Ano Nuevo State Park

CA

The purpose of A–o Nuevo State Park, in San Mateo County, is to preserve and protect the scenic, biological, ecological, and cultural values of the central California coastline, including A–o Nuevo Island and properties on the western slope of the coast range inland from A–o Nuevo Point. The park protects and interprets the pinniped rookeries, a prime resource, and significant wildlife habitats on A–o Nuevo Island and the mainland. It also contains sensitive native dunes and coastal terrace prairie habitats, and a diversity of inland plant communities, including old growth forest, freshwater marsh, red alder riparian forest and knobcone pine forest. Its four perennial streams support steelhead trout and coho salmon, and its wetlands are habitat to the rare San Francisco garter snake and red-legged frog. Cultural resources include the remnants of Native California Indian Ohlone occupation of the area and a number of structures from the nineteenth century Cascade Ranch and historic Steele Ranch. In conjunction with adjacent and nearby public lands, the unit protects important regional ecological corridors and linkages.