then, is how to bring about a striving for harmonywith land among a people many of whom have forgotten that thereis any such thing as land, among whom education and culture havebecome almost synonymous with landlessness.

— Aldo Leopold, 1949

Key Questions• Which areas have particularly high

ecological significance and whatmakes them significant?

• What factors threaten the ecologicalintegrity of these areas?

This final chapter identifies areas of par-ticularly high ecological significance in eachof the assessment area’s nine mountain re-gions. These “key places” include criticalhabitats for rare and vulnerable species, areasof high ecological integrity, and locations withunique ecological associations. Primarily theyare places where a number of ecologically sig-nificant features overlap. Thus, the need foreffective stewardship of these areas is particu-larly important.

The areas identified in this chapter clearlydo not represent all areas of ecological im-portance and should not be interpreted assuch. The purpose of highlighting these placesis to increase public and agency awareness oftheir regional significance. They are key partsof the ecological heritage of southern Cali-fornia and should be recognized as such.

San Diego RangesThe mountains and foothills of San Di-

ego County contain a large number of rarespecies and habitats. The list of key ecologi-cal areas for this region is dominated by someof the best remaining occurrences of low-el-evation ecosystems (e.g., riparian woodland,coastal sage scrub, grassland, and Engelmannoak woodland) that are poorly represented on

public lands and declining in the southern partof the assessment area (fig. 7.1).

Public lands and habitat reserves are patch-ily distributed in the San Diego ranges. Asdevelopment intensifies in the foothills, far-sighted planning is needed to ensure thathabitat connectivity is maintained between themountains and the remaining natural areas inthe coastal and inland valleys.

Upper San Luis Rey Riverand the Warner Basin

An approximately 4-mile stretch of ripar-ian habitat along the San Luis Rey River belowLake Henshaw supports the largest southwest-ern willow flycatcher population in southernCalifornia. Above the lake, there are signifi-cant populations of arroyo toad and arroyochub in the West Fork, North Fork, and AguaCaliente Creek. Extensive grasslands in theWarner Basin are occupied by Stephens kan-garoo rat. The basin is also one of the few areasin southern California where the red-sidedgarter snake has recently been observed. LakeHenshaw supports a wintering population ofapproximately four to ten bald eagles. Grayvireos occur in redshank chaparral habitats onthe north end of the basin.

Factors affecting the ecological integrityof this area include surface and groundwaterextraction on private lands above LakeHenshaw. The San Luis Rey River below thelake is regulated by water releases from thedam. Much of the Warner Basin is intensivelygrazed by cattle. Brown-headed cowbirds arecommon in the area. Several roads and developed

Figure 7.1. Areas of high ecological significance in the San Diego ranges.

337

Chapter 7recreation sites are located in riparian habitatsoccupied by willow flycatchers and arroyo toads.

Pine Valley and Cottonwood Creeks

Pine Valley and Cottonwood creeks areadjacent drainages that come together atBarrett Lake. Both have high-quality riparianhabitat and significant populations of arroyotoads, least Bell’s vireos, and pond turtles. Thepond turtle population on Pine Valley Creekis one of the largest remaining in southernCalifornia (D. Holland, pers. comm.). Thearroyo toad population on upper Pine ValleyCreek is probably the largest aggregation ofthis species on the Cleveland National Forest.The population of least Bell’s vireos on Cot-tonwood Creek is the largest on the ClevelandNational Forest. Pine Valley Creek isundammed and one of the longest free-flow-ing, low-elevation streams in the assessmentarea. The lower portion of the creek is in adesignated wilderness area.

Factors affecting ecological integrity in-clude high recreation use, livestock grazing,and non-native species. The upper portionsof Pine Valley and Cottonwood creeks arepopular recreation areas. A recreation residencetract occurs along Pine Valley Creek as do sev-eral popular trails and trailhead facilities. Theseare popular areas for mountain bike and horse-back riding. Several cattle grazing allotmentsexist in the area. Stream flows on CottonwoodCreek are regulated by dams at Morena andBarrett lakes. Invasive non-native species suchas tamarisk, bullfrogs, sunfish, and cowbirdsare a problem in some areas.

Upper San Diego River

The San Diego River canyon above ElCapitan Lake contains extensive stands ofcoastal sage scrub vegetation that support apopulation (twenty to thirty pairs) of Califor-nia gnatcatchers. Along the river are severalstretches of high-quality riparian woodlandand populations of arroyo toad and southwest-ern pond turtle. Coastal rosy boas, hornedlizards, orange-throated whiptails, and two-striped garter snakes also occur in this area.

Factors affecting ecological integrity in theupper San Diego River include housing devel-opments along the canyon’s rim, increased firestarts, and non-native species. The area has burnedseveral times in the last eight years, resulting indegradation of coastal sage scrub habitat.

Pamo Valley

Pamo Valley is a broad foothill valley thatsurrounds the confluence of Temescal andSanta Ysabel creeks. The area supports a largearroyo toad population and also contains high-quality riparian woodland, Engelmann oakwoodland, and some coastal sage scrub. LeastBell’s vireos, California gnatcatchers, andgolden eagles occur in this valley. Red-leggedfrogs historically occurred in this area.

Most of Pamo Valley is owned by the Cityof San Diego, although the surrounding hillsare part of the Cleveland National Forest. Fac-tors affecting the ecological integrity of thisarea include year-round cattle grazing, unau-thorized and unmanaged recreation use, illegaldumping of trash, and high numbers of inva-sive, non-native species. Aquatic habitats alongSanta Ysabel Creek are highly impacted bybullfrogs, sunfish, bass, and crayfish.

Guejito Valley

Guejito Valley lies just to the west of PamoValley and is another broad foothill valley thatcontains extensive Engelmann oak savanna,grassland, and low-elevation riparian habitat.Arroyo toads, Stephen’s kangaroo rats, andgolden eagles occur here. The valley is privatelyowned and is heavily grazed by cattle.

Mesa Grande-Santa Ysabel Valley-Pine Hills Oak Woodlands

This area supports the largest remainingexpanse of Engelmann oak woodland habitatin southern California. Most of this area isprivate or Indian land and the primary factoraffecting its ecological integrity is the likeli-hood of increased subdivision anddevelopment of those lands. Cattle ranchingis a common use of land in this area. Non-native annuals are the dominant grasses in theoak savannas and grasslands.

338

Mendenhall Valley

In this valley near the top of PalomarMountain there is a large montane meadowthat supports the largest known populationof the Laguna Mountain skipper butterfly.Populations of Parish’s meadowfoam and SanBernardino bluegrass also occur here. Thisvalley is the headwaters for the West Fork ofthe San Luis Rey River. Downstream resourcesinclude arroyo toads, arroyo chub, and a self-sustaining wild trout fishery.

The primary land uses in MendenhallValley are cattle grazing and several privateresidences (over half of the valley is in privateownership). Altered fire regimes and non-native grasses and forbs may be affecting plantspecies composition in the meadow. Bullfrogsoccur in several ponds within the valley and un-doubtedly affect native amphibian populations.

Laguna Meadow

On top of Laguna Mountain is an exten-sive montane meadow that supports a numberof rare plant species and the Laguna Moun-tain skipper butterfly. It is one of the few largemontane meadows in the mountains of SanDiego County that is predominately on pub-lic lands. Pine-oak forests surrounding themeadow contain spotted owls. Ecological in-tegrity on Laguna Mountain is affectedprimarily by high levels of recreation use andcattle grazing.

Viejas, Poser, and Guatay Mountainsand King Creek

These areas have gabbro soils that supportseveral unique, endemic plants. The largestpopulation of San Diego thorn-mint(Acanthomintha ilicifolia) occurs on ViejasMountain. Monardella hypoleuca lanata andNolina cismontana occur on Viejas and Posermountains. Tecate cypress is found on GuatayMountain and Cuyamaca cypress occurs alongupper King Creek on the southwest flank ofCuyamaca Peak. Overly frequent fire is a threatto some of these plants, particularly cypressforests.

Santa Ana MountainsThe Santa Ana Mountains region is an is-

land of wildland habitat that is nearlysurrounded by urban development. It containsa number of important ecological areas. Froman ecosystem conservation standpoint, themost significant areas are probably along thebase of the mountains where imperiled low-elevation habitats extend up into the foothills.These habitats include Engelmann oak-grass-land savanna, low-elevation riparian, andcoastal sage scrub (fig. 7.2).

San Mateo Creekand Surrounding Uplands

San Mateo Creek is probably the mostpristine coastal stream south of the SantaMonica Mountains. It flows unimpeded intothe ocean. The upper watershed is mostlyunroaded and primarily within the San MateoCanyon Wilderness Area. Its lower reaches runthrough Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Baseand San Onofre State Beach. The creek andits principal tributaries contain significantpopulations of arroyo toads, pond turtles, andCalifornia newts. In 1999, juvenile southernsteelhead were documented in San MateoCreek (A. Vejar, CDFG, pers. comm.).

Factors affecting ecological integrity in-clude recreation use, military activities, andexotic species. However, this may be one ofthe few streams where conditions are condu-cive for extirpating aquatic exotic species.

Santa Rosa Plateau

The Santa Rosa Plateau contains a largeexpanse of undeveloped, Engelmann oak sa-vanna that is well managed and in goodcondition. In this area is the only remainingred-legged frog population south of Los An-geles County. Several large vernal pools supportfairy shrimp and a number of rare plant species.

The primary factor affecting ecologicalintegrity in this area is the subdivision anddevelopment of private land on and aroundthe Santa Rosa Plateau. Exotic species such asEuropean grasses and bullfrogs are also athreat.

Figure 7.2. Areas of high ecological significance in the Santa Ana Mountains.

340

Unique soils in this area support a num-ber of rare plants, including several large Tecatecypress groves. This area is also a key part ofan important habitat corridor between theSanta Ana Mountains and the Chino Hills.Development on private lands in Cole Can-yon threatens this unique habitat area. Overlyfrequent fire is also a threat.

San Juan Creek

This area contains significant populationsof arroyo toad, Dudleya viscida, and Tetracoccusdioicus. At low elevations, coastal sage scrub iscommon along the slopes of San Juan Can-yon. California gnatcatchers, cactus wrens, andorange-throated whiptails occur in the lowercanyon. Recreation use, a major state high-way, and non-native species are the primaryfactors affecting ecological integrity.

San Jacinto MountainsThis range contains a large expanse of

montane wildland habitat that is becomingincreasingly surrounded by urban develop-ment. The San Jacinto Mountains (and theadjoining higher peaks of the Santa RosaMountains) lie between the San BernardinoMountains to the north and Palomar and HotSprings mountains to the south. There are size-able gaps in the distribution of public landsbetween these ranges, and coordinated landuse planning will be needed to ensure thathabitat connectivity between them is main-tained. Another key issue is the establishmentof wildland linkages that “connect” the SanJacinto Mountains to the habitat reserves be-ing created in western Riverside County andCoachella Valley. Within the mountains them-selves, areas of high ecological significanceinclude montane meadows and habitats uti-lized by the mountain yellow-legged frog andthe Peninsular Ranges’ bighorn sheep (fig. 7.3).

North Fork, San Jacinto River

The North Fork of the San Jacinto Riverand its upper tributaries contain high-qualitymixed conifer and bigcone Douglas-fir forest

and hold some of the last remaining moun-tain yellow-legged frog populations insouthern California. The watershed also con-tains four to five pairs of spotted owls, andthe southernmost population of southern rub-ber boas.

Factors affecting ecological integrity in thisarea include concentrated recreation use, ex-panding development on private lands in thePine Cove and Idyllwild areas, and altered fireregimes. Mixed conifer forests in this area havebecome increasingly dense over the last eightyyears, prompting fears that the area is nowmore susceptible to a large stand-replacing fire.

Palm Canyon

Palm Canyon, on the desert side of themountains, provides important habitat for thePeninsular Ranges’ bighorn sheep. Several fac-tors threaten the survival of this sheeppopulation, including disease and excessivepredation by mountain lions, but developmenton private lands in and around the commu-nity of Palm Desert is of particular concern.As its name implies, Palm Canyon also con-tains several highly localized and rare palmoases.

Garner Valley

This large montane meadow contains sev-eral sensitive plant populations. It is also animportant deer fawning area and productivehabitat for many species. Housing develop-ments on private land in the valley, waterextraction and diversion, and non-native spe-cies are the primary factors affecting ecologicalintegrity in this area.

Bautista Creek

This low-elevation stream contains somehigh-quality riparian habitat. Arroyo toads his-torically occurred in this drainage and may stillbe there. Swainson thrush and yellow-breastedchat are riparian-dependent birds that occurin this drainage. The greenest tiger beetle is arare invertebrate that was collected alongBautista Creek in the 1970s and may still oc-cur in the area.

Sierra Peak/Cole Canyon Area

Figure 7.3. Areas of high ecological significance in the San Jacinto Mountains.

342

San Bernardino MountainsThe San Bernardino Mountains are the

highest and most extensively forested range inthe assessment area. This range contains anunusually large number of endemic plants aswell as many rare animals. There are manyareas of high ecological significance in thisrange (fig. 7.4), reflecting many uniquevegetation associations and rare species occur-rences.

Unique Habitats in the Big Bear-Baldwin Lake-Holcomb Valley Area

Pebble plains, carbonate outcrops, mon-tane meadows, pinyon and Joshua treewoodlands, and a large ephemeral lake, all inclose proximity to one another, combine tomake this a unique and highly significant area.This area contains the largest concentrationof endemic plants in California, eleven ofwhich are now federally listed as threatenedor endangered. Big Bear Lake supports thelargest wintering population of bald eagles insouthern California. Baldwin Lake and its pri-mary tributary, Shay Creek, are home to aisolated and highly imperiled population ofunarmored threespine stickleback fish. TheDammer’s blue butterfly is endemic to theBaldwin Lake area and nearby Coxey Meadowsupports one of the few known populationsof the vernal blue butterfly. This area is alsoone of the few places in the assessment areawhere common nighthawks, gray vireos, andgray flycatchers breed. Nelson’s bighorn sheepalso occur on the northern edge of this area.

Big Bear and Holcomb valleys are popu-lar recreation areas. There are many developedfacilities and maintained roads that attractlarge numbers of recreationists. Mining is amajor land use activity in high-grade carbon-ate deposits that extend from the north sideof Holcomb Valley to the desert’s edge.

Mid-Elevation Conifer Forests fromCedarpines Park to Barton Flats

The San Bernardino Mountains containby far the largest expanse of coniferous forestin southern California. Of particular signifi-

cance are the mesic mid-elevation (4,500 to7,000 feet) forests on the coastal side of themountains. These productive pine- and fir-dominated forests are key habitats for theCalifornia spotted owl, San Bernardino fly-ing squirrel, southern rubber boa, flammulatedowl, and many other forest-dependent species.The large spotted owl population in the SanBernardino Mountains is reported to be criticalto the continued viability of this species in south-ern California (Noon and McKelvey 1992).

The primary factor affecting the ecologi-cal integrity of these forests is an altered fireregime. The almost complete exclusion of firesin these forests for over eighty years has led tochanges in stand structure, shifts in speciescomposition, and an increased vulnerabilityto large stand-replacing fires. The area alsoreceives a high level of recreation use and isinterspersed with private lands that are becom-ing increasingly developed.

Deep Creek

This desert-flowing stream contains high-quality aquatic and riparian habitat. Apopulation of arroyo toads and a hybridizedpopulation of Mojave chub occur in the lowerportions of this drainage. Deep Creek is also apopular trout fishery and has been designatedby CDFG as a wild trout stream.

Concentrated recreation use in portionsof this drainage affects the ecological integrityof Deep Creek. Impoundments and water di-versions in the upper watershed affect streamflow volume and seasonality. The Willows Firein the summer of 1999 burned over 60 per-cent of this watershed and will trigger highrates of soil erosion and stream sedimentationin the next few years.

Onyx Summit

A high-elevation ecotonal area wheredesert and coastal influences meet, the OnyxSummit area contains a unique assemblage ofvegetation types including old-growth west-ern juniper and mountain mahogany mixedwith pinyon and limber pine. There are manyinholdings of private land in this area andhouses are being constructed on some of these.

Figure 7.4. Areas of high ecological significance in the San Bernardino Mountains.

344

Increased development could degrade theunique habitats in this area and will reducefire management options.

Whitewater River

The upper watershed of the WhitewaterRiver is one of the most remote, unroadedplaces in the assessment area. As such, it is rela-tively pristine and is an important area forbighorn sheep and mule deer. Arroyo toadsoccur on this drainage at low elevations nearthe base of the mountains.

San Gorgonio Peak

The tallest peak in southern California, itis the only place in the region that containssignificant amounts of alpine habitat. Thewater pipit potentially breeds here and a vari-ety of sensitive alpine plants occur in this area.Completely within a designated wildernessarea, the primary threat to this peak is degra-dation of fragile habitats from overuse of areasby backcountry hikers.

San Gabriel MountainsThe San Gabriel Mountains are steep and

rugged, with many areas not easily accessibleby road. This has helped maintain a high levelof ecological integrity in some of the uppercanyons. This remote character is probablywhy mountain yellow-legged frogs andNelson’s bighorn sheep still occur in thesemountains. The range also contains some im-portant aquatic and forest habitats (fig. 7.5).

Upper San Gabriel River

The three primary forks of the San GabrielRiver (West, North, and East forks) and theirtributaries contain highly significant aquatichabitats. Low-elevation portions of thesestreams are key refugia for imperiled nativefish, including the Santa Ana sucker, SantaAna speckled dace, and arroyo chub. The WestFork is a high-quality rainbow trout streamand supports a large pond turtle population.High-elevation tributaries in the Sheep Moun-tain Wilderness Area support severalmountain yellow-legged frog populations.

Moyle et al. (1995) suggested that the upperSan Gabriel River by designated as an “AquaticDiversity Management Area” similar to onesbeing proposed in the Sierra Nevada.

The primary factors affecting the ecologi-cal integrity of these aquatic habitats are (1)irregular releases of water and sediment fromCogswell Dam on the West Fork, (2) suctiondredging on the East Fork, and (3) concentratedrecreation use on the East and North forks.

Little Rock Creek

This long, desert-flowing drainage con-tains a substantial arroyo toad populationalong its lower reaches and a mountain yel-low-legged frog population near itsheadwaters. Little Rock Creek also containshigh-quality riparian habitat. Upper parts ofthe drainage are remote and unroaded, whichhas helped maintain a high level of ecologicalintegrity.

Recreation activities are the primary landuses in this drainage. Camping and OHV useare popular activities in the lower drainage nearLittle Rock Reservoir. Rock climbing and hik-ing are common activities in the upperheadwaters near the Angeles Crest Highway.

Mount Wilson/Monrovia Peak Area

The steep canyons and north-facing slopesthat extend from west of Mount Wilson tojust east of Monrovia Peak contain the region’slargest and most continuous stands of bigconeDouglas-fir, a tree that is endemic to south-ern California. These forests are highlyproductive for spotted owls. The recently dis-covered San Gabriel Mountain slendersalamander also occupies these forests. BigconeDouglas-fir forests are at risk to stand-replac-ing fire and have been declining in extent overthe last century.

Lytle and Cajon Washes

Low-elevation, alluvial areas along Lytleand Cajon creeks and their adjacent floodplainterraces contain several imperiled species andvegetation types. The San Bernardino kanga-roo rat, California gnatcatcher, slender-hornedspineflower, and Santa Ana woollystar are

Figure 7.5. Areas of high ecological significance in the San Gabriel Mountains.

346

known to occur in this area. It is a historiclocality for the Los Angeles pocket mouse,coastal black-tailed jackrabbit, and badger, andthese species may still occur here.

Urban development is occurring at a rapidrate along the border of the national forest inthe uplands surrounding Lytle and Cajonwashes. Sand and gravel mining is also a ma-jor activity in portions of these washes.

Big Tujunga Creek

Although this stream is dammed at an el-evation of approximately 2,400 feet, there isstill important riparian and aquatic habitatboth upstream and downstream of the reser-voir. Big Tujunga Creek continues to supportpopulations of the Santa Ana sucker and ar-royo chub. Santa Ana speckled dace historicallyoccurred in the drainage but may have beenextirpated. Arroyo toads, pond turtles, andSwainson’s thrush also occur here.

Introduced red shiners occur below thereservoir and have been blamed for the declineof native fish in this drainage and the possibleextirpation of speckled dace. Non-nativeaquatic species are a large problem in thisdrainage due to the mid-elevation reservoir.Variable and sometimes extreme releases ofwater from the dam are a threat to downstreamfish and aquatic amphibian populations. Rec-reation use is high along this stream,particularly in the lower canyon, and has re-sulted in habitat degradation in some areas.

Upper San Antonioand Lytle Creek Watershed

The steep slopes around Mount San An-tonio (also known as Mount Baldy) and in theupper forks of Lytle Creek are important habi-tat for Nelson’s bighorn sheep. The recentlydiscovered San Gabriel Mountain slendersalmander also occurs in this area.

The remoteness of these upper watershedareas is critical to the continued existence ofbighorn sheep in the San Gabriel Mountains.Increased demand for recreation developmentsin this area threatens the remote character.Altered fire regimes also may be changing the

distribution and availability of some habitattypes that are important to bighorn sheep.

Castaic RangesThe mountains and foothills north of

Castaic are dominated by chaparral-coveredhills, but they also contain several low-elevation streams that have high-qualityriparian and aquatic habitats (fig 7.6). In ad-dition, the upper elevations of Liebre andSawmill mountains contain unique and im-portant montane habitats. The geographicposition of this region—between the San GabrielMountains to the east, the Tehachapi Mountainsto the north, and the Los Padres ranges to thewest —makes it a key wildland linkage. A 4- to6-mile break in the connectivity of public landsexists between the San Gabriel Mountains andthe westernmost part of this region, the SierraPelona Mountains. Protected habitat corridorswill be needed between these ranges as develop-ment intensifies along Interstate 14.

Soledad Canyon

Soledad Canyon contains high-quality ri-parian and aquatic habitat. Portions of theupper Santa Clara River in this canyon aredesignated as critical habitat for theunarmored threespine stickleback fish. SantaAna suckers, southwestern willow flycatchers,and summer tanagers also occur in this area.

A principal factor affecting the ecologicalintegrity of Soledad Canyon is that most ofthe area is on private land and subject to in-creasing development. Invasive, non-nativespecies are also a problem, particularly arundoand warm-water fish.

San Francisquito Creek

San Francisquito Creek contains high-quality, low-elevation riparian and aquatichabitat. The unarmored threespine stickle-back, California red-legged frog, southwesternwillow flycatcher, Swainson’s thrush, yellow-breasted chat, and Nevin’s barberry all occuralong this drainage.

The primary factors affecting ecologicalintegrity in the area are water diversions,

Figure 7.6. Areas of high ecological significance in the Castaic Ranges.

348

encroachment of non-native species, and landuses associated with a major paved road thatruns the length of this canyon.

Castaic Creek

Although much of this creek is now cov-ered by Castaic Lake, there are still areas ofimportant riparian habitat. Arroyo toads oc-cur upstream and downstream of the lake. Apond turtle population also exists in the up-per reaches of Castaic Creek.

Streamflows below Castaic Lake are con-trolled by releases from the dam. The lakecontains a wide variety of non-native speciesthat can disperse both up and down stream.Bullfrogs and warm-water fish in particularare a threat to arroyo toads and pond turtles.

Elizabeth Lake Canyon

Elizabeth Lake Canyon contains somehigh-quality riparian and aquatic habitat.Swainson’s thrush and yellow-breasted chat areknown to occur along this drainage. It is alsoa historic locality for the Tehachapi white-eared pocket mouse and the foothillyellow-legged frog.

A paved road runs the length of this can-yon and several campgrounds are located alongit. The stream flows into Castaic Lake, whichmakes it more susceptible to infestations ofbullfrogs and warm-water fish.

Liebre and Sawmill Mountains

Liebre and Sawmill mountains supportseveral forest types and some unique drymeadow-grassland habitats. A series of north-facing canyons contain bigcone Douglas-fir/canyon live oak forests, with a pair of spottedowls in almost every canyon. Ponderosa pineand black oak blanket the mountain crest butare interspersed with large grass-dominatedopenings. The only known occurrences ofForest Camp sandwort (Arenaria macradeniavar. kuschei) are on Liebre Mountain. BigconeDouglas-fir stands in this area are at risk tostand-replacing fires.

Southern Los Padres RangesThe southern Los Padres region is a large,

highly intact block of natural habitat, withrelatively few areas of human developmentwithin it (see figure 1.4 in chapter 1). Thischaracteristic, in and of itself, makes the areaunique in coastal southern California andhighly significant from an ecological perspec-tive. In general, the mountains and streams inthis region are less heavily utilized by peoplethan are the mountain ranges to the south.

Sisquoc River

A relatively large, remote, free-flowingstream, the Sisquoc River is arguably the mostpristine stream in the assessment area. It hasfew exotic species and contains populationsof southern steelhead, California red-leggedfrogs, arroyo toads, and pond turtles. A leastBell’s vireo was also observed along this river in1999 (K. Cooper, Los Padres NF, pers. comm.).

The Sisquoc River has high ecological in-tegrity because it is unregulated, there is noroad access to most of the drainage, and thewatershed is almost entirely undeveloped andlightly used public land.

Sespe Creek

Sespe Creek is a major undammed streamthat contains high-quality riparian habitat andimportant populations of southern steelhead,red-legged frogs, pond turtles, and arroyotoads. It is a tributary of the Santa Clara River,and its connection to the ocean is affected byintensive land use along that river. Portions ofSespe Creek are extremely remote, while oth-ers can be easily accessed by roads and containseveral popular developed recreation sites.

Mono Creek, Indian Creek,and the Upper Santa Ynez River

Mono and Indian creeks are undammedtributaries of the Santa Ynez River. They sup-port high-quality riparian habitat and containimportant populations of arroyo toads, red-legged frogs, and pond turtles. Mono Creekis essentially free of bullfrogs and predatoryfish. A substantial least Bell’s vireo populationis concentrated around the confluence of these

Figure 7.7. Areas of high ecological significance in the southern Los Padres ranges.

350

three drainages. This area receives a lot of rec-reation use, which affects habitat conditions.

Mount Pinos-Mount Abel Area

The high country around Mount Pinosand Mount Abel is a unique montane islandthat supports several endemic taxa and pro-vides an important refugia for other speciesassociated with montane habitats. The areasupports endemic subspecies of blue grouse,lodgepole chipmunk, and white-eared pocketmouse. It also contains a unique population ofrubber boa snakes that are intermediate in mor-phology and genetic make-up between thesouthern and northern subspecies. Montanemeadows in this area support a number of sensi-tive bird and plant species, and a small northerngoshawk population persists in these mountains.

Recreation activity and altered fire regimesare the primary factors affecting ecological in-tegrity in the Mount Pinos/Mount Abel area.Several developed campgrounds are located onMount Pinos and also on Mount Abel, butthe high country in between is now withinthe Chumash Wilderness Area. Fires have beeneffectively suppressed for many years in thisarea, spawning concerns about fuel buildups,shifts in forest species composition, and in-creased risk of future stand-replacing fires.

Piru Creek

Although a highly regulated stream thatis dammed in two places, Piru Creek still con-tains important riparian and aquatic habitatand supports a number of rare or at-risk spe-cies. Large arroyo toad and pond turtlepopulations occur along the creek betweenPyramid and Piru reservoirs. The creek alsocontains Santa Ana suckers and red-legged frogs.

The reservoirs are a constant source of in-vasive, non-native aquatic species, and thestream contains large numbers of them. Wa-ter releases from the dams also control muchof the creek’s flow regime.

Upper Cuyama River Region

The arid, rugged region along the upperCuyama River is often described as a “bad-

lands.” It has unique topography and habitatsand contains relictual populations of severalplant species and pina plains. A hybridizedpopulation of blunt-nosed leopard lizards oc-curred historically in this area and may still bepresent in Ballinger Canyon. Recreation, par-ticularly off-road vehicle activity, is the primaryland use in this area.

Southern Santa Lucia RangeThe southern Santa Lucia Range, Garcia

Mountain, and the La Panza Range contain anumber of unique habitats and ecologicallysignificant areas. Coastal slopes contain somehigh-quality riparian habitats, many of whichsupport red-legged frogs. The arid east side comesinto contact with unique and highly imperiledhabitats of the San Joaquin Valley and its west-ern foothills. Several areas of particularly highecological significance are described below andshown in figure 7.8.

Cuesta Ridge

Serpentine outcrops on Cuesta Ridge sup-port groves of Sargent cypress and a numberof sensitive plant species, including San Luismariposa lily, San Luis Obispo sedge, Brewer’sspineflower, San Benito fritillary, and hookedpopcorn-flower. The Cuesta Pass checker-bloom is endemic to Cuesta Ridge. The LosPadres National Forest has established a bo-tanical area on west Cuesta Ridge to protectpopulations of these sensitive species. Factorsaffecting the ecological integrity of this areainclude non-native species, mining, andchanges to the historic fire regime.

Lopez Canyon

Lopez Canyon contains high-quality ri-parian and aquatic habitats. Californiared-legged frogs, Coast Range newts, and sev-eral sensitive riparian birds occur in this area.At least three pairs of spotted owls also occurin the canyon. Only the upper part of the can-yon is national forest system land; the rest isprivately owned. The stream is dammed at itslower end where it meets Arroyo Grande Creek.

Figure 7.8. Areas of high ecological significance in the southern Santa Lucia Range region.

352

Extensive patches of high-quality blue oakwoodland can be found west of Garcia Moun-tain, particularly in the upper Avenales Valley,the Joughlin Ranch area, and in the vicinityof Branch Mountain. Blue oak woodlands areproductive habitats for many wildlife speciesand they are relatively poorly represented onpublic lands. Primary factors affecting the eco-logical integrity of these woodlands arenon-native grasses, increasing subdivision anddevelopment of private lands in the area, andlivestock grazing.

Northern Santa Lucia RangeThe remoteness and rugged topography

of the northern Santa Lucia Range are reflectedin a relatively low level of human intrusion.Much of the region is unroaded and a sub-stantial portion is formally designated aswilderness. Most of the streams on the coastalside of the mountains are undammed and flowfreely to the ocean.

These factors combine to foster high eco-logical integrity, characterized by naturalhydrologic regimes, relatively few exotic spe-cies, low levels of human impact, and extantpopulations of native species which have dis-appeared from many areas. Areas ofparticularly high ecological significance aredescribed below and shown in figure 7.9.

Big Sur River

The Big Sur River is a major stream thatflows unimpeded to the ocean. Its natural hy-drologic regime and largely undeveloped upperwatershed have helped maintain a high levelof ecological integrity. The aquatic habitat hasfew invasive, non-native species. Southernsteelhead spawn in this river and there arepopulations of red-legged frog, foothill yellow-legged frog, and Pacific giant salamanders.

The primary factor affecting ecologicalintegrity is recreation activity, which is highalong the lower reaches of this stream nearHighway 1. There are several developed camp-

grounds and a trail system extends into upperportions of the drainage.

Little Sur River

The Little Sur is a free-flowing stream thatcontains southern steelhead, Pacific giant sala-manders, and California red-legged frogs.Tiger salamanders occur in upper portions ofthe Little Sur watershed. This is a relativelypristine drainage with few non-native species,especially in the upper part of the drainagewhich is within the Ventana Wilderness Area.Lower stretches of the Little Sur are on pri-vate land.

San Carpoforo Creek

San Carpoforo Creek is a free-flowingstream that contains one of the few remain-ing populations of foothill yellow-legged frogsalong the central coast. California red-leggedfrogs and southern steelhead also occur in thisdrainage. Most of San Carpoforo Creek is onprivate land. A primitive road also runs alongthe length of it.

Coastal Redwood andSanta Lucia Fir Forests

The narrowly endemic Santa Lucia fir andthe southernmost stands of coastal redwoodoccur in this area. These forests provide thesouthernmost breeding habitat for themarbled murrelet. Spotted owls and Pacificgiant salamanders also occur in these mesicforests. Almost all of these forests are protectedfrom harvesting, but they are at risk to stand-replacing fires.

Coastal Prairie and Coastal Scrub

Along the immediate coast are grass-dominated prairies and sagebrush/buckwheat-dominated shrublands that support severalsensitive plants (e.g., Hutchinson’s larkspurand adobe sanicle) and butterflies (e.g., Smith’sblue butterfly and Doudoroff ’s elfin butter-fly). Factors affecting these habitats includenon-native species (e.g., European grasses,kikuyu grass, pampas grass, and Frenchbroom), recreation use, and livestock grazing.

Blue Oak Woodlands West of GarciaMountain

Figure 7.9. Areas of high ecological significance in the northern Santa Lucia Range.