Anza Knolls Acquisition - Anza Valley
Location: Three miles south of Highway 371, East of Chert Road and
South of Tule Peak Road in the unincorporated area of Riverside County in the Anza Valley.
RCA Area: Anza Valley - Tule Creek, Rough Step Area 4
Size: 513.03 acres
Plant Communities:
Chaparral, Desert Scrubs, Grassland, and Riparian Scrub - Woodland - Forest.
Species for Conservation:
Species for conservation in this area plan subunit include: coyote, bobcat, mountain lion,
mule deer, spotted skunk, brush rabbit, side-blotched lizard, western fence lizard,
southern Pacific rattlesnake and rosy boa.
Importance:
The Anza Knolls property consists of approximately 513.03 acres and is located approximately 3 miles
south of Highway 371, immediately east of Chert Road and south of Tule Peak Road in the unincorporated
area of Riverside County. This property was acquired by the RCA on July 27, 2011 with a combination
of state and federal grant funding.
The property is comprised of Cells 7522, 7523, 7527, 7580, 7585 and 7600 within the Western
Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (Western Riverside County MSHCP).
The Western Riverside County MSHCP targets the conservation of 153,000 acres of additional
lands for preservation of wildlife and plant life. Conserved lands in the vicinity include
approximately 395 acres of land owned by the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation
Authority (WRCRCA), adjacent to the north of the subject property. The WRCRCA also owns
approximately 111 acres adjacent to the southwest of the subject property, and the County of
Riverside owns approximately another 884 acres adjacent to the east of the subject property.
The Anza Knolls property contains important biological resources, including vital habitat for the
Quino butterfly and other biological species. The subject property supports a dense chaparral
plant community, comprised of red shank and ceanothus.
Preservation of this plant community and animal species meets the objectives identified for
Federal Grant Number E-20-HL-3.
Wildlife and Habitat Value:
In addition, the subject property is located in a critical conservation area within the
Western Riverside County MSHCP, identified as Proposed Core 6.This proposed core area of
reserve lands is connected to other conserved lands located further west via Linkage 16,
which is Tule Creek. On a regional basis, the property is also located between the San
Bernardino National Forest to the north and the Cleveland National Forest to the south.
Aerial Photo of Anza Knolls Property
View from the northwest corner of the property looking south.
View from the northline of the property looking east.
