Oak woodlands
Parks: Coyote Lake – Harvey Bear Ranch County Park, Coyote Canyon County Park, Santa Teresa County Park, Calero County Park (Rancho San Vicente)
An oak woodland is a plant community with a tree canopy dominated by oaks. Throughout Santa Clara County there are various types of oak woodland communities dominate by different species of oak trees. The various oak woodlands can be found below. Oak woodland provides habitat for nesting and migratory birds. Thousands of insect species also inhabit the oak woodlands.
Historical grazing practices, transitions from perennial grass to annual, non-native grass understory, increased populations of pocket gophers, development, and firewood harvesting have had significant impacts on oak forests throughout California.
Blue oak woodlands
Blue oak woodland is dominated by blue oak, a highly drought tolerant species adapted to growth on thin soils in the dry foothills. Blue oaks grow slowly in these soils and may take decades to reach maturity. Buckeye and gray pine are companion tree species which are generally found living together in this community. Understory species include annual grasses, holly-leaf cherry, poison oak, and coffeeberry. Blue oak woodland is considered a sensitive community by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife when blue oak, valley oak, coast live oak/grassland habitats are found in close proximity to one another.
Valley oak woodlands
Valley oak woodland typically occurs on deep soils that are created by running water that include clay, silt, sand, gravel, or similar material deposited in river valleys. Valley oaks are usually the only trees present in this open-canopy woodland. Annual grasses most often dominate the understory. Creeping wild rye, poison oak, mugwort, and California rose are common native species.
Valley oak woodland occurs along canyons and lowlands; however, agriculture and urbanization have severely reduced the extent of these habitats, particularly in the Central Valley. Due to its rarity and to slow regeneration, valley oak woodland is considered a sensitive community by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Coast live oak woodland
Coast live oak woodland occurs on gently sloping hills, lowlands, and canyons and is dominated by coast live oak in all areas, but buckeye is often present as a companion species. as an associate species. Native understory plants include wild blackberry, bugle hedge nettle, wood fern, and poison oak. Toyon is occasional in openings. Non-native grasses dominate the oak woodland understory. Coast Live Oak woodland, like other oak woodlands in Santa Clara County, is impacted by development, overgrazing, firewood harvesting, and transitions to invasive species of understory plants. Oak regeneration is mostly confined to steep canyon side slopes inaccessible to livestock and ground squirrels.