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History of the UCR Botanic Gardens
The Site
The first concrete step to establish the Botanic Gardens was allocation of the present approximately 37-acre site in the southeast sector of the core land of the UCR campus. Originally, this core land was known as the "Box Springs Site." It consisted of about 475 acres acquired by the University for the purpose of expanding the Citrus Experiment Station, a field unit (founded in 1907) of the University of California Agricultural Experiment Station. The allocation of the site to the Division of Life Sciences apparently was finalized in the fall of 1957, after considerable controversy. Professor Goodman felt that the site provided too little level or gently sloping land. Some in the Citrus Experiment Station wanted the mesa area (the present site of the office-headhouse, greenhouse, lath house, etc.) for a nursery. Still others wanted it to be used, in part, as a golf course. Professor Speith thought it too small. At that time, campus long-range plans showed a major perimeter road through the area.
From the beginning, development of this site was envisioned almost entirely as a botanic garden. However, a small area was devoted to research with reptiles in pens by Professor Wilbur W. Mayhew, Professor Rodolfo Ruibal, and others. These pens were removed in 1989. A few other research projects involving fauna were conducted over the years.
When it was allocated, the site was a completely undeveloped part of the campus. By 1988, approximately 25 of the original 37 acres had been developed. It was (and is) mostly rugged, sloping, hilly, and rocky terrain overlooking the more level valley land of the central campus area. The parcel is divided roughly into east and west halves by a mostly dry drainage channel, which eventually became known as Alder Canyon. This channel has steep sides with many large granite boulders, which greatly add to its scenic charm, but do not help public access or transportation, planting, and maintenance operations. At its lower end, Alder Canyon joins a larger drainage channel, which passes through the northern end of the Gardens from east to west. This larger channel also drains an adjoining residential area along and to the east of Watkins Drive. It eventually joins the main channel draining the campus.
Originally, the terrain was covered in most places with virgin coastal sage scrub, a vegetation-type common to the hilly slopes of the Riverside area. The predominant plants were (and still are in undeveloped portions) shrubs, such as brittlebush (Encelia farinosa), buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), black sage (Salvia mellifera), and coastal sage brush (Artemisia californica). There were no trees except in the lower valley area around the present entrance, where a few termite-infested Mexican elderberries (Sambucus mexicana) grew. Elevations range from 1100 feet at the entrance to 1450 feet at the south boundary. The microclimate of the site ranges from subtropical, with damaging freezes every 5 to 10 years, in the lower reaches, to almost frost-free areas on the upper slopes. Rainfall averages about 11 inches annually, less than 10% of which falls between June and October. The dominant soil type is Monserate sandy loam. It is shallow to moderate in depth, overlays granitic rock, and is mostly well drained to excessively drained. In a few places, decomposed granite is exposed on the surface.
At one time there was a corral or paddock extending into the lower part of Alder Canyon. Cedar posts and the remnants of fencing were still present in 1963 when development began. The posts formed a line running roughly east and west about 50 to 100 yards above the present entrance gate. Apparently this was part of an enclosure located mostly to the north of the entrance once used for Citrus Experiment Station horses. A 1926 California license plate, dug up in this area, suggests that the paddock dated from the 1920's.
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