Arastradero Preserve

Arastradero Preserve, officially known as Enid W. Pearson-Arastradero Open Space Preserve, is a nature preserve owned and operated by the City of Palo Alto, in the city of Palo Alto, California, USA. The main parking lot of Arastradero Preserve is located at 1530 Arastradero Road ( [http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=37%C2%B0+23%27+13%22+N,+122%C2%B0+10%27+29%22+W&ll=37.386918,-122.174749&spn=0.033689,0.085831 37°23'13" N, 122°10'29" W] ).

Description

Arastradero Preserve is a preserve located in and managed by the city of Palo Alto, California. Consisting of rolling savanna grassland hills and evergreen forests, the preserve varies in elevation from convert|275|ft|m in the northeast to convert|775|ft|m in the southwestcite web | title=City of Palo Alto - Arastradero Webpage|url=http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/depts/csd/parks_and_open_space/preserves_and_open_spaces/pearson_arastradero.asp] . The preserve contains an abundance of wildlife, including deer, bobcats, coyotes, and many species of birds. The Pearson-Arastradero Preserve has convert|10.25|mi|km of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. While many of the trails are open year-round, some trails are designated as "seasonal" and are closed at the trailhead tempararily after heavy rain. The Preserve and the surrounding area are habitats for the California mountain lion. There have been credible reports of mountain lion sightings in these areas recently. There have also been a number of reports of a lion(s) exhibiting an atypical curiosity towards people walking dogs in the Preserve.

Trail Names and Maps

The trails at Arastradero Preserve include Bay Laurel, Bowl Loop, Meadowlark, Ohlone, Wild Rye, Woodland Star, and Woodrat. There are also unmarked and/or closed trails in the preserve. [http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=6049 A map of the preserve] can be found on the City of Palo Alto web site.

Restoration and Stewardship Activities

Acterra, a local environmental nonprofit, has run a collaborative stewardship program on the Preserve in cooperation with the City of Palo Alto since 1997. Volunteers and Acterra staff work to improve the Preserve by eliminating invasive weeds such as non-native thistles, by planting native species such as blue rye and native oaks, and by building trails. [http://www.acterra.org/arastradero/] .

References