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standing wood-cutting activities, the density of tree growth in the oak-buckeye savanna area has been greatly reduced. Several formal classifications of plant communities have been attempted for California. These include Holland (1986), State of California (1988), Cowardin (1985), and Barbour and Major(1988). The following classification generally reflects the Preliminary Descriptions of the Terrestrial Natural Communities of California (Holland, 1986) and Classification of Wetlands and Deep Water Habitats of the United States (Cowardin, 1985), but in some instances have been modified to reflect local conditions. The general kinds of habitats found at the Buckeye Ranch include: annual grassland,oak-buckeye savanna, live oak forest, riverine, lake, seasonal wetlands, permanent emergent marsh, riparian, and cultivated lands. Wildlife Communities Buckeye Ranch has long been identified as an important habitat for wildlife in the California Delta (Sacramento Audubon Society 1987). The juxtaposition of mixed oak forest, oak-buckeye, savanna, grassland, and marshes on the property support many species throughout the year. In addition to habitat on the property, the thousands of acres of pasture land and grain crops adjacent to the property on the west and north add to its diversity. The varied topography on the property produces pockets of vegetation classes that enhance edge effect, thus providing additional niches for wildlife. Cattle grazing, a major land use on the property, has impacted the mixed oak forest system and savanna and has been detrimental to some wildlife species. Located on the Mokelumne River near its confluence with Dry Creek and the Cosumnes River, the Buckeye Ranch is a natural community that serves as a satellite habitat in a Buckeye Ranch Resource Plan (November, 1993) 33