Students Explore Ring Mountain

Ring Mountain is home to the Tiburon Mariposa Lily. The Tiburon Mariposa Lily only grows on Ring Mountain and nowhere else in the world. Ring Mountain is home to many animals such as, deer, fox, birds and frogs and to many plants like California poppy, California bay laurel, Tiburon buckweed, soap root and Marin dwarf flax.

The Coast Miwok lived here for hundreds of thousands of years. Ring Mountain is also home to the “Indian kitchen.” It’s like a mortar built into the side of a rock that the Coast Miwok used to grind food.

Ring Mountain has lots of great trails that people use for horseback riding, running, climbing and walking dogs. Ring Mountain has two big rocks. One is called “Snowman Rock” and the other is called “Turtle Rock.” Snowman rock looks like a giant snowman. Turtle rock is especially fun for climbing. Ring Mountain is a nature preserve enjoyed by many in the Bay area.

Sadly, non-native invasive plants like, teasel, French broom, Himalayan blackberry and bull thistle are invading this place. This means they crowd out other plants by taking their sunlight, water and space. The reason you should care is because a lot of native plants will die over time and there will be even less biodiversity.

Biodiversity means a lot of different species living together, not just one. Lots of birds and other animals will be threatened because of the lack of biodiversity could effect their food supply and habitat. For example, the white lined sphinx moth & the yellow-faced bumblebee rely on soap root. A lot of native plants like soap root and the Tiburon mariposa lily will be threatened if we don’t help by volunteering with Marin County Parks and Open Space to pull non-native, invasive plants.