Land Management Plan - Part 2 Los Padres National Forest Strategy

September 2005 Land Management Plan Part 2
Los Padres National Forest Strategy
White Mountain 2,104 acres Places: Sespe and Hungry
Valley/Mutau
Located on the Mt. Pinos Ranger District about 15 miles southeast of Frazier Park, the White
Mountain proposed RNA encompasses approximately 2,104 acres. An expansive, dissected,
relatively steep northeast facing exposure with a long, relatively narrow ridge characterizes the
area's topography. Elevations range from 3,200 to 6,200 feet. Bigcone Douglas-fir and mixed
conifer pine forests cover the entire elevational range of the area; they intermix with large areas
of lower montane chaparral. Canyon live oak forests are juxtaposed to both types of coniferous
and small patches of montane riparian vegetation that occur at the lowest elevations. Part of the
Buck Creek Watershed that drains into the Pyramid Reservoir is located within this proposed
RNA.
No motorized use is permitted on the proposed site, and no designated trails exist within the area.
This RNA is in excellent condition and offers good examples of bigcone Douglas-fir forests and
other montane vegetation types.
Valley Oak 108 acres Places: Arroyo Seco
The 108-acre proposed Valley Oak RNA is located on the Monterey Ranger District about 18
miles west of King City
on the western bou ndary of the Hunter-Liggett Military Reservation.
Landforms that characterize
this area include gently sloping
alluvial terraces dissected
by small
arroyos and minor rills, along with a well-developed sandstone outcrop. Elevations here range
from 1,550 to 2,465 feet.
The Valley Oak proposed RNA has one of the few remaining examples of valley oak woodlands
on public lands in California. The proposed area has open
woodlands of large, stately trees, and
a significant area of younger, dense forests. Other vegetation types include blue oak woodlands,
California annual grasslands, chamise chaparral, coastal sage scrub and riparian vegetation along
the San Antonio River.
The proposed RNA represents a small part of a much larger watershed that drains into the San
Antonio River. It is also located within the 2,200-acre Upper Milpitas Allotment that has a long
history of grazing.
A paved, well-used county road passes through the area. As a consequence, there are a number of
uses inconsistent
with RNA designation such as recreational target shooting, illegal dispersed
camping, fishing and rock climbing. No designated trails fall within the proposed area. This
proposed RNA is in fair to good ecological condition and represents one of the few remaining
areas on the Central Coast that offer research opportunities in valley oak.
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