Plants and AnimalsThe redwoods in Joaquin Miller Park and East regioanl parks are considered to be one of the few Redwood forests to flourish today in an urban setting. Most notably, native Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) grow throughout the park. Many are in the second or third growth following major logging in the late 1800s when the redwoods were used to help build Oakland. Of the thousands of trees planted under Joaquin Miller's leadership, many still stand today. The park contains a variety of representative central coast range habitatshot open hillsides, cool redwood groves and oak woodlands, lush creeksides and wet meadows. The park is home to 200 species of native plants. There are rare plants like the Oakland star tulip, pallid manzanita, and letherwood, alongside such non-natives as fennel, acacia and eucalyptus. California's state grass, purple needlgrass, is abundant in the serpentine grasslands, as well as California's state flower, the california poppy. Walk gently and discover ome elusive wildlife. Towees, scrub jays, juncos, Copper's hawks, lizards, gopher snakes, or perhaps even a gray fox, deer or skunk all take advantage of this altered, but healthy, habitat. |
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