Golden Gate Biosphere Reserve
| Country | United States of America |
| Region/Province/ or State | California |
| Web Address | https://farallones.noaa.gov/manage/goldengatebiosphere.html |
| Date Founded | 1988 |
| Size (hectares) | 7,251,969 |
| Distinguishing Features | Northern California coastline and waters extending
200 nautical miles west in the Pacific Ocean. |
| Main Industries (in terms of employment) | tourism, fishery, agriculture |
Situated in North-Central California, the Golden Gate Biosphere represents a highly diverse complex of terrestrial, coastal, and marine environments. The reserve is complimented by a rich cultural history with lands and waters in Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo Counties.
Designated in 1988 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB), the Golden Gate Biosphere encompasses urban, multi-use managed areas, and wildlands that include marine and aquatic ecosystems as well as terrestrial ecosystems ranging from evergreen forests (including the iconic and endemic Coast Redwood), oak woodlands, chaparral, coastal scrub and prairies, rare serpentine grasslands, as well as coastal and offshore islands.
Through a collaborative approach, the Golden Gate Biosphere protects the natural and cultural resources of the dynamic North-Central California coastal bioregion through conservation, education, research and monitoring, and sustainable development.
Partnerships between Golden Gate Biosphere managers and communities adjacent to and within the reserve greatly enhance the adaptive capacity of the ecological and cultural resources here. This alliance also provides a critical network for the coordination of regional and local stakeholder engagement, sustainable development for local economies, and environmental training for current and future leaders.
Download the Golden Gate Biosphere Fact Sheet (PDF, 3.5MB)
Download the Golden Gate Biosphere Zonation Map (PDF, 6.7MB)
Collaborative Partners
Audubon Canyon Ranch
Bodega Marine Reserve
Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Farallon National Wildlife Refuge
Fort Point National Monument
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve
Marin Municipal Water District
Mount Tamalpais State Park
Muir Woods National Monument
Point Reyes National Seashore
Presidio Trust
Samuel P. Taylor State Park
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Peninsula Watershed
Tomales Bay State Park
