Palos Verdes Nature Preserve
The Palos Verdes Nature Preserve area consists of approximately 1400 acres of rolling hills, steep canyons and rock outcrops, with significant habitat and spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island.
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes owns most of the land, which has been acquired over the past twenty years but only now, with the acquisition of the Peacock Flats parcel, has the land been joined together as one Preserve. The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy is managing the Preserve and holds or will hold conservation easements over the property, guaranteeing that it will be preserved forever as open space. The Preserve is managed according to the Natural Communities Conservation Plan (see below), and is made up of the following properties:
Abalone Cove Ecological Reserve
Abalone Cove Ecological Reserve features two beaches (Abalone Cove and Sacred Cove), tidepools, bluff top viewing areas and trails crisscrossing the area. The 109-acre Preserve contains an official State Ecological Preserve with important natural marine resources, and the bottom of the Portuguese Bend landslide. Two promontories, Portuguese and Inspiration Points, frame Sacred Cove with its seacaves, black sand and rare plants.
The adjacent parking area (a fee is charged), multiple picnic tables, and restrooms are not in the Preserve, but add to the options for public enjoyment of the area.
Agua Amarga Reserve
This 59-acre Reserve contains two canyons - Agua Amarga and Lunada, which merge at their western ends just above the border with Palos Verdes Estates. Agua Amarga Canyon was acquired in 2005 and can be seen below Hawthorne Boulevard across from Ralph's Market. It is home to many California gnatcatchers.
Lunada Canyon was once prime land for development. A gift to the Conservancy in 1992 from the E.K. Zuckerman family created the Land Conservancy's first natural area. Habitat restoration grants have resulted in the creation of three acres of coastal sage scrub and a willow wetland.
Alta Vicente Reserve
This property includes 55 acres of land on the slopes below and around RPV City Hall. It is the current location of a 15-acre habitat restoration project, initiated in 2008.
Portuguese Bend Reserve
The Portuguese Bend Reserve is the 399-acre area that was preserved in 2005. It consists of rolling hills, steep canyons and rock outcrops, with significant habitat and spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and Santa Catalina Island. Located below and to the east of Del Cerro Park, it includes the areas known as the lemonadeberry parcel, eagle's nest, the badlands, the active landslide and the dirt extension of Crenshaw Boulevard. This area has numerous important trails and geologic features such as Ailor cliff and the pillow lava outcrop.
Included in this Preserve at this time is also the Del Cerro Buffer, a 17-acre parcel immediately below Del Cerro Park. This area burned in 2005, and the regrowth is characterized by many native plants with deep roots that result in increased slope stability.
Forrestal Reserve
With some of the best remaining native wildlife habitat and hiking trails, this 155-acre preserve is a key component of the Peninsula's natural environment and a significant part of the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.
Three Sisters Preserve
This 99-acre parcel has spectacular ocean views and wonderful hiking trails that can be accessed from the end of Ocean Terrace Drive. It is home to several rare wildflower and bird species and the location of a 2009 21-acre habitat restoration project.
San Ramon Reserve
This Reserve includes all of the 100-acre parcel that surrounds the switchbacks area of Palos Verdes Drive East.
Vicente Bluffs Reserve
This Reserve includes the bluffs of Lower Point Vicente (6 acres), the Fishing Access property (9 acres) and the habitat areas within the Oceanfront Estates project (69 acres). This Reserve contains high quality coastal bluff scrub habitat and some unique geological formations.
Vista Del Norte Reserve
This 14-acre Reserve is located above Indian Peak Drive, on the slopes overlooking the Peninsula's commercial areas.
To receive periodic PVPLC updates, please send us your email address to: info@pvplc.org
More information:
The Natural Communities Conservation Plan and the Preserve
In order to understand why we had state and federal assistance in preserving the remaining open space in Palos Verdes, a little background is necessary. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 was legislated by the federal government to protect species in danger of extinction. In response to concerns that this Act was not entirely successful, in the early 1990s the federal government established the Natural Communities Conservation Planning (NCCP) process to encourage the creation of regional plans for specific areas. The goal of this planning process is to preserve the most important areas of open space for multi-species protection, while allowing development on less important areas. Governor Pete Wilson agreed to pilot this new type of regional planning in Southern California.
The state and federal governments made funding commitments to jurisdictions which would undertake and complete an NCCP. The City of Rancho Palos Verdes began its NCCP process for the Palos Verdes Preserve in 1996, involving local property owners, environmentalists and concerned residents. The final plan, approved on August 31, 2004, provides for preservation of almost all of the remaining open space in the City.
NCCP information:
How You Can Help
What you can do to help make the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve a reality:
Join the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy
- Your financial support makes our preservation efforts possible.
- The more members we have, the more attention is paid to our requests.
Join today!
