Natural Resource Management

 

Program Description

The Natural Resources Division works with numerous agency, academic, and organizational partners, as well as community volunteers, to understand and care for the abundant natural treasures found within the lands managed by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. We restore natural processes and habitats so that our plants and wildlife can thrive. We use the best available science to balance recreation and resource protection, band to promote resilience in the face of future change. We help create connections between the public and their parklands, and we strive to ensure that Golden Gate’s natural wonders are here for future generations to know and enjoy.

Our Incredible National Treasures

From the hilltops to the sea, Golden Gate’s many park sites are nestled among a unique mix of urban, suburban, and protected open spaces stretched across three Bay Area counties. They include everything from ancient redwood forests to sunny grasslands, as well as streams, wetlands, lagoons, and coastal areas. Golden Gate’s geographic and ecological diversity has created a breathtaking array of plant and animal life, intertwined with a rich human history stretching back to the first peoples who called this place home. Within Golden Gate’s boundaries are more than half of North America's bird species, nearly one third of California's plants, and 37 threatened or endangered plants and animals—the highest number of any national park in the continental U.S. This incredible biological richness led Golden Gate to be designated as one of 25 global biodiversity “hot spots” by The Nature Conservancy and also as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Natural Resources at a Glance

• 83,000 acres

• 3,100+ plant and animal species

• 37 threatened and endangered species

• 91 miles of shoreline

• 3,000+ acres restored in the last 25 years

• 6,000+ volunteer hours logged annually

• 25+ partners

 

What We Do

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  We Are Scientists

  Research

  Research and monitoring help us understand what’s happening with our most sensitive plants and animals.

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  We are community builders

  Community & Partnerships

  We strive to connect people to their park lands through internships, volunteer programs, community science opportunities, and partnerships.

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  We Are Caretakers

  Restoration & Management

  Projects to restore imperiled wildlife species, important habitats, and the natural processes that sustain them.