Counting Rare Plants in Wildcat Canyon

This photo series documents a Santa Cruz tarplant population survey

On a Wednesday morning in late July, a group of volunteers organized by the East Bay Regional Park District gathered in Wildcat Canyon. They were there to assess the health of a population of Santa Cruz tarplant, a rare plant that grows in the canyon.

On the day of the survey, the canyon's hillsides had already faded to a dry, dusty yellow color. Tarplants are annual wildflowers in the sunflower family and are usually in peak bloom at the end of July. However, this year the drought ended their season early and stunted their growth. As a result, most of the plants were only a few inches tall, and the flowers had already wilted and turned brown. Although this made identification a bit trickier, the group wasted no time figuring out a game plan and getting on with the day's work.

Michele Hammond, a botanist for the East Bay Regional Park District, led the group of volunteers. Santa Cruz tarplant is listed as federally threatened and state endangered, and Michele oversees regular surveys to assess the population's health for the parks.

The process for conducting the botanical survey involved flags, tape measures, and counters. First, the team scattered across the hillside to locate and mark the plants. Then, once they finished, they used tape measures and counters to estimate the density in the survey area.

These photos offer a glimpse into the process.