| Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
 | |
  Map of theUnited States | |
| Location | San Luis Obispo County,Santa Barbara County,California,United States |
| Nearest city | Guadalupe, California |
| Coordinates | 35°00′13″N120°36′51″W / 35.0035°N 120.6143°W /35.0035; -120.6143[1] |
| Area | 2,553 acres (10.33 km2) |
| Established | 2000 |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Website | Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge |
TheGuadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge is a 2,553-acre (10.33 km2) protected area located along theCentral Coast of California, in southernSan Luis Obispo and northernSanta Barbara Counties.[2]
Bordered by thePacific Ocean to the west and farmland to the east, the refuge encompasses one of the largest coastaldune systems remaining in California.
The refuge is situated in the heart of theGuadalupe-Nipomo Dunes which is protected through a partnership program among Federal, State, and private landowners for the cooperative management of coastal resources. This cooperative effort enables all partners to share limited resources to meet common goals, such as endangered species management and the removal of invasive species that threaten this fragile habitat.[2]
Public access is provided by neighboring State and County park properties.[2] The refuge offers a unique wilderness experience not found in the other parts of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes.
The wildlife refuge was established to protect the breeding habitat for theendangeredCalifornia least tern and thethreatenedWestern snowy plover. The refuge also providesCoastal sage scrub habitat for other endangered species, including theCalifornia tiger salamander (recently listed for protection under theEndangered Species Act),California red-legged frog, Morro blue butterfly,IUCN Critically EndangeredMorro shoulderband dune snail (Helminthoglypta walkeriana), and also 16 rare or endangered plant species.[2]
Other recovering endangered species that use the refuge include large flocks ofbrown pelicans and a pair ofperegrine falcons. The refuge contains healthy populations ofmule deer,bobcat, andmountain lion, as well as large flocks of wintering shore birds andwaterfowl.[2]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Media related toGuadalupe-Nipomo Dunes at Wikimedia Commons