Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center

Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center (BDC) is located in Riverside County near Palm Desert. Established in 1965, BDC is one of the oldest UC reserves. Its collections provide insight not only into the history of the reserve, but also into the early history of the NRS more generally. The reserve houses various administrative, research, and operations documents, as well as several unique items. Of special historical note are materials concerning the founding of the reserve. These include Philip Boyd's correspondence, materials for and about an unpublished archeological survey from the 1960s, documentation of a pioneering habitat conservation effort to protect the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard and other local species during the 1980s, materials concerning the great American photographer Ansel Adams' profile of BDC, and various collections detailing the history of BDC and its contributions to science and society in California.