Rare Plants 

Trillium in Owl Canyon. (K. McIntire, March 2009)Thirteen rare and endangered plant species and numerous locally rare plant populations on the mountain are threatened with extirpation. The primary threats are invasive weeds and plant community succession due to ongoing fire suppression. These populations need active management to prevent their local extinction.

The objectives of the Rare Plant Project are to:

1) Find all remaining endangered, threatened, California Native Plant Society (CNPS) species of concern and locally rare plant populations on the mountain.

2) Map of their locations using GPS technology.

3) Monitor the plant populations and threats to them.

4) Restore these sites using best restoration practices.

Through organized scouting hikes involving our local experts, such as CNPS chapter members, we locate and map rare plant populations. The health, numbers of individuals, and general age structure of these populations are then monitored and threats, such as adjacent invasive plant populations or encroaching scrub, are identified to determine restoration priorities. Volunteer work parties are then organized to pull the invasive plants and push back the coastal scrub when necessary. Where population numbers are low, seed is gathered to propagate individuals for replanting within the existing population. From populations of significant size, seeds are gathered to initiate new populations in similar habitat.