Natural History of Ano Nuevo

This book is an in-depth view of Año Nuevo, an almost magical place about an hour's drive south of San Francisco.This rugged, spacious stretch of coast is sparsely inhabited, and reminiscent of an earlier time. Stands of Monterey pine and cypress dot a wild, windy shoreline that projects out into the Pacific Ocean, Steep seacliffs rise from sandy beaches and extensive rocky intertidal reefs. High forested mountains drop down to rolling pastures and cultivated fields. Ohlone Indians inhabited this region, but Spanish galleons steered clear of the dangerous reefs. In the 19th century, seals, and sea lions were hunted for their oil, andfor their fur. Once a Mexican land grant owned by famous frontiersman Isaac Graham, and later a dairy. Año Nuevo has also been the scene of numerous shipwrecks. The area is extraordinary diversity of habitats for bird and plant species. Anyone who visits Año Nuevo wants to know more about the human history of the area, its geology, and the reasons for the unique abundance pf plant and animal life in this part of the central California coast.