Beatty Creek RNA

Beatty Creek Research Natural Area (RNA) was established to represent serpentine pine savanna and is located at the north end of the Klamath Mountains Ecoregion. The RNA includes the entire lower portion of the Beatty Creek watershed which drains into the Cow Creek tributary of the South Umpqua River. Serpentine bedrock underlies most of the RNA except at the mouth of Beatty Creek where marine siltstone, sandstone, and conglomerate bedrock are visible as exposed rock outcrops. Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) savanna dominates the upland, serpentine-influenced slopes with scattered stands of incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens), Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii), and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii).  The shrub layer is comprised of Buckbrush (Ceanothus cuneatus), poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum), and oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor). The riparian zone is dominated by a band of mixed tree species including Douglas-fir, incense cedar, Port Orford cedar (Cupressus lawsoniana), Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia), bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia), bay laurel (Umbellularia californica), and red alder (Alnus rubra). Canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis) is common as well. Special status species in the RNA include serpentine pseudoleskeella moss (Pseudoleskeella serpentinensis), Bolander's onion (Allium bolanderi var. mirabile), wayside aster (Eucephalis vialis), spring phacelia (Phacelia verna), California sandwort (Minuartia californica) and Douglas monkeyflower (Mimulus douglasii).