Английская Википедия:Elfin Forest Natural Area
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The Elfin Forest Natural Area is a nature preserve protecting a unique plant community in Los Osos-Baywood Park, San Luis Obispo County, central California.[1] It consists of prehistoric sand dunes, rising Шаблон:Convert above southern Morro Bay, on the north of Los Osos-Baywood Park.[2]
Description
The Elfin Forest Natural Area covers Шаблон:Convert that have been acquired by The Los Osos / Morro Bay Chapter of Small Wilderness Area Preservation (SWAP) since 1988.[3] The land was accepted by and now belongs to San Luis Obispo County Parks and California State Parks.[1][3] The transfer's acceptance by the agencies was based on ongoing active stewardship by SWAP, which continues to the present day under the new name of Friends of El Moro Elfin Forest.[4] The nature preserve opened to the public in 1994.
Natural history
The native Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) trees compose an elfin forest, in a naturally harsh location with poor soil conditions, salt spray, and constant winds, that have stunted and directed their growth. They now compose a woodland of trees, with the largest between 200 and 400 years old, and range from a height of Шаблон:Convert in sheltered areas to a low of Шаблон:Convert near the tallest ridge line.[5]
There are several other native plants of pygmy forest scale in the nature preserve, also adapted to the harsh habitat, including the locally endemic Morro manzanita (Arctostaphylos morroensis).
Habitats in the nature reserve, within the California coastal sage and chaparral ecoregion, include:[5]
- Coastal sage scrub
- Coastal brackish marsh
- Riparian woodland fringe
- Pygmy oak woodland
- Maritime chaparral
- Coastal dune scrub
- Oak and manzanita complex.
The Elfin Forest supports more than 200 species of plants, 51 species of lichens, as well as 110 kinds of birds, 22 species of mammals, and 13 species of reptiles and amphibians.[1][6]
Access
A nearly Шаблон:Convert boardwalk loop, constructed in 1999 to protect the Elfin Forest's sensitive habitats, provides access for wheelchair users.[1] Viewpoint sections along it have expansive overlooks over Morro Bay and the sand dunes spit, and the diverse bird species in the estuary.[7]
Chumash people
In pre-Columbian times, the Chumash people had a significant settlement now named Los Osos Back Bay on a stabilized sand dune to the east of the Elfin Forest.[8] There is a long Chumash midden within the dwarf forest.[1]
See also
- Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve — another unique oak woodland forest park, also in Los Osos-Baywood Park.
- Natural history of San Luis Obispo County
References
External links
- Elfin-forest.org: Official El Moro Elfin Forest Natural Preserve website — info, images, biota lists, maps.
- California State Parks, San Luis Obispo Coast: Elfin Forest Natural Preserve
- Elfin Forest photo gallery
- Hikespeak.com: Elfin Forest Natural Preserve — images.
- ↑ 1,0 1,1 1,2 1,3 1,4 Elfin-forest.org: Elfin Forest Natural Area
- ↑ Satellite closeup of the Elfin Forest Natural Area — with access points and trails.
- ↑ 3,0 3,1 Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ 5,0 5,1 Elfin-forest.org: About the Elfin Forest
- ↑ Elfin-forest.org: Flora and Fauna — with links to 9 lists of the plants and animals of the Elfin Forest.
- ↑ Brian Milne. 2008. Top Trails California Central Coast: Must-Do Hikes for Everyone, Published by Wilderness Press, Шаблон:ISBN, 313 pages
- ↑ C. Michael Hogan. 2008. Los Osos Back Bay, Megalithic Portal, editor A. Burnham
- Английская Википедия
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- Parks in San Luis Obispo County, California
- Nature reserves in California
- Morro Bay
- California chaparral and woodlands
- Estuaries of California
- Forests of California
- Marshes of California
- Natural history of San Luis Obispo County, California
- Chumash
- Landforms of San Luis Obispo County, California
- Protected areas established in 1988
- 1988 establishments in California
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