Kenneth S. Norris Rancho Marino Reserve is part of the

University of California Natural Reserve System The University of California Natural Reserve System (UCNRS) is a system of protected areas throughout California. The reserves support UC's mission of teaching, research, and public service. Unlike national and state parks, they are not availab ...

. The reserve is located along the coast of

San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo County (), officially the County of San Luis Obispo, is a county on the Central Coast of California. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 282,424. The county seat is San Luis Obispo. Junípero Serra fou ...

at the south end of the town of

Cambria, California Cambria () is a seaside village in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles along California State Route 1 (Highway 1). The name Cambria, chosen in 1869, is the Latin name for Wales (Welsh, ...

. It is named for Kenneth S. Norris, a University of California professor, renowned

naturalist Natural history is a domain of inquiry involving organisms, including animals, fungi, and plants, in their natural environment, leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study. A person who studies natural history is cal ...

, and founder of the UC Natural Reserve System. It is operated by the university under a use agreement, as it is privately owned and funded. There is no public access.

History

Native Californians obtained shellfish along the shore, fished, and gathered acorns and other plants here for food as far back as 5,000 years ago. Reserve lands were part of the land grant of Rancho Santa Rosa that were given to Julian Estrada by the governor of Mexico in 1841. Swiss dairymen grazed cattle on what are now reserve lands, and Chinese seaweed farmers lived here from 1900 to 1960, burning intertidal rocks in winter to encourage new sea lettuce (''Ulva'' sp.) growth. The site joined the UC Natural Reserve System in 2001.

Geography

Reserve lands lie between the Cambria and offshore San Gregorio-Hosgri faults within the San Andreas Fault Zone. An uplifted

marine terrace A raised beach, coastal terrace,Pinter, N (2010): 'Coastal Terraces, Sealevel, and Active Tectonics' (educational exercise), from 2/04/2011or perched coastline is a relatively flat, horizontal or gently inclined surface of marine origin,Pir ...

known as the Cambria Slab drops into the ocean at a sea cliff, while the eastern edge of the reserve rises steeply to in elevation. Nine coastal drainage systems flow from the ridge into the ocean on reserve property, dropping sediments onto alluvial fans. Two are dammed to provide drinking water for cattle as well as habitat for fish and frogs. Two are designated blue line streams by the Army Corps of Engineers. Rancho Marino Reserve

Habitats

The reserve has of

Monterey pine ''Pinus radiata'' (synonym (taxonomy), syn. ''Pinus insignis''), the Monterey pine, insignis pine or radiata pine, is a species of pine native to the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of California and Mexico (on Guadalupe Island and Ced ...

forest, at the southern end of one of the state's three remaining original stands. Adjacent to reserve lands lies

White Rock (Cambria) State Marine Conservation Area White Rock (Cambria) State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a marine protected area located off the coast of the city of Cambria, California on California’s central coast. The marine protected area covers . Within the SMCA the take of all l ...

. Kelp beds support southern sea otters as well as a wealth of fishes and rocky intertidal species. Coastal terrace prairies and coastal scrub habitats are also found on the reserve. The reserve has an active cattle grazing program.

Science

The Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) monitors the health of the kelp forests, rocky shoreline habitats, and coastal current ecosystems of the reserve. Th
Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network (MARINe)
has intertidal sites here, and

is also located on the reserve.
long term study of the demography of Monterey pines
was started in 2001

are ongoing.

References

{{Protected areas of California University of California Natural Reserve System Cambria, California Protected areas of San Luis Obispo County, California 2001 establishments in California Protected areas established in 2001