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The Golden Gate Biosphere Network (GGBN or the Network) is an internationally-recognized voluntary coalition of federal, state, and local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, universities, and private partners within the Golden Gate Biosphere (GGB) region (along the western portion of the San Francisco Bay Area). The Network works towards protecting the biosphere region’s biodiversity and conserving its natural resources to maintain the quality of life for people within the region. The Network has been part of the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme since 1988 and is part of the US Biosphere Network and EuroMAB. It is recognized by UNESCO due to the significant biodiversity of the region, as well as the Network’s efforts to demonstrate and promote a balanced relationship between humans and the biosphere.

The Network periodically submits reports to UNESCO on current land-management issues related to the region’s biodiversity and its connection to people. Recent efforts have focused on outreach to potential collaborators and promoting research on biodiversity and climate change adaptation.



About the Golden Gate Biosphere Network
The Golden Gate Biosphere Network aims to be collaboratively steward  Originally recognized by UNESCO in 1988 for its significant ecological and cultural diversity, a 2017 periodic review brought renewed interest to the Golden Gate Biosphere Network and also expanded the boundaries of the GGB region by more than 26,000 square miles. In the years since, the Network has focused on expanding its collaborative partnerships in order to better connect the agencies, organizations, and non-profits of the region in an effort to more efficiently steward the natural resources of the region. As of 2021, the Network is made up of 20 partners representing multiple jurisdictions and sectors of the region:


 * 1) Audubon Canyon Ranch
 * 2) UC Davis, Bodega Marine Reserve
 * 3) Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve
 * 4) Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
 * 5) Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
 * 6) Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge
 * 7) Golden Gate National Recreation Area
 * 8) Fort Point National Monument
 * 9) Muir Woods National Monument
 * 10) Point Reyes National Seashore
 * 11) Marin Municipal Water District
 * 12) Mount Tamalpais State Park
 * 13) Samuel P. Taylor State Park
 * 14) Tomales Bay State Park
 * 15) Pepperwood Preserve
 * 16) Presidio Trust
 * 17) San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Peninsula Watershed
 * 18) Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
 * 19) Point Blue Conservation
 * 20) National Park Service Regional Office (Interior Regions 8, 9, 10, 12)

Network Mission
The Golden Gate Biosphere Network's mission as stated in its fact sheet: "Our mission is to protect the natural and cultural resources of the dynamic NorthCentral California coastal bioregion and to enhance adaptive capacity through conservation, education, research and monitoring, and sustainable development. The foundation of the Golden Gate Biosphere is built upon dedicated partnerships with communities adjacent to and within its boundaries with the understanding that local engagement and initiative are key to long-term success."The biosphere attempts to create a relationship between humans and nature that allows for sustainable development, protection of wild animal and plant species, and acts as a source of research and education for both civilians and experts.

Biosphere Regions
As recognized by the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme, there are currently 714 biosphere regions in 129 countries around the world. Regions are recognized for containing a mosaic of ecological systems representative of major biogeographic regions, significant biodiversity, and their ability to explore and demonstrate approaches to sustainable development at the regional scale.

Biosphere regions serve three functions: 1) to foster relationships between humans and nature that allow for sustainable development, 2) to contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, and species of flora and fauna, and 3) to provide support for research, monitoring, and education within the region.

GGB Region Geography
The Golden Gate Biosphere region consists of 27,976 sqmi of which 94% is marine habitat (review). This marine area covers 26,319 sqmi while terrestrial land covers 1,694 sqmi.

It extends through the North-Central California coastal region from the Bodega Marine Reserve in the north to Jasper Ridge in the south and includes the Farallon Islands, Angel Island, and Alcatraz within the San Francisco Bay. The biosphere region is situated on both sides of the San Andreas Fault. Each side has a completely different type of bedrock, and the western side of the rift is moving northward.

Core areas, otherwise known as protected area, are legally constituted core areas devoted to long-term protection. The core areas of the Golden Gate Biosphere region are of sufficient size to serve the three functions required of biosphere regions outlined above. Marine protected areas within the biosphere include the following conservation units:


 * Gualala (8,260 ha)
 * Stewart's Point (6,227 ha)
 * Jenner (11,955 ha)
 * Bodega Head (2,431 ha)
 * Tomales Point (6,393 ha)
 * Cordell Bank Reef (10,374 ha)
 * Point Reyes and Drakes Estero (12,932 ha)
 * Duxbury Reef and Bolinas Lagoon (10,746 ha)
 * North and South Farallon Islands (12,764 ha)

Terrestrial protected areas include the following conservation units:

In addition to these protected areas, the Golden Gate Biosphere region includes buffer zones and transition areas. Buffer zones, also known as managed use areas, are clearly identified and surrounding or contiguous to the core area or areas, where only activities compatible with conservation objectives and sound ecological practices can take place. These areas help reinforce scientific research, monitoring, training and education. Transition areas, or areas of partnership and cooperation, are outer areas where the greatest activity is allowed. Sustainable resource management practices are promoted and developed in these areas in an effort to foster socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable economic and human development.
 * Bodega Marine Reserve (137 ha)
 * Point Reyes National Seashore - Phillip Burton Wilderness (10,014 ha)
 * Audubon Canyon Ranch (421 ha)
 * Farallon National Wildlife Refuge (85 ha)
 * San Francisco Peninsula Watershed (San Francisco Public Utilities Commission) (7,446 ha)
 * Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (413 ha)

Ecology
With over 3000 terrestrial and marine plant and animal species (powerpoint), the Golden Gate Biosphere includes marine and aquatic ecosystems as well as terrestrial ecosystems ranging from evergreen forests (including the iconic and endemic Coast Redwood), oak woodlands, chaparral, coastal scrub and prairies, rare serpentine grasslands, as well as coastal and offshore islands. It also contains four Ramsar Wetlands of international importance: the Laguna de Santa Rosa Wetland Complex, Tomales Bay, Bolinas Lagoon, and San Francisco Bay Estuary (powerpoint).

A diverse range of marine, coastal, and upland habitats of the California chaparral and woodlands and Northern California coastal forests ecoregions may be found, including mixed evergreen forests, Coast Redwood forests, Douglas-fir forests, Bishop pine forests, oak forests, woodlands and savannas, northern coastal scrub, chaparral, coastal dune, coastal strand, tidepools, kelp forests, coastal grasslands, and marshes. The associated fauna is also rich with cougars, Tule elk, California sea lions, elephant seals, and many shorebirds.

Public Use
The Golden Gate Biosphere region is unique in that its marine, coastal, and upland resources are adjacent to a major metropolitan area and thus provide easy access to outdoor education and recreation for the inhabitants of the San Francisco Bay metropolitan area.

With over 26.5 million annual visitors (review), the biosphere region provides important economic opportunities to the San Francisco Bay area. Many recreational activities such as sport fishing, hiking, bicycling, whale watching, sightseeing, backpacking, picnicking, kayaking, surfing, boating, swimming, scuba-diving, snorkeling, cultural activities, museums, dining, and overnight lodging are available (review).

Agricultural activities within the GGB region are limited to beef and dairy ranching within Point Reyes National Seashore and the northern district of Golden Gate National Recreation Area (review). Approximately 28,000 acres of land are permitted for ranching. The National Park Service and ranchers collaborate on a number of issues of importance to maintaining biodiversity within the biosphere, including water quality, archaeological site preservation, ranch diversification, weed management, historic structure and landscape maintenance, ecologically sound agricultural practices, and habitat restoration.

Stewardship and Research
The GGBN work collaboratively on projects related to stewardship, science, and education. For instance, partners cooperate on tidal pool monitoring and public education in the area of Mount Tamalpais State Park. Another joint activity is the Coho salmon restoration project, which requires habitat inventorying and mapping of several critical watersheds. As well, within the past decade, projects within the 1,492 acres of the Presidio site include: the removal of six landfills, the locations of which were subsequently restored with native habitats including one creek, three dune systems where the endangered San Francisco Lessingia habitat and populations were increased, one riparian system, two serpentine sites where the endangered Franciscan Clarkia was increased and one Colma site.

The Network also cooperates with the Iroise Biosphere Reserve of France in a comparison of coastal ecosystem recovery after human use changes. Research covers topics such as the management of commercially important resources such as fisheries, threats to ecosystems such as oil spills, pollutants, and invasive species, and episodic events such as wildfires and climate extremes.