Editing Vandenberg Space Force Base (section)

== Geography ==
[[File:Vandenberg Air Force Base, California ESA22324690 (cropped).jpeg|thumb|upright=1.0|The base as seen by the [[European Space Agency]]'s [[Sentinel-2]] in August 2020]]

Much of the base is rugged, mountainous, and undeveloped; predominant groundcover includes [[chaparral]] with [[coastal sage scrub]] and [[oak]] woodland. Because of its protected nature—none of the backcountry areas are open to the public or to any kind of development—the base contains some of the highest quality coastal habitat remaining in southern or central California. It is home to numerous threatened or endangered species, including [[Nasturtium gambellii|Gambel's watercress]] (''Nasturtium gambellii'').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.centerforplantconservation.org/collection/cpc_viewprofile.asp?CPCNum=44446 |title=''Nasturtium gambelii''|publisher=Center for Plant Conservation|access-date=31 March 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606030801/http://www.centerforplantconservation.org/collection/cpc_viewprofile.asp?CPCNum=44446|archive-date=6 June 2013}}</ref> The western terminus of the [[Santa Ynez Mountains]] is on the base, and is dominated by Tranquillion Peak, which rises {{cvt|2297|ft|m}} above sea level. An optical tracking station is located at the top of the peak, which overlooks the various space launch complexes. The Amtrak [[Coast Starlight]] and [[Pacific Surfliner]] trains travel along the coast, providing a splendid view and one of the few ways for the public to see these remote areas. Conversely, [[California State Route 1|State Route 1]], California's Pacific Coast Highway, avoids these coastal protected areas and instead turns inland to serve the base's eastern side. [[The Breeze Bus]] provides service between the base, [[Santa Maria, California|Santa Maria]], and [[Lompoc, California|Lompoc]].

=== Beaches ===
[[Surf Beach, California|Surf Beach]] is open to the public, while Wall and Minuteman beaches are restricted to those with regular access to the base. Sections of these three beaches are closed between 1 March and 30 September every year during the nesting season of the [[Western Snowy Plover]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://syvnews.com/news/local/military/vandenberg-air-force-base-utilizes-unique-horse-patrol-to-help/article_27b0f56a-4455-594b-a0db-abc9c61ef24d.html|title=Vandenberg Air Force Base utilizes unique horse patrol to help protect plovers, maintain conservation efforts|date=19 March 2019|publisher=Santa Ynez Valley News|access-date=25 March 2019}}</ref> The closures are in place to protect the bird under the [[Endangered Species Act]]. If a set number of trespass violations have been reached during any nesting season (50 for Surf, 10 for Wall, 10 for Minuteman), the beach is closed entirely.<ref>{{Source-attribution|sentence=yes|{{cite web|url=https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/?id=123291771|title=Vandenberg Beaches to close for Annual Snowy Plover Nesting Season|date=1 March 2012|publisher=Vandenberg Air Force Base|access-date=23 October 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104210906/http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123291771|archive-date=4 November 2013}} }}</ref>

Surf Beach is adjacent to the [[Surf (Amtrak station)|Surf Amtrak station]], just south of Ocean Beach Park, run by the [[Santa Barbara County, California|Santa Barbara County]] Parks Division.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.countyofsb.org/parks/parks02.aspx?id=13418|title=Ocean Beach Park|publisher=Country of Santa Barbara|access-date=23 October 2012}}</ref> On 22 October 2010, 19-year-old Lucas Ransom, a [[University of California, Santa Barbara]] (UCSB) student, was killed by a great white shark near Surf Beach.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lompocrecord.com/news/local/shark-kills-surfer-at-vafb-beach/article_98ae2326-de69-11df-9289-001cc4c03286.html|title=UPDATE: UCSB student dead after large shark severs leg off Surf Beach|date=22 October 2010|publisher=Lompoc Record|access-date=23 October 2012}}</ref> On 23 October 2012, 38-year-old Francisco Javier Solorio Jr. was killed by a shark near Ocean Beach.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lompocrecord.com/news/local/update-man-dead-in-shark-attack-near-surf-beach/article_edc51dcc-1d43-11e2-9dac-001a4bcf887a.html|title=UPDATE: Man reportedly dead in shark attack near Surf Beach|date=23 October 2012|publisher=Lompoc Record|access-date=23 October 2012}}</ref>

=== Wildlife ===
[[Snowy plover]]s nest on the beach.<ref name="LAT 2017/05/08">{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-snowy-plovers-20170508-story.html|title=Rare birds find Southern California beach housing|date= 9 May 2017|access-date=26 August 2017|first=Louis|last=Sahagun|newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>