Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
million years ago redwoods were widespread throughout the Northern Hemisphere,
including Greenland, Asia, and Europe. As the climate changed, so did the species'
range.
Although redwoods can live for thousands of years, the desire for lumber makes
the fast-growing, massive trees commercially valuable. At the turn of the century, the
Big Sur region sustained massive logging operations that cleared much of the ancient
stands. Remaining old-growth redwood forests are confined to a few coastal drain-
ages, including the Little Sur, Big Sur, Partington, McWay, Big Creek, and Palo Col-
orado Canyons.
A number of other moisture-loving trees, shrubs, and herbs grow in association
with redwoods. Common neighboring trees include tanoak (
Lithocarpus densiflorus
),
California bay (
Umbellularia californica
), western sycamore (
Platanus racemosa
),
white alder (
Alnus rhombifolia
), and bigleaf maple (
Acer macrophyllum
). Although
redwood canopies all but blot out the sun, a surprisingly dense understory of ferns,
herbs, and shrubs obtain enough sunlight to carpet stream corridors and steep slopes
along the forest floor. Understory plants include western sword fern (
Polystichum mu-
nitum
), bracken fern (
Pteridium aqulinum
), giant chain fern (
Woodwardia fimbriata
),
American maidenhair fern (
Adiantum pedatum
), California maidenhair fern (
Adi-
antum jordani
), coastal wood fern (
Dryopteris arguta
), fairy lantern (
Calochortus al-
kus
), western hound's-tongue (
Cynoglossum grande
), fairy bells (
Disporum hookeri
),
western starflower (
Trientalis latifolia
), poison oak (
Toxicodendron diversilobum
),
evergreen huckleberry (
Vaccinium ovatum
), and redwood sorrel (
Oxalis oregana
).
The lush forest seems surprisingly void of wildlife. The understory supports few
seed-bearing plants to attract herbivores and their predators. One of the most com-
mon plants, redwood sorrel, is even toxic to herbivores. Regardless, a few animals do
thrive here. One notable and highly visible resident is the banana slug, a bright yellow
gastropod that grazes on understory plants and fungi. Its bright coloration is a defense
mechanism, signaling predators that the slug is extremely distasteful. Other common
species include:
MAMMALS
Trowbridge shrew and broad-handed mole.
BIRDS
Steller's jay, winter wren, brown creeper, Pacific slope flycatcher, dark-eyed
junco, hermit thrush, varied thrush, American robins, chestnut-backed chickadee,
common flickers, great horned owl, northern pygmy owl, and golden-crowned king-
let.
REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS
Coast Range newt, red salamander, slender salamander, al-
ligator lizard, western fence lizard, and sharp-tailed snake.
