Edgewood Quick Facts

Topic Facts
Size 467 acres
Location Intersection of Highway 280 and Edgewood Road in Redwood City
Elevation 240’ to 873’ above mean sea level
Geology Significant concentrations (160 acres) of serpentinite (California’s state rock) plus sandstone, shale, chert, greenstone, and other minerals
Plants
  • 90 plant families represented
  • 9 plant communities (non-native grassland, serpentine bunchgrass grassland, chaparral, mixed serpentine chaparral, chamise chaparral, mixed Northern California coastal scrub, oak foothill woodland, mixed hardwood subgroup of the mixed evergreen forest community, and wetlands)
  • Over 500 plant species (unusually high diversity)
Animals
  • Mammals (21 species, including black-tailed deer, coyote, gray fox, bobcat, jackrabbit, brush rabbit, pocket gopher, and SF dusky-footed woodrat)
  • Birds (more than 100 species, including red-shouldered hawk, CA quail, Western bluebird, Anna’s hummingbird, owls, woodpeckers, wrentit, flycatchers, and CA thrasher)
  • Amphibians & Reptiles (13 species, including Pacific tree frog, Southern alligator lizard, Western fence lizard, CA slender salamander, gopher snake, Pacific rattlesnake, kingsnake, and Western skink)
  • Invertebrates (including bees, ants, wasps, butterflies, moths, beetles, spiders, and other arachnids)
Federal and State Protected Species
  • Bay checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha bayensis) (threatened)
  • San Mateo thornmint (Acanthomintha duttonii) (endangered)
  • Marin western flax (Hesperolinon congestum) (threatened)
  • White-rayed pentachaeta (Pentachaeta bellidiflora) (endangered)
Other Species of Concern
  • Franciscan onion (Allium peninsulare var. franciscanum)
  • Kings Mountain manzanita (Arctostaphylos regismontana)
  • San Francisco collinsia (Collinsia multicolor)
  • Western leatherwood (Dirca occidentalis)
  • Fragrant fritillary (Fritillaria liliacea)
  • Woolly-headed lessingia (Lessingia hololeuca)
  • Serpentine linanthus (Leptosiphon ambiguus)
  • Chaparral or Arcuate bush mallow (Malacothamnus arcuatus)
  • Woodland monolopia (Monolopia gracilens)
  • San Francisco dusky-footed woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes annectens)
  • Blind harvestman (Calicina minor)
  • Edgewood microblind harvestman (Microcina edgewoodensis)
Other Distinctions
  • Only natural preserve in San Mateo County (Fitzgerald is a marine reserve)
  • Spectacular springtime wildflower displays
  • Excellent representation of California’s native plant species, especially those adapted to serpentine.
Current Status
  • Natural Preserve (since 1993)
  • Primary management objective is to protect, preserve, and restore Edgewood’s natural resources
Activities
  • Hiking, horse riding, nature study and appreciation
  • Picnicking at Old Stage Day Camp