San Bruno Mountain: A Guide to the Flora and Fauna

Abstract

From the Publisher: San Bruno Mountain, located in the center of the San Francisco Bay Area, is a four-squaremile
global treasure—a natural preserve touted by biologist E. O. Wilson as one of the world’s rare biodiversity
hot spots. Bathed in fog and wind and preserved from destruction by the fierce work of local
conservationists, this mountain offers visitors a glimpse of what San Francisco looked like before colonization.
Drawing on years of visits, observations, and research to offer a comprehensive flora of San Bruno
Mountain and its endangered species, conservationists Doug Allshouse and David L. Nelson help us understand
this unique and precious place from the point of view of the plants in this one-of-a-kind field guide.
Detailing a total of 528 plant species (among them 316 natives), the authors also delve into the history of this
living, changing habitat at the southern edge of San Francisco. The birds, butterflies, reptiles, geology, climate,
dynamic changes, and political history of the preserve also feature in San Bruno Mountain. Even locals who
have enjoyed hiking and viewing the mountain for years will be astonished at this book’s revelations about the
diversity and importance of this wild place.