History of the Nature Area
Did you know there were separate plans to turn this nature area into a golf course, more houses, or even a state park? Originally, the area around the lake was entirely private property. By the 1940's, most property owners had sold the land surrounding the park to the city of Lodi. In the 1950's, the City Council gave the deed to the land to the California State Parks department, with a plan to expand the 60-acre park into a 495-acre park, about eight times its size. However, a developer built a luxury housing tract in the middle of the land that would have been part of the park and the plan was scrapped, with the deed returned back to the city. After the failed state park conversion, the land was rezoned for housing. In the 1970's, developers wanted to turn this nature area into a golf course. David Yee, a Lodi resident and member of the Audubon Society, spoke up against this plan at a City Council meeting. He shared information about the many bird species that live in the area, explaining how this makes it a valuable resource. Yee's activism was a major force in preserving the nature area for us to enjoy today.
Types of Habitat
One of the amazing things about this area is the variety of habitats that exist in such a small space. A habitat is a particular type of environment that provides food and shelter for species specifically adapted to live there.Technically, this entire area is known as a ripirian zone. This type of habitat is found along the banks of a river or stream, helping trees and plants that thrive in moist, often naturally flood-prone conditions. Riparian habitats provide a crucial interface between water and land environments. However, there are many individual features inside this ripirian habitat that make up smaller, overlapping mini systems.There are ponds — small, still bodies of fresh water — that support a diverse community of aquatic plants and animals adapted to still water conditions.The large trees make up a tall forest habitat. This is characterized by mature, tall trees creating a varied light levels, cooler temperatures, and diverse microhabitats from the forest floor to the treetops.There are thickets, or dense growths of shrubs or bushes, often so close together they they are difficult for large animals to penetrate, providing excellent shelter for smaller species.Lastly, you can see grasslands, a habitat characterized by a predominance of grasses and small plants with few or no trees. While other habitats tend to get attention, grasslands provide critical erosion control for topsoil, grazing for a variety of animals, and hiding places for smaller creatures, with most of California's grasslands having been now replaced with invasive species.
What Is a Watershed?
Wherever you are, you're in a watershed! One definition of a watershed is an area of land where water from either rain, snow, or natural springs collects to form streams and rivers that empty into another body of water. Watersheds are formed by the topography of the land -- the mountains, hills, and valleys. Another, more well-rounded way to define a watershed is to think about the entire ecosystem of flora and fauna that support the processes that keep the watershed in balance...or not. Ask the questions about how fish, bear, oaks etc. impact the creek or river and other species? Think of it as a watershed neighborhood in which everyone plays a part - a waterhood.The health of a watershed is extremely important, ands so is knowing some of the things we do that harm watersheds. Building hard surfaces like roads or parking lots means rainwater collects the pollutants and trash from the surfaces and dumps it into streams and rivers. Water rushing off hard surfaces moves fast, carrying away topsoil and eroding the land around it. Our watersheds are created by the lives of plants, animals, fish, and even bacteria that create clean water and beautiful land like Lodi Lake we can enjoy.Learn more about the watershed you live in at How's My Waterway.
Historical Ecology of the Area
Imagine standing here 300 years ago. You’d be surrounded by dense riverside forests of cottonwoods, willows, and sycamores, with valley oaks rising on higher ground. Tule elk, grizzly bears, and mountain lions roamed freely. There was a vast and intricate web that wove together all manners of species interacting from the river to the sky, each with a role in the interactions. Wildlife thrived everywhere you looked.If we go back even further — about 10 million years — the landscape was even wilder. Mastodons and gomphotheres (both four-tusked elephant ancestors) once roamed here. Even the salmon back then were giants, weighing up to 400 pounds with spiked teeth! Fossils of these ancient creatures, uncovered in 2021 at Camanche Reservoir, offer a glimpse into a world long before us.Lodi’s transformation began in the mid-1800's, when colonists cleared forests for farmland and diverted river flows for irrigation. Hunting and habitat loss took a heavy toll — Tule elk were reduced to one breeding pair, and predators, like bears and mountain lions, were hunted out and slaughtered entirely. River otters and beavers, once abundant in this river, were heavily trapped for their dense fur. Over time, pesticides and fertilizers seeped into the water, further disrupting the ecosystem. The intricate web was fractured and broken, leaving the species still present to reweave their connections, with many holes unfillable. As such, this ecosystem has been heavily impacted and is a shadow of its former self.Standing here today, we’re witnessing just a small moment in Lodi Lake’s long history. What will this land look like in the future?
Blackberries
As you walk around the lake, you might spot a tangle of thorny vines — these are called blackberry brambles. These wild blackberries are the same kind you buy at the grocery store — but let’s leave these for the wildlife. While it might be tempting to pick some berries for yourself, remember that animals here need these for nutrition.These brambles are a favorite food source and habitat for animals at the lake. Can you imagine who’s in there right now? Most likely, nocturnal and crepuscular creatures (active at dawn and dusk), such as rabbits, skunks, or raccoons.There are two types of berries here: the native Trailing Blackberry (Rubus ursinus) and invasive Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus). To tell them apart, look at the leaves — Himalayan has five leaflets, while Trailing has three. The Himalayan Blackberry, introduced in the 1880’s, has become a challenging invasive species. Its aggressive growth and deep, layering root system make it nearly impossible to remove once established. As it spreads, it creates dense thickets that crowd out native plants. When native plants disappear, we lose the specific relationships they've developed with local wildlife over thousands of years — such as the insects that feed on them.
Major Infrastructure on the Mokelumne River
Along the Mokelumne River, humans have built dams, reservoirs, and hydroelectric plants to provide drinking water, water for irrigation, and generate electricity for human activity, while balancing the state-assigned "co-equal goal" of managing water for threatened and endangered species. These infrastructure projects began in 1923, when the California State Legislature created the public utility organization East Bay Municipal Utility Distirct (EBMUD) to supply clean drinking water to the eastern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area, including Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Joaquin counties. The first major project was the construction of the 345-foot Pardee Dam in 1929, which blocks the flow of the river, causing water to collect and form a large artificial lake called Pardee Reservoir. Three long pipes, called aqueducts, transport the reservoir water 95 miles to the East Bay where it is the primary water source for 1.4 million people.In 1950, severe rain caused a massive flood along the Mokelumne River, covering the city of Lodi with three feet of water. The Camanche Dam was built downstream of the Pardee Dam to help control flooding by limiting the amount of water that flows down the river. Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has also built dams along the Mokelumne River, such as the Salt Springs Dam, which was built in 1931 to generate hydroelectric power by harnessing the energy of flowing water.These dams disrupt the river’s ecosystem. Salmon, a keystone species in this watershed, and throughout the San Francisco Bay Delta, can’t cross dams to reach their spawning areas when swimming upstream. To help increase the salmon population, EBMUD established a fish hatchery below the Camanche Dam. Each fall season, they also release the river's flow in "cold water pulses" from the dams to assist salmon in navigating upstream. Downstream of Camanche Dam, they add gravel to the river to restore spawning habitat and create better places for fish to lay their eggs. Those salmon that return to the hatchery are caputred and the eggs are harvested to farm the next generation.
Cattail Creek: Mosquitoes and Mosquito abatement
Look for the shallow depression to your right — this is what we call Cattail Creek, even though it’s not actually a creek. It’s a seasonal swale, a gentle dip in the landscape that only holds water when the Mokelumne River rises and slowly filters into the ground.This entire area used to be a wetland environment with lots of standing water, a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. To manage the problem, Lodi mosquito abatement teams dug this ditch to improve drainage. They come out annually to maintain it, clearing debris so water doesn’t become stagnant. When water is present, they introduce mosquitofish, small fish that eat mosquito larvae. These efforts help control mosquito populations, reducing the spread of diseases like West Nile virus, so people can safely enjoy this recreation area. This demonstartes that it takes many different teams to care for this area.
Riparian Rights: Who Owns The River?
In California, the right to use water is granted through the legal system. Some residents have “riparian” rights to the water because they own land next to the river. Others have “appropriative” rights and are allowed to harness the water for public use, like irrigation or city water. Before 1914, the right to water could be claimed by simply posting a notice, which led to disagreement over who could use it. After 1914, the California State Water Resource Control Board (SWRCB, also called the State Water Board), started a formal permit process to manage all new water rights. Anyone with established water rights before 1914 does not need a permit.Generally, the people who own land near the river have priority to use the water over people who will funnel it elsewhere. However, during drought years, the State Water Board announces limits on the amount of water that all people can draw from the river. Today, East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) holds water rights to water through the Pardee and Camanche Reservoirs. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) holds rights for hydroelectric use and operates four dams on the North Fork of the Mokelumne River to generate electricity. The Woodbridge Irrigation District, who have the oldest water rights on the river, provides water to residents of Woodbridge, Thornton, Lodi, and Stockton. The State Water Board has declared the Mokelumne River “fully appropriated” from March through November every year, which means no further water can be diverted from the river during this time.
Unseen Animals: Nocturnal Species
Walking through this area during the day, it's hard to know just how many animal species live and thrive in this area. Why? Because many of them are most active at night (nocturnal) or at dawn and dusk (crepuscular). There are foxes, skunks, opossum, river otters, raccoons, bats, and muskrats living in trees, blackberry thickets, or holes in the ground resting until it's safe for them to come out to eat and drink. One way to notice what animals are around, even if they're sleeping, is to look for signs they leave in the immediate area. Can you see imprints of animal feet in the dirt (tracks)? Can you smell a skunk in the area? Has a beaver been gnawing on a tree? While you walk around, see if you can spot signs of the many creatures that live in this woodland. Following "Tracks and Signs" is becoming an increasingly popular skill with numerous tracking clubs and certifications around the Bay Area and Valley.
Miwok (Me-wuk) Way of Life and Culture
The Plains Miwok (also spelled Miwuk, Mi-Wuk, or Me-Wuk) first migrated to this area of the Mokelumne River watershed between 10,000 to 13,000 years ago. They were one of four “bands” of 9,000-11,000 Miwok tied together by a common language root — Plains and Sierra; Coast; Bay; and Lake. However, the four "bands" did not see themselves as one "nation." They lived in smaller tribelets of 50-100 people up and down the Mokelumne River. Within a 20-mile radius east of Lodi, there were at least three known villages.The Miwok had active relationships with the flora and fauna in the Mokelumne River Watershed, learning from carnivores and herbivores alike what plants and meats were edible and which to avoid. They were active land managers during the wet and dry seasons — harvesting, thinning, burning, planting, and seeding to increase yield and maintaining habitats for animals they hunted.Acorn nuts from the Valley Oak were a treasured food source for the Miwok in the area. Each family gathered an astounding 2,000 pounds a year, and stored the nuts they gathered in the fall. Acorn-based meals also included plants — from bulbs to berries, mushrooms, fish and shellfish, elk, jackrabbits, birds and their eggs, snakes, the occasional mountain sheep and black bear, and even many insects, to name just a few! They hunted with plants, arrows, clubs and snares — each used for different prey.Tule reeds, willow, grape, and various tree barks in the area provided the materials for homes, boats, clothing, and baskets. The Miwok are basket weavers well-known for their design and basket strength, both in the pre-colonial period and the present day. The baskets allowed them to store acorns for many months as well as carry water. On this tour, you’ll stop by an area where basket weavers continue to gather materials.There was a great deal of trading across Northern California Natives groups. These baskets, as well as minerals, stone, acorns, feathers, and hides were all valuable to other native populations. When visitors arrived, it was the responsibility of the chief to host them, offering them food and other appropriate gifts. Visitors would then bring out their own gifts and, soon after, trading began. The chief was also responsible for supporting and maintaining overall well-being of the families and individuals in the tribelet.While we often think of religion as a "practice" set aside for certain days or times, for the Miwok, their spiritual life was bound together with their daily life. Music, songs, ceremony, and forms of ritual were incorporated into daily activities and work.
Life cycle of ecosystems: death and decomposition
Ever noticed dead trees in the forest? Whether standing "snags" or fallen logs, they're ecological gold mines. Woodpeckers carve nesting holes in snags, later used by owls, bluebirds, and squirrels as homes. Once fallen, logs become bustling neighborhoods where beetles, ants, termites, and fungi break down the wood, creating food and shelter for salamanders, small mammals, and other insects. Even as it crumbles over decades, the tree remains alive with activity.Animals help recycle bodies, too. Turkey vultures soar overhead, sniffing out dead animal bodies. Coyotes, opossums, and raccoons all pitch in, feeding on what’s left and speeding up decomposition. Then the microbes take over — bacteria, fungi, and other tiny lifeforms return nutrients to the soil, where they feed plants and begin the cycle again. Death and decay might seem gross, but they’re essential. Decomposition is nature’s recycling system, turning dead matter into the fuel for new life.Humans often remove fallen trees and dead animals, disrupting this system. But decay isn’t something to avoid — it’s something to celebrate. When we let nature take its course, the whole ecosystem thrives. So, next time you see a rotting log or a vulture overhead, remember: Decay is beautiful. It’s how life goes on.
Spanish Exploration and The California Fur Rush
Most people think of the Gold Rush as the catalyst for immigration to California, but the first economic opportunity to draw European colonists to the area was the fur trade. Beginning in the 1770’s, trading was concentrated primarily along the coast, with sea otter and seal furs being the primary commodity. The Spanish began establishing missions in Northern California in 1776, and the Russians occupied and were active in trapping on the upper coast of Northern California. Between 1804 and 1806, Gabriel Moraga was the first Spaniard to lead an expedition from Mission San Jose (in present-day Fremont) into the northern San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys. However, the hunting and trapping in and around Lodi began in earnest around 1827-28 when the Hudson's Bay Company started leading expeditions into the area for river otter and beaver pelts after they had decimated the sea otter and seal populations. Within a decade, the otter and beaver populations had become over-hunted and the trade in cattle skins and tallow began to supplant the fur trade.
Miwok after Arrival of the Colonists
When the Spaniards moved into the Bay Area in 1776, the Ohlone Indians were the first to feel the effects of their colonizing efforts. They lived on the land the Spaniards most wanted. Some Ohlone initially believed the Spanish missionaries had powerful contact with the spirit world, so they accepted Catholic baptism. However, after they were baptized, the Missionaries forced them to remain at the missions, learning European practices, such as agriculture and farming, to become "civilized". Overall the Missionairies overworked and underfed them, and treated them as slaves, with infant mortality as high as 90%.Many Ohlone escaped to join the Miwok, the native people who inhabited the area around Lodi. By the time the Spanish, Mexicans, and Americans began to move into the San Joaquin Valley, the Miwok were alerted to the danger posed by the colonists. Many fled further into the foothills with other Miwok tribes, but some stayed to fight the colonists moving in.The colonists also brought the deadliest problem the local populations would face: disease. Having no natural immunity to European-bred diseases like smallpox, influenza, diptheria, and measles, they quickly caused serious illness and death among all the native populations that came in contact with the colonists. It is estimated that disease alone eventually wiped out 90% of the 9,000 Plains Miwok people.After this region became the State of California and joined the US, the first governor declared them the "Indian foe” and called native people robbers and savages. “That a war of extermination will continue to be waged between the races until the Indian race becomes extinct must be expected,” he said.With the decimation of their numbers from disease, war, and displacement, the Miwok numbered only 490 remaining by 1910. Some of their cultural practices and knowledge remain, but it is difficult to know the full extent of what was lost. There are closer to 3500 Miwok living now, broken into some federally recognized and some unrecognized tribes, thus with various rights and options.
What Is Stormwater?
Ever wondered where all the water from our streets ends up? Look right here! This stormwater outfall pipe is like a giant funnel, carrying rainwater straight from city streets into our lake. Next time it rains, imagine following a single raindrop's journey — rolling down the street, picking up bits of trash and oil from cars, then flowing through underground pipes until it splashes out right where you're standing.Take a closer look around the pipe. Can you spot any floating trash or see a dirty slick floating on the water? Those are clues about what's washing off our streets. Every wrapper, oil drip, tire dust, piece of pet waste, and soap from car washes on our sidewalks has a direct path to the Mokelumne River. The good news? When we keep our streets clean, we're actually helping protect the home of all the fish, birds, and other wildlife you see around you!
Trash
Each September, there is a “clean-up day” here at Lodi Lake, as part of International Coastal Cleanup Day. In 2024, 165 volunteers collected over 200 pounds of trash and recyclables from Lodi Lake. The greatest concerns were the hundreds of cigarette butts and thousands of plastic confetti pieces left behind in picnic areas. These tiny bits of plastic don’t just pollute the area — they can break down into microplastics that contaminate water, be injested by wildlife and enter the food chain. County officials report that 2,600 tons of trash accumulate annually in the community, costing taxpayers nearly $1.3 million each year to clear.Although the cleanup is a great event, there’s no funding to maintain trash cans around the lake, and the cleanup is limited to one day a year. We encourage you to "pack it in, pack it out" when it comes to your trash and help keep the lake clean year-round and the wildife healthy and strong. Get involved when cleanup day comes around, or bring a bag and gloves and clean up trash on your own or as a school outing. Every piece of trash you pick up makes a difference.
Storm Drain Detectives
Stormwater is rainwater that hits the ground, and then flows over streets and sidewalks, picking up pollutants like oil, trash, soaps, feces, and tire dust. This "runoff" enters storm drains in neighborhoods and flows directly into the Mokelumne River, harming aquatic life and degrading water quality. Agricultural runoff (primarily nitrogen-laden fertilizers) adds nitrates to the water, fueling algae blooms that suffocate fish and other organisms. Drought worsens the problem by concentrating pollutants in reduced water flow. In some San Joaquin Valley towns, nitrate pollution has already made drinking water unsafe due to increased risk of cancer.The Stormwater Detectives program, established in 2001, helps monitor these changes, with teachers, students, and community members tracking water quality, especially where stormwater enters the river. This is why managing trash around the lake is so important. You can help by disposing of trash properly, using commercial car washes, and picking up pet waste. Learn more about the Stormwater Detectives program - and how to get involved here.Watch more on how the City of Lodi prevents local trash from entering the Mokelumne River.
Fremont Cottonwoods
Here we are standing next to a Fremont cottonwood, a native tree and key part of our ecosystem at Lodi Lake. These deciduous trees are recognizable by their heart-shaped leaves. If you visit from March to April, you will see their drooping flowers called catkins. Later in the year, they produce seed capsules that open to release tiny seeds attached to silky tufts. For a couple of weeks, these cottony tufts float through the air and blanket the ground in a fluffy, white layer—giving the tree its name, "cottonwood."The Fremont cottonwood is dioecious, meaning that the male and female trees are different. Only the female trees produce the fluffy seeds that give cottonwoods their name. This makes male trees popular for planting in residential areas, where the “cotton” from the female trees can be a nuisance and cause allergies.The Fremont Cottonwood has been used by humans for centuries. Plains Miwok used the bark and leaves to create remedies for swelling, cuts, headaches, and even scurvy. They also wove fibers from the inner bark into cords and rope.The trees are found in ripiraian ecosystems as they require a great deal of water. Early settlers, like John C. Fremont, whom these trees are named after, also relied on these trees to signal the presence of water—a critical resource when traveling through the grasslands and oak-dotted landscapes of the San Joaquin Valley.The extensive roots of these trees help stabilize the riverbanks, preventing erosion by holding soil in place.
Fremont Cottonwood Associated Species
Fremont Cottonwoods are a favorite nesting spot for birds like Snowy Egrets (Egretta thula), which roost in the cottonwoods year-round and hunt for many of these smaller fish in the nearby waters of Lodi Lake. Smaller birds like the Nuttall's Woodpecker (Dryobates nuttallii) also love to nest in the hollows of the cottonwood tree when the tree gets injured or starts to die, meaning that the tree keeps supporting the ecosystem after its death!Woodpeckers also use their strong beaks to drill holes into trees like the Fremont Cottonwood, which they use to store acorns for food. Other ways the tree supports the ecosystem throughout its lifetime are by dropping dead leaves and branches. This dead plant material is called detritus, and breaks down into nutrient-rich soil that keeps the ecosystem thriving. One of the decomposers that performs this vital work is the Hairy Curtain Crust Mushrooms (Stereum hirsutum), which loves to grow on fallen branches and absorb the nutrients, breaking down dead wood so other plants can use it to grow. If you come after rainfall, see if you can find any fungi growing around these trees. Just be careful not to touch them as some can be poisonous.These fallen leaves also provide a great hiding spot for snake species like Pacific Gopher Snakes (Pituophis catenifer catenifer). These snakes like to lurk in leaf litter, hiding from predators while stalking their prey. While you may not be a big fan of snakes, gopher snakes are not harmful to humans and help control rodent populations. Remember, even though the Gopher Snake is harmless, it can still bite and you should leave them be if you find them.Another mammal you might see sifting through the leaf litter is a Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) which loves using their keen sense of smell to find insects to eat in the fallen leaves. On the other hand, if you prefer butterflies, you may see a Lorquin’s Admiral Butterfly (Limenitis lorquini) flitting around this tree, which is a host plant for this butterfly. Its larvae feed on the leaves, while the adults enjoy nectar from nearby flowers.
Beavers
Did you know the beavers (Castor canadensis) of the Mokelumne River don’t build dams? The river is too wide and deep, so they dig burrows into the riverbanks instead. These burrows compact soil, reduce erosion, and encourage vegetation growth, helping to stabilize the banks. By feeding on tree bark, shrubs, and aquatic plants, beavers naturally manage vegetation. Their burrowing and feeding create wetland habitats that support diverse wildlife, highlighting their essential role as ecosystem engineers.Look across the river — those big boulders, or “armored banks,” were added by the winery to block beaver burrows. While burrows don’t significantly weaken banks, the rocks reflect waves back into the river, eroding this side's bank instead, an undesirable impact.Beavers were nearly driven to extinction during the early 1800’s "California fur rush" because of their dense, water-resistant fur. Trapping by companies like the Hudson’s Bay Company, who used the pelts for luxury hats, decimated their population. By the early 1900’s, 99.8% of the beavers in North America had been killed, but their numbers have rebounded and they are no longer threatened. This highlights why it is crucial to provide as much habitat for beavers and other native rodents in this watershed ecosystem.
Pig Lake
Pig's Lake is an oxbow lake, which is a crescent-shaped body of water that occurs when a river takes a shortcut during flooding and cuts off a sharp bend. Pig's Lake got its name from nearby pig farms where the animals would roam around the lake. Over the years, the lake has faced erosion issues. The river's reinforced rock banks bounce waves back across the river, causing the separating bank to shrink, leaving only a thin strip between the lake and the river.
Fire Management
California naturally experiences wildfires due to its dry climate, vegetation, and seasonal conditions. Historically, the Miwok people managed fire through controlled burns: intentional, low-intensity fires set to clear underbrush and other flammable vegetation. Some plants, like pine trees, rely on fire for regeneration.The paved road you're standing on is not a hiking trail; it’s a state-mandated fire road designed to provide quick emergency access in fire-prone areas. At Lodi Lake, we no longer follow the Miwok’s prescribed burning techniques due to the risk posed to nearby properties and infrastructure. Modern fire management has shifted toward thinning forests, creating fire roads, and installing hydrants as preventive measures. However, these measures are not always effective, and climate change is leading to increasingly severe wildfires that challenge fire management efforts.
Native Oaks
Here in Lodi, we have two species of native oak, the Valley Oak (Quercus lobata) and the Interior Live Oak (Quercus wislizeni). The majestic Valley Oak with its enormous height and breadth has smooth, lobed leaves. It is particularly suited to live in the dry regions of California, and typically survives in brush fires, but it only grows where there is a significant source of groundwater, like here along the river. In contrast, the more shrub-like Interior Live Oak with its spikey leaves, is the only evergreen oak in the area, and it thrives in California’s drier landscapes, like the San Joaquin Valley. Both species are found only in the California area. An easy way to remember the difference between the two: live oaks are “live” (sharp and prickly), and valley oak’s leaves have peaks and valleys. While both oaks produce similar looking acorns, the Interior Live Oak acorns are fuzzy on the inside. The indigenous Miwok people considered the acorns of the Valley Oak vastly superior, and only ate the Interior Live Oak’s acorns in leaner years. The Miwok boiled the acorns to remove toxic tannins before making them into soups, cakes, porridges, and breads. The wood was also used oak wood to make tools, shelters, and firewood. Remember: leave the acorns for the other species of the forest. Don’t take from nature!
Native Oaks: A Keystone Species
Keystone species are plants or animals that have a disproportionately large effect on the environment relative to their abundance. As with many of the trees here along the river, the oaks play a huge role supporting other flora and fauna. Mammals like the Western Gray Squirrels (Sciurus griseus) love to eat acorns, making their nests inside oak trees where they’ll store their stash. You can often see these squirrels burying acorns around Lodi to save them for later. However, they can forget where they left them and don’t eat them, spreading the oak’s seeds! Birds like the Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)also love eating acorns. The woodpecker collects acorns, drilling holes in a dead tree to store its acorns. These trees are known as granaries and can be used by multiple woodpeckers at once. Larger birds like the Red-Shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) might also perch in an oak tree, preying on the smaller birds flitting around in its leaves or smaller mammals in the dead leaves on the ground. These hawks also cache prey near their nest. Other predators like the California King Snake (Lampropeltis californiae) might hide in the dead leaves, known as leaf litter, to stalk their prey. The stripes and bands on this snake help hide it from predators, allowing it to reach an age of up to ten years in the wild! Leaf litter also helps fungi like oak-loving Western Hardwood Sulphur Shelf (Laetiporus gilbertsonii) decompose dead wood, recycling nutrients back into the soil. Never eat any mushroom found in nature! They can be deadly.Oaks also play host to fascinating insects. The Spined Turban Gall Wasp (Cynips douglasii) forms small, spiky pinkish galls on oak leaves to protect their eggs. Can you spot any?
Berm/Levee
This area is part of the Mokelumne River’s natural floodplain. In the past, heavy rains would cause the river to rise and spread out over the land, flooding areas where homes are now built. In 1950, a major flood covered 10,000 acres in Lodi, causing widespread damage and prompting changes in flood management.The Camanche Dam, completed in 1963, helps control the river’s flow, making it safer to build nearby homes. However, flood risks still exist, and that’s where this levee (a raised concrete or earthen barrier) comes in. It acts as a protective wall, keeping floodwaters away from nearby houses during storms.If you look beyond the fence, you’ll see backyards that sit nearly at the same level as the nature area. Without this levee, rain and flood waters could easily reach them. As climate change increases the risk of drought and floods, it becomes important to consider proximity to an increasingly unpredictable river when determining municipal building codes. Next time it rains, try to imagine what this land might look like before we built this barrier — completely submerged!
