Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve
The Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve (SMER), established in 1962, provides protected sites for research and education of southern California ecosystems. The reserve lies on the Riverside/San Diego county line between Temecula and Fallbrook. The 4344-acre reserve encompasses a 5-mile reach of the Santa Margarita River, the longest protected coastal river in southern California and a variety of agricultural and upland habitats. The reserve maintains classrooms and laboratories, and databases.