While most people don’t associate oaks with old-growth forests, black oaks ( Quercus kelloggii) are found at elevations up to 2,400 meters or nearly 8,000 feet in elevation! Acorns are consumed by a variety of animals in every forest habitat type, from squirrels to acorn woodpeckers, black bear and black-tailed deer. Oaks provide essential food and habitat for hundreds of species of animals which inhabit the Sierra Nevada. The loss of oaks in particular was identified by Forest Service scientists as a serious threat. The loss of hardwoods in the forests of the Sierra Nevada was identified in the 2001 Sierra Nevada Framework forest plan as one of five priority issues which must be addressed in order to sustain the viability of Sierra forest ecosystems. Unfortunately, oaks and other hardwoods are declining throughout the Sierra Nevada, due to logging practices and mismanagement of natural fire cycles. Many species of shrubs and trees are endemic to the forests of Northern California, and do not occur anywhere else on the planet. Together they comprise the beautiful and diverse forest understory of the conifer forests of the Sierra. Their flowers provide nectar and pollen that are essential for the survival of countless species of butterflies, bees, and beetles. They provide structural habitat for concealment, resting, nesting, denning, and birthing.

They provide forage as well as abundant crops of acorns, berries, nuts, and other fruits that are essential for wildlife. Oaks and other hardwoods form the foundation of the forest food web in the forests of the Sierra Nevada. Montane Hardwood is a type of forest plant community where oaks form a major component of the forest. While plant communities known as oak woodlands occur primarily in the Sierra Nevada foothills, the conifer forests of the Sierra also contain magnificent stands of oak and other hardwood species.

Black oak acorn