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San Dimas Experimental Forest

Angeles National ForestFormer biosphere reserves of the United StatesFree-content attributionFree content from UNESCOProtected areas of California
Research forestsSan Gabriel Mountains
San Dimas Experimental Forest San Dimas Canyon
San Dimas Experimental Forest San Dimas Canyon

The San Dimas Biosphere Reserve and Experimental Forest is an experimental forest located in the front range of the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. San Dimas constitutes a protected field laboratory jointly managed by the Angeles National Forest and the Pacific Southwest Research Station of the United States Forest Service under the designation San Dimas Experimental Forest. It was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1976 and withdrawn from the programme in July 2018.It encompasses the upper Big Dalton and San Dimas watersheds. The 6,495 hectares (25.08 sq mi) experimental forest was originally established in 1933 and was designated as a biosphere reserve in 1976.San Dimas is a chaparral-dominated Mediterranean ecosystem. In addition to the chaparral vegetation (including chamise), riparian woodland, sage-buckwheat and barren areas, oak woodland and open yellow pine woodlands are represented. The Fern Canyon Research Natural Area is in the remote eastern part the San Dimas reserve. This 555 hectares (2.14 sq mi) Research Natural Area includes Brown's Flat, a locally unique mountain meadow that supports a relict grove of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex C. Lawson).In addition to Fern Canyon, the reserve's research facilities include over 50 gauged watersheds, a lysimeter complex, two major dams and reservoirs—San Dimas Dam and Big Dalton Dam—and three plantations of domestic and introduced trees.Studies at San Dimas have provided valuable information on air pollution, fire effects, erosion, hydrology, and plants and animals in southern California watersheds. The area also provides opportunities for ecological research to many nearby colleges, universities and governmental agencies.Wildfires have frequently burned through the San Dimas area, most recently when the Williams Fire burned much of the forest in September 2002.The forest is currently closed for the general public, except under special written permit. No hunting or other recreational activities are currently allowed.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article San Dimas Experimental Forest (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

San Dimas Experimental Forest
West Fork San Dimas Tk Trail,

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N 34.2 ° E -117.76666666667 °
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West Fork San Dimas Tk Trail

West Fork San Dimas Tk Trail

California, United States
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San Dimas Experimental Forest San Dimas Canyon
San Dimas Experimental Forest San Dimas Canyon
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East Fork Road

East Fork Road, located in the San Gabriel Mountains above the city of Azusa, California, is a road that gives access from State Route 39 into East Fork and other small townships, including Camp Williams, and Julius Klein Conservation Fire Camp 19, a minor offender prisoner housing complex where "LACO fire personnel provide training, which prepares inmates to safely conduct wild land firefighting operations."The road begins at Route 39, passing over the San Gabriel River, and follows the east fork of the river, crossing a number of small streams. The terminus is Heaton Flats, which has a campsite, a toilet facility, and trails that lead upstream and to the summit of Iron Mountain, 8,007 feet (2,441 m) above. Along East Fork Road there are extensive fire-fighting facilities which are staged to combat the many fires that break out among the foothills above Azusa, Glendora, and San Dimas every year. The road is located within the Angeles National Forest and is managed by the United States Forest Service. The United States Forest Service states that all mining operations, including gold panning, are illegal along the East Fork; however, as mining and prospecting are a historic relic of California's heritage, enforcement of the mining laws is infrequent and gold panning continues along this stretch of the road (which offers easy access to the river). Some of the sites of the area's mining heritage can be accessed from the road by visiting the site of "Eldoradoville", a mining town with three stores and six saloons that was established in 1859 and washed away in the flood of January 18, 1862.East Fork Road was initially planned as an outlet from the Los Angeles Area to State Route 2 and includes a "Bridge to Nowhere" that was abandoned after a flood; a later plan included two never-used tunnels on the aborted Shoemaker Canyon Road.In January 2005 a flood washed out two bridges, which stranded 200 campers and residents for days.