| Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Map of theUnited States | |
| Location | Riverside County, California,United States |
| Nearest city | Palm Desert, California |
| Coordinates | 33°47′54″N116°19′07″W / 33.7983°N 116.3186°W /33.7983; -116.3186[1] |
| Area | 3,709 acres (15.01 km2) |
| Established | 1985 |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Website | Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge |
Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge is a 3,709-acre (15.01 km2) protected area inRiverside County, California'sCoachella Valley. It lies within the unincorporated community ofThousand Palms, just north ofPalm Desert. The refuge contains the majority of critical habitat for theCoachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard (Uma inornata) within theCoachella Valley Preserve.
Thehabitat of thisthreatened species is restricted to the refuge'sdune system and a few other small areas. This dune system is in jeopardy as development threatens sand sources and the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard'stravel corridors.
The refuge, managed by theUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service, provides for the only significant habitat acreage that is not available for multiple recreating uses by the public. The Coachella Valley Refuge is almost entirely closed to the public to protect the federally listed threatened Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard. However, there is a trail that runs through a section of the refuge available forhorseback riders.
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service.