Little Darby

Slope, along with seasonal availability of light, water, temperature and nutrients are all ingredients influencing what type of plants grow where. Plants that thrive in similar conditions form “plant communities” on the landscape. Learn about plant communities along the one mile interpretive trail. In that short distance you will see riparian, Douglas-fir forest, and chaparral plant communities. Community Partners Getting There From Willits, drive east on Commercial Street, which becomes Hearst-Willits Road (County Road 306). Continue east on Canyon Road (County Road 308) and the Little Darby parking area will be on your left. Little Darby Environmental Education Area To Legget Outdoor Classroom Little Creek Youth continue to steward Little Darby today through service learning and community science projects. In 2018, large amounts of water from a winter storm plugged up a culvert near the Little Darby Trailhead. This sent water and sediment down the trail and into Little Creek, a tributary to the Eel River. Local school groups use the 1,200 acres of public land as an outdoor classroom providing hands-on field experiences, such as citizen science and environmental monitoring projects that connect the next generation to public land. Little Darby The trail was reconstructed to reduce the risk of more storm debris and soil sediment from entering the Eel River, the third largest watershed in the state. The Eel River provides clean water and breeding habitat for fish including Coho and Chinook salmon. Watershed health is critical not only for their survival, but ours too, as it provides clean drinking water for people and agricultural purposes. For many decades, the Little Darby Environmental Education Area has provided a place for the Bureau of Land Management to partner with local organizations that support youth and their connection to outdoor recreation and wildlife. The Little Darby Trail was originally built in 1978 by the Youth Conservation Corps in Ukiah. ä Plant Communities £ ¤ Hearst Rd 101 Willits Canyon Rd E Commercial St Interpretive signs created by Willits Charter School and Humboldt State University students offer a peek into the unique natural and cultural history of Little Darby. 20 Access Bureau of Land Management To Ukiah ä AGENCY 0 1 Miles 2 Bureau of Land Management Arcata Field Office 1695 Heindon Road, Arcata, CA 95521 Phone: (707) 825-2300 Website: www.blm.gov/office/arcata-field-office email: BLM_CA_Web_AR@blm.gov www.facebook.com/blmcalifornia Map & Trail Guide Douglas-fir Community When walking in the Douglas-fir community, you will see fir trees that are well over 100 years old and a broad canopy that shades the plant community below. The plants, lichens and moss and other shade tolerant plants all like to grow here. Forest Loop Riparian Community Big leaf maple, Acer macrophyllum Photo by Christopher Brown These trees need large amounts of water to survive. Riparian corridors improve water quality, increase groundwater recharge, provide flood protection, enhance wildlife and aquatic habitat, and support the recovery of salmon, steelhead and other endangered species. 19 00 Brushland Loop Know Before You Go 220 is closed to motorized The area 0 vehicles (43 CFR 8365.2-4). 220 parking area is closed to The 0 vehicles from 1 hour after sunset to sunrise (43 CFR 8365.2-3). Fires are allowed in fire rings only (43 CFR 8365.2-3). Overnight camping is not allowed (43 CFR 8365.2-3). Discharge or use of firearms, other weapons, or fireworks is not allowed (43 CFR 8365.2-5). Rd 10 0 Dogs are allowed off-leash but 2 must be under the owner’s control at all times (43 CFR 8365.2). ny on Little Creek is a riparian area, which is a plant community growing next to a river or stream. You will notice trees include big leaf maple and California bay laurel. Manzanita Arctostaphylos luciana, The full sun Photo by Steve Matson exposure and location higher on the mountain creates a drier climate where only plants and animals adapted to those conditions can exist. Look for manzanita, wild lilac, ocean spray and chemise. eek Little Cr 180 0 Ca Chaparral is the most common plant community in California. This community is on the sunny, south-facing slope of the Brushland Loop. 0 200 2000 Chaparral Community Outdoor Classroom 00 18 The shorter loop leads you through the moist riparian and Douglas-fir forest, while the longer loop includes vast mountain views and dry chaparral brushland. The entire trail distance is one mile and is considered moderately difficult. Little Darby Trail Map This map should not be used for navigation or legal purposes. It is intended for general reference use only. The Little Darby Interpretive Trail has two loops that lead you through an educational journey of fire and its benefits, traditional food sources, wildlife habitat and learning how to trek lightly. Douglas fir seeds provide food for small mammals, including chipmunks, mice, shrews, and Douglas squirrels. Many songbirds eat the seeds right out of the cone, and raptors, including northern spotted Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii Photo by Chuck Kozak owls, rely on oldgrowth Douglas-fir trees for cover. 00 19 Little Darby Interpretive Trail 190 0 Trail Canyon Rd contours 20 foot 1:3,000 0 125 250 100 foot Feet 500 ± Land Status 2000 Bureau of Land Management