page_title: Galbreath Wildlands Preserve
section_title: Vertebrates
hierarchical_section_title: Galbreath Wildlands Preserve / Vertebrates
caption_attribution_description: English: California Newt at the Galbreath Wildlands Preserve
context_page_description: The Galbreath Wildlands Preserve is a 3,670-acre nature reserve in Mendocino County, California, USA, established in 2004 in honor of Fred Burckhalter Galbreath. The preserve, a former sheep ranch, is located in the Outer Coast Range 17 miles from the coast, near Yorkville. The Preserve features woodland, forest and grassland communities that lie at the edge of coastal fog influence. Lands are in the upper Rancheria sub-basin of the Navarro Watershed and contain 1st - 5th order streams. The Preserve's forests are primarily second-growth coniferous forest and hardwood.
context_section_description: Grasslands, woodlands, forests and aquatic habitats support a diversity of plants and animals. The Preserve is relatively unexplored and knowledge about species occurrences and distributions on the property is still being compiled. Species lists are available for vascular plants, special status plants, vertebrates, and fungi. A wildlife camera on the site has documented the presence of American black bear, wild boar, bobcat, coyote, mule deer, gray fox, and wild turkey.
  Top predators are still present within the landscape, and include mountain lion (Puma concolor), black bear (Ursus americanus), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), osprey (Pandion haliaetus), coyote (Canis latrans), bobcat (Lynx rufus) and gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus).
  Rancheria Creek and its tributaries support anadromous fish that make the journey inland from the ocean to breed and over-summer in cool waters of the upper watershed. Northern California Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and California Coastal Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) – both listed as federally threatened - were once abundant in Rancheria Creek. Between 1948 and 1952, large numbers of Coho and Steelhead were rescued from drying areas of Rancheria Creek by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Today, Coho have largely disappeared from the upper watershed. Steelhead are still present and have been documented by CDFW in Rancheria Creek in 1994, 2000, and 2001. The NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service considers Rancheria Creek a “critical habitat” for the Northern California Steelhead.
  Riparian areas include coastal species, such as Merganzers (Mergus merganser), that fly inland along the Navarro River. Most species observed, however, are typical of riparian inland areas, such as yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii), western pond turtle (Emys marmorata), garter snakes (Thamnophis atratus, Thamnophis sirtalis), and red-bellied newts (Taricha rivularis). Pacific giant salamanders (Dicamptodon ensatus) breed along water courses and retreat to burrows in the cool canyons. Natural and man-made ponds attract breeding newts (Taricha granulosa and Taricha torosa), garter snakes (Thamnophis elegans), and wood ducks (Aix sponsa). Bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana), which are non-native and known to feed on a variety of native amphibians and reptiles, are found in Rancheria Creek.
  Upland habitats are dominated by a patchwork of Douglas fir, redwood, and hardwood forests. The majority of Douglas fir and redwood forests are secondary growth, decreasing the potential for federally threatened marbled murrelets and northern spotted owls. Species occurring in redwood and Douglas fir forests include red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) and violet-green swallows (Tachycineta thalassina) in the overstory; pileated woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus), red-breasted sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus ruber) and western grey squirrel (Sciurus griseus) in the understory canopy; and brown creepers (Certhia americana) and white-breasted nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis) in the shrub layer. Blue grouse (Dendragapus obscura), which eat conifer needles in the winter, are found in forest clearings.
  Nine species of oaks occur in woodlands and forests of the Preserve. Acorns are a key resource for black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus), black bear (Ursus americanus), scrub jays (Aphelocoma californica), California quail (Callipepla californica), band-tailed pigeons (Columba fasciata), and acorn woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus) among others. Non-native feral pigs (Sus scrofa) and turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo), which also are avid acorn eaters, can occur in large numbers throughout Preserve. In some years, ground disturbance from feral pigs is extensive.
caption: California newt found at GWP.
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