Area 18.32 km² Established 1976 | Nearest city Fresno | |
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Location Madera County, California, USA Governing body United States Forest Service Management United States Forest Service | ||
The San Joaquin Biosphere Reserve (established 1976) is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve located on the western slopes of the central Sierra Nevada mountains Madera County, California, about 20 miles (32 km) north of Fresno. This biosphere reserve represents the California steppe and California woodlands with blue oak, interior live oak. and digger pine.
The reserve encompasses the U.S. Forest Service's San Joaquin Experimental Range, established in 1934 to investigate resource and animal husbandry problems associated with maintaining a commercial cattle herd on a year-round basis on the foothill rangelands. Today, long-term records on livestock gains and herbage yield and utilization are available. Parts of the range have served as a Research Natural Area, protected from fire and ungrazed by domestic livestock since 1934. Remaining portions of the range have been grazed by various classes of livestock during different seasons. Some range units have been modified through the application of fertilizers. Prescribed burning has been used in some units for forage improvement.
A cowherd and facilities at the experimental range also provide opportunities for students to gain practical experience in the commercial cattle industry.