We had our annual New Year’s Day field trip on the Westside Trail again and found several woolly sunflower plants in bloom, but not much else. Almost all the manzanita shrubs burned in the Carr Fire, but manzanita seedlings are starting to come up as well as buckbrush and redbud seedlings. Toyon is thriving as is coffeeberry, and redbud is sprouting from the root crowns. Interior live oak and black oak are resprouting, too, but very few blue oaks are resprouting.
Working with Shasta Environmental Alliance, we planted several hundred blue oak acorns, three acorns per planting, on the way up and back. Fourteen participants helped plant the acorns on this 4- to 5-mile hike with a 600-foot elevation climb. Yo Sadohara supplied some great wine for a New Year’s toast at the top, and Lisa Ross provided some delicious cookies. All that was lacking was some hot coffee and rolls; perhaps next year! -David Ledger
