The Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve, established in 1962, serves as a San Diego State University field station and 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. The Sage Project partnership involves classes in marketing, civil and environmental engineering, and geography to help fully utilize the resources of the reserve and support further conservation activities.