Wilder Ranch encompasses a nearly complete watershed within its 7,000 acres and is home to the most common as well as the most unique plant and animal species. Its landscape begins on the crest of Ben Lomond Mountain at over 1,800 feet and glides down ancient wave-cut terraces that have been uplifted by thousands of years of geologic activity.

In the early 1970s, the land in the park was slated to become a sizeable housing development. There were many people in Santa Cruz who felt that the public needed more open space, and they worked together to preserve Wilder Ranch. Their efforts put the issue before the citizens, who voted to prevent the housing development from being built, and to add the lands to the public trust, preserving them for the future. Since then, the Wilder watershed is becoming a showcase of wilderness restoration in California, both as a home for native plants and animals, and an opportunity for us to visit them in their native habitat.

Vegetation
The seasonal pools created by slight depressions in the soil (called mima mounds) are home to the rare and threatened San Francisco popcorn flower. In areas where the soil is not as rich in nutrients and where there is less protection from the sun, you will observe the knobcone pine and chaparral communities. In these zones, the manzanita (little apple) bush and the chaparral pea have adapted to the hot, dry environment. They have small waxy leaves to help retain moisture. Through the terraces the rain carves deep canyons. Freshwater streams nourish alders, willows and buckeye trees. Halfway up the slopes, groves of redwood and Douglas firs tower over the riparian corridor, creating a nearly impenetrable curtain of green.

Wilder, Baldwin and Majors Creeks wind through all of the habitats, eventually making their way to estuaries along the coast. These fertile areas were converted to agricultural uses for many years, growing lettuce and brussel sprouts, but through a major commitment to restoration, have recently been returned back to native vegetation.

Wildlife
On the terraces, grasslands and oak woodlands create the ideal habitat for deer, coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions.

Where the ocean meets the land, sandy beaches, tide pools, natural mudstone arches and cliffs create a jigsaw puzzle of habitats. Here the Wilder watershed meets the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. This is where pelicans, seagulls, harbor seals, and sea otters cruise the kelp forests and dolphins and whales enjoy the bounty of the bay. Red-legged frogs can also be observed in the park.

The restoration from its previous agricultural state has brought back both the year-round and migratory birds, native amphibians and fish as well as other species that constitute the complex web of life in fresh, brackish and salt-water slough systems.