Restored or Retained Native Understory
Oaks and Flowers Credit: Bruce Taylor
Understory shrubs, bunchgrasses, and wildflowers comprise most of the plant diversity in oak habitats and provide important structural characteristics and foraging resources for many wildlife species. Shrubs provide cover for nesting birds. They also produce fruit, seeds, and nuts for a variety of animals, host the larvae of multiple native moths and butterflies, and produce nectar used by many pollinators. Furthermore, native understory species associated with oak habitats have a high degree of resilience following wildfires and are capable of storing substantial amounts of soil carbon.
Oak stewardship guidelines by topic
Below you will find desired conditions representing a characteristic of a healthy, functioning oak ecosystem from the “Restoring Oak Habitats in Southern Oregon and North California: A Guide for Private Landowners” developed by the Klamath Siskiyou Oak Network in collaboration with the Umpqua Oak Partnership. They also present guidelines to help you achieve each desired condition, and these guidelines can be applied to oak savanna, oak chaparral, oak woodland, and mixed oak-conifer habitats.
