Caswell Memorial State Park

{{short description|State park in California, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Caswell Memorial State Park

| iucn_category =

| photo = StanislausRvrAtCaswellSP.jpg

| photo_caption = The Stanislaus River in Caswell Memorial State Park

| map = USA California#USA

| relief = 1

| location = San Joaquin County, California, United States

| nearest_city = Ripon, California

| coordinates = {{coord|37|41|36|N|121|11|16|W|region:US-CA|display=inline, title}}

| area = {{convert|258|acre|ha}}

| established = {{start date and age|1952}}

| visitation_num =

| visitation_year =

| governing_body = California Department of Parks and Recreation

}}

Caswell Memorial State Park is a state park of California, United States, preserving a riparian forest along the Stanislaus River. It is located in southern San Joaquin County southwest of the town of Ripon. Riparian Oak Woodland, located in this park, is threatened and the park is trying to protect it. It once flourished through California's Central Valley. Caswell is also the home to several endangered species. The {{convert|258|acre|ha|adj=on}} park was established in 1952.{{cite journal | title = California State Park System Statistical Report: Fiscal Year 2009/10 | url = http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/795/files/09-10%20statistical%20report%20final%20online.pdf | publisher = California State Parks | page = 18 | access-date = 2011-10-29}}

The average temperature is {{convert|45|-|50|F|C}} in the winter and {{convert|85|-|100|F|C}} in the summer. It is common to exceed {{convert|100|°F|°C}} for several consecutive days in the summer. Caswell is home to many mosquitoes.

This park has been named after the landowner, Thomas Caswell. He enjoyed this beautiful forest and wanted to preserve it. In the 1950s, {{convert|134|acre|ha}} of this forest were donated by his children and grandchildren to California before it was opened to the public as a state park in 1958.{{cite web | title = Caswell Memorial SP | url = http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=557 | publisher = California State Parks | access-date = 2010-03-05}}

The riparian brush rabbit (S. b. riparius) is listed as an endangered species by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.{{cite web |title=Riparian brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani riparius) |url=https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?sId=6189 |website=U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |access-date=12 August 2019}} Formerly numerous along the San Joaquin River and Stanislaus River, it is now reduced to a population of a few hundred here and was reintroduced to the adjacent San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge.{{Cite news |last=Sommer |first=Lauren |date=May 4, 2023 |title=The latest to be evacuated from California's floods? Bunnies |work=NPR News |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/05/04/1173424166/the-latest-to-be-evacuated-from-californias-floods-bunnies}} This population has been negatively impacted by the destruction of the riparian habitat.{{cite web |title=Sylvilagus bachmani riparius |url=http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Sylvilagus+bachmani+riparius |website=NatureServe Explorer |access-date=12 August 2019}}