The Northern California coastal forests are a temperate coniferous forests

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...

of coastal

Northern California Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...

and southwestern

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

Setting

The ecoregion covers , extending from just north of the California-Oregon border south, to southern

Monterey County Monterey County ( ), officially the County of Monterey, is a county located on the Pacific coast in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, its population was 439,035. The county's largest city and county seat is Salinas. Montere ...

. The ecoregion rarely extends more than 65 km inland from the coast, narrower in the southernmost parts of the ecoregion. The ecoregion is a sub-ecoregion of the

Pacific temperate rain forests The Pacific temperate rainforests of western North America is the largest temperate rain forest region on the planet as defined by the World Wildlife Fund (other definitions exist). The Pacific temperate rainforests lie along the western side of ...

ecoregion, which extends up the Pacific Coast to Kodiak Island in

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

. The ecoregion lies close to the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

, and is kept moist by Pacific Ocean storms during the winter months, and by coastal fogs in the summer months. These factors keep the ecoregion cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, as compared to ecoregions further inland. The ecoregion is also defined by the distribution of the Coast Redwood ('' Sequoia sempervirens''), with isolated groves located in protected canyons as far south as Redwood Gulch, in southern

. The greatest concentration of remaining

Old-growth forest An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological featur ...

are in the northernmost portion of the ecoregion, primarily within Humboldt and Del Norte counties. Major urban centers located within this ecoregion include the montane portions of various cities of the San Francisco Peninsula,

Fort Bragg Fort Bragg is a military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina, and is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with around 54,000 military personnel. The military reservation is located within Cum ...

, Eureka, and

Brookings Brookings may refer to: Organizations * Brookings Institution, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy organization based in Washington, D.C. Places * Brookings, Oregon, USA * Brookings, South Dakota, USA * Brookings County, South Dakota, USA ...

Habitats

Redwood forests are interspersed with several other plant communities throughout this ecoregion.

Coastal redwood forests

The dominant forest type in this ecoregion is the coastal redwood forest. These are the tallest forests on Earth, with individual redwood ('' Sequoia sempervirens'') trees reaching heights of . These forests are generally found in areas exposed to coastal fog. In the north, they occur on upland slopes, in riparian zones, and on riverine terraces. In the south, where annual precipitation is lower, they are constrained to coves and ravines. Coast Douglas-firs (''

Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii ''Pseudotsuga menziesii'' var. ''menziesii'', commonly known as Coast Douglas-fir, Pacific Douglas-fir, Oregon pine, or Douglas spruce, is an evergreen conifer native to western North America from west-central British Columbia, Canada southward t ...

'') are nearly always associated with redwoods, but in the north the forests can also include Sitka spruce ('' Picea sitchensis'') and western hemlock (''

Tsuga heterophylla ''Tsuga heterophylla'', the western hemlock or western hemlock-spruce, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, with its northwestern limit on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and its southeastern limit in northern Sonoma ...

''). Like coast Douglas-fir, tanoak ('' Notholithocarpus densiflorus'') is often present. Other hardwoods include California bay laurel (''

Umbellularia californica ''Umbellularia californica'' is a large hardwood tree native to coastal forests and the Sierra foothills of California, and to coastal forests extending into Oregon. It is endemic to the California Floristic Province. It is the sole species in th ...

''), red alder ('' Alnus rubra''), madrone (''

Arbutus menziesii ''Arbutus menziesii'' or Pacific madrone (commonly madrone or madrona in the United States and arbutus in Canada), is a species of broadleaf evergreen tree in the family Ericaceae, native to the western coastal areas of North America, from Bri ...

''), and bigleaf maple ('' Acer macrophyllum''). The deep shade cast by redwoods often results in a sparse understory, but shade-tolerant species include thimbleberry ('' Rubus parviflorus''), redwood sorrel (''

Oxalis oregana ''Oxalis oregana'' , known as redwood sorrel or Oregon oxalis, is a species of the wood sorrel family, Oxalidaceae, in the genus ''Oxalis'' native to moist Douglas-fir and coast redwood forests of western North America from southwestern British C ...

''), elk clover (''

Aralia californica ''Aralia californica'', known by the common name elk clover though not actually a clover, is a large herb in the family Araliaceae, the only member of the ginseng family native to California and southwestern Oregon. It is also called California a ...

''), dwarf Oregon grape (''

Mahonia nervosa ''Mahonia nervosa'', commonly known as dwarf Oregon-grape, Cascade barberry, Cascade Oregon-grape, or dull Oregon-grape, is a flowering plant native to the northwest coast of North America from southern British Columbia south to central Californ ...

''), salal ('' Gaultheria shallon''), and many ferns, such as deer fern (''

Blechnum spicant ''Struthiopteris spicant'', syn. ''Blechnum spicant'', is a species of fern in the family Blechnaceae, known by the common names hard-fern or deer fern. It is native to Europe, western Asia, northern Africa, and western North America. Like some ...

''), sword fern ('' Polystichum munitum''), and leathery polypody (''

Polypodium scouleri ''Polypodium scouleri'' is a species of fern known by the common names leathery polypody, Scouler's polypody, coast polypody and leather-leaf fern. It is native to coastal western North America from British Columbia to Guadalupe Island off Baja C ...

''). File:Notholithocarpus densiflorus Big Basin State Park.jpg, ' Notholithocarpus densiflorus'', with Coast Douglas-firs ''Pseudotsuga menziesii'' subsp. ''menziesii'' and Coast Redwood behind in Sunset Trail, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Santa Cruz Mountains, California. File:Boulder Creek Wilderness forest.JPG, Forest of Coast Douglas-firs ''Pseudotsuga menziesii'' subsp. ''menziesii''

Mixed evergreen forests

Mixed evergreen forests are found just inland of the redwood forests, on

Franciscan Assemblage The Franciscan Complex or Franciscan Assemblage is a geologic term for a late Mesozoic terrane of heterogeneous rocks found throughout the California Coast Ranges, and particularly on the San Francisco Peninsula. It was named by geologist Andrew ...

soils that receive moderate to high rainfall. The trees are a variety of needle-leaved and broad-leaved evergreen species. Characteristic trees include coast Douglas-fir (''

''), canyon live oak ('' Quercus chrysolepis''), tanoak ('' Notholithocarpus densiflorus''), madrone (''

''), California bay laurel (''

''), and golden chinquapin (''

Chrysolepis chrysophylla ''Chrysolepis chrysophylla'' is a species of flowering shrub or tree in the beech family known by the common names golden chinquapin, giant chinquapin, and western chinquapin. It is native to the Pacific coast of the United States.McMurray, Nanc ...

''). The shrub understory is dense and diverse; beaked hazel ('' Corylus cornuta''), evergreen huckleberry (''

Vaccinium ovatum ''Vaccinium ovatum'' is a North American species of flowering shrub known by the common names evergreen huckleberry, winter huckleberry, cynamoka berry and California huckleberry. Distribution and ecology ''Vaccinium ovatum'' is a small to medium ...

''), Pacific rhododendron ('' Rhododendron macrophyllum''), salal ('' Gaultheria shallon''), Sadler's oak (''

Quercus sadleriana ''Quercus sadleriana'' is a species of oak known by the common names Sadler's oak and deer oak. It is native to southwestern Oregon and far northern California in the Klamath Mountains. It grows in coniferous forests. It is placed in section '' ...

''), dwarf Oregon-grape (''

''), and poison oak ('' Toxicodendron diversilobum'') are typically found.

Closed-cone conifer forests and woodlands

Closed-cone pine forest Closed-cone pine forest is a plant community of coastal California and several offshore islands. The plant community is often mono-dominant and single-aged, but dense with ladder fuels. Closed Cone forests grow in low nutrient and/or stressed soils, ...

s are found in small, scattered patches throughout the ecoregion, typically adjacent to maritime chaparral. Common pines are lodgepole pine ('' Pinus contorta''), bishop pine ('' Pinus muricata''), Monterey pine (''

Pinus radiata ''Pinus radiata'' ( syn. ''Pinus insignis''), the Monterey pine, insignis pine or radiata pine, is a species of pine native to the Central Coast of California and Mexico (Guadalupe Island and Cedros island). It is an evergreen conifer in the fa ...

''), and knobcone pine (''

Pinus attenuata The knobcone pine, ''Pinus attenuata'' (also called ''Pinus tuberculata''), is a tree that grows in mild climates on poor soils. It ranges from the mountains of southern Oregon to Baja California with the greatest concentration in northern Calif ...

''). These forests are also home to several

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

cypresses, including Monterey cypress (''

Cupressus macrocarpa ''Hesperocyparis macrocarpa'' is a coniferous tree. It is commonly known as the Monterey cypress and is one of several species of cypress trees endemic to California. The Monterey cypress is found naturally only on the Central Coast of Califor ...

''), Gowen cypress (''

Cupressus goveniana ''Cupressus goveniana'', now reclassified as ''Hesperocyparis goveniana'', with the common names Californian cypress and Gowen cypress, is a species of cypress, that is endemic to California. Distribution The tree is endemic to the Monterey Pen ...

''), and Santa Cruz cypress (''

Cupressus abramsiana The Santa Cruz cypress (''Hesperocyparis abramsiana''; formerly classified as ''Cupressus abramsiana'') is a species of North American tree within the Cypress family. The species is endemic to the Santa Cruz Mountains within the Santa Cruz and S ...

''). Shrub species include glossyleaf manzanita ('' Arctostaphylos nummularia''), bog Labrador tea ('' Rhododendron groenlandicum''), evergreen huckleberry (''

''), salal ('' Gaultheria shallon''), Pacific rhododendron ('' Rhododendron macrophyllum''), and California bayberry (''

Myrica californica ''Myrica californica'' (California bayberry, California wax myrtle or Pacific wax myrtle; syn. ''Gale californica'' (Cham. & Schltdl.) Greene, ''Morella californica'' (Cham. & Schltdl.) Wilbur) is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the ...

''). Soil conditions sometimes cause these forests to take on a pygmy form. Lichens and mosses are both abundant and diverse. File:P20130507-0077—Pinus muricata—Point Reyes (8742046080).jpg, '' Pinus muricata'' forest growing at

Point Reyes Point Reyes (, meaning "Point of the Kings") is a prominent cape and popular Northern California tourist destination on the Pacific coast. Located in Marin County, it is approximately west-northwest of San Francisco. The term is often applied ...

, California File:Cupressus abramsiana on sandstone at Brackenbrae - Flickr - theforestprimeval.jpg, Forest of ''

'' growing in sandstone Chaparral, Brackenbrae Ridge, Santa Cruz County, California File:Cupressus goveniana & Pinus radiata, SFB Morse Botanical Reserve, Monterey County.jpg, Gowen Cypress ''

'' (smaller trees) and Monterey Pine ''

'' (larger trees), at the SFB Morse Botanical Reserve, Huckleberry Hill, Monterey County, California. File:Redwood and fog.jpg, '' Sequoia sempervirens'' and ''

'' in fog, in

Redwood National Park The Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) are a complex of one national park and three state parks, cooperatively managed, located in the United States along the coast of northern California. Comprising Redwood National Park (established 1968 ...

, California

Maritime chaparral

Maritime chaparral is composed of a variety of shrubs that grow in the fog belt.

Endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

species of manzanita ('' Arctostaphylos'') and ''

Ceanothus ''Ceanothus'' is a genus of about 50–60 species of Actinorhizal plant, nitrogen-fixing shrubs and small trees in the buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae). Common names for members of this genus are buckbrush, California lilac, soap bush, or just ceano ...

'' are locally common. Manzanita species include woolyleaf manzanita (''

Arctostaphylos tomentosa ''Arctostaphylos tomentosa'' is a species of manzanita known by the common name woollyleaf manzanita or woolley manzanita. This shrub is endemic to California. It is a resident of chaparral canyons, foothills, and lower-elevation mountains. One ...

''), glossyleaf manzanita ('' Arctostaphylos nummularia''), Hooker's manzanita (''

Arctostaphylos hookeri ''Arctostaphylos hookeri'' is a species of manzanita known by the common name Hooker's manzanita. Description ''Arctostaphylos hookeri'' is a low shrub which is variable in appearance and has several subspecies. These are generally mat-forming p ...

''), pajaro manzanita ('' Arctostaphylos pajaroensis''), Montara manzanita (''

Arctostaphylos montaraensis ''Arctostaphylos montaraensis'', known by the common name Montara manzanita, is a species of manzanita in the family Ericaceae. Distribution This perennial evergreen shrub is endemic to California, native only to a few occurrences in northern ...

''), and others. Gasquet manzanita ('' Arctostaphylos hispidula'') occurs in southern Oregon. Among ''Ceanothus'', hairy ceanothus (''

Ceanothus oliganthus ''Ceanothus oliganthus'' is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae known by the common name hairy ceanothus or hairy-leaf ceanothus.Flowering Plants of the Santa Monica Mountains, Nancy Dale, 2nd Ed., 2000, p. 167 The variety of this specie ...

'') is common, while Mason's ceanothus (''

Ceanothus masonii ''Ceanothus masonii'' is a species of shrub in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, known by the common name Mason's ceanothus. It is endemic to Marin County, California, where it is known only from an area near Bolinas on the Point Reyes National ...

''), Carmel ceanothus (''

Ceanothus griseus ''Ceanothus griseus'' is a species of flowering shrub known by the common names Carmel ceanothus and Carmel creeper. 'Carmel' refers to the Carmel-by-the-Sea region in California. Description The ''Ceanothus griseus'' shrub may exceed two meters ...

''), and wart-stem ceanothus (''

Ceanothus verrucosus ''Ceanothus verrucosus'' is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae known by the common names wart-stem ceanothus, barranca brush, coast lilac and white coast ceanothus. It is Endemism, endemic to northwestern Baja California and San Diego Co ...

'') are local endemics. Other widespread shrubs and trees include chamise (''

Adenostoma fasciculatum ''Adenostoma fasciculatum'', commonly known as chamise or greasewood, is a flowering plant native to California and Baja California. This shrub is one of the most widespread plants of the California chaparral ecoregion. Chamise produces a specia ...

''), California buckwheat (''

Eriogonum fasciculatum ''Eriogonum fasciculatum'' is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common names California buckwheat and flat-topped buckwheat. Characterized by small, white and pink flower clusters that give off a cottony effect, this species grows vari ...

''), black sage ('' Salvia mellifera''), coffeeberry ('' Rhamnus californica''), buckthorn ('' Rhamnus crocea''), and coast live oak ('' Quercus agrifolia''). This habitat is often found near closed-cone conifer forests and woodlands. File:Ceanothusoliganthus.jpg, ''

'' in chaparral in the Santa Monica Mountains File:California Buckwheat (4776487528).jpg, Eriogonum fasciculatum on Mount Wilson, San Gabriel

Coastal grassland

Northern coastal grasslands California coastal prairie, also known as northern coastal grassland, is a grassland plant community of California and Oregon in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome. It is found along the Pacific Coast, from as far south as L ...

, or coastal prairies, are generally found below on coastal terraces or mountain balds. In areas where fire has been suppressed, coastal scrub plants invade. Common grasses include bentgrass (''

Agrostis ''Agrostis'' (bent or bentgrass) is a large and very nearly cosmopolitan genus of plants in the grass family, found in nearly all the countries in the world. It has been bred as a GMO creeping bent grass. Species * '' Agrostis aequivalvi'' ...

'' spp.), California brome ('' Bromus carinatus''), Nootka reedgrass (''

Calamagrostis nutkaensis ''Calamagrostis nutkaensis'' is a species of grass known by the common names Pacific reedgrass and Nootka reedgrass. It is native to western North America from Alaska to central California, where it is mainly a coastal species growing in moist a ...

''), California oatgrass ('' Danthonia californica''), red fescue ('' Festuca rubra''), Idaho fescue ('' Festuca idahoensis''), tufted hair-grass (''

Deschampsia caespitosa ''Deschampsia cespitosa'', commonly known as tufted hairgrass or tussock grass, is a perennial tufted plant in the grass family Poaceae. Distribution of this species is widespread including the eastern and western coasts of North America, parts o ...

''), prairie Junegrass (''

Koeleria macrantha ''Koeleria macrantha'' is a species of grass known by the common name prairie Junegrass in North America and crested hair-grass in the UK. It is widespread across much of Eurasia and North America. It occurs in many habitat types, especially prai ...

''), tall trisetuem ('' Trisetum canescens''). Common forbs include Douglas iris (''

Iris douglasiana ''Iris douglasiana'', the Douglas iris, is a common wildflower of the coastal regions of Northern and Central California and southern Oregon in the United States. It grows mainly at lower elevations, below , though it is occasionally found at hei ...

''), western blue-eyed grass ('' Sisyrinchium bellum''), hairy gumplant ('' Grindelia hirsutula''), and footsteps of spring (''

Sanicula arctopoides ''Sanicula arctopoides'' is a species of sanicle known commonly as footsteps of spring, bear's foot sanicle or yellow mats. It is a perennial herb found on the west coast of the United States and Canada, especially near the ocean. The branches ar ...

''). File:DouglasIris.jpg, ''

'' patch at

File:Grindelia stricta.jpg, '' Grindelia hirsutula'' patch in

Marin County Marin County is a county located in the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 262,231. Its county seat and largest city is San Rafael. Marin County is acros ...

Coastal scrub

Northern coastal scrub Northern coastal scrub is a scrubland plant community of California and Oregon. It occurs along the Pacific Coast from Point Sur on the Central California coast in Monterey County, California, to southern Oregon. It frequently forms a landscape mo ...

consists of shrublands found at elevations below on bluffs, terraces, dunes, and hills near the coast. This habitat is often subject to wind and maritime fog. The shrubs are mostly evergreen, small-leaved, and

sclerophyllous Sclerophyll is a type of vegetation that is adapted to long periods of dryness and heat. The plants feature hard leaves, short internodes (the distance between leaves along the stem) and leaf orientation which is parallel or oblique to direct ...

. Characteristic species include coyote brush (''

Baccharis pilularis ''Baccharis pilularis'', called coyote brush (or bush), chaparral broom, and bush baccharis, is a shrub in the family Asteraceae native to California, Oregon, Washington, and Baja California. There are reports of isolated populations in New Mexi ...

''), yellow bush lupine ('' Lupinus arboreus''), blueblossom ('' Ceanothus thyrsiflorus''), seaside woolly sunflower ('' Eriophyllum stoechadifolium''), sticky monkey-flower (''

Mimulus aurantiacus ''Diplacus aurantiacus'', the sticky monkey-flower or orange bush monkey-flower, is a flowering plant that grows in a subshrub form, native to southwestern North America from southwestern Oregon south through most of California. It is a member of ...

''), poison oak ('' Toxicodendron diversilobum''), California blackberry (''

Rubus ursinus ''Rubus ursinus'' is a North American species of blackberry or dewberry, known by the common names California blackberry, California dewberry, Douglas berry, Pacific blackberry, Pacific dewberry and trailing blackberry. Description ''Rubus ursin ...

''), thimbleberry ('' Rubus parviflorus''), salmonberry ('' Rubus spectabilis''), coffeeberry ('' Rhamnus californica''), oceanspray ('' Holodiscus discolor''), salal ('' Gaultheria shallon''), cow parsnip (''

Heracleum maximum ''Heracleum maximum'', commonly known as cow parsnip, is the only member of the genus '' Heracleum'' native to North America. It is also known as American cow-parsnip, Satan celery, Indian celery, Indian rhubarb or pushki. Description Cow p ...

''), and western sword fern ('' Polystichum munitum''). Coastal grassland succeeds to coastal scrub in the absence of fire, and coastal scrub succeeds to mixed evergreen forest under further absence of fire.

Riparian woodlands and shrublands

Riparian woodlands and shrublands are a mosaic of tree-dominated plant communities and open shrublands found along rivers. Species composition varies with elevation, slope, floodplain width, and flooding history. Nevertheless, common trees include white alder ('' Alnus rhombifolia''), red alder ('' Alnus rubra''), box elder (''

Acer negundo ''Acer negundo'', the box elder, boxelder maple, Manitoba maple or ash-leaved maple, is a species of maple native to North America. It is a fast-growing, short-lived tree with opposite, compound leaves. It is sometimes considered a weedy or inv ...

''), Fremont cottonwood ('' Populus fremontii''), red willow (''

Salix laevigata ''Salix laevigata'', the red willow or polished willow, is a species of willow native to the southwestern United States and northern Baja California. Biology The red willow is a small tree up to in height. Like most other willows, it commonly ...

''), coast Douglas-fir (''

''), California sycamore ('' Platanus racemosa''), coast live oak ('' Quercus agrifolia''), and bigleaf maple ('' Acer macrophyllum''). Common shrubs include sandbar willow (''

Salix exigua ''Salix exigua'' (sandbar willow, narrowleaf willow, or coyote willow; syn. ''S. argophylla, S. hindsiana, S. interior, S. linearifolia, S. luteosericea, S. malacophylla, S. nevadensis,'' and '' S. parishiana'') is a species of willow native to m ...

'') and arroyo willow (''

Salix lasiolepis ''Salix lasiolepis'' (arroyo willow) is a species of willow native to western North America. Distribution The core range of the arroyo willow includes most of California, including the California Coast Ranges, Arizona, Klamath Mountains, Penin ...

'').

Live oak woodlands and savannas

Live oak woodlands and savannas are dominated by coast live oak ('' Quercus agrifolia''). Canopy cover varies from dense forest to open savannas. In forests, California blackberry (''

''), creeping snowberry ('' Symphoricarpos mollis''), toyon (''

Heteromeles arbutifolia ''Heteromeles arbutifolia'' (; more commonly by Californian botanists), commonly known as toyon, is a common perennial shrub native to extreme southwest Oregon, California, and the Baja California Peninsula. It is the sole species in the genus ...

''), and poison oak ('' Toxicodendron diversilobum'') are common in the understory.

Ponderosa pine forests

Some of the rarest forests that occurs in this coastal region are the Maritime Coast Range Ponderosa Pine forests, an example of which occurs in the Carbonera Creek watershed of

Santa Cruz County, California Santa Cruz County (), officially the County of Santa Cruz, is a county on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 270,861. The county seat is Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz County comprises the Santa ...

Protected areas

* Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor *

Tolowa Dunes State Park Tolowa Dunes State Park is a California State Park located in Del Norte County, on the North Coast of California. The park encompasses Lake Earl, Lake Tolowa, and a significant portion of the relatively large coastal plain around them includ ...

* Patricks Point State Park *

Redwood National and State Parks The Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) are a complex of one national park and three state parks, cooperatively managed, located in the United States along the coast of northern California. Comprising Redwood National Park (established 1968 ...

Humboldt Redwoods State Park Humboldt Redwoods State Park is a state park of California, United States, containing Rockefeller Forest, the world's largest remaining contiguous old-growth forest of Sequoia sempervirens, coast redwoods. It is located south of Eureka, Califor ...

* Headwaters Forest Reserve * King Range *

Sinkyone Wilderness State Park Sinkyone Wilderness State Park is a state park in Mendocino County, California. The wilderness area borders the Pacific Ocean to the west and the King Range National Conservation Area to the north. The nearest settlement is the unincorporated ...

South Fork Eel River Wilderness The South Fork Eel River Wilderness is a wilderness area located in Mendocino County, California. The wilderness was added to the National Wilderness Preservation System when the United States Congress passed the Northern California Coastal Wil ...

* Jackson Demonstration State Forest *

Mendocino Headlands State Park Mendocino Headlands State Park is a California State Park in Mendocino, California Mendocino ( Spanish for "of Mendoza") is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Mendocino County, California, United States. Mendocin ...

* Jenner Headlands *

Montgomery Woods State Reserve Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve is a 1,323-acre (535 ha) state-owned park located in the Coastal Range in Mendocino County, California, United States. The Reserve occupies the headwaters of Montgomery Creek, a tributary of Big River, whi ...

Van Damme State Park Van Damme State Park is a public beach consisting of about of land in Mendocino County, California, near the town of Little River on State Route 1. It was named for Charles F. Van Damme (1881–1934), who was born in the area and purchased the ...

* Manchester State Park *

Salt Point State Park Salt Point State Park is a state park in Sonoma County, California, United States. The park covers on the coast of Northern California, with of hiking trails and over of a rough rocky coastline including Salt Point which protrudes into the Pa ...

Austin Creek State Recreation Area Austin Creek State Recreation Area is a state park unit of California, United States, encompassing an isolated wilderness area. It is located in Sonoma County, California, adjacent to Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, with which it share ...

Grove of Old Trees The Grove of Old Trees is a open space reserve forest of mostly second growth Sequoia sempervirens, coast redwood trees on a broad, flat ridgetop west of Occidental, California. Location Stewarded and owned by LandPaths for more than 20 years ...

Sonoma Coast State Beach Sonoma Coast State Park is a State of California property in Sonoma County consisting of public access use on lands adjoining the Pacific Ocean. This extent of beach runs from a coastal point about north of Jenner and continues for approximatel ...

* Golden Gate National Recreation Area *

San Bruno Mountain State Park San Bruno Mountain State Park, officially San Bruno Mountain State and County Park, is a park located in northern San Mateo County, California. It is adjacent to the southern boundary of San Francisco and borders the cities of Brisbane, South Sa ...

San Bruno Mountain Ecological Reserve The San Bruno Mountain Ecological Reserve is a nature reserve of on the north slope of San Bruno Mountain, south of San Francisco, California, adjacent to the San Bruno Mountain State Park. It is managed by the California Department of Fish and ...

* Montara State Beach * Rancho Corral de Tierra * Mills Creek Open Space Preserve *

Miramontes Ridge Open Space Preserve Miramontes is a Spanish-language surname. People with the surname include: * Isabel Miramontes (born 1962), Spanish-born Belgian sculptor * Jonathan Miramontes (born 1988), Mexican professional footballer * Luis E. Miramontes (1925–2004), Mexic ...

Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve is a public recreation area in the Santa Cruz Mountains, San Mateo County in northern California. It is managed by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD). The nature reserve covers with of trails ...

* Edgewood County Park * Teague Hill Open Space Preserve * Wunderlich County Park *

El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve EL, El or el may refer to: Religion * El (deity), a Semitic word for "God" People * EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer * El DeBarge, music artist * El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American po ...

* Tunitas Creek Open Space Preserve * La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve * Windy Hill Open Space Preserve * La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve * Palo Alto Foothills Park *

Los Trancos Open Space Preserve Los Trancos Open Space Preserve is a 274-acre (1.11 km2) open space preserve, located in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, California, near Los Altos Hills, California. The preserve contains about 5 miles (8 km) of hiking trails, of ...

Monte Bello Open Space Preserve Monte Bello Open Space Preserve is a open space preserve, located near Palo Alto in the Santa Cruz Mountains, in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, California, United States. The preserve encompasses the upper Stevens Creek watershed in the ...

Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve A skyline is the outline or shape viewed near the horizon. It can be created by a city’s overall structure, or by human intervention in a rural setting, or in nature that is formed where the sky meets buildings or the land. City skyline ...

Stevens Creek County Park Stevens Creek Reservoir is an artificial lake located in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains near Cupertino, California. A county park surrounds the reservoir and provides limited fishing ("catch and release"), picnicking, hiking, and hors ...

Saratoga Gap Open Space Preserve Saratoga Gap Open Space Preserve is a 1540-acre regional park located near Saratoga Gap in the Santa Cruz Mountains of Santa Clara County, California. The preserve is owned and operated by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. The preserve ...

* Long Ridge Open Space Preserve * Sanborn Skyline County Park * Castle Rock State Park * Sam McDonald County Park *

Pescadero Creek County Park Pescadero Creek Park, located near Loma Mar, California, Loma Mar, San Mateo County, California, United States, is operated by the San Mateo County Department of Parks. The park complex of also includes the neighboring Memorial Park (San Mateo C ...

Pescadero State Beach Pescadero State Beach () is alongside State Route 1, located 14.5 miles south of Half Moon Bay and 1.5 miles west of the city of Pescadero in San Mateo County, California. The beach has a mile-long shoreline with sandy coves, rocky cliffs, tide ...

Butano State Park Butano State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of California, showcasing the secluded redwood-filled canyon of Little Butano Creek, a tributary of Butano Creek in the Pescadero Creek watershed. Located in San Mateo County near Pescadero, ...

* Burleigh H. Murray Ranch * Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve *

Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve is a state park of California in the United States established to preserve of coast redwoods (''Sequoia sempervirens''). The reserve is located in Sonoma County, just north of Guerneville. The reserv ...

* Big Basin Redwoods State Park * Ano Nuevo State Reserve * Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park *

Wilder Ranch State Park Wilder Ranch State Park is a California State Park on the Pacific Ocean coast north of Santa Cruz, California. The park was formerly a dairy ranch, and many of the ranch buildings have been restored for use as a museum. There are no campgrounds; ...

The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park is a state park of California, United States, protecting a secondary forest in the watershed of Aptos Creek and Soquel Creek within the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is located outside Aptos, California and conta ...

Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve The Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a public open space preserve in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The preserve is located along both sides of Bear Creek Road, west of State Route 17 and Lexington Reservoir, and mostly north and east of t ...

Portola Redwoods State Park Portola Redwoods State Park is a state park in California situated in San Mateo County. The parks' primary watercourses — Peters Creek, Pescadero Creek and their associated tributaries — converge at Portola Redwoods State Park. Tip Toe Fa ...

References

External links

*{{WWF ecoregion, name=Northern California coastal forests, id=na0519
Sempervirens Fund
( ttp://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/ecoregions/50519.htm slow modem version
Conifers of Northwest California
Temperate coniferous forests of the United States Forests of California Pacific temperate rainforests Plant communities of California Nearctic ecoregions Redwood National and State Parks Geography of Humboldt County, California Ecoregions of California Plants by habitat