Santa Cruz Mountains Forests

From moist coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) communities to dry ridgetops dotted with knobcone pine (Pinus attenuata), and riparian areas bursting with color from bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), the forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains span over 250,000 acres in Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties. These forest communities are iconic elements of the natural landscape, valuable resources for the local economy, and cherished recreational venues for visitors and residents alike. However, they face significant threats due to increased forest fuel loading and density, high-severity fires, climate change, and forest pests and diseases.

Maintaining healthy, productive forest systems is achievable through collaborative stewardship. Help, resources, and research are available through the UC Extension Forestry Program for Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties. Brian Woodward, University of California Cooperative Extension Forest Advisor, runs a forest research and extension program serving all forest managers, owners, and residents seeking information on forest management, forest health, forest ecology, and related topics in the Santa Cruz Mountains region.