Ecological Reserves

Division 2, Chapter 5, Article 4 deals with ecological reserves that are under the management of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Section 1580 contains multiple legislative déclarations establishing the policy of the state.

Section 1581 states that any property acquired in fee for ecological reserves must be acquired in the name of the state, and at all times be subject to the rules and regulations as may be prescribed from time to time by the commission for the occupation, use, operation, protection, and administration of the property as ecological reserves.

Section 1582 requires the department to do all things necessary to secure a valid title in the state to the property acquired in fee for ecological reserves, but no payment is to be made until the title is vested in and satisfactory to the state. No land will be acquired by eminent domain.

Section 1583 makes it unlawful to enter upon any ecological reserves established under the provisions of this article, or to take any bird or the nest or eggs, or any mammal, fish, mollusks, crustaceans, amphibia, reptiles or any other form of plant or animal life.

Section 1584 defines the term “ecological reserve.”

Section 1585 allows the department may construct facilities and conduct programs in ecological reserves it selects to provide natural history education and recreation if those facilities and programs are compatible with the protection of the biological resources of the reserve.

Section 1587 requires the Mirage Trail within the Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve to be open nine months of the year during the months of May to January, and closed for three months during the months of February to April, to recreational hiking if the commission determines that all four of the specified conditions are met.

Section 1588 renamed the “Eden Landing Ecological Reserve” as the “Congressman Pete Stark Ecological Reserve at Eden Landing.”