| Bair Island State Marine Park | |
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IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
.jpg) Bair Island in 2014 | |
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| Location | San Francisco Bay |
| Nearest city | Redwood City, California |
| Coordinates | 37°31′48″N122°13′20″W / 37.5299362°N 122.2221881°W /37.5299362; -122.2221881[1] |
| Area | 3,398 acres (13.75 km2) |
| Established | 1986 |
| Governing body | US Fish and Wildlife Service,Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge |
Bair Island is amarsh area inRedwood City, California, covering 3,000 acres (1,200 ha), and includes three islands: Inner, Middle and Outer islands.[2] Bair Island is part of the largerDon Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.[3] It is surrounded by the Steinberger slough to the northwest andRedwood Creek to the southeast.
TheCalifornia Department of Fish and Wildlife'sBair Island Ecological Reserve consists of 1,985 acres (803 ha)[2] on the Middle and Outer islands, although the entireisland group is managed by the Refuge. Bair Island is an important ecologicalwetland,[4] which provides criticalhabitat for a variety ofspecies, including theendangeredCalifornia clapper rail and theSalt marsh harvest mouse, and is an important stop forbirds on thePacific Flyway.[5] Bair Island is bisected by Corkscrew Slough,[6] a major haul-out site forharbor seals (Phoca vitulina).[7]
Bair Island is the largest undeveloped island in theSan Francisco Bay and was used for farming, grazing and salt production since the 19th century.[8] A residential development called South Shores had been proposed to build a housing estate with 4000 houses on the marshland. It was approved by the Redwood City council, but a citizens referendum narrowly defeated the project in 1982 by just 44 votes.[9][8] ThePeninsula Open Space Trust purchased the property in 1996 and deeded the site to be part of the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge,[10] and the Bair Island Ecological Reserve was established in 1997.[5] In 2013, a pedestrian bridge was opened to connect to trails around the island to allow access to the naturally restored wetlands.[11] In 2017, tour guides began leading pedestrians on the trails and showing the effects ofwetland restoration.[12] Some species that have flourished since the restoration are the California Ridgway's rail, pickleweed, and pelicans.[13]
San Mateo County,California, United States | ||
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Map: Islands of theSan Francisco Bay Area | |
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