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Quail Ridge Reserve (QRR) overlooking Lake Berryessa in Napa County, CA, is one of
the few nearly unscathed natural areas left in the California Coast Ranges. The
Reserve's 2000 acres support stands of black oak, blue oak, interior live oak, oracle
oak, scrub oak, and valley oak. Trees shade deer trails that wind through native
California bunchgrasses--grasses that once flourished on 25 million acres but are
rarely seen today. QRR has many magnificent stands of these elegant perennial
grasses, with up to 15 different species identified to date. The Reserve is also
home to a host of other native plants and animals.
The Reserve is comprised of complex biological communities that are increasingly
difficult to find anywhere in the state. For this reason, it is of special interest to
biologists and ecologists who wish to study still functioning ecosystems, in part to
better understand what might be done to restore damaged ones elsewhere. The Reserve
is also of interest to educators, from kindergarten through university, who wish their
students to experience, first-hand, native California Coast Range habitat. And it is
of interest to the general public, as a site not too distant from urban centers in
northern California, where people can see the beauty and feel the tranquility of
undisturbed California landscapes. The Reserve is one of 36 reserves in the state
designated as a natural reserve of the University of California. Link to UC Natural Reserve
System.
PURPLE NEEDLEGRASS IS NOW CALIFORNIA’S OFFICIAL STATE GRASS
QRWC’s Executive Director, Frank Maurer, has recently played a major role in launching an initiative to have Nassella pulchra—more widely known as Purple Needlegrass—officially designated as California’s State Grass. This took several years of advocacy, education, and finding supporters for the idea. Ultimately, Senator Mike Machado (D-Linden) authored the bill, with support by Lois Wolk in the Assembly, which was signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger in August of 2004. The law went into effect on January 1, 2005.
Why Purple Needlegrass? Here are some reasons:
- This native perennial grass is a signature species for our state, since it is the most extensive and widespread native grass in California , with a range extending from the California-Oregon border to Baja California.
- It is a beautiful, hardy and long-lived plant (individual plants live up to 100+ years).
- Its seed was one of several used by many California Native Americans as a food source.
- During the period of Mexican ownership of California and the huge cowhide and tallow industry developed by the Mexicans, the grasses of the Central Valley, including Nassella pulchra, were the basis of cattle grazing and subsistence.
- It is an important food source for many animal species.
- The deep root systems (6-15 feet) of the grass support the survival of oak seedlings, especially in warmer areas of the state, by maintaining moisture in the soil for the seedlings and by promoting the growth of mychorrhizal fungi, which are important to the health of oaks.
- As a hardy, drought-resistant plant, Purple Needlegrass is very well suited for xeric (dry) landscapes and for restoration projects.
- Once established it aids greatly in suppressing the growth and spread of non-native invasive weeds, such as the well-nigh ubiquitous and noxious yellow star thistle.
- A state grass serves as both a symbol of and a tool for teaching about the natural environment of early California.
With the entry of Nassella pulchra into the pantheon, California now has 30 state symbols. Our state is one of 15 to have so honored a native grass. We feel that more states will follow this lead.
If your curiosity has been piqued, here are the other state symbols relating to native flora and fauna:
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Animal: | Grizzly Bear (now extinct!) |
| Bird: | California Valley Quail |
| Fish: | California Golden Trout |
| Flower: | Golden Poppy |
| Fossil: | Sabre-toothed Cat |
| Insect: | California Dogface Butterfly |
| Marine Mammal: | California Gray Whale |
| Reptile: | Desert Tortoise |
| Tree: | California Redwood
(includes Coast Redwood & Giant Sequoia) |
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