You will find a multitude of different
plant and animal habitats within the preserve. Vegetation within Sycamore Canyon
Preserve consists mainly of coastal sage scrub and chaparral. Chaparral is
a vegetation community composed of hard stemmed, leathery leaved shrubs. Species
within this habitat include manzanita, a plant with smooth red bark; scrub oak
species; chamise; and other species of Ceanothus, which are sometimes referred
to as wild lilac with blue and white flowers. Other habitats are also
found within the preserve include oak woodlands, ripirian, and native
grasslands. Common in the area is also California sagebrush, buckwheat,
chamise, lilac, manzanita, lemonberry, coast live oak, sy
camores,
arroyo willow, and various native grasses.
|
Exposed soil |
|
Chemise Black sage Flat top Buckwheat |
|
Native and Non-native Grasslands and sparsely vegetated |
|
Riparian Sycamore Coastal live oak Willow |
|
Coastal sage scrub Laurel Sumac Coastal sage brush White sage Mixed Chaparral |
Among some of the wildlife you may encounter here at the
Sycamore Preserve are the
mule deer, coyote, bobcat, and rattlesnakes. You
may also spot such birds as the California gnatcatcher, Hutton's vireos, and
scrub jays. Chaparral is home to a wide variety of birds including the
spotted towhee, Wrentit, 
black
chinned sparrow, and California thrasher. A number of reptiles also
inhabit this community including the Western whiptail lizard, Granite spiny
lizard, San Diego Horned lizard and Pacific rattlesnake.
