Established in 1996, the 7.5-acre North Bluff Natural Area is used for ecological restoration, scientific research, and teaching. The North Bluff is unique because it contains the only coast live oak woodland on the UCSB campus and represents the remains of a much larger historical oak woodland. Much of the North Bluff Natural Area is classified as an Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area (ESHA) under the California Coastal Act of 1976 and has permanent funding for environmental stewardship as a result of environmental impacts associated with a nearby road construction project. Restoration efforts include non-native weed control and restoration of oak woodland and coastal sage scrub vegetation.
North Bluff excavation site before restoration
North Bluff after restoration
North Bluff at a glance
Date Initiated: 1996
Size: 7.5 acres
Habitat types: Coast Live Oak Woodland, Coastal Sage Scrub, Freshwater Marsh
Special Status Species: Lonicera subspicata ssp. subspicata (Santa Barbara honeysuckle), Quercus agrifolia (coast live oak), Accipiter cooperi (Cooper's Hawk), Elanus leucurus (White-tailed Kite)
All Cheadle Center restoration monitoring reports, databases, and referenceable data are stored in the Cheadle Center eScholarship repository and can be accessed through our Data and Research Resources page.
Coast Live Oak Acorn