The Natural History
of Quail Hollow
The Geologic Foundation
Once upon a time, this land was under water, part of an ancient ocean, which
uplifted to form the Santa Cruz Mountains about three million years ago. The silt,
sand, and mud that had been deposited in that shallow sea later turned into the
shale, sandstone, and mudstone that make up Quail Hollow today. Hiking the
park trails, one becomes aware of the sandy soils that have been eroded from the
Santa Margarita sandstone – an important foundation for many habitats as well as
an aquifer for the San Lorenzo Valley.
Habitats Reflecting a Unique Place
The diversity of Quail Hollow is mirrored in the patchwork of 15 habitats that
are located in this small, secluded valley. They range from the aquatic
environment of the pond and surrounding riparian
ecosystems to the hot, dry chaparral and unique sandhills habitat. Mixed
evergreen forests, redwoods, and grasslands round out some of the other habitats
found in the park.
One of the unique aspects of Quail Hollow is the number of rare plants and animals that make this valley their home. Plants like the endangered Ben Lomond spine flower and the threatened Silver-leafed manzanita line the trails here, making one question their sensitive status. They are both found in the park's sandhills habitat, marked by the characteristic sandy soils and scattered ponderosa pine – an ecosystem located only in Santa Cruz County and no where else in the world!
Other sensitive species that are found at Quail Hollow include: the Santa Cruz Wallflower, Ben Lomond buckwheat, Curley-leaved monardella, Santa Cruz monkeyflower, Mount Hermon June beetle, Zayante Banned-winged grasshopper, and Western pond turtle.