NOAA ANNOUNCES DESIGNATION
OF SAN FRANCISCO BAY NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the state of California have announced the designation of the San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The reserve will be the 26th in the national federal-state partnership and the first addition to the program since 1999. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

“We are delighted to announce this addition to the National Estuarine Research Reserve System,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “This marks a significant addition to this partnership which nationally protects more than one million acres of estuarine habitat, conducts essential research and provides a variety of educational opportunities. We once again welcome our state partner, California, which now has three estuarine research reserves as part of the national program.”

The San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is a partnership between NOAA, San Francisco State University’s Romberg Tiburon Center, California State Parks, the Solano Land Trust and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission. The reserve covers a combined area of over 3,700 acres in two sites; China Camp State Park (1,640 acres) in San Rafael, Marin County, and the Rush Ranch Open Space Preserve (2,070 acres) located near Fairfield and Suisun City in Solano County.

The federal designation completes a process that began with an application to join the NOAA program in 1989. The focal point for research, education and stewardship programs in the San Francisco Bay reserve will be tidal marsh restoration.

“The designation of the reserve is a tremendous opportunity for both the resources and residents of San Francisco Bay. It's an exciting time to be working on tidal marsh restoration science and promoting stewardship of the San Francisco estuary,” notes Jaime Kooser, Ph.D., who will serve as manager of the San Francisco Bay reserve.

NOAA and the reserve partners will hold a formal designation ceremony at the Romberg Tiburon Center to celebrate the establishment of the program on Oct. 10, 2003.

The other two reserve sites in California are the Elkhorn Slough Reserve, a 1,400 acre site adjoining Moss Landing, near Monterey, and the Tijuana River Reserve, a 2,500 acre site located in Imperial Beach in San Diego County on the United States-Mexico border.

The National Estuarine Research Reserve System is part of the NOAA National Ocean Service which is dedicated to exploring, understanding, conserving and restoring the nation’s coasts and oceans. The National Ocean Service balances environmental protection with economic prosperity in fulfilling its mission of promoting safe navigation, supporting coastal communities, sustaining coastal habitats and mitigating coastal hazards.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources

On the Web:

NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov

NOAA National Ocean Service: http://www.nos.noaa.gov

National Estuarine Reserve System: http://nerrs.noaa.gov

San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve: http://nerrs.noaa.gov/SanFrancisco