Bolinas Point

Click here for Long-Term trends

Click here for Biodiversity Survey findings

Bolinas Point is located in the North Central Coast region of California, within the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and Point Reyes National Seashore. This site is located in an Area of Special Biological Significance (Duxbury Reef Reserve and Extension ASBS), within the Duxbury Reef State Marine Conservation Area established by the State of California, and is 1.4 mi northwest of the Duxbury Reef Point Mussel Watch site.

The site is northwest of the town of Bolinas. This gently sloping site consists of relatively flat terrain. The survey plots are located on the outermost intertidal bench and consist primarily of sedimentary rock outcrops with folded layers oriented in a NW-SE direction. This site receives low visitation by tidepoolers.

Long-Term Monitoring Surveys at Bolinas Point were established in 2005, and are done by the San Francisco Bay Area Network of the National Park Service's Inventory and Monitoring Program. Long-Term MARINe surveys currently target the following species: Mytilus (California Mussel), Fucus (Northern Rockweed), Mastocarpus (Turkish Washcloth), Phyllospadix (Surfgrass), and Pisaster (Ochre Star). In addition, motile invertebrates and mussel size structure are monitored at this site. Click here for detailed intertidal monitoring protocols and additional information about the intertidal habitats of the San Francisco Bay Area National Parks. Click here to view Long-Term trends at this site.

Biodiversity Surveys were conducted by University of California Santa Cruz in 2002, 2005, 2008, 2013, and 2020. The Biodiversity Survey grid encompasses one section that is approximately 30 meters (along shore) x 150 meters (seaward). Click here to view Biodiversity Survey findings at this site.

This site was also sampled in 2009 as part of a Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). Photo plot and motile invertebrate surveys were done as part of the NRDA.

For more information about Bolinas Point, please contact Ben Becker (Ben_Becker@nps.gov).