Travis AFB Sustainability Study Report Final Background Report | Page 58
Outside of the cities, Solano County has remained relatively undeveloped,
with large portions of the county remaining in agriculture and open space.
The Solano Land Trust has worked to permanently protect over 22,000 acres
of natural areas and agriculture land in the county. Solano County is home
to the Suisun Marsh. Consisting of 88,000 acres it is the largest contiguous
estuarine marsh in the entire US. Solano County’s has a vast supply of oak
woodlands, a resource of great biological and scenic value. The woodlands
provide habitat for a wide range of animal and plant species. Additionally,
they moderate air and water temperatures, reduce soil erosion, facilitate
nutrient cycling, and sustain water quality.
Rush Ranch Open Space Preserve (Source: http://www.solanolandtrust.org/)
Solano County is rich in a number of non‐fuel mineral resources. Mineral
resources mined or produced within Solano County include mercury, sand
and gravel, clay, stone products, calcium, and sulfur. The location of mineral
resources in the county includes areas south and east of Travis AFB. Stone,
gravel, sand, and clay mines are spread throughout the county.
Grizzly Island Wildlife Area
The Grizzly Island Wildlife Area is approximately 12,900 acres of land, bays
and sloughs within the Suisun Marsh. The complex is a patchwork of
10 distinct land parcels, including Grizzly Island, Crescent, Joice Island,
Island Slough, Gold Hills, West Family, Goodyear Slough, and Grey Goose.
Most of the parcels are not connected and are surrounded by private land.
The different areas offer a variety of recreation opportunities and act as a
buffer against further marsh development.
San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
In 2003, Rush Ranch Open Space Preserve was designated as part of the
San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Covering
approximately 2,000 acres, the preserve is located about two miles south of
Suisun City. The reserve has been largely protected from development and
alteration and has been a focus for environmental and ecological research.
It is an important habitat for numerous fish, bird, and plant species,
including threatened and endangered species such as the salt marsh harvest
mouse, Suisun ornate shrew, Delta smelt, Suisun song sparrow, and the
American white pelican. The space also provides recreational opportunities,
including hiking and birdwatching.
The complex combines natural tidal wetlands and artificially diked marshes.
Each habitat attracts different kinds of wildlife. Some animals, like the
California clapper rail and Suisun shrew, live exclusively in these tidal
wetlands. Rare, threatened and endangered species that are found in the
Grizzly Island Wildlife Area include the salt marsh harvest mouse, peregrine
falcon, California Ridgway's rail, California black rail, bald eagle, Suisun aster,
and soft‐haired bird’s beak.
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