Natural Reserves
Box Springs Reserve
Located adjacent to the UCR campus, the 160 acre reserve hosts 19 species of reptiles, 16 species of mammals, including the pacific kangaroo rat, mountain lion, and mule deer, and 85 bird species.
Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center
Located five miles south of Palm Desert, two hours east of the UCR campus, the 16,873 acre facility is located in the drainage system below the Santa Rosa Mountains. Facilities include a pair of laboratories, housing facilities for 14 researchers, additional remote facilities, teaching areas, and campgrounds for classes. Accommodations for up to 35 are available.
Emerson Oaks Reserve
Located in the Temecula Valley, about 50 miles south of UC Riverside, in a transitional zone between the California Coast and Colorado Desert, the 255 acre reserve features a variety of diverse habitats
James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve
A 29-acre reserve located 50 miles east of Riverside near Idyllwild. It is located at the lower end of Hall Canyon on the western flank of Black Mountain. It hosts a wide variety of plant, animal, and insect communities.
Motte Rimrock Reserve
A 715-acre reserve located on the western edge of the Perris Valley. Coastal and desert influences intermingle at the site, creating an unusual mix of habitats. Six seasonal springs add to the diversity of the habitat.
Jack and Marilyn Sweeney Granite Mountains Desert Research Center
Located in the Granite Mountains of the eastern Mojave Desert about 80 miles east of Barstow, the 9,000 acre reserve has a variety of environmental and archeological sites. Over 460 species of vascular plants, 2 amphibian, 34 reptile, 138 bird, and 42 mammal species call the area home.
For more information visit The Natural Reserve System Web site.
