Marin Biodiversity: Native vs. Non-native

Native vs. Non Native

In Marin, there are many non-native plants that have made their way into the environment.  In the 1900’s there was large movement into the San Francisco area due to the Gold Rush in the 1940’s and 50’s, and overall a big surge of population in this once empty land.  These events brought many foreign plants to the land as outsiders brought in non-native organisms both purposefully and on accident. A few obvious non-natives include the Palm Tree and the Eucalyptus Tree.  There are many smaller plants, such as the Ice Plant that we spent so much time rooting out, that interfere with the ecosystem.  When a non-native plant makes its way in, it takes food and space from other plants, and greatly offsets the environmental balance. 

http://www.marinij.com/ci_8331223

This article highlights the fact that the San Francisco Bay Area is home to an immense population of non-native organisms.  There are crabs from Asia, clams from Russia and shellfish from the Black Sea. 

Some trees that are native to Marin are the Redwood, Oak, and Willow.  There are many wildflowers that are native, such as the California Poppy and the Douglass Iris.  These are affected by invasive like the Eucalyptus and the Ice plant, which is why removing non-natives is important.  Native plants provide habitat for native animals.  The more native plants in an ecosystem the better.  Native plants compliment each other, like squirrels spreading the nuts from a native tree, and non-natives don’t fit into the ecosystem, and can be invasive to natives.  Some native animals include the California Condor, the Salmon and the Tule Elk.