Channel Islands National Park

Channel Islands National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Location	Santa Barbara County & Ventura County, California, USA
Nearest city	Santa Barbara
Coordinates	34°0′30″N 119°25′0″W / 34.00833°N 119.416667°W / 34.00833; -119.416667Coordinates: 34°0′30″N 119°25′0″W / 34.00833°N 119.416667°W / 34.00833; -119.416667
Area	249,561 acres (100,994 ha)[1]
Established	March 5, 1980
Visitors	277,515 (in 2010)[2]
Governing body	National Park Service

Map of Channel Islands

Channel Islands National Park is a United States national park that consists of five of the eight Channel Islands off the coast of the U.S. state of California, in the Pacific Ocean. Although the islands are close to the shore of densely-populated Southern California, their isolation has left them relatively undeveloped. The park covers 249,561 acres (100,994 ha) of which 79,018 acres (31,977 ha) are owned by the federal government.^[1] The Nature Conservancy owns and manages 76% of Santa Cruz Island, the largest island in the park.^[3]

Channel Islands National Park is home to a wide variety of significant natural and cultural resources. It was designated a U.S. National Monument on April 26, 1938, and a National Biosphere Reserve in 1976. It was promoted to a National Park on March 5, 1980.^[4]

Geography

The islands within the park extend along the Southern California coast from Point Conception near Santa Barbara to San Pedro, a neighborhood of Los Angeles. Park headquarters and the Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center are located in the city of Ventura.

The park consists of 249,354 acres (100,910 ha), half of which are under the ocean, and includes the islands of:

• San Miguel 9,325 acres (3,774 ha)
• Santa Rosa 52,794 acres (21,365 ha)
• Anacapa 699 acres (283 ha)
• Santa Barbara 639 acres (259 ha)
• Santa Cruz 60,645 acres (24,542 ha) 76% owned by the Nature Conservancy, 24% by the National Park Service

Flora and fauna

More than 2,000 species of plants and animals can be found within the park. However only three mammals are endemic to the islands, one of which is the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) which is known to carry the sin nombre hantavirus. Spotted Skunk and Channel Islands Fox also are endemic. The Island fence lizard^[5] is also endemic to the Channel Islands.^[6] Other animals in the park include Island Scrub Jay, harbor seal, California sea lion, island fox, spotted skunk, island night lizard, barn owl, American kestrel, horned lark and meadowlark and California brown pelican. One hundred and forty-five of these species are unique to the islands and found nowhere else in the world. Marine life ranges from microscopic plankton to the endangered blue whale, the largest animal ever to live on earth. Archeological and cultural resources span a period of more than 10,000 years.

Visitation

Annual visitation to the park's mainland visitor center is 300,000. Visitation to the islands and waters is low, with about 30,000 visitors traveling to the islands, and another 60,000 who go only into park waters. Although most visitation occurs in the summer, migrating gray whales and spectacular wildflower displays attract visitors in the winter and spring. Autumn is an excellent time to travel to the park, as well as for diving, as the days are usually sunny, with minimal winds and clear ocean water. Camping is a popular activity on Santa Cruz Island, with visitors arriving at Prisoners harbor ^[7] on the north shore and staying in the valley beyond. A new island visitor center opened at Scorpion Ranch on Santa Cruz Island on April 6, 2009.

Gallery

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  Channel Islands National Park

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  Diver and juvenile Sea Lions, Anacapa Island

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  Sea Fan, Anacapa Island

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  San Miguel Island

See also

• Channel Islands of California
• California coastal sage and chaparral ecoregion
• List of California Channel Islands wildlife
• When the Killing's Done - a novel by T.C.Boyle

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Listing of acreage as of 12/31/2010". Public Use Statistic Office, National Park Service. http://www.nature.nps.gov/stats/Acreage/acrebypark10cy.pdf. Retrieved 2011-07-13. 
2. ^ "Five Year Annual Recreation Visits Report". Public Use Statistic Office, National Park Service. http://www.nature.nps.gov/stats/viewReport.cfm?selectedReport=SystemComparisonReport.cfm. 
3. ^ "Santa Cruz Island". National Park Service. http://www.nps.gov/chis/planyourvisit/santa-cruz-island.htm. Retrieved 2011-07-13. 
4. ^ "Channel Islands National Park". The National Parks: Index 2009–2011. National Park Service. http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nps/nps/part2.htm#chis. Retrieved 2011-07-13. 
5. ^ William Flaxington (2005) Photograph of the Island Fence Lizard, Calphotos
6. ^ C. Michael Hogan (2008) "Western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)", Globaltwitcher, ed. Nicklas Stromberg [1]
7. ^ http://www.nps.gov/chis/planyourvisit/boating.htm

External links

• Official site: Channel Islands National Park
• Channel Islands National Park Visitor's Guide
• NPS Public domain pictures of park