Shrubs of California's chaparral, timberland, and wood land: area, ownership, and stand characteristics.

Abstract

A statewide inventory of shrubs in chaparral and on timberland and woodland in California is presented, and the relevance of shrubs to resource management is discussed. Shrub types (excluding coastal sage and Great Basin and desert shrubs) cover about 10 million acres, 73 percent of which is chaparral. Chamise is the most widespread type in chaparral (51 percent of total area). Critically flammable chaparral stands cover an estimated 1 million acres, much of which is in heavily populated southern California. More than 2 million additional acres are on the threshold of the critically flammable stage. Shrubs are the dominant vegetation on 2.1 million acres of timberland and 0.5 million acres of woodland. Ceanothus, manzanita, and poison-oak are the most widespread shrubs on timberland and woodland. Timber growth on shrub-dominated timberland is about one-fourth of the potential of the land.

Citation

Boisinger, Charles L. 1988. Shrubs of California''s chaparral, timberland, and wood land: area, ownership, and stand characteristics. Res. Bull. PNW-RB-160. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 50 p