The Santa Cruz Natural Reserve’s six sites ring Monterey Bay along the National Marine Sanctuary, stretching from the Golden Gate at San Francisco south to Big Sur. These reserves protect a remarkable variety of landscapes, from fog-enshrouded redwood forests and oak woodlands to coastal wetlands, grasslands, and offshore marine habitats. They serve as living laboratories for research, experiential classrooms for students, and spaces for public engagement and stewardship. Across the reserves, students, faculty, and community partners study ecosystems, conserve biodiversity, and address pressing environmental challenges.
Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve
Located in the heart of Big Sur, this reserve spans ridgetops clad in rare Santa Lucia fir and coastal redwoods, descending through oak woodlands and coastal grasslands. Streams here support steelhead trout, while offshore kelp beds provide habitat for sea otters.
Fort Ord Natural Reserve
Once a military base, Fort Ord protects maritime chaparral on nutrient-poor soils, home to rare species such as Monterey gilia, seaside birdsbeak, and Smith’s blue butterfly. Legless lizards, woodrats, and other wildlife thrive in this undisturbed landscape.
Younger Lagoon Reserve
This rare wetland near Santa Cruz includes fresh and saltwater marshes, pickleweed flats, and a pocket beach with native dune vegetation. Tidepools support crabs and fish, while the federally endangered tidewater goby inhabits the lagoon. Upland terraces are being restored to coastal prairie.
UCSC Campus Natural Reserve
Covering 789 acres on the UC Santa Cruz campus, this reserve preserves diverse habitats, including redwood forest, northern maritime chaparral, mixed evergreen forest, riparian woodland, and grasslands. It serves as an outdoor classroom, supporting thousands of undergraduate field trips and internships each year in ecology, land stewardship, and environmental education.
Santa Cruz Mountains Reserve
Established in 2022, this reserve fosters partnerships with local land managers, agencies, and communities. Students gain hands-on experience in environmental education, research, and conservation, preparing the next generation of conservation leaders.
Año Nuevo Reserve
Año Nuevo Island is a vital breeding ground for northern elephant seals in winter and seabirds in spring and summer. The reserve has supported decades of marine mammal research and continues to be a hub for groundbreaking studies on wildlife behavior.
Together, UCSC’s Natural Reserves provide unmatched opportunities to explore, study, and conserve the diverse ecosystems of the Monterey Bay region.
