Great Valley Grasslands State Park
| Great Valley Grasslands State Park | |
|---|---|
 
|
|
| Location | Merced County, California, USA |
| Nearest city | Gustine, California |
| Coordinates | 37°16′58″N 120°52′2″W / 37.28278°N 120.86722°WCoordinates: 37°16′58″N 120°52′2″W / 37.28278°N 120.86722°W |
| Area | 2,826 acres (1,144 ha) |
| Established | 1982 |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and Recreation |
Great Valley Grasslands State Park is a state park of California, USA, preserving a parcel of remnant native grassland in the San Joaquin Valley. Such a temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome was once widespread throughout the whole Central Valley. The 2,826-acre (1,144 ha) park was established in 1982. Largely undeveloped, it was formed by combining two former state park units: San Luis Island and Fremont Ford State Recreation Area. Its chief attractions for visitors are spring wildflowers, fishing, and wildlife watching.
The park is part of the larger Grasslands Ecological Area (GEA) of federal, state and private lands all managed for wildlife refuge values. The GEA represents the largest remaining contiguous habitat block of wetlands remaining in all California. The GEA is north of the Grasslands Wildlife Management Area.
Several rare and endangered species inhabit the park.
Great Valley Grasslands State Park was one of 48 California state parks proposed for closure in January 2008 as part of a deficit reduction program. Those closures were ultimately avoided by cutting hours and maintenance system-wide.
...
Wikipedia