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Natural History Field Trip
May 7, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Leader: Paul Bouscal, CNPS board member and Certified CA Naturalist
This field trip will be restricted to 12 persons, vaccinations encouraged.
The Hazelnut Trail on Montara Mountain offers an abundance of diversity. It contains a rich mix of inland and maritime chaparral in the process of replacing a diverse grassland. In the absence of frequent burning practiced by Native Americans, woody plants displace the grasses, and you can see that process happening here. We start out from the Visitor’s Center and cross the creek coming down from Brook Falls, cross a thriving riparian woodland with lush vegetation, then our ascent brings us to a couple of grasslands. A favorite here is the chinquapin, a relative of the chestnut. The underside of its leaves are covered by a rich golden tomentum; in the right light conditions it fills the area with a warm golden glow. We’ll also see the trail namesake hazelnut. The hike is approximately four miles.
$6 fee for parking. Bring water, snacks and layers of clothing. Contact Paul at bouscalp@yahoo.com, or call 650-438-9109 to reserve and for more information.