Henry Cowell Redwoods- Fall Creek Trail
For the first field assignment I chose Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. More specifically, the fall creek portion. These Coastal Redwoods can be classified as an evergreen ecosystem. At the very beginning of the trail there were Manzanita trees and shrubs which could be classified as a chaparral ecosystem. There were several abiotic conditions observed. The humidity level was The forest canopy was extremely dense which created shade over most of the forest. The humidity level was 56%. Which made for a very moist environment. The San Lorenzo River was flowing and seemed relatively full. The rocks consisted of granite and limestone. In fact this forest was known for the mining and processing of lime in the early 1900’s. As far as biotic conditions, many were observed. First and foremost the exquisite Redwoods. There was old growth, new growth, fallen leaves and massive fallen trees. There was a variety of plants, fungi, moss, trees, and a few animals-including the honorary Banana Slug (UCSC Mascot). Please see the photos I shared for individual pictures.
