Orinda in Contra Costa County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
A Lost World
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, May 15, 2020
1. A Lost World Marker
Inscription.
A Lost World. . The vegetation around you is quite different from that observed during the Anza Expedition of 1776. The pine forests across the reservoir and on San Pablo Ridge were not here. Oak-bay woodlands filled the ravines as they do now, but the open grassland was far richer than today.
Standing here in the spring of 1800, you would have witnessed a dazzling display of colorful wildflowers. By the 1860s they were largely replaced by Mediterranean grasses-"super-competitors" that can be managed by grazing or burning, but never eliminated.
Although much diversity has been lost, today's landscape still harbors many species. Nearby, on the thin soils of the ridge, rising south towards Vollmer Peak, native wildflowers abound in spring.
Captions:
1) This scene is artist Laura Cunningham's rendition of how the hills might have appeared during spring of 1800.
2) San Pablo Creek, now dammed, was so full of salmon that people could fish by pitchfork! Early explorers described elk herds in the thousands, and grizzly bears foraging in large groups.
The vegetation around you is quite different from that observed
during the Anza Expedition of 1776. The pine forests across the
reservoir and on San Pablo Ridge were not here. Oak-bay
woodlands filled the ravines as they do now, but the open grassland
was far richer than today.
Standing here in the spring of 1800, you would have witnessed a
dazzling display of colorful wildflowers. By the 1860s they were
largely replaced by Mediterranean grasses-"super-competitors"
that can be managed by grazing or burning, but never eliminated.
Although much diversity has been lost, today's landscape
still harbors many species. Nearby, on the thin soils of
the ridge, rising south towards Vollmer Peak, native
wildflowers abound in spring.
Captions:
1) This scene is artist Laura Cunningham's rendition of how the hills might have appeared during spring of 1800.
2) San Pablo Creek, now
dammed, was so full of
salmon that people could
fish by pitchfork! Early
explorers described elk
herds in the thousands,
and grizzly bears foraging
in large groups.
Erected by East Bay Regional Park District.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Environment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1776.
Location. 37° 54.336′ N,
Click or scan to see this page online
122° 14.645′ W. Marker is in Orinda, California, in Contra Costa County. Marker is on Wildcat Canyon Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Orinda CA 94563, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. The marker is located in the northeast section of the parking area at Inspiration Point.
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, May 15, 2020
2. A Lost World Marker - wide view
Credits. This page was last revised on July 21, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 21, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 134 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on July 21, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
