San Pedro Creek - Ecology

Ecology

Fog drip is a key to the rich diversity of species in the San Pedro Valley, most likely providing up to one-third of the annual available moisture in this ecosystem and keeping the cool, clear forks of San Pedro Creek running all year.

Interestingly, Montara Mountain and Sweeney Ridge are not cloaked in the dense Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and Coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) typical of the rest of the Santa Cruz Mountains to the immediate south. The early Spanish settlers described the ridges of the headwaters as without tall trees. The only tall trees were planted recently and include eucalyptus, Monterey pine and Monterey cypress. The area from Montara Mountain north to the Golden Gate represent a unique bio-geographic unit dubbed the "Franciscan Landscape" which is primarily Coastal Scrub dominated by Coyote Brush and also sheltering unique endemic species found nowhere else. The Hazelnut Trail in San Pedro Valley County Park is a good place to see these unusual species which include Giant Golden Chinaquapin, Montara Manzanita, Fetid Adders-tongue, and California Hazelnut. These and other plants such as Wake robins, Coast and Giant trillium, Slender false solomon's seal, and Fetid adder's tongue blossom between clustered stems of shrubs and clumps of sword fern. Fetid adder's tongue—with its mottled green leaves, brown-purple striped flowers, and odor of rotting flesh—is particularly abundant. The fact that these species normally grow in the shady understory of redwood and Douglas fir forests, has led to speculation that prior to the 5,000 year occupation of the Ohlone Indians, who likely burned off the area to promote the growth of natural food sources, that the upper San Pedro watershed may have been host to primordial conifer forests.

Creek Dogwood, Arroyo Willow, Watercress, and several species of ferns are common in the middle and lower creeks. In the springtime, the meadows of the Middle Valley show off an array of wildflowers: California Poppies, Suncups, Buttercups, Wild Radish and Wild Mustard.

Wildlife is abundant at San Pedro Valley. Park inhabitants often seen are red-tailed Hawks, Turkey Vultures, Quail, Scrub Jays, and Garter Snakes. Those observed less frequently include Deer, Bobcats, Grey Fox, Raccoons, Rabbits and Gopher Snakes.

The three forks of the San Pedro and its Brooks Creek tributary provide critical spawning areas for steelhead trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss). The steelhead spawning season is normally from December to February.