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WILDERNESS SOUTH (2,297 acres) - This unit is largely comprised of designated wilderness
land south of the Vedanta Society property. It follows Inverness Ridge south to
just south of Mud Lake, and includes Firtop (1,324 ft). The unit also encompasses land
southwest of Firtop, reaching to the coast at Wildcat Camp. Vegetation is dominated by dense
stands of Douglas-fir with significant amounts of dead and downed material present. The
southwest corner of the FMU also supports high quality stands of coastal scrub, including
coffeeberry, California sagebrush, coyote brush, bush monkeyflower, and lizardtail. This FMU
supports two plant species of management concern, Marin manzanita (Arctostaphylos virgata),
and California bottlebrush grass (Elymus californicus). Marin manzanita is fire
dependent, and in the absence of fire, this stand has become unhealthy and cannot reproduce.
Encroachment of Douglas-fir has also served to reduce direct sunlight and further the “decadent” status of the Marin manzanita population in this part of the park. Shrubs in these stands are old
and not reproducing, or dead.
Photo: Fir Top by National Park Service
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