List of protected areas within California
Encyclopedia
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA, there are over 14,000 inventoried protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
s administered by public agencies and non-profits. In addition, there are private conservation areas and other easement
Easement
An easement is a certain right to use the real property of another without possessing it.Easements are helpful for providing pathways across two or more pieces of property or allowing an individual to fish in a privately owned pond...
s. They include almost one-third of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's scenic coastline, including coastal wetlands, estuaries, beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es, and dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
systems. The California State Parks
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
system alone has 270 units and covers 1.3 million acres (5,300 km²), with over 280 miles (450 km) of coastline, 625 miles (1,006 km) of lake and river frontage, nearly 18,000 campsites, and 3,000 miles (5,000 km) of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails.
Obtaining an accurate total of all protected land in California and elsewhere is a complex task. Many parcels have inholding
Inholding
An inholding is privately owned land inside the boundary of a national park, national forest, state park, or similar publicly owned, protected area...
s, private lands within the protected areas, which may or may not be accounted for when calculating total area. Also, occasionally one parcel of land is included in two or more inventories. Over 90% of Yosemite National Park for example, is listed both as wilderness by the National Wilderness Preservation System
National Wilderness Preservation System
The National Wilderness Preservation System of the United States protects federally managed land areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. It was established by the Wilderness Act upon the signature of President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964...
, and as national park land by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
. The Cosumnes River Preserve
Cosumnes River Preserve
The Cosumnes River Preserve is a nature preserve of located 20 miles south of Sacramento, in the US state of California. The preserve protects a Central Valley remnant that once contained one of the largest expanses of oak tree savanna, riparian oak forest and wetland habitat in North America...
is an extreme example, owned and managed by a handful of public agencies and private landowners, including the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
, the County of Sacramento and The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
. Despite the difficulties, the CPAD gives the total area of protected land at 49000000 acres (198,296.1 km²), or 46.7% of the state (not including easements), a remarkable number for the most populous state in the country.
National Park System
The U.S. National Park System controls a large and diverse group of California parks, monuments, recreation areas and other units which in total exceed 6240000 acres (25,252.4 km²). The best known is Yosemite National ParkYosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
, noted for several iconic natural features including Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Falls is the highest measured waterfall in North America. Located in Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada of California, it is a major attraction in the park, especially in late spring when the water flow is at its peak....
, El Capitan
El Capitan
El Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
and Half Dome
Half Dome
Half Dome is a granite dome in Yosemite National Park, located in northeastern Mariposa County, California, at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley — possibly Yosemite's most familiar rock formation. The granite crest rises more than above the valley floor....
, which is even displayed on the reverse side of the California state quarter. Other prominent parks are the Kings Canyon
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park is a National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Fresno, California. The park was established in 1940 and covers...
-Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Visalia, California, in the United States. It was established on September 25, 1890. The park spans . Encompassing a vertical relief of nearly , the park contains among its natural resources the highest point in the...
complex, Redwood National Park, Channel Islands National Park
Channel Islands National Park
- External links :* Official site: * *...
, Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park is located in southeastern California. Declared a U.S. National Park in 1994 when the U.S. Congress passed the California Desert Protection Act , it had previously been a U.S. National Monument since 1936. It is named for the Joshua tree forests native to the park...
and the largest, Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is a national park in the U.S. states of California and Nevada located east of the Sierra Nevada in the arid Great Basin of the United States. The park protects the northwest corner of the Mojave Desert and contains a diverse desert environment of salt-flats, sand dunes,...
. The NPS also administers the Manzanar
Manzanar
Manzanar is most widely known as the site of one of ten camps where over 110,000 Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. Located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada in California's Owens Valley between the towns of Lone Pine to the south and Independence to the north, it is...
National Historic Site in Inyo County.
National parks
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National monuments(administered by the NPS)
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National recreation areas
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National seashores
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National preserves
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National Landscape Conservation System
The Bureau of Land ManagementBureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
’s National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) includes over 850 federally recognized areas and in California, manages 15200000 acres (61,512.3 km²) of public land
Public land
In all modern states, some land is held by central or local governments. This is called public land. The system of tenure of public land, and the terminology used, varies between countries...
s, nearly 15% of the state's land area.
The National Landscape Conservation System is composed of several types of units: national monuments (distinct from the same-named units within the National Park System), national conservation areas, forest reserves, outstanding natural areas, national scenic and historic trails, wilderness, wilderness study areas, and others.
National monuments(administered by the BLM)
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National conservation areas
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Forest reserves
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Outstanding natural areas
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National scenic and historic trails
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Wilderness and wilderness study areasTotal BLM-managed wilderness land in California is 3725230 acres (15,075.5 km²). |
National Marine Sanctuaries
The National Marine Sanctuary System is managed by the Office of Marine Sanctuaries, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
.
California has four of the thirteen U.S. National Marine Sanctuaries:
- Channel Islands National Marine SanctuaryChannel Islands National Marine SanctuaryThe Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary is a reserve area off the Pacific coast of the United States, near California.Established in 1980, the sanctuary in the Santa Barbara Channel is an area of national significance because of its exceptional natural beauty and resources. It has an area of...
- Cordell Bank National Marine SanctuaryCordell Bank National Marine SanctuaryCordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary is a marine sanctuary located of the coast of California, at . It protects an area of of marine wildlife. The administrative center of the sanctuary is on an offshore granite outcrop by , located on the continental shelf off of California...
- Gulf of the Farallones National Marine SanctuaryGulf of the Farallones National Marine SanctuaryThe Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary is one of 13 marine sanctuaries in the U.S., found outside San Francisco's Golden Gate surrounding the Gulf of the Farallones-History:...
- Monterey Bay National Marine SanctuaryMonterey Bay National Marine SanctuaryThe Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a US Federally protected marine area offshore of California's central coast around Monterey Bay....
- one of the largest in the world at 5300 square miles (13,726.9 km²).
National Wildlife Refuges
National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is an extensive system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants. Many of the state's refuges are important stops and destinations for millions of migrating birds along the Pacific FlywayPacific Flyway
The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south route of travel for migratory birds in America, extending from Alaska to Patagonia. Every year, migratory birds travel some or all of this distance both in spring and in fall, following food sources, heading to breeding grounds, or travelling to...
corridor. One, the Butte Sink Wildlife Management Area
Butte Sink Wildlife Management Area
Butte Sink Wildlife Management Area has the highest concentration of waterfowl per acre in the world. Located in the Sacramento Valley of California, it includes the Butte Sink National Wildlife Refuge and conservation easements acquired on adjacent private lands...
, has the highest density of waterfowl in the world. There are 38 units in the refuge system in California, including both wildlife refuges and wildlife management areas, divided into 9 different regional areas. Combined the areas equal about 440000 acres (1,780.6 km²).
Hopper Mountain NWR Complex
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San Diego NWR Complex
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Humboldt Bay NWR Complex
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San Francisco Bay NWR Complex
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Kern NWR Complex
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San Luis NWR Complex
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Klamath Basin NWR Complex
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Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR Complex
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Sacramento NWR Complex
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Other refuges
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Wild and Scenic rivers
| Rivers designated as Wild and Scenic are administered by one of four federal land management agencies: The Bureau of Land Management, The National Park Service, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or The U.S. Forest Service. There are 22 rivers in California with portions designated as Wild and Scenic, with 23 designations in all (the American River has two separate designations, one for the North Fork, and one for the Lower section). | |
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National Wilderness Preservation System
There are 148 wilderness areas in California totaling just over 15000000 acres (60,702.9 km²). The largest is Death Valley Wilderness at 3055413 acres (12,364.8 km²), the largest federally designated wilderness in the continental United States, and the smallest is the Rocks and Islands Wilderness at 5 acres (20,234.3 m²). The wilderness areas are managed by the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land ManagementBureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
, US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
. It should be noted that rarely, if ever, are designated wilderness areas stand alone protected areas, and thus their areas are, in all likelihood, already accounted for in the various agencies' inventories.
National Forests
| California has 17 U.S. National Forests, one special management unit (Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest... ) and parts of 3 other National Forests. Total combined area of the forests is 20061888 acres (81,187.7 km²) and covers over 19% of the state. The largest forest entirely within the state is Shasta-Trinity National Forest Shasta-Trinity National Forest The Shasta-Trinity National Forest is a federally designated forest in northern California, USA. It is the largest National Forest in California and is managed by the United States Forest Service. The 2.2-million acre forest encompasses five wilderness areas, hundreds of mountain lakes and of... , at 2209832 acres (8,942.9 km²), the smallest is Cleveland National Forest Cleveland National Forest Cleveland National Forest encompasses 460,000 acres , mostly of chaparral, with a few riparian areas. A warm dry mediterranean climate prevails over the Forest. It is the southernmost National forest of California. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, a government agency within... at 460000 acres (1,861.6 km²). The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is a unique Sierra Nevada geologic basin of federally managed land, which is interspersed with a patchwork private and state managed public land... is not precisely a national forest in the conventional sense. Instead the Forest Service manages the land with particular attention paid to Lake Tahoe and its relationship with the forests surrounding it, with emphasis on erosion control management and watershed restoration, among other more conventional forest management activities. It is the smallest of the Forest Service units in California, with 191000 acres (773 km²) in its jurisdiction split between California and Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... . |
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State parks
California Department of Parks and Recreation
The California Department of Parks and Recreation, also known as California State Parks, manages the California state parks system. The system administers 278 parks and 1.4 million acres , with over of coastline; of lake and river frontage; nearly 15,000 campsites; and of hiking, biking, and...
maintains over 270 protected areas, which include almost one-third of California's scenic coastline, including coastal wetlands, estuaries, beaches, and dune systems. The state park
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
s system covers 1.3 million acres (5,300 km²), with over 280 miles (450 km) of coastline, 625 miles (1,006 km) of lake and river frontage, nearly 18,000 campsites; and 3,000 miles (5,000 km) of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. The largest is Anza-Borrego State Park
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is a state park located within the Colorado Desert of Southern California. The park takes its name from 18th century, Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and borrego, the Spanish word for bighorn sheep...
at 600000 acres (2,428.1 km²), making it one of the largest state parks in the country. The smallest, Watts Towers
Watts Towers
The Watts Towers or Towers of Simon Rodia in the Watts district of Los Angeles, California, is a collection of 17 interconnected structures, two of which reach heights of over 99 feet . The Towers were built by Italian immigrant construction worker Sabato Rodia in his spare time over a period of...
, owned by the State Park system but managed by the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department
City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department
The City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department is the official Los Angeles, California, USA arts council.The agency approves the design of structures built on or over City property and accepts works of art to be acquired by the City...
, is a mere 0.1 acres (404.7 m²). On May 11, 2011, State park officials announced that seventy parks would be closed due to department budget cuts in response to California's continuing budget crises. One of them, Henry W. Coe State Park
Henry W. Coe State Park
Henry W. Coe State Park is a California state park located in Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties. It contains over 86,000 acres , making it the largest state park in northern California, and the second-largest in the state...
, is the 2nd largest park in the California State Park system, at 86000 acres (348 km²). Many of the parks are historical parks and relatively small in size, but the total acreage of closures is still well over 120000 acres (485.6 km²).
State wilderness areas
- Boney Mountains State Wilderness
- Mount San Jacinto State WildernessMount San Jacinto State ParkMount San Jacinto State Park is in the San Jacinto Mountains, of the Peninsular Ranges system, in Riverside County, California. The park is near the Greater Los Angeles and the San Diego metropolitan area.-Geography:...
- Orestimba State Wilderness, officially called the Henry W. Coe State Wilderness
- Santa Rosa Mountains State Wilderness
- Sinkyone Wilderness State ParkSinkyone Wilderness State ParkSinkyone Wilderness State Park is a state park in Mendocino County, California. The wilderness area borders the Pacific Ocean to the west and the King Range National Conservation Area to the north. The nearest settlement is the unincorporated town of Leggett...
Additionally, 386000 acres (1,562.1 km²) of Anza-Borrego State Park have been designated as wilderness.
Department of Fish and Game Protected Areas
The California Department of Fish and GameCalifornia Department of Fish and Game
The California Department of Fish and Game is a department within the government of California, falling under its parent California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Game manages and protects the state's diverse fish, wildlife, plant resources, and native habitats...
(DFG), through its seven regional divisions, manages more than 700 protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
s statewide, totaling 1119360 acres (4,529.9 km²). They are broadly categorized as:
- 110 wildlife areas, designed to give the public easier access to wildlife while preserving habitats.
- 123 ecological reserves, which protect rare terrestrial species and habitats.
- 11 marine reserves, which do the same for sea-dwelling species and habitats.
Municipal parks
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
. By far the largest inventory of protected land held by a municipal agency belongs to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is the largest municipal utility in the United States, serving over four million residents. It was founded in 1902 to supply water and electricity to residents and businesses in Los Angeles and surrounding communities...
, with just over 400000 acres (1,618.7 km²) in its jurisdiction. The largest city park in the state is Mission Trails Regional Park
Mission Trails Regional Park
Mission Trails Regional Park is a 5,800 acre open space preserve within the city of San Diego, California, established in 1974. It is the sixth largest municipally-owned park in the United States, and the largest in California.-Description:...
in San Diego at 5800 acres (23.5 km²), although there are several county and regional parks that are larger. Total land owned by municipal agencies is roughly 1500000 acres (6,070.3 km²) acres.
Privately owned preserves
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
is the largest owner of protected lands with 143895 acres (582.3 km²). It has been involved in over 100 projects in the state since 1958. Many are eventually sold to public agencies, but the Conservancy still owns and maintains several substantial preserves, including the Gray Davis/Dye Creek Preserve, Vina Plains Preserve, McCloud River Preserve, Cosumnes River Preserve
Cosumnes River Preserve
The Cosumnes River Preserve is a nature preserve of located 20 miles south of Sacramento, in the US state of California. The preserve protects a Central Valley remnant that once contained one of the largest expanses of oak tree savanna, riparian oak forest and wetland habitat in North America...
, Santa Cruz Island
Santa Cruz Island
Santa Cruz Island was the largest privately owned island off the continental United States, but is currently part-owned by the National Park service . The island, located off the coast of California, is long and from wide...
, Irvine Ranch Wildlands and the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve. The largest private preserve is the Wind Wolves Preserve, owned by the Wildlands Conservancy, at 93000 acres (376.4 km²) acres. In total, there are many dozens of land trust and conservation organizations active in California, with thousands of acres preserved on public and private lands through their efforts. A few that operate entirely or substantially in the state are the Peninsula Open Space Trust, the Northern Sierra Partnership, the Sempervirens Fund
Sempervirens Club
Sempervirens Fund, originally established in 1900 as Sempervirens Club, is California's oldest land conservation organization. Founder Andrew P. Hill's goal was to preserve the old-growth forest that became Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the first California state park in 1902...
, the Sacramento Valley Conservancy and the Wilderness Land Trust
Wilderness Land Trust
The Wilderness Land Trust is a 501 non-profit organization based in Carbondale, Colorado, whose mission is to acquire private lands in current and proposed wilderness areas and transfer them to the federal government so that they will be kept forever wild as wilderness...
.
Largest land owners of protected lands
The 20 largest landholders, according to the CPAD:| Agency | Total lands owned (in acres)* |
U.S. Forest Service U.S. Bureau of Land Management U.S. National Park Service California Department of Parks and Recreation California Department of Fish and Game California State Lands Commission City of Los Angeles - Dept. of Water and Power U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Bureau of Reclamation The Nature Conservancy The Wildlands Conservancy Imperial Irrigation District East Bay Regional Park District California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection California Department of Water Resources City of San Diego City and County of San Francisco - Public Utilities Commission Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Dept. |
20,692,727 15,098,026 7,552,237 1,268,317 627,145 618,218 402,289 314,482 225,717 143,895 128,108 103,368 83,049 72,471 68,929 67,624 55,606 50,838 47,402 44,626 |
| *These numbers may not correspond exactly with those reported directly from the various agencies. | |