San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex - San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge

The San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge located in Stanislaus County encompasses over 7,000 acres (28 km2) of riparian woodlands, wetlands and grasslands that host a diversity of wildlife native to California’s Central Valley. The Refuge is situated where three major rivers (San Joaquin, Tuolumne and Stanislaus) join providing a key travel corridor for wildlife. The refuge was established in 1987 under the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.

The Refuge has played a major role in the recovery of Aleutian Cackling Geese by serving as a key wintering area and continues to be of major importance to this species. By 1975, the total population was under 1,000 geese; however, removing nest predators (non-native introduced foxes) from the breeding grounds in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and improving wintering habitat resulted in its delisting as an endangered species and a population well over 100,000 and growing. Restoring wetlands and providing grasslands and croplands at this refuge has provided ideal wintering habitat for the geese.

It is estimated that 95 percent of the San Joaquin Valley’s riparian woodlands were lost during the last century due to changing land uses; however, this refuge is in the process of restoring this critical habitat. Within the borders of the San Joaquin NWR is one of California’s largest riparian forest restoration projects: 400,000 native trees such as willows, cottonwoods and oaks have been planted across 1,700 acres (7 km2) of river floodplain creating the largest block of contiguous riparian woodland in the San Joaquin Valley. This important riparian woodland habitat is host to many rare animals. Swainson’s hawks nest in the canopy of tall cottonwood trees. Herons and cormorants form communal nesting colonies within the tops of the large oaks. Endangered riparian brush rabbits have been re-introduced to this restored habitat from captive-reared populations. These woodlands also support a diversity of breeding songbirds including grosbeaks, orioles, flycatchers, warblers, as well as least Bell's Vireos – a threatened species which last nested in the San Joaquin Valley over 50 years ago.

A wildlife viewing platform along Beckwith Road is a favorite location for viewing the Aleutian cackling geese along with other waterbirds from October through March.