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"Grassland Areas as defined in General Plan adopted May 24, 1994. Grasslands, both native and non-native, having specialized flora quite different from other local habitat types, supporting a similarly specialized vertebrate population.There are three distinctive native grassland community types: north coast grasslands, valley grasslands, and meadow grasslands. North coast grasslands occur as the dominant habitat type on the north coast terraces inland of Highway 1. Common native grasses and flowering herbs include California oatgrass (Danthonia californica), golden eggs (Oenothera ovata), blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum), and checker bloom (Sidalcea malveaflora). Valley grasslands occur on the rolling hills of the Watsonville Slough region. Although this region has lost much of its original native flora, it is still important as a habitat for at least one endangered plant, the Santa Cruz tarweed (Holocarpha macradenia).-Meadow grasslands, scattered throughout the mountainous areas of the County, occur intermixed with the forested north coast section of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Meadow grasslands exhibit characteristics of both the valley grasslands and the coastal prairie. They also contain several locally unique plant species. Most of the meadows are too small for important grassland wildlife species, but they do provide a valuable ecotonal habitat. (Santa Cruz County Local Coastal Program Land Use Plan 1981)"Grassland Area PolygonAttribute:GRASSLAND |