Professional Documents
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TheDiversityandDistributionofPlantsandAnimals AboutOurWildlifeandHabitats
SantaCruzCountyishometoanamazingwealthofwildlifeandnativeplantspecies, withmorethan1,200plantspecies,andincludingmanyrare,threatenedand endangeredplantsandanimals SantaCruzCountyhasvariablesoilsandclimatethatcombinetocreateamosaicof habitatsrangingfromsealevelto3,000footelevation Coastalareasarecharacterizedbywetlands,riparianorstreamsidehabitats,coastal scrub,grasslandandoaks,whileitsmountainsaredominatedbycoastredwoodand mixedevergreenforests SantaCruzCountyisanimportantlandbridgeformovementofwildlife,including MountainLionandBobcat,providingconnectionsbetweenlargeblocksofhabitat NaturesbenefitstherearenumerousvaluesandbenefitsthattheCountysnatural areasprovidecleanair,cleanwater,floodcontrol,andstoringcarbondioxide Approximately24%ofSantaCruzCountyisdesignatedparksorotherpubliclands and11%oftheCountyisurbanized
BlueprintApproachtoWildlifeandWildlifeHabitat
TheConservationBlueprintisusingcomputergeneratedmapsandworkingwiththeCountys leadingscientistsandwildlifeexperts,toidentifyarecommendednetworkofconservation lands.
KeyWildlife,HabitatConservationIssuesandChallenges
Habitatconversionanddestruction Thespreadofinvasivespecies Thesurvivalofmanyspeciesandnaturalcommunitiesdependsonmaintainingand restoringecologicalprocessesonbothpublicandprivateland Habitatfragmentedbyresidences,fences,androadsaffectsmovementofwideranging speciessuchasmountainlionandbobcat Climatechangewillcauseshiftsinhabitatandaffectmammals,fishandplants
WeWanttoHearFromYou:HowCanLandConservationHelp
Protectthediversityofplantandanimalhabitats? Provideconnectionsbetweenlargeblocksofhabitatcriticalformovementoflarge species? Respondandadapttoclimatechangeanditsimpactsonplantsandanimals?