Los Osos Oaks State Reserve
Encyclopedia
Los Osos Oaks State Reserve is located on Los Osos Valley Road in the Los Osos Valley, just outside the town of Los Osos
, about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
This Reserve features ancient sand dunes covered with centuries-old Coast live oak
trees. According to botanists, five major plant communities thrive within the reserve. They are coastal sage scrub
, central coastal scrub, dune oak scrub, coast live oak
forest, and riparian (streamside). The oak communities exist close to each other, but each has its own character. The oak scrub has dwarf oak trees growing on the ancient (relict) sand dune. Though they are coast live oak trees, they rarely grow more than six to eight feet tall. The larger coast live oaks are located where the soil is moister. These giants can grow to 25 feet in height. Their massive trunks and gnarled branches twist into all sorts of fantastic shapes.
first encountered the Chumash in the year 1542.
as part of a deficit reduction program.
Los Osos, California
Los Osos is an unincorporated area and a census-designated place located along the Pacific coast of San Luis Obispo County, California. The community is part of the 93402 and 93412 ZIP Codes and area code 805. The population was 14,276 at the 2010 census....
, about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
This Reserve features ancient sand dunes covered with centuries-old Coast live oak
Coast Live Oak
Quercus agrifolia, the Coast Live Oak, is an evergreen oak , native to the California Floristic Province. It grows west of the Sierra Nevada from Mendocino County, California, south to northern Baja California in Mexico. It is classified in the red oak section Quercus agrifolia, the Coast Live Oak,...
trees. According to botanists, five major plant communities thrive within the reserve. They are coastal sage scrub
Coastal sage scrub
Coastal sage scrub is a low scrubland plant community found in the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion of coastal California and northern Baja California. It is characterized by low-growing aromatic, and drought-deciduous shrubs adapted to the semi-arid Mediterranean climate of the...
, central coastal scrub, dune oak scrub, coast live oak
Coast Live Oak
Quercus agrifolia, the Coast Live Oak, is an evergreen oak , native to the California Floristic Province. It grows west of the Sierra Nevada from Mendocino County, California, south to northern Baja California in Mexico. It is classified in the red oak section Quercus agrifolia, the Coast Live Oak,...
forest, and riparian (streamside). The oak communities exist close to each other, but each has its own character. The oak scrub has dwarf oak trees growing on the ancient (relict) sand dune. Though they are coast live oak trees, they rarely grow more than six to eight feet tall. The larger coast live oaks are located where the soil is moister. These giants can grow to 25 feet in height. Their massive trunks and gnarled branches twist into all sorts of fantastic shapes.
Area history
There are several prehistoric sites in the proximate vicinity of the Los Osos Oaks State Reserve, in addition to archaeological recovery within the Reserve itself. A significant sized Chumash site has been partially excavated on a stabilized sand dune slightly to the north of the Reserve dating to at least as early as 1200 AD. CabrilloJuan Rodríguez Cabrillo
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was a Portuguese explorer noted for his exploration of the west coast of North America on behalf of Spain. Cabrillo was the first European explorer to navigate the coast of present day California in the United States...
first encountered the Chumash in the year 1542.
Proposed for closure
Los Osos Oaks State Reserve is one of the 48 California state parks proposed for closure in January 2008 by California's Governor Arnold SchwarzeneggerArnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
as part of a deficit reduction program.