Ecological reserves: Mirage Trail.

Existing law authorizes the Department of Fish and Game, with the approval of the Fish and Game Commission, to, among other things, maintain, use, and administer land suitable for the purpose of establishing ecological reserves. Existing law authorizes the Department of Fish and Game to construct facilities and conduct programs in ecological reserves to provide natural history education and recreation if those facilities and programs are compatible with the protection of the biological resources of the reserve. This bill, until January 1, 2018, would require the Mirage Trail within the Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve to be open 9 months of the year to recreational hiking, if the commission determines that certain conditions relating to Peninsular bighorn sheep are met. The bill would require the commission to determine seasonal openings and closures of the trail that will not conflict with the use of the area by Peninsular bighorn sheep.