Friends Of Blue Sky Canyon
P.O. BOX 733
Poway, CA 92074

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Chaparral

The Mixed Chapparal of Blue Sky Reserve is composed of shrubs with small to broad leaves with woody stiff stems. The very dense shrub growth is 3-13 feet high and often nearly impenetrable. It is very hard to hike through. Learn more...

Coastal or Inland Sage Scrub

Plants are generally herbaceous or semi-woody, aromatic, narrow-leafed, and summer deciduous. It is a more open community than true chaparral, and easier to walk through. Total height of plants ranges from 1 to 6 ft., lower than chaparral. Coastal Sage is not well adapted to fire, there is not as much root-crowning (re-sprouting) after a fire. It is found below 3,000 ft elevation and is thus the most impacted of all local habitats by urbanization. Only 30% of California Inland Sage Scrub remains.

Blue Sky has approximately 164 acres of this habitat, or 40% of the total are of the Ecological Reserve, and receives between 9-15 inches of rain per year.Learn More...

Oak Woodland

In this habitat, plants are mostly oak trees, 20-60 ft. tall. Coastal Live oak is the #1 species. A few grasses and shrubs appear in between the trees. In Poway Oak Woodland grows in valleys and North-facing sides of hills and canyons, receiving 15-30 inches of rain per year, most in the winter months. Much of the water is lost through runoff. The area thrives in hot summers.

The valley floors are filled with erosional material from adjacent slopes. Water from well-drained hillsides accumulates in the soil of the valley floor. As a result, the conditions favor the growth of oaks and grasses rather than the development of dense chaparral shrubs. Learn more…

Riparian

Mostly winter-deciduous trees that require water near the soil surface. Stream or underground water near surface. Trees create more shade and thus cooler temperature for wildlife in the summer.
Soil is more sandy than other habitat in Blue Sky Ecological Reserve.

In Blue Sky the Riparian Woodland and the Oak Woodland are rather mixed together in some areas because of the narrowness of the valley…this is canyon riparian. Learn more...