California Oak Savanna - Code: Ne6B

California oak savanna occurs adjacent to the Pacific coast, typically in transitional zones between grassland and forest habitats. This habitat is characterized by widely spaced broad-crowned oaks growing with an understory of grasses and forbs. Most California Oak Savannas have a Mediterranean climate. Average precipitation is 15-32” (380-800mm), falling mostly as rain during the winter months (November-March). The summers can be extremely hot and dry, with daytime temperatures reaching 90-110°F (32-43°C). Winter temperatures are generally pleasant with daytime highs from 45-70°F(7-20°C) and lows rarely below freezing.  These open, park-like environments are easy to walk in and are a great place to observe wildlife, especially during mast years (large seeding events).
The California oak savanna is the most diverse of the North American oak savannas and includes over a dozen species of oak. Trees in this habitat are typically 20-60 feet (6-18m) tall and canopy cover varies from 10-50%, with denser groupings of trees occurring at higher elevations.  Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia), Valley Oak (Q.wislizenii), California Black Oak (Q. kelloggi), Engelmann Oak (Q. engelmanni), and Blue Oak (Q. douglassi)  are dominant species in this habitat. Other trees like Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii), California bay (Umbellularia californica), Gray pine (Pinus sabiniana) and Ponderosa pine (P. ponderosa) are also present in small numbers. Shrub layer is typically sparse or absent but commonly occurring shrubs include ceanothus (Ceanothus sp.), manzanita (Arctostaphylos sp.), and poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum). The understory is usually a subset of grasses and forbs from adjacent grassland habitats. In California oak savanna, the understory is often dominated by non-native grasses like Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and Wild Oats (Avena fatua). The California Grasslands subtype was formerly a major component of this ecoregion and formed a broad matrix with California Oak Savanna. This habitat was dominated by Giant Wild Rye (Leymus condensatus), Torrey’s Melica (Melica torreyana), and Needlegrass (Nassella spp.). Unfortunately this habitat subtype has been virtually eliminated through conversion to agriculture and introduction of invasive species. 
California oak savannas occur in areas where the amount of precipitation is intermediate between that of adjacent grasslands and forests, or in areas with sandy or otherwise poor soil. In the Coast Range, California Oak Savannas often form on exposed ridgetops above Nearctic Temperate Rainforest in areas called bald hills. Fire is crucial to the maintenance of the open, park-like nature of this habitat.