Cantara-Ney Springs Meadows

Habitat Description:    Gently sloping vernally mesic meadows bordered by Yellow Pine and California Black Oak woodlands. The upper meadows are split by the intersection of Ney Springs Road and the road leading down to the lower meadows. The lower meadows are located appr. 1/2 mile downhill, adjacent to the woodland margins of the Sacramento River as it flows out of Box Canyon. The meadows are divided into two parcels, with the Eastern sections of both upper and lower meadows owned by a benevolent private landowner and the Western sections included in the Cantara-Ney Springs Wildlife Refuge. Some restoration work has been started by the private landowner as the Eastern portion of the upper meadow has been previously disturbed by vehicular traffic with compacted soil and dirt roads cutting through it.

Wyethia angustifolia, along with Balsamorhiza hookeri are the most prominent species here. In the wetter portions of the upper meadow are significant populations of Hastingsia alba and Triteliea hyacinthina as well. These meadows also include the only population of Helianthella californica ssp. shastensis located so far by the author. While these meadows slope more than the level South Shore meadow near Lake Siskiyou, the species composition of the two habitats is very similar.

Note: This list is a work in progress and not a complete botanical survey. Also, as the primary purpose of these observations was for gathering native wildflower seed and wildflower photography, the grasses and trees are not covered in these findings.