Community Service
23845 Summit Rd. 408-353-2847 Building Blocks is a high quality and highly affordable parent-cooperative preschool established by and for the mountain community. Our program – Parenting the Preschooler – is an Adult Education program sponsored by the Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation Department and Adult Education, Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District.
The program is multi-sensory and looks to engage children both in the world around them and in their own particular interests. Art, science, dancing, theater, music, books, field trips and community visitors, and both large movement, and fine motor activities are components of our school curriculum. Children play and learn in both small and whole-class groups - learning to communicate, collaborate, and handle conflict through our classroom activities, developing social skills, friendships, and cognitive skills as they go. Kindergarten-readiness skills are also emphasized for the 4 & 5-yr. old children. The head teacher for the program is Karen Venegas. Karen received her B.A. from UCLA, her Early Childhood Education Certification from Cabrillo College, and her Adult Education Credential from San Jose State. For more information or to enroll your child, please contact Alexis King at Building Blocks 408-353-2847. |
||||||||||
Santa Clara County does not allow any residential burning. Bona fide agricultural businesses are allowed to burn materials that are byproducts of businesses with a permit from their local fire department. Permits may be obtained by calling Central Fire in Redwood Estates at 408-378-4010 or CAL FIRE in Morgan Hill at 408-779-2121. Once a permit is obtained, you are still required to call the Bay Area Air Quality Management District at 800-435-7247 to see if it is a burn day. www.baaqmd.gov You may only burn brush and yard trimmings grown on your property, removed for fire protection. The material must be dry and free from household rubbish and other debris. Small brush and branches (2” in diameter and less) need 30 days to dry. Larger trees and branches (over 2” in diameter) need 60 days to dry. Be careful burning poison oak, as the smoke can be deadly. Your pile should be in open space not more than 4’ x 4’ x 4’ with calm ground winds. You need to have hand tools on site, along with a good hose that reaches well around your pile, and only burn during daylight hours. |
||||||||||
CHARITABLE DONATIONS |
||||||||||
The California Department of Consumer Affairs suggests checking out charities before giving. The California Attorney General’s Office provides information on charities at http://ag.ca.gov/charities and the Better Business Bureau gives tips for giving at www.give.org. |
||||||||||
At-The Well Ministries
Non Profit/Inter Denominational Christ Centered Providing opportunities for fellowship and spiritual growth. Men and Women’s Bible Studies-Weekly Monthly Fellowship Group (Men & Women)
Christ Child Church Roman Catholic-Monterey Diocese www.christchild.org 23230 Summit Rd. 408-353-2210 Pastor: Eugenio Aramburo Fax 408-353-8680 FrEugenio@christchild.org Confessions: On Request Masses: Sundays: 10:00 AM Tuesdays: 9:00 AM Thursdays & Fridays: 8:00am Saturday: 5:00 PM Religious Instruction: K thru 8 Sundays 9-10am Sr. Youth Group: Sundays 7pm Wenesdays: 1:30- 3:00pm - "Kids Club" at Loma Prieta School
Jikoji Retreat & Zen Center www.jikoji.org Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church San Francisco Diocese Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Church Skyland Community Church, United Church of Christ A Christian fellowship whose members and friends form a sharing and caring extended family. We offer membership, fellowship, and ministry to all. 25100 Skyland Rd. www.skylandchurch.com 408-353-1310 Mailing address: PO Box 245, Los Gatos, 95031 Minister: Stephen Glauz-Todrank sglauztodrank@gmail.com Sunday Service: 10:30AM Sunday School for Grades 1 through 5 July - 5/10K Run and Walk September - Harvest Festival |
||||||||||
Alcoholics Anonymous Mon. 8 PM Skyland Church 408-353-1310 | ||||||||||
|
||||||||||
Boy Scout Council http://www.scccbsa.org/ 408-638-8300 | ||||||||||
CASA (Community Against Substance Abuse) www.casalgca.org | ||||||||||
CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) cert@lomaprietafire.org | ||||||||||
Equine Evacuation Kenneth and Susan Coale 831-429-9604 |
||||||||||
4-H Santa Clara County http://cesantaclara.ucanr.edu/Youth_Development/ 408-282-3116 | ||||||||||
Girl Scouts - Santa Clara County www.girlscoutsnorcal.org/ 408-287-4170 | ||||||||||
Girl Scouts - Monterey Bay www.girlscoutsccc.org/ 800-624-4757 | ||||||||||
Large Animal Rescue-Felton Fire call 911 to activate Bus 831-335-4422 | ||||||||||
LGS Recreation, Young Rec. Center, 123 E. Main St. 408-354-8700 | ||||||||||
www.lgsrecreation.org Adult Rec. Center 208 E. Main St. 408-207-4904 | ||||||||||
Loma Prieta Amateur Radio Club www.lparc.org David Katinsky 408-353-2264 | ||||||||||
Loma Prieta Club Christal Cordes 408-353-3448 | ||||||||||
Loma Prieta Community Foundation www.lpcf.net 408-834-7765 | ||||||||||
Loma Prieta Volunteer Fire www.lomaprietafire.org 408-353-3529 | ||||||||||
Los Gatos Little League www.lgll.org | ||||||||||
LGS Recreation 408-354-8700 | ||||||||||
Los Gatos United Soccer www.lgusl.org | ||||||||||
MERC (Mountain Emergency Response Corps) Bill 408-341-9023 | ||||||||||
Mountain Area 55 Plus Program 408-207-4920 | ||||||||||
Qi Gong Movement Marcy Reynolds www.wildcoastqigong.com 831-512-9331 | ||||||||||
Red Cross Bill Rose 408-341-9023 |
||||||||||
Summit Riders Horseman’s Assn. Sally Francy 408-353-2908 | ||||||||||
Theatre in the Mountains www.theatreinthemountains.org 408-384-8465 | ||||||||||
Volunteering can be exciting and rewarding. There are many opportunities from the local school, church, or non-profit organizations, to state and international organizations. Involvement can range from a one time occasion for a few hours, to a continuing commitment. Look around your own community, or branch out to get involved. Community service can be fulfilling. It’s a good way to meet people, or even that special someone. www.volunteerinfo.org |
||||||||||
Santa Clara County Santa Cruz County San Mateo County |
||||||||||
Skill is required when driving in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Narrow one-lane, two-way mountainous roads are hard to negotiate, sometimes necessitating the need to back up to allow another vehicle to pass. The vehicle going up-hill always has the right of way. This means that the vehicle coming down, must back up the hill. Besides driving at a safe speed for conditions, proper driving on Highway 17 increases every one’s safety. Shift your automatic transmission into third when driving downhill. This will allow you more control, while decreasing your need to brake. Your brakes are more efficient on a straight-away, since all the tires touch the ground with an equal amount of weight. Therefore, slow down before you reach a curve, coast through the curve, and accelerate as you exit the curve. Raising your visual horizon allows you to drive more defensively. Look as far ahead as possible. The traffic often stops abruptly, so looking past the car ahead of you gives you more time to react. We sometimes have dense fog on our mountain resulting in limited visibility. Slow down and use your low beams in heavy fog. Use the painted lines as your guide and listen for traffic you can’t see. Don’t change lanes, unless necessary and remember that your perception of speed can be affected by the fog. Look at your speedometer to make sure that you are going slow. When weather conditions are poor, SLOW DOWN. You will only lose a few seconds, and please pull over for emergency vehicles (this included per request of the Loma Prieta Volunteer Fire Dept.). It could be you or your loved one in need of help! |
||||||||||
Emergency Communications Notification (Reverse 911) is an emergency notification system which can be used to send important messages to residents and businesses within either Santa Clara or Santa Cruz Counties. The system has the capability of sending thousands of messages in a very short time based on geographic location of the incident. Examples of uses may be: Request for community assistance in locating missing children Evacuation notices due to emergency situations Be-on-the-lookout notices for dangerous criminals in your area Landline phone numbers have been uploaded into the system but cell phone numbers require individual registration. |
||||||||||
To register your cell phone: Santa Clara County www.AlertSCC.com Santa Cruz County www.sccecc.org San Mateo County www.smcalert.info/index.php?CCheck=1 Wireless Association www.ctia.org/consumer_info/safety/index.cfm/AID/12082 |
||||||||||
Fresh seasonal organic fruits and vegetables, herbs, free range eggs, jams and nut butters, the freshest local seafood and oysters, grass fed beef, handmade sausages, fair trade coffee, pickles and jerky, honey, goat’s milk, chocolates, gluten free bakery, and more. Visit the market’s website for a list of vendors. The Mountain Goat Farmers’ Market www.mountaingoatfarmersmarket.com Portola Valley Farmers’ Market www.portolavalleyfarmersmarket.com |
||||||||||
President Barack H. Obama 202-456-1414 and Vice President Joe Biden Fax 202-456-2461 The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Wash. D.C. 20500 www.whitehouse.gov president@whitehouse.gov vice.president@whitehouse.gov FEMA- Disaster Information Help Line 800-525-0321 www.fema.gov/ Senator - Barbara Boxer Dem. CA. 415-403-0100 1700 Montgomery St.#240, S.F. 94111 Fax 415-956-6701 senator@boxer.senator.gov www.boxer.senate.gov Senator Dianne Feinstein Dem. CA. 415-393-0707 One Post St. #2450,S.F. 94104 Fax 415-393-0710 senator@feinstein.senator.gov www.feinstein.senate.gov Santa Clara County Congressman – Mike Honda Rep. District 15 408-558-8085 1999 S. Bascom Ave., #815, Campbell 95008 Fax 408-558-8086 mike.honda@mail.house.gov www.hondahouse.gov/ Post Office - Los Gatos 800-275-8777 408-395-8936 Post Office - Redwood Estates 408-353-1667 Santa Cruz County Congresswoman – Anna Eshoo Dem. District 14 408-245-2339 698 Emerson St. Palo Alto, CA 94301 Fax 650-323-3498 anna.eshoo@mail.house.gov www.eshoo.house.gov Post Office - Capitola 800-275-8777 Scotts Valley 800-275-8777 Soquel 800-275-8777 |
||||||||||
San Mateo County Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (Dem. District 14) 408-245-2339 831-335-2020 698 Emerson St. Palo Alto 94301 Fax 650-323-3498 anna.eshoo@mail.house.gov www.eshoo.house.gov Congresswoman Jackie Speier (Dem. District 18) 415-566-5257 650-342-0300 155 Bovet Road, Suite 780, San Mateo 94402 Fax 650-375-8270 jackie.speier@mail.house.gov www.speier.house.gov Post Office - La Honda 8865 La Honda Rd. 800-275-8777 650-747-0515 Woodside 2995 Woodside Rd. 800-275-8777 650-368-4163 |
||||||||||
Defensible Space is the area between your home and the oncoming fire where the vegetation has been trimmed back to reduce the wildfire threat and provide an opportunity for firemen to defend your home. 100 feet clearance around your home is required by law. This means 30 feet cleared well with large trees being limbed up 10 feet from the ground. The remaining 70% depends on the steepness and vegetation. Create horizontal and vertical spacing between trees, and remove the “fire ladder” beneath large trees. Remove needles and leaves from roof and gutters and keep limbs trimmed 10 feet back from chimneys. Remove all dead vegetation. |
||||||||||
Chipper Program
www.firesafecouncil.org Santa Clara County dschip@SCCFireSafe.org 408-975-9591 Santa Cruz County ed@SCCFireSafe.org 831-335-6794 Soquel thadyne@soquelfiresafe.org 831-600-8503 South Skyland schwindr@yahoo.com 408-867-9422 |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
CAL FIRE | ||||||||||
www.fire.ca.gov/ | ||||||||||
Santa Clara County Fire Department Redwood Estates 408-378-4010 Department of Forestry Alma 19650 Santa Cruz Highway, Los Gatos- 408-354-5050 Burrell Fire 25050 Highland Way, Los Gatos- 408-353-1022 Saratoga Summit 12900 Skyline Blvd., Los Gatos- 408-867-3625 Sky Londa 17290 Skyline Boulevard, Woodside- 650-851-1860 Soquel 4750 Old San Jose Road, Los Gatos- 831-475-3234 Soquel Demonstration State Forest- 831-475-8643 http://calfire.ca.gov/resource_mgt/resource_mgt_stateforests_soquel.php Volunteer Fire Departments Kings Mountain 13889 Skyline Blvd., Woodside- 650-851-8897 La Honda 8945 Highway 84, La Honda- 650-747-0381 Loma Prieta 17445 Old Summit Rd, Los Gatos- 408-353-3529 Los Cumbres 18271 Las Cumbres Rd, Los Gatos- 408-395-5811 Ormsby 408-420-4849 South Skyline temp27@southskylinefire.org 408-395-1246 Zayante 15585 Upper East Zayante- 831-335-5100 |
||||||||||
Firesafe Councils have been formed to help the community reduce the risk and impact of a wildfire, and help protect our houses from this danger. They are non-profit organizations dedicated to preventing the loss of lives and reducing losses of property and natural resources from wildfire. They provide education and outreach programs for fire prevention and preparedness to all residents within the Council area. They operate through dedicated volunteers, with financial contributions, in-kind donations, and grants. They aim to educate the public about wildfire threat and fire mitigation, while coordinating wildfire prevention efforts of local public fire agencies and others. Their focus is primarily to improve wildfire safety in two major areas: the reduction of dangerous fuel loads and the improvement of evacuation routes. |
||||||||||
www.cafiresafecouncil.org | ||||||||||
Santa Clara County www.SCCFireSafe.org Santa Cruz County www.soquelfiresafe.org San Mateo County www.firesafesanmateo.org South Skyline: www.southskylinefiresafe.org |
||||||||||
Firewood is sold in a measurement called a “cord”. A cord equals 128 cubic feet. Stack the wood neatly by placing the wood in a row with individual pieces touching and parallel to each other, making sure that the wood is compact and has as few gaps as possible. The width, times the height, times the length, should equal 128 cubic feet. A cord, like other measurements, is defined by law. A seller may not legitimately use terms such as “truckload”, “face cord”, “rack”, or “pile”. When you buy firewood make sure that you get a receipt with the seller’s name, address, and phone number, as well as the price, amount and kind of wood purchased. If possible, write down the license plate number of the delivery vehicle. If you have been short changed and the seller can’t or won’t correct the problem, contact your county Weights and Measures office. |
||||||||||
Santa Clara County Weights and Measures 408-918-4601 |
||||||||||
The above information has been provided by The National Conference on Weights and Measures.
|
||||||||||
Alice’s Restaurant 17288 Skyline Blvd., Woodside 650-851-0303 www.alicesrestaurant.com Mountain Terrace 17285 Skyline Blvd., Woodside 650-851-1606 www.themountainterrace.com Skywood Trading Post 17200 Skyline Blvd., Woodside 650-851-0914 |
||||||||||
The Friends of Bear Creek Stables is a non profit volunteer organization. Located on 1432 acres of Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District’s Bear Creek Redwoods Preserve, the land extends from Hwy 17 at the Bear Creek Road overpass by Lexington Reservoir, up to Summit Road on the west side of Hwy 17. The volunteers at the FBCS have programs to share the stables with the community and the public. They offer field trips, outdoor classroom experiences, school fundraisers, docent led hikes, and a ranch experience for visitors (by appointment). Visitors can see horses, horse activity, goats, chickens, dogs and cats. Jenny Whitman, 408-315-9250, jenny_whitman@comcast.net Nancy Cole, 408-204-4144, nancy@team-cole.com |
||||||||||
Generators are definitely a plus in the Santa Cruz Mountains where we have frequent interruptions in our electricity. Although convenient, generators can be dangerous in the hands of an inexperienced homeowner. First off, you must call PG&E at 800-743-5000 to inform them that you will be using a generator. This law is to protect your property and the lives of PG&E linemen who may be trying to repair the power outage. Permanent standby generators must be installed properly. You are responsible to make sure that the electricity from your unit cannot flow into PG&E’s power lines. If your generator is permanently connected to your home wiring, you must install a double-pole, double-throw transfer switch. This not only protects PG&E’s equipment, it keeps PG&E’s power from re-energizing your house wiring, while your generator is running. A transfer switch must be installed in a weather-proof enclosure between PG&E’s meter and your circuit breaker panel. Make sure you follow all codes. Portable generators are designed to be connected to specific appliances. These generators should never be connected directly to your home’s wiring. Be careful not to exceed the manufacturer’s load rating. Make sure that your extension cords are properly sized for the load. Overloaded cords can overheat and cause fires or damage to equipment. Never fill the tank while the generator is running, or even hot. Let it cool down before refilling. The greater the load, the more gas you will use. Never run a generator inside your home or in any enclosed area. Since generators are not waterproof, it is recommended that you build a little house over your generator. Allow a two minute warm up before plugging in extension cords or equipment and unplug items before shutting down. Plug the items that draw the most power first. You should drain the fuel and run the tank dry before storage (gasoline has a short storage life). Thanks to PG&E for their assistance. |
||||||||||
GIRLS ON THE RUN |
||||||||||
Girls on the Run of Silicon Valley is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping girls stay out of the “Girl Box” – a place where girls are valued more for their outward appearance than their inside character. For girls in 3rd-8th grade, the program targets those years when girls’ self images are being developed. Using running and fun games as teaching tools, the curricula addresses all aspects of a girl’s development by combining training for a 3.1 mile running event with lessons designed to promote physical, emotional and social development. |
||||||||||
For more information, visit their website at www.girlsontherun-sv.org or contact Kathleen Nestler at (408)406-8406 or kathleen@gotrsv.org |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
INTERNET |
||||||||||
The Santa Cruz Mountain Alliance has succeeded in bringing Comcast to the mountain. Verizon DSL is also available to some homes in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Call your land-line phone company to see if you are eligible. |
||||||||||
LANDSCAPING |
||||||||||
DEER RESISTANT SHRUBS* Drought Resistant DEER RESISTANT TREES DEER RESISTANT SHRUBS DEER RESISTANT PERENNIALS DEER RESISTANT GRASSES DEER RESISTANT VINES/GROUNDCOVERS |
||||||||||
Apple Jack’s Inn 8790 La Honda Rd., La Honda 650-747-0331 La Honda Country Market 8865 La Honda Rd., La Honda 650-747-9722 La Honda Post Office 8865 La Honda Rd., La Honda 650-747-0515 Mon.-Fri. 9AM-1:00PM & 2:00PM-4:30PM Puente Resource Center 8865 La Honda Rd., La Honda 650-747-0248 www.puentedelacostasur.org |
||||||||||
In the 1950s, a community group sponsored an annual rodeo to raise funds for a fire department, forming the La Honda Volunteer Fire Brigade. Now they host an annual Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair to raise funds. www.lahondafire.org 650-747-0381 |
||||||||||
Large Animal Rescue (LAR), a division of the Felton Fire Protection District, was formed in 1996 to assist with animal rescues in Santa Cruz County, as well as surrounding counties. Equipped with the proper gear and training, they average about 10 to 12 rescues per year, but that number can raise dramatically with a disaster. A response to extricate or assist a large animal is activated by a call to 9-1-1. |
||||||||||
Felton Fire Protection District, 131 Kirby St., Felton, CA 95018 |
||||||||||
831-335-4422 www.feltonfire.com |
||||||||||
Their staff are firefighters with Felton Fire Protection District’s LAR Unit. They offer LAR training that is certified by the California State Fire Marshall to emergency responders, veterinarians and large animal owners. |
||||||||||
831-335-3473 |
||||||||||
Santa Cruz County Equine Evacuation Unit is ready to assist horse owners in moving animals to designated sites if evacuation is needed
due to fire, flood, earthquake, etc. |
||||||||||
Contact Lyn Hood at 831-475-3323 lyhood@cabrillo.edu |
||||||||||
Kenneth and Susan Coale at 831-429-9604 coale@mlml.calstate.edu |
www.lgsrecreation 408-354-8700 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Los Gatos Public Library
110 E. Main St. L.G. 408-354-6891 Children’s Room 408-354-6893 Reference Desk 408-354-6896 Hours: Monday & Tuesday 11AM to 8PM Wednesday & Friday 10AM to 6PM Saturday 10PM to 5PM Sunday 12PM to 5PM http://www.losgatosca.gov/index.asp?NID=42 All residents of California may obtain a library card at no charge. http://www.losgatosca.gov/index.asp?NID=42 Santa Clara County Library System A resident in the State of California may obtain a library card at any public library in the State of California at no cost. Bookmobile services are offered by Santa Clara County and all the libraries on both sides are for your use with a library card. Santa Clara County Bookmobile - every other Thurs- Jan. 3,17, etc. 408-293-2326 Hours: Lakeside School 10:30 - 12:15 x3060 Loma Prieta School 2:00 - 3:30 Redwood Estates Pavilion 4:00 – 5:30 800-471-0991
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library 408-808-2000 150 E. San Fernando Ave, (at 4 th St.) San Jose 95112 http://library.sjsu.edu/ A collaboration between San Jose State University and the City of San Jose, this is one of the largest libraries in the country with over 1.9 million items. Santa Cruz Public Libraries, A City-County System Residents of Santa Cruz County are allowed to use any of the libraries in the city and county. www.santacruzpl.org 831-420-5600 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
San Mateo County Palo Alto Library www.cityofpaloalto.org/gov/depts/lib/default.asp Menlo Park Library 800 Alma St, Menlo Park 94025 650-330-2500 Woodside Library 3140 Woodside Rd, Woodside 94062 650-851-0147 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Loma Prieta Club originated in 1905 as the Santa Cruz Mountain Social and Improvement Club. The ladies met twice a month to plan entertainment for the community. By 1912 the club had grown into a more community service oriented club doing good works for local families. During World War II the ladies showed their support for the troops by making bandages for the Red Cross and they customarily have helped with a scholarship for a deserving student. In the 1930’s the name was changed to the “Loma Prieta Club”. Presently, the club meets once a month for a luncheon and to discuss business. They sponsor a yearly fundraiser, a luncheon at the Radonich Packing House on a Wednesday in May. In addition to the social aspects of the club, they raise funds to help support community needs through the local churches, the Loma Prieta School District, and the Loma Prieta Volunteer Fire and Rescue. Membership is by invitation only. Thanks to the Loma Prieta Club for providing the above information |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
23800 Summit Road www.lpcf.net 408-834-7765 The Loma Prieta Community Foundation is a nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to building and supporting a strong sense of community in the Summit area by providing educational, cultural, and recreational opportunities for mountain residents. Founded in 1983 for the purpose of building the Loma Prieta Community Center, the foundation continued to play an important role, initiating and supporting community programs and activities until two years ago. They were paramount in procuring grants totaling over one million dollars from Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties, covered by a bond issue passed by the voters of this district, for the purpose of building a community center. The school donated a parcel of land worth $125,000. Unfortunately, the school district has taken over the Community Center building, so it is no longer a community building. It is a school building and groups can rent the facilities only when the school is not using them. The foundation still manages Theatre in the Mountains, which has fallen on hard times in the last couple of years. Grants that carried them since their inception are no longer being obtained so they must rely on revenues and the foundation for their survival. The foundation office is in the Community Center. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Since 1962, the Loma Prieta Volunteer Fire and Rescue has served in support of the California Division of Forestry to protect the forest, farms, homes, and above all the families along the Santa Cruz-Santa Clara County line in the Summit area South of Los Gatos. Please join them on the first Sunday in June at 11:00 am for their annual BBQ fundraiser at the Gazebo in the park across the street from the school. A mountain tradition, the firefighters BBQ raises the much needed operating funds for Loma Prieta Volunteer Fire and Rescue. They have an action packed day planned for all who attend. One of their biggest needs is not equipment, but personnel. Maintaining a force large enough to respond day in and day out is not easy. Not everybody can respond at all times. In order for a modern volunteer force to survive it requires a balance of young career bound firefighters and those who have their roots deep in the community. We welcome all comers, male and female. You must live in the response area and be at least 18 years of age. There are a series of classes and training you must attend to be able to respond on calls. All required training is available through CDF, which will put you through a Volunteer Academy, First Responder /EMT(medical training), Safety Orientation, Hazardous Materials and Confined Space training. There is no cost for the training. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
https://sites.google.com/a/lomaprietafire.org/loma-prieta-fire-rescue/home |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lyme disease is a potentially serious disease, that can be localized or affect multiple bodily systems. In the United States, the disease is caused by a spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, a corkscrew-shaped kind of bacterium. The spirochete is transmitted to humans and other animals by the feeding activities of certain ticks. Of the 47 tick species established in California, 6 species attach to humans with any regularity, but only the western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus, is thought to be responsible for transmitting the spirochete to people. Ixodes pacificus has been reported in 56 out of 58 counties in the state, and it attaches to humans more frequently than any other tick. In one study, about 60% of 967 ticks that had attached to people were identified as western blacklegged ticks. A recent compilation revealed that 108 species of lizards, birds, or mammals have been recorded as hosts of this tick in California. A different but closely related tick species, the deer tick (Ixodes scapularis), transmits Borrelia burgdorferi in eastern North America, but that tick does not occur in California. www.lymedisease.org www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7485.html |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
El Camino Hospital of LG. 815 Pollard Rd., L.G. 408-378-6131 Emergency 408-866-4040 www.elcaminohospital.org/ Santa Clara County Good Samaritan Hospital 2425 Samaritan Dr. S.J. 408-559-2011 Emergency 408-559-2552 www.goodsamsanjose.com Santa Cruz County Dominican Hospital 1555 Soquel Dr. Santa Cruz 831-462-7700 Emergency 831-462-7710 www.dominicanhospital.org Poison Center 24 Hr. Hotline 800-662-9886 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
San Mateo County Kaiser Permanente https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/html/kaiser/index.shtml |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This program is offered in partnership with LGS Recreation, Loma Prieta Community Foundation & Santa Cruz County |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SHARE THE BOUNTY FROM YOUR GARDEN. On days that we meet at the Loma Prieta Community Center, we invite you to bring the surplus from your garden to share with neighbors. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
MOUNTAIN NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mountain Neighbors Helping Neighbors is a group of volunteers who provide help to mountain residents, especially our seniors, who need simple services they can no longer provide for themselves. They coordinate occasional or short-term services such as stacking wood, delivering meals, and light house-keeping and repairs. They organize teams of volunteers and geographically match them with families who are willing to receive some assistance and in return provide community service opportunities for others. Help strengthen our community ties! www.MNHN93055.org MNHN95033@gmail.com or call 408-353-4565 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
MOUNTAIN RESIDENT VEHICLE STICKER |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Santa Clara County Mountain Residents Vehicle Identification Sticker is for identification purposes for all residents who reside in the 95033 zip code. Placement of the sticker in the left lower corner of your vehicle’s windshield allows CHP officers to recognize you as a mountain resident in the event of a closure of Highway 17. This is not only for major disasters; this system is used for all closers. We have been plagued by closures on Highway 17 since it was built. In 1989, the road was closed for several months after the earthquake. Since then, on several occasions, the road has been closed due to various types of accidents. The stickers provide quick ID so that long delays at roadblocks will not form while driver’s licenses are being checked. Redwood Estates Service Association is now handling this project. Mail a copy of your registration to RESA-Mtn. Sticker Program, PO Box 591, Redwood Estates, 95044 or drop in their office at 21450 Madrone Dr. They are open on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9-2PM. The cost is $4 per sticker. You are under no obligation to participate. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Half Moon Bay Review www.hmbreview.com 650-726-4424 San Francisco Chronicle www.sfchronicle.com 415-777-1111 San Jose Mercury www.mercurynews.com 408-920-5000 Santa Cruz Sentinel www.santacruzsentinel.com 831-423-4242 Los Gatos www.mercurynews.com/los-gatos 408-200-1000 Los Gatos Weekly Times (Tues) Los Gatos Weekender (Fri) The Almanac www.almanacnews.com 650-223-6525 The Daily News www.mercurynews.com/peninsula 408-200-1000/ |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Presentation Center is a nonprofit retreat, conference and event center on 67 peaceful acres. They welcome guests from all backgrounds and walks of life for their private retreats, group retreats or conferences, providing services for individuals and groups up to 195. www.presentationcenter.org 408-354-2346 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Why recycle? Do you know how long it takes for trash to decompose? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
There is a FREE recycling movement in the mountains. It is a Yahoo Group open to anyone who wants to reduce, reuse, and recycle. With over 500 members, it is a great way to get rid of still useable, unwanted items. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Composting Most organic materials, when chopped or shredded into smaller pieces, will decompose simply and quickly if kept moist and occasionally exposed to air by “stirring.” Composting organic wastes can reduce your household “garbage” by as much as one third. Compost is a good source of nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur, all of which are essential for plant growth. Compost has a large capacity to hold water, which helps hold the soil together, and prevents erosion. Santa Clara County Rotline: 408-918-4640 www.reducewaste.org Santa Cruz County Rotline: 831-423-4327 www.compostsantacruzcounty.org San Mateo County www.recycleworks.org 888-442-2666 Junk Mail Reduction We use over 50 million trees and about 25 billion gallons of water to produce one year’s worth of junk mail in this country. This creates over 4 million tons of unnecessary waste. The average American receives over 40 pounds of junk mail each year, which almost half of it being unread and sent directly to the garbage. We typically receive catalogs and promotional mail from companies that we never contacted, and wonder how we got on their mailing list. Various companies, including the USPS, sell or rent their mailing lists to other groups. To reduce unwanted mail, call the 1-800 numbers listed on each mailing and request to be taken off their list. This takes time, but will reduce the unwanted mail you receive each week. A new and innovative way to stop unwanted mail is through services on the internet. These services may charge a fee, but do all of the work for you. The following websites offer tips and services for helping to reduce junk mail: www.donotmail.org www.stopthejunkmail.com Recycling Appliances P,G, & E has a recycling program for large appliances and they even pay you for them. Most stores offer recycling of your old appliance when you purchase and they deliver your new appliance. P,G,& E 800-299-7573 Recycling Electronics The number of TV’s, computers, and other electronics becoming obsolete or replaced each year is significantly increasing and creating a need for recycling consumer electronics. The EPA estimates that millions of pounds of old computers and other hardware are trashed in the United States each year. Most, if not all of the materials that make up these items are recyclable and have resale value. There are also small amounts of materials that may be hazardous if not disposed of properly, such as mercury, lead, and cadmium. Many recycling opportunities occur throughout the year as various non-profit groups have recycling drop off days. Grey Bears www.greybears.org 831-479-1055 2710 Chanticleer Ave, Santa Cruz 8AM to 3:30PM Daily Computers, monitors, TV’s, printers and all electronic devices w/ electrical cord |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Environmental Websites America Recycles Day www.americarecyclesday.org Bay Area Recycling Outreach Coalition www.bayarearecycling.org EPA Teachers Link www.epa.gov/recyclecity Grass Roots Recycling Network www.grrn.org Home Advisor www.homeadvisor.com International Association of Electronics Recyclers www.iaer.org National Arbor Day Foundation www.arborday.org Online Environmental Community www.envirolink.org Sierra Club www.sierraclub.org Water Education & Awareness www.usewaterwisely.com World Wildlife Fund www.panda.org |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Various local mountain groups use the facility for meetings and events including the Cub Scouts, Alcoholics Anonymous, the Redwood Estates Community Club, and the Los Gatos-Saratoga Community Recreation Department. The Redwood Estates Pavilion is also used annually for many community events, including the Childrens Easter Egg Hunt, Adult Halloween Dance and the Childrens Holiday Party. The Redwood Mutual Water Co. (Now Redwood Esates Services Association) and Loma Prieta Commuity Foundation held the first annual "Mountain Residents Night Out” here in August 2001 and it is now held here every other year. The Pavilion has come a long way since originally being built in 1927, and then rebuilt in 1999 after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. A brick BBQ and exterior deck grace the outside with beautiful groves of redwoods and oaks to view. The front of the building has a memorial bench and flagpole, dedicated to the memory of a former mountain resident, Mark Bingham, who was a passenger on Flight 93 and a victim of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks. The Pavilion is managed by the Redwood Estates Services Association (RESA) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
REDWOOD ESTATES CENTER Central Fire Station 408-378-4010 21452 Madrone Dr. 408-353-2612 Nonno’s 408-353-5633 Pizza, Barbeque, Marianne’s Ice Cream, Gourmet cheeses. An Extensive Selection of Fine Wines from around The World. ATM. Free wireless internet. Call For Hours. Conference/meeting room. Redwood Store |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Our goal is to notify the community about relevant issues and to assist in community based projects when needed. To this end, the Santa Cruz Mountain Alliance is building a community-wide email system to inform our mountain residents about important local issues. We are also creating a set of shared tools and processes to aid community projects. The Alliance is a group of volunteers, who have worked on local projects, learned from the experience and are now organizing as a 501(c)(4) Public Benefit Corporation under the name, Santa Cruz Mountain Alliance. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Santa Cruz Puma Project is a UC Santa Cruz mountain lion habitat fragmentation study, a partnership between UC Santa Cruz and the California Department of Fish and Game. They are developing a state-of-the-art wildlife-tracking collar that simultaneously tracks the location and behavior of the animal wearing it, collecting data to better understand their physiology, behavior and ecology. Through research efforts they are aiming to develop a better understanding of the impacts of habitat fragmentation (roads, housing developments etc.) on mountain lion behavior, reproduction and movement. www.santacruzpumas.org |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SCHOOLS |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
LAKESIDE JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT Lakeside Elementary School (Grades K-6) www.lakesidelosgatos.org 19621 Black Rd. 408-354-2372 Superintendent – Eric Bitter Secretary – Susan Ady Lakeside School was started in 1881 near Black & Thompson Roads. In 1912, the Red School House was built and Lakeside School moved and consolidated with Central School, which was on Black and Skyline. They moved into the present building in 1967, serving Kindergarten through fifth grade. Located off Highway 17, from San Jose, drive towards Santa Cruz past the Los Gatos exits and make a right on the Bear Creek Road exit. Stay on the Frontage Road crossing Bear Creek Road, then take a left on Black Road. Lakeside School is 1.5 miles from Hwy. 17. Clubhouse 408-395-5125 Before and after school child care for students at Lakeside School. Rolling Hills Middle School 408-364-4235 http://rollinghills.campbellusd.org 1585 More Ave., Los Gatos, 95032 Principal – Cynthia Dodd 408-341-700x5155 Secretary – Sue Odom 408-341-700x5151 Rolling Hills, although located in the town of Los Gatos, is in the Campbell Union School District. They agreed to accept the Lakeside kids when Fisher outgrew its campus. LA HONDA - PESCADERO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Pescadero Middle/High School PORTOLA VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT Ormondale (K - 3rd) Corte Madera (4th - 8th Woodside High School |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Redwood Estates Substation 408-299-2311 In Emergency Dial 911 |
||
SHERIFF’S SUBSTATION |
||
Summit Office 408-353-9581 23800 Summit Rd. Fax 408-353-9681 (Located in the Community Center) Santa Cruz County Dispatch Los Gatos # 408-866-8166 Santa Cruz # 831-471-1121 Santa Cruz County Sheriff Business Office Los Gatos # 408-866-7704 Santa Cruz # 831-454-2414 The Summit office is staffed by volunteers when volunteers are available. www.scsheriff.com/ In Emergency Dial 911 |
||
Skyline Propane Users Group (SPUG) was formed as a benefit to South Skyline Association members. SPUG members are entitled to a specially arranged discount for propane. www.southskyline.org/spug.html | ||
Solar power photovoltaic (PV) systems independently convert the sun’s light into electricity. This electricity can be used directly from the sun, stored in batteries for later use or fed into PG&E’s system. A southern exposure is required and the more square footage of roof available, the larger the system that can be installed. Solar Silicon wafers placed on the roof capture photons from sunlight, turn them into DC power, which is then transformed into 120 volt AC power, that is connected to your existing electrical system. Therefore, the more sun the more energy produced. Although a new system is pricy, rebates bring the cost down substantially, so savings can be seen in only a few years. You will still pay the basis charge of $5 per month to PG&E, but obtaining a second on your house makes the cost reasonable as it is spread over a period of time. There are several solar contractors who work in these mountains, find them under “Solar Contractors.” |
||
The South Skyline Association (SSA) fosters a sense of community, keeps residents informed of public agency actions and other issues of concern in the South Skyline sphere of influence. SSA strives to protect the rights, represent the interests of those in their area, and engage in various projects to enhance the unique South Skyline environment. Regular membership is open to property owners and residents in the South Skyline area, at least 18 years of age. The South Skyline is defined as the area along Skyline Boulevard (AKA Highway 35), or with access from Skyline Boulevard between Woodside/La Honda Road (Highway 84) and Bear Gulch Road on the north, and the southern terminus of Skyline Boulevard at Bear Creek Road. Also included are the upper portions of Gist Road, Black Road, Highway 9 east, Page Mill Road, and Old La Honda Road; Highway 9 west to Waterman Gap; Alpine Road west to Rogers Gulch; and Portola Park Road, including the Middleton Tract. Those outside the area may apply for Associate Membership (non-voting) by paying regular dues. Membership includes delivery of the SKYLINES quarterly newsletter, and participation in the Skyline Propane Users Group (SPUG). To learn more about SSA visit our website. |
||
The mission of South Skyline Fire & Rescue is to respond to all types of emergencies in order to preserve life and protect property in the South Skyline area. Their primary response area runs along Highway 35 from Bear Creek Road, North in Santa Cruz County to the San Mateo County line; South on Highway 9 to Highway 236. They respond into Santa Clara County and San Mateo County on request via mutual and automatic aid agreements. South Skyline Fire & Rescue operated out of the Saratoga Summit CAL FIRE station, and Las Cumbres Fire & Rescue operated out of a fire station in Las Cumbres. Both volunteer companies were absorbed into Santa Cruz County Fire in the 1980’s, with SSF&R also receiving some support from San Mateo County. As the response areas of the two volunteer fire companies grew and increasingly overlapped, it was decided to merge the two companies into a single unit under the SSF&R banner in 2006. They currently operate one engine, one water tender, and a light rescue out of the two stations. |
||
www.southskylinefire.org 408-395-1264 |
||
www.ca.gov/ Santa Cruz CountyAssemblymember Mark Stone (Dem. District 29) 831-425-1503 |
||
San Mateo County Assemblymember Rich Gordon District 24 650-691-2121 5050 El Camino Real, Suite 117, Los Altos 94022 http://www.asmdc.org/members/a24 assemblymember.gordon@assembly.ca.gov Highway Patrol www.chp.ca.gov 650-369-6261 Senator Tom Berryhill. Dem. District 8 650-340-8840 400 South El Camino Real, Suite 630, San Mateo 94402 http://sd08.senate.ca.gov senator.berryhill@sen.ca.gov Senator Jerry Hill Dem. District 13 650-212-3313 1528 South El Camino Real, Suite 303, San Mateo 94402 http://sd13.senate.ca.gov senator.hill@sen.ca.gov |
||
Summit Riders Horseman’s Association, the mountain’s own local horse club, since 1967, where the love of the horses is shared by many enthusiastic and diverse individuals. Summit Riders is a family-oriented club that is dedicated to promoting knowledge and enjoyment of horses and horsemanship. SRHA offers its members a variety of benefits and activities including a monthly newsletter, campouts, guest speakers, organized trail rides, horse shows, play days and training clinics- all in the Santa Cruz Mountains! Additionally, membership entitles riding privileges to the historic SRHA Arena at the Parker Ranch, where the annual Horse Shows are held. Children are encouraged to join and engage with the Junior Riders in annual campouts, horse hangouts and community service activities. SRHA… Come ride with us! For membership information: | ||
Susan Stillman at 408-779-9545 |
||
Termites are a fact of life living in the mountains where we are always trying to beat back the forest. They were here first and our houses are just another fertile ground for them to eat and live in. We are blessed with three different types of termites here in our mountains, drywood termites, dampwood termites, and subterranean termites. All of them damage our homes and must be eradicated. There are several ways to tell if you have termites. Piles of droppings or pellets are an indication of drywood termites. They also swarm on warm days, leaving the nest to breed more termites to damage your home further. Subterranean termites are ground dwellers that build mud tubes, and they swarm in the spring. Termites have wings that are twice as long as the insect and are tear shaped. On a swarm day, there could be 50 million termites in the air. You can avoid termite infestations by keeping a good coat of paint on your home and maintaining caulking cracks and wood separations on the exterior trim. Cover the attic vents with window screen, as the standard mesh netting is good for birds and rodents, but not termites. Avoid earth-to-wood contacts under, around, and near the main structure, including decks and patios. If you should find a termite infestation, call a termite specialist immediately. There are several different treatments, including several types of spot treatments, or tenting the entire house and decks for three days while a gas is pumped into the house, killing all of the termites you found and those hidden deep within your walls. You do have to remove all food, plants, personal hygiene items and medicine, as well as all of the people and animals from the home for the three day period. |
||
True Oaks Live Oaks (Evergreen) Deciduous Oaks Hybrids Other Members of the Oak Family (Fagaceae) |
||
Phytophthora ramorum is the cause of both Sudden Oak Death, a forest disease that has resulted in widespread dieback of several tree species in California and Oregon forests, and Ramorum blight, which affects the leaves and twigs of numerous other plants in forests and nurseries
Since the mid-1990s, Phytophthora ramorum has killed millions of tanoak trees and several oak tree species (coast live oak, California black oak, Shreve oak, and canyon live oak), and caused twig and foliar diseases in numerous other plant species, including California bay laurel, Douglas-fir, and coast redwood. Although the first P. ramorum-infested rhododendron nursery plants, were identified in 2001 (in Santa Cruz County, CA), the U.S. nursery industry was not widely impacted by the pathogen until 2004, when a few large West Coast nurseries inadvertently shipped over a million potentially infected rhodendrons and camellia plants throughout much of the United States with detections in 176 nurseries in 21 states. The origin of Phytophthora ramorum is not known. Research continues, so check out the states website about Sudden Oak Death for the most recent information concerning controlling and preventing this invasive pathogen. |
||
From a seed no bigger than one from a tomato, California's coast redwood (Sequoia semperviren) can grow to a height of 367 feet (122 m) and have a width of 22 feet (7 m) at its base. A combination of longitude, climate, and elevation limits the redwoods' range to a few hundred miles along the northern coast of California. The cool, moist air created by the Pacific Ocean keeps the trees continually damp, even during summer droughts. Resistance to natural enemies such as insects and fire are built-in features of a coast redwood. Diseases are virtually unknown and insect damage insignificant thanks to the high tannin content of the wood. Thick bark and foliage that rests high above the ground provides protection from all but the hottest fires. Undoubtedly the most important environmental influence upon the coast redwood is its own biotic community. The complex soils on the forest floor contribute not only to the redwoods' growth, but also to a verdant array of greenery, fungi, and other trees. A healthy redwood forest usually includes massive Douglas-firs, tanoaks, madrones, and other trees. Among the ferns and leafy redwood sorrels, mosses and mushrooms help to regenerate the soils. And of course, the redwoods themselves eventually fall to the floor where they can be returned to the soil. The North Coast is often gray with a thick layer of fog, especially during summer. When inland temperatures are high, the fog is drawn in from over the ocean. This natural cooling and moistening system is beneficial to the redwoods near the coast. Fog precipitates onto the forest greenery and then drips to the forest floor, providing a small bit of moisture during summer dry periods. Although redwoods do not depend upon fog for their survival, their range would probably be reduced without it. The roots only go down 10 to 13 feet (3-4 m) deep before spreading outward 60 to 80 feet (20-27 m).Large redwoods move hundreds of gallons of water daily along their trunks from roots to crown. (A 10” diameter tree requires 200 gallons a month) This water transpires into the atmosphere through the trees' foliage, powered by the leaves' diffusion of water, water-to-water molecular bonds in the trees' sapwood drags the moisture upwards.The redwoods go back 20 million years in their present range. |
||
Santa Clara County Landfills/Recycling Centers Guadalupe Landfill (Waste Management) 408-268-1670 15999 Guadalupe Mines Rd, San Jose Hours: 8AM to 4:45 PM DailY Zanker Road Landfill 408-263-2385 675 Los Esteros Road, San Jose, Ca 95134 Hours: Mon.-Fri., 6:00-5:45 Sat.-Sun., 8:00-3:45 Garbage Service/Recycling Green Waste Recovery 408-283-4800 www.greenwaste.com Santa Cruz County Landfills/Recycling Centers Ben Lomond Transfer Station 831-336-3951 9835 Newell Creek Rd., Ben Lomond Hours: 7:30AM to 3:30 PM Daily Buena Vista Landfill 1231 Buena Vista Drive, Watsonville 831-454-5153 Hours: 7:30AM to 3:30PM Daily Grey Bears www.greybears.org 831-479-1055 2710 Chanticleer Ave, Santa Cruz 2nd location at the Buena Vista Landfill 3 rd week in April & Oct. free to dump recyclables that usually have a fee. Garbage Service/Recycling Green Waste Recovery 800-665-2209 www.greenwaste.com Recycling Services Hotline 831-454-2430 Recycle Info Line 831-454-2333 San Mateo County Electrical Services- P.G.&E. 800-743-5000 Telephone Service Verizon www.verizon.com Residential Line 800-483-3000 Business Line 800-483-5000 Comcast www.comcast.com Residential Line 800-934-6489 Business Line 877-598-9394 A.T & T www.att.com Residential Line 800-310-2355 Business Line 888-944-0447 |
||
We live in what is known as a low-yield well area. What this means to property owners here on the hill is that most of the wells in this area cannot produce enough water to pump continuously into the house without interruption. Therefore most properties have storage tanks to collect the water in sufficient amounts to ensure a constant flow year round. After collecting the water, it must be pressurized to 40-60 lbs in order to take a shower. Normally, this requires a pressure pump and a pressure tank, unless your storage tank can be elevated high enough above the house to produce a gravity flow. The equipment all has to be maintained, fed with electricity, repaired and replaced periodically. The water drawn from low-yield well areas frequently presents water users with mineral-rich water, which at the very least is unpalatable, and often does damage to fixtures, pipes and clothes, when they are washed. A partial list of these minerals and related problems in this area would include: iron, iron bacteria, manganese, hydrogen-sulfide, low pH, hardness, high TDS, color, smell, and coliform bacteria. The good news is, all of these problems can be solved with a well-designed water-treatment system utilizing filters, ion-exchange filters, softeners, ozone, and chemicals. The bad news is that it all costs money to install and maintain. The water is here, but it’s a long way from free. |
||
Weather in the mountains is always different than at lower elevations in the valley, peninsula, and along the coast. Below are websites to help you navigate the weather forecast for your piece of paradise on the summit or on the ridge. National Weather Service www.wrh.noaa.gov/mtr Doppler Radar www.radar.weather.gov/ridge/radar.php?rid=mux&product=N0R&overlay=11101111&loop=no Tides and Currents http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ports/index.shtml?port=sf San Francisco Bay Wind Patterns www.met.sjsu.edu/cgi-bin/wind/windbin.cgi The Weather Channel www.weather.com Weather Underground www.wunderground.com |
||
Invasive plants displace native plants and wildlife, damaging wildlands, increasing wildfire and flood danger, consuming valuable water, destroying recreational opportunities and damaging timber lands. By removing invasive plants from your property and public lands you are helping to protect your community from fire potential and flood danger, conserving valuable water, and restoring habitat for wildlife. Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua), a bright green, soft textured grass, with seed heads that make it less desirable. As well, it dies off in the drier months. Italian Thistle (Carduus pycnocephalus) is a spiny annual that can grow 6 to 8 feet in height with leaves pinnately lobed into spiny-lobed segments displaying one large purple flower. Pacific Poison Oak or Western Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) are usually divided into three leaflets, 1 to 4 in. long, with scalloped, toothed, or lobed edges. They generally resemble the lobed leaves of a true oak, although more glossy. Leaves are typically bronze when first unfolding in February to March, bright green in the spring, yellow-green to reddish in the summer, and bright red or pink from late July to October. Poison oak leaves and twigs have a surface oil, urushiol, which causes an allergic reaction in most humans, causing a contact dermatitis. Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum), a herbaceous biennial plant that grows between 5-8 ft. tall, with small white flowers, clustered in umbels, becoming burs in late summer. All parts of this plant are highly poisonous to both humans and livestock. Scotch and French Broom (Cytisus) is an extremely invasive and fire-prone weed characterized by brightly colored yellow flowers. Indigenous to the Canary Islands, it is ineffective in controlling erosion on hillsides because it produces a single tap-root rather than an extensive, soil stabilizing root system. The single tap system makes them easy to pull up, as opposed to cutting and using pesticides. It is recommended that you pull them out before the seeds form, in the spring when the ground is softened by the rains. Star-thistle (Centaurea solstitialis), a thorny annual that during the vegetative stage forms a rosette of non-spiny leaves (5-20 cm diameter). As the summer approaches, it produces a flowering stem (1m) which will produce numerous spinous capitula containing numerous (10-50) yellow flowers. Very invasive in California, it is also poisonous to horses. Find more invasive plants in the Sunset Western Garden Book and California Invasive Plant Council. www.cal-ipc.org |
||