Bodega Marine Reserve

Bodega Marine Reserve (BMR) is the only marine area protected for research and education on California’s rugged north central coast. Offering a variety of habitats from rocky intertidal and subtidal areas to beaches, dunes, coastal prairie, coastal scrub, wetlands, seagrass, and mudflat habitats, it is a preeminent site for in-depth research on state and national environmental priorities, and an extraordinary training site for terrestrial, marine and coastal field biologists.

The diverse habitats of BMR support a wide variety of flora and fauna, including numerous migratory shorebirds, intertidal invertebrates, coastal bluff plants, and marine algae. Located on site, UC Davis’ Bodega Marine Laboratory (BML) provides cutting-edge research facilities and classrooms, conference facilities, boating and diving programs, oceanographic and meteorological data, and much more.

Located 60 miles north of San Francisco, Bodega Marine Reserve supports marine and terrestrial research and education in an area of California unique for the strength of its coastal upwelling, strong influence of marine processes on coastal ecosystems, and diverse soils and geology within the San Andreas Fault zone. Researchers and classes also use BMR as a base to explore sites ranging from San Francisco Bay to Point Arena.