Arroyo Conejo Nature Preserve
| Arroyo Conejo Nature Preserve | |
|---|---|
| La Branca (the Barranca) | |
View of La Branca from the Arroyo Conejo Trail
|
|
| Location |
Conejo Canyons Open Space, Simi Hills, Ventura County, California |
| Nearest city | Newbury Park |
| Coordinates | 34°12′39.5″N 118°55′37.4″W / 34.210972°N 118.927056°WCoordinates: 34°12′39.5″N 118°55′37.4″W / 34.210972°N 118.927056°W |
| Area | 250 acres (100 ha) |
| Established | July 1977 |
| Governing body | Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) |
Arroyo Conejo Nature Preserve (sometimes shortened to the Arroyo Nature Preserve) is a nature preserve located in the western Simi Hills and within the Conejo Canyons Open Space, in northern Newbury Park, Ventura County, California.
The preserve is often locally referred to as La Branca or the Barranca (Spanish for “the canyon”), and is nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Conejo Valley. Its stated purpose is “the preservation of the scenic areas, natural habitats, wildlife, archaeological and paleontological sites of the Conejo Valley and surroundings, specifically including the Arroyo Conejo”. It contains 250 acres of land and has been administrated and owned by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) since its incorporation in July 1977. La Branca is a narrow ravine or gorge that runs three miles from northern Newbury Park near the Rancho Conejo Playfields, to Hill Canyon near the Hill Canyon Wastewater Treatment Plant in the Conejo Canyons Open Space.
La Branca has a gorge section with cliffs rising up to 300 feet (91 m). The preserve is home to large variety of plant- and animal species, including for instance southwestern pond turtles, mountain lions, bobcats, black bears, deer, coyotes, and avifauna such as quails, golden eagles, hawks, owls, and numerous others. It contains the perennial South Fork of the Arroyo Conejo, riparian zone vegetation, steep-sided canyons, California oak woodlands, as well as wetlands.
...
Wikipedia