Threatened and Endangered Species
Cultural and Paleontological Resources
Wildlife
Botanical Resources
Range
Watershed

All photos and graphics, except where noted, are BLM stock photos, from the Hollister Field Office files.

Threatened and Endangered Species

There are many species of federally listed (that is, afforded special protection by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service) plant and animal species known to occur on the land managed by the Hollister Field Office. These range from the diminuitive, serpentine endemic San Benito evening primrose, to the nocturnal San Joaquin kit fox which prefers the valley and foothill habitat found throughout the greater San Joaquin valley (Photo shown is courtesy of California State Parks) The BLM management mission for all is the same: To enhance habitat so that populations will recover to the point where they can be be de-listed, and to manage other species' habitat in order to prevent their listing. Each Spring, field biologists monitor known occurrences of rare plants, and inventory for new occurrences based upon habitat models which are augmented each year. Every proposed action which could impact sensitive plant or animal species is carefully reviewed prior to approval, and if the project is approved, stipulations are imposed as appropriate to ensure minimal disturbance or habitat destruction.

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Cultural and Paleontological Resources

As part of one of the least studied archeological regions of California, the public lands managed by the Hollister Field Office nonetheless provide evidence of a rich cultural past.  The region offers fascinating clues about Native American prehistory and the historic periods in California as well.

Moreover, the public lands managed by the Hollister Field Office contain a diversity of fossils.  Several species from the Cretaceous Period have been discovered and excavated by Fresno State University over the past few years.  Ancient plants and invertebrates such as clams, oysters, and other mollusks can also be found.

For more detailed information about the cultural and paleontological resources program managed by the Hollister Field Office, click here.

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Wildlife

Not including insects, the land managed by the Hollister Field Office provides habitat for over 300 species of wildife. The BLM manages wildlife habitat in cooperation with the State Department of Fish and Game as well as the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to promote diversity and to provide maximum protection to sensitive species. Riparian ecosystem inventory and review are currently prime focus programs, as several of our sensitive species utilize riparian systems for all or part of their lifecycle. These sensitive species include the southwestern pond turtle, the two-striped garter snake, and the yellow-legged frog. For general information on wildlife viewing and characteristics, click here. The discussion above on Threatened and Endangered species highlights this important element of the wildlife program here in Hollister.

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Botanical Resources

Typical of the Central Coast, lands managed by the Hollister Field Office are characterized by three or four main vegetation associations, these being oak woodland, chaparral, valley grassland, and conifer communities. The valley grasslands and shrub communities are located mainly in the Panoche, Griswold, Tumey and Ciervo Hills, between 600-2,500 feet and support annual grasses with many herbs such as filaree and fiddleneck. Common shrub species include saltbush, Mexican tea, golden bush, buckwheat, coastal sage, and some California juniper.

Plant communities including chaparral, oak woodland and conifer forest dominate from 2,500 to 5,000 feet in elevation. The chaparral communities are characterized by two main subtypes, including chamise and mixed chaparral. Chamise chaparral is overwhelmingly dominated by chamise. Mixed chaparral contains some combination of chamise, foothill pine, manzanita, buckbrush, red berry, silk tassel, mountain mahogany, California buckeye, interior live oak and scrub oak. You can find these communities in various places throughout the Hollister Field Office. A third, much rarer, chaparral subtype is the maritime chaparral, outstanding examples of which are preserved at Fort Ord, on the Monterey Peninsula.

The oak woodland community commonly consists of open park-like stands of blue oak with an annual grass and herb understory. The primary locations to find the conifer forests include San Benito Mountain in the Clear Creek Management Area, and the high ridges near Laguna Mountain near Hernandez Reservoir. At Fort Ord, the oak woodlands are dominated by the coast live oak, which are beautifully dwarfed and scuplted by prevailing coastal winds.

The botanical program focuses primarily on the enhancement of of rare species populations and habitat. These are discussed above, under Threatened and Endangered Species. Another important element of the botanical program is the management and enhancement native communities and habitat, in conjunction with the wildlife program. For the best places to go for wildflowers, click here.

There is a renewed emphasis on eradication of exotic species such as tamerisk in the San Joaquin Valley bioregion, and of ice plant, pampas grass and french broom on the Montery peninsula. Eradication programs utilize a combination of physical removal, spraying, and burns and re-seeding. Some of these eradication and re-seeding efforts are taken on by volunteers, without whose support and enthusiasm, many projects would not be accomplished.

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Range

The Hollister Field Office administers an extensive range management program, with over active 78 grazing leases, both sheep and cattle. Roughly three-quarters of the public land are grazed, with the primary use season being January- April. Forage available is primarily annual grasses and forbs which grow during these wetter months, and the range is managed to ensure enough residual mulch remains after each grazing season. The BLM monitors rangeland annually, measuring the health of the range by three criteria, including: degree of soil stability and watershed function, integrity of nutrient cycles and energy flow, and presence of functioning recovery mechanisms. These criteria take into consideration native plant and animal communities, season of use, riparian areas, rest and recovery phases, fuel loading, and measurable condition parameters such as residual mulch and water quality. To learn more about establishing a lease, or if you have questions about an existing lease, call him at (831) 630-5022 or e-mail the Hollister Range Conservationist.

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Watershed

One project of particular interest currently is the Panoche/Silver Creek Watershed Coordinated Resource Management Plan and Enhancement Project. The BLM is one of many partners in this project, others being private ranchers, farmers, and local city governments. Concerns have arisen over the past few years over the transport of selenium into the waterways of the San Joaquin Valley, as human activities, including livestock grazing and agriculture, expand in the valley and upper watershed. Selenium is naturally highly abundant in the soils here, and poses health concerns to those living downstream. Coincidentally, human activities over the years have impacted the natural functioning of the watershed, with resulting increasing severity of flooding and damage to riparian systems.

For more information, contact the Physical Scientist by phone at (831) 630-5027, or send him e-mail.

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