In the two decades since the RCA was created to implement one of the nation’s largest and most ambitious conservation plans – the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) – nearly 84% of the 500,000-acre reserve system has been assembled. Through conservation of these lands, the MSHCP seeks to protect the 146 covered native plant and animal species.

But what do these protected lands look like? The MSHCP reserve system is made up of two distinct land types: Public/Quasi-Public Lands (PQP) and Additional Reserve Lands.

A large amount of land was already under the ownership of MSHCP Permittees and partner agencies such as the U.S. Forest service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and were added to the reserve system with the adoption of the MSHCP in 2004. These lands are called PQP Lands and consist of 347,000 acres that are managed by local, state, and federal agencies. These lands support MSHCP covered species and their habitats, but are not expressly managed for MSHCP covered species. The Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, and the Hidden Valley Wildlife Area are a few examples of PQP that provide both recreational opportunities and conservation.

Additional Reserve Lands are those that the RCA in conjunction with the other local land use Permittees of the Plan and state and federal partners must acquire to complete the 500,000-acre reserve. Unlike PQP Lands, these lands are to be managed expressly for the long-term survival of the 146 covered species, limiting recreation and other activities on these lands. Through early of 2025, 70,576 of the required 153,000 acres of Additional Reserve Lands have been acquired or provided through the development process. As outlined in the MSHCP, the RCA actively seeks to purchase lands that are described for conservation by the MSHCP to contribute to the reserve system through Local Development Mitigation Fees and state and federal grant funding.

Riverside County’s increasingly growing population underscores the critical importance of habitat conservation. The protected lands will not only benefit the 146 covered native animal and plant species, but also contribute to climate change resiliency, protect biodiversity, and enhance public health, through equitable access to open space.

To view an interactive map of the MSHCP reserve assembly, click here.

Updated: March 7, 2025