Pacific Southwest Research Station

Publications and Products

General Technical Report

Title: Southern California Mountains and Foothills Assessment: Habitat and Species Conservation Issues

Author: Stephenson, John R.; Calcarone, Gena M.

Date: 1999

Source: General Technical Report GTR-PSW-175. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station; 402 p.

Station ID: GTR-PSW-172

Description: The Southern California Mountains and Foothills Assessment: Habitat and Species Conservation Issues provides detailed information about current conditions and trends for ecological systems and species in the region. This information can be used by land managers to develop broad land management goals and priorities and provides the context for decisions specific to smaller geographic areas. The assessment area covers 6.1 million acres, of which 56 percent are national forest system lands. Over eighteen million people live in the coastal basin bordering the assessment area. As compared to historic conditions, mountain and foothill ecosystems in this region have undergone dramatic changes. Forested landscapes are more susceptible to stand-replacing fires. Invasive non-native species have become widely established, causing a decline in habitat capability for many native plants and animals. An extensive network of dams and diversions has altered aquatic systems. Some areas of high ecological integrity remain and can serve as building blocks for restoration. Biological diversity is not uniformly distributed across the landscape; rare species in particular tend to be concentrated in certain habitats. Key areas of high ecological integrity and rare species assemblages are identified in this report. This assessment provides a rich information base, including over eighty mapped themes with associated models and databases, from which future decisions can benefit

Key Words: Southern California, ecosystem, biodiversity, land management

Citation

Stephenson, John R.; Calcarone, Gena M.  1999.  Southern California Mountains and Foothills Assessment: Habitat and Species Conservation Issues  General Technical Report GTR-PSW-175. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station; 402 p.