ARCHIVED NEWS

Plans for increased access to Dry Creek and Homer Ranch
A family is spending the morning hiking together on a handicapped-accessible trail surrounded by colorful splashes of spring wildflowers. They stop at the native plant demonstration garden and learn about how native plants support wildlife, cleanse the air, and provide beautiful scenery. Nearby, a lone hiker crouches silently next to a sycamore, watching a great blue heron fishing for its next meal in the creek. Meanwhile, an amateur photographer captures a breathtaking vista of the Dry Creek floodplain from the observation tower at the end of the trail. Back at the Sequoia Riverlands Trust office, staff prepares for tomorrow's school tour, when a classroom of children will experience firsthand what they've been reading about in their science textbooks.

This is Sequoia Riverlands Trust's vision for Dry Creek Preserve, a 152-acre reclaimed gravel quarry north of Lemon Cove. In June, Sequoia Riverlands Trust received a California River Parkways grant that will help pay for the expanded amenities, plus an improved parking area, a shade structure, drinking water, restrooms, and other dirt hiking trails. The goal is to make Dry Creek an easily-accessible place for local schoolchildren, families, and visitors to enjoy natural river environments while learning how retired gravel mines can again provide wildlife habitat, scenic beauty, and an opportunity for community stewardship.

The grant will also help with amenities to support guided tours and outdoor education at Homer Ranch, a 1,819-acre working cattle ranch that takes in more than two miles of Dry Creek and contains one of the largest, healthiest, and last remaining sycamore alluvial woodlands in the world. Additions will include an improved parking area, walking trails through the sycamore alluvial woodland along Dry Creek, and a picnic area beneath towering trees at the end of the trail.

“It was an honor to receive California River Parkways grant funding to provide public access to these unique areas.” said Sopac McCarthy Mulholland, Executive Director for Sequoia Riverlands Trust. “Now we can enjoy Dry Creek and Homer Ranch not only for their amazing scenic vistas, but also for unparalleled recreational and educational opportunities.”

Together, Dry Creek Preserve and Homer Ranch protect almost 2,000 acres along scenic Dry Creek as it winds its way from headwaters in Sequoia National Park to the Kaweah River on the floor of the San Joaquin Valley in Tulare County . Nowhere else can visitors experience the unique sycamore alluvial woodland community along an un-dammed stream, visit a working cattle ranch and learn about the first ecologically-based mine reclamation in Tulare County .

Buckeye Ranch: A conservation legacy along Deer Creek
When Sequoia Riverlands Trust helped Jim and Gay VerSteeg conserve their 360-acre Buckeye Ranch in April 2007, the partnership ensured that a conservation legacy already in the making would continue into perpetuity. The ranch contains crucial plant and wildlife habitat along Tyler Creek , a significant tributary of Deer Creek, and is the first property Sequoia Riverlands Trust has safeguarded in the Deer Creek area.

From its headwaters in the Giant Sequoia National Monument's southernmost grove of giant sequoias, Deer Creek flows un-dammed through steep, rocky canyons down into vast blue-oak woodlands, where it provides significant streamside habitat, including patches of rare sycamore alluvial woodland. In addition, Deer Creek hosts one of the highest-quality aquatic systems in Tulare County .

The VerSteegs, who have lived at Buckeye Ranch for 29 years, have a long history of encouraging conservation research on their land, including work on blue oak woodlands, native grasses, water quality and native fish. They enjoy engaging in these projects and, over time, have gained an appreciation for the complexity of the land.

"It's certainly not a static landscape, though to the casual observer it could appear to be," said Jim VerSteeg. "The ongoing change is subtle, but significant, and it's just great fun to be an ongoing observer of the changing dynamics of the landscape."

In addition, the property serves as a working ranch, where the cattle have long been accustomed to sharing the space with conservation-oriented research and restoration projects.

"This voluntary conservation agreement perpetuates environmentally sound land management practices on a working ranch and ensures that future land uses protect water quality in Tyler Creek," said Sopac McCarthy Mulholland, Executive Director for Sequoia Riverlands Trust. "Buckeye Ranch contains high-quality examples of blue oak woodland, grassland and streamside wildlife habitat and helps maintain an important scenic and ecological corridor for plants, animals and people."

The VerSteegs retain the title to the property and the ability to use the land for livestock production, research and low-impact recreation, while voluntarily giving up the right to subdivide the property or develop it beyond agreed-upon terms. Funding for the conservation agreement came from a private foundation and the Sierra Nevada-Cascade Conservation Grant Program of the California Resources Agency (Proposition 50). Landowners Gay and Jim VerSteeg also donated a portion of the value, which may allow for tax benefits under the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

This conservation agreement is the 13th put in place by Sequoia Riverlands Trust in Tulare County , bringing the total of private land conserved through such agreements to 2,594 acres. Additionally, the land trust owns and manages seven nature preserves, totaling 4,565 acres.

"The conservation agreement is not a constraint,” said Jim VerSteeg. “You can have both. You can have an economic enterprise and still protect and enhance the land.”

Blue Oak Ranch expands
In summer 2006, Sequoia Riverlands Trust added 196 acres of pristine blue oak woodland and chaparral to the 951-acre Blue Oak Ranch, five miles north of Springville. Nestled among substantial public lands, including Giant Sequoia National Monument and Sequoia National Park , the 1,147-acre ranch allows wildlife to move between the high elevation forests and the Tule River and valley floor below. Purchased with a generous loan from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, this additional conserved land brings the total protected along the North Fork of the Tule River to almost 3,000 acres.

Dry Creek Preserve goes native
Under the leadership of land steward Nathan Higgins , Sequoia Riverlands Trust began developing a nursery of native grasses, shrubs and trees in 2006. Hosted at Dry Creek Preserve, plants grown in the nursery from locally-collected seed will be used in restoration efforts at Dry Creek and other preserves, like the James K. Herbert Wetland Prairie Preserve. Currently home to 12,000 plants, Sequoia Riverlands Trust aims to also sell nursery-grown grasses and trees to community members in the future. “I get a lot of questions from other landowners and businesses about growing native plants,” said Higgins, adding “Sequoia Riverlands Trust can definitely serve as a resource to others who want to restore their own properties.”

Kaweah Oaks Preserve on fire
While fire is a natural part of valley oak riparian forests and grasslands, it has been absent at Kaweah Oaks Preserve for over a century, leading to unnaturally high fuel levels. To reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire that could cause damage to valuable oak trees, Sequoia Riverlands Trust is re-introducing low-intensity, managed fire to a plant community adapted to this natural disturbance. In summer 2006, the land trust ignited 39 acres at the preserve to remove dead plant material, recycle nutrients to the soil and open up the under story for new oak trees.

Sequoia Riverlands Trust coordinates all prescribed burns with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, Tulare County Sheriff's Office, California Highway Patrol, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and Cal-Trans. This burn is part of a 10-year restoration project, generously funded in part by an Environmental Quality Incentives Program grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Land trust receives prestigious award
In summer 2006, Sequoia Riverlands Trust received the prestigious Sierra Lighthouse Award, presented by the Sierra Nevada Alliance at their annual conference in Lake Tahoe , California . This award goes to an organization that is a ‘bright beacon of hope' in the Sierra Nevada , has achieved impressive conservation victories, is a statewide leader and offers successful strategies for other Sierra groups to follow. 

“This recognition is truly an honor,” said Scott Spear, president for Sequoia Riverlands Trust. “Only through strong partnerships with landowners, agencies and other conservation groups have we been able to accomplish so much over the past few years. We are particularly grateful to The Nature Conservancy and Resources Law Group for their mentorship and continued support of our efforts and to countless agencies and individuals for their partnership on major projects.” Spear also recognized the efforts of the land trust staff and former director, Carole Combs , in his speech.

During the award presentation, Sequoia Riverlands Trust was recognized for protecting over 7,300 acres in a short period of time and for their networking role for other organizations in the region as they look to the land trust for leadership. In particular, the demonstration of a successful ecologically-based mine reclamation at the trust's Dry Creek Preserve, a first in Tulare County, w as mentioned as a main factor for the land trust receiving this award. California Portland Cement Company donated the preserve to Sequoia Riverlands Trust in 2004 and since then the trust has:

•  Recontoured spoils piles and removed artificial barriers preventing natural stream flows
•  Planted over 400 valley and blue oaks and sycamores
•  Sowed 20 exposed acres with native grasses and forbs
•  Completed a watershed study, including design of visitor facilities and ongoing restoration strategies in partnership with the Cal Poly Pomona
•  Constructed an on-site nursery, hosting over 12,000 native grasses, shrubs and trees

“Sequoia Riverlands Trust is a true leader for this region. May all Sierra Nevada Alliance groups one day be as accomplished, healthy and capable” said Joan Clayburgh, executive director for the Sierra Nevada Alliance.

New Trees at Dry Creek Preserve
Over the past year, more than 100 volunteers, ranging from age three to 80 years, planted almost 400 valley oak, blue oak and California sycamore trees at Sequoia Riverlands Trust's Dry Creek Preserve, a former gravel quarry undergoing intensive restoration. This diverse group of volunteers from throughout Tulare and Fresno counties donated over 300 person hours digging holes, rolling aviary wire, hauling mulch and carrying water, while Wood Industries in Lemon Cove and Intermountain Nursery in Prather donated much needed materials and assistance. Thank you to all of you who dedicated your time to leaving your own legacy at the preserve!

Sequoia Riverlands Trust has been restoring the 152-acre Dry Creek Preserve since acquiring it two years ago from California Portland Cement Company. This project, when completed, will provide a future public preserve where the community can enjoy natural river environments and learn how retired gravel mines can again provide wildlife habitat, scenic beauty and an opportunity for community stewardship. Once accomplished, this project will provide the first example of an ecologically-based aggregate mine reclamation in Tulare County .

New habitat for wildlife/ Restoring wetland prairie
In March 2006, Sequoia Riverlands Trust celebrates the completion of a three-year restoration project creating a seasonal freshwater marsh and valley oak riparian corridor dominated by native species on an 83-acre portion of the 725-acre James K. Herbert Wetland Prairie Preserve. Serving as a demonstration of cost-effective, wildlife-friendly floodplain management, this restored area immediately attracted increased numbers and a greater diversity of water birds, many of which had never been seen on the property before. Additional avian visitors include over 120 species, such as burrowing owl, Swainson's hawk, golden eagle, ferruginous hawk, killdeer, mallard, ruddy duck and pied-billed grebe.

Working with funders and experts from the California Department of Fish & Game, Natural Resources Conservation Service, State of California Wildlife Conservation Board, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Habitat Restoration Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sequoia Riverlands Trust constructed a network of stream channels, ponds and upland areas similar to what this region may have looked like 150 years ago.

Native grasses, sedges, shrubs and trees now dominate much of the restored area. Some native plants, like saltgrass, clover and dwarf popcornflower, grew from the seed bank within the soil. Sequoia Riverlands Trust planted others, like alkali sacaton (a perennial bunchgrass) and creeping wildrye to augment native vegetation communities, providing wildlife cover and erosion control in the stream channel. This restored area now offers even more habitat for wetland bird species like red-winged blackbird and black-necked stilt, which began nesting at the preserve only after enhancement work commenced.

Today, Sequoia Riverlands Trust manages the preserve with a rigorous scientific research program using prescribed fire to improve native plant forage for livestock and wildlife. Most of the preserve's native plant species depend on natural disturbances, such as fire or floods, to bring about reproduction, growth or flowering. After more than a century without natural fires, Sequoia Riverlands Trust reintroduced this much needed element at the preserve to help control aggressive non-native plant species, such as Bermuda grass and yellow star thistle.

Since restoration is really an ongoing project, over time you will notice more changes as valley oak trees grow providing shade on the prairie; additional birds, mammals and other wildlife make the preserve their home and Sequoia Riverlands Trust installs trails, restrooms, interpretive exhibits and other visitor services. The James K. Herbert Wetland Prairie Preserve gives us the chance to pass on a unique part of our San Joaquin Valley heritage to our children and grandchildren. Your memberships, donations and volunteer efforts help Sequoia Riverlands Trust steward these special places. Get involved today!


Springville's Splendor
Located five miles north of Springville and nestled among substantial public lands, including Giant Sequoia National Monument and Sequoia National Park, Sequoia Riverlands Trust's new 951-acre preserve includes rolling blue oak woodland, chaparral and portions of Sycamore Creek.

While much of the surrounding area remains intact, population increases and the popularity of our rural way of life drive a rapid rate of growth in the area. Currently, few large-scale connections remain in the Tule River area to allow wildlife to move between the high elevation forests protected as public lands and the valley floor below. This new preserve represents a crucial link in this travel corridor.

“We have the opportunity now to set aside ribbons of protected land for our children and grandchildren before they are lost forever,” said Sopac McCarthy Mulholland, executive director for Sequoia Riverlands Trust. “With voluntary conservation agreements already in place at nearby Battle Mountain , Circle-J Norris and River Ridge ranches, the new preserve represents a critical piece of the conservation puzzle in this important area.”

Working with neighbors and the local community, a long-term conservation plan will be developed to include livestock grazing as a management tool while providing for appropriate public access.

Partners provide places for wildlife
A recent 550-acre addition to the Pixley National Wildlife Refuge now provides permanent protection for a diversity of special plants and animals. Located northwest of Pixley, in the northern end of the Tulare Lake Basin , the native grasslands, alkali sink and alkali scrub habitats on the 6,742-acre refuge provide homes for diverse animals. “The refuge safeguards important habitat for rare native wildlife dependent upon this particular San Joaquin Valley environment,” said Scott Frazer, biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Burrowing owl, San Joaquin kit fox, Tipton kangaroo rat and blunt-nosed leopard lizard all benefit from the additional conserved land.”

Sequoia Riverlands Trust, in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy, Bureau of Reclamation's Central Valley Project Conservation Program, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Preserving Wild California Program of the Resources Legacy Fund Foundation, purchased this added land, which has never been significantly altered. “We're pleased to work with such a broad range of partners to conserve key habitat for native species,” said Sopac McCarthy Mulholland, executive director for Sequoia Riverlands Trust. “By adding this significant land to the refuge, we're protecting a critical part of our valley heritage.”

Creating critical habitat for the Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle
SRT and the City of Porterville entered into a win-win partnership in May 2004 that will create new habitat for the endangered valley elderberry longhorn beetle while allowing the City to build a new school and community center and replace bridge abutments. As the City removes elderberry shrubs to complete these projects, they will plant new shrubs on city-owned land along the Tule River creating prime habitat for the beetle. SRT's responsibilities include monitoring the project for the first 10 years and managing it after as a conservation easement. This partnership makes our community safer, improves our quality of life and provides native habitat for an endangered beetle.

The shape of the future
SRT Board Members Julie Allen and Mike Olmos, along with SRT Executive Director, Soapy Mulholland have been selected to serve on the Technical Advisory committee for the Tulare County General Plan Update. This plan will set the county's growth patterns and conditions for development for the next 20 years. During the planning process, the number one value expressed by residents of the county has been an appreciation for our scenic, open landscape and for the resources surrounding the towns we live in. It is critical that an organization like Sequoia Riverlands Trust provide knowledge, skills and experience to balance the economic and conservation needs of the county.

Fire: Another tool for restoring natural landscapes
While looking to answer the question, "Can fire alone encourage native plants or does a combination of fire and grazing improve conditions for those natives?", preserve managers found amazing results! Research from prescribed burning projects last fall at the James K. Herbert Wetland Prairie Preserve demonstrated how quickly native and non-native grasses return and what species are present in grazed and un-grazed grasslands. Now, by using a combination of grazing and prescribed fire as restoration tools, SRT hopes to remove thick patches of non-native grasses, thereby increasing the diversity and cover of native plants and the success of native seed germination.

Fire is a natural and healthy part of California's heritage in valley grasslands. Bringing this natural process back to the landscape complements the active habitat enhancement underway, benefiting the growing list of special, rare or endangered wildlife dependent on the habitat SRT is conserving at the preserve. The results from this work will help guide restoration efforts and determine fire prescriptions to use on additional SRT properties, which may also be applied by southern San Joaquin Valley land managers in similar habitats.  

Cows on a nature preserve?
They say the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. On some Sequoia Riverlands Trust (SRT) preserves that just might be the case!

Most grassland plant communities on SRT preserves contain more non-native species than natives, limiting diversity and wildlife habitat. Each plant species has its own lifecycle, responding differently to grazing or fire. The key is determining timing and intensity of grazing and / or prescribed fire to promote natives and give them a competitive edge over non-natives. And, in case you didn't know, native plants mean greener grass.

At Kaweah Oaks Preserve, the non-native, annual grasses begin growing when winter rains arrive, then go to seed and dry out by mid-April. In contrast, native perennials and sedges grow vigorously and seed from June to August. SRT introduced cattle here in May 2004 to thin out the thatch that prevents native grasses from reproducing. SRT plans to use rotational grazing to remove non-native plants, giving native perennials a chance to develop strong root systems and reproduce. Over time, livestock grazing can improve the native diversity of the preserve's meadow plant community and reduce wildfire hazard.

The different vegetation compositions at James K. Herbert Wetland Prairie Preserve require a diverse strategy. Native plant species in vernal pool grasslands will benefit from rotational grazing and prescribed burning, to reduce introduced annual plants and encourage the native vernal pool plant community. On 83 acres of the preserve, a focus of a major habitat enhancement effort, SRT planted native vegetation and managed three prescribed burns. Native plants flourished under reduced competition with non-natives. SRT plans to use grazing as an additional conservation tool here in the future.

"We'll be interested to see the results of using rotational grazing and fire as tools to promote native plants," said Ed Carroll, who along with Ron Frazier, grazes cattle on the James K. Herbert Wetland Prairie Preserve. "Ron and I are really happy working wtih Sequoia Riverlands Trust, and we're taking things we've learned on their preserves and applying those concepts to other lands we graze."

By using science-based approaches, we monitor plant and animal communities for native species abundance, providing feedback for management of SRT's five preserves. As SRT establishes a quality, conservation-oriented grazing program, we look forward to a continuing exchange of results and ideas with local ranchers and other rangeland managers.

Stewardship volunteers save SRT $32,500!
During the past year, 115 land stewardship volunteers dedicated 2,175 hours in the areas of GPS mapping, baseline data gathering and report preparation, developing and applying easement monitoring protocols, restoration planning, maintenance of a Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle habitat mitigation site, prescribed burning, preserve clean-up and trail maintenance. These combined hours of generously donated time are equivalent to a financial gift of $32,500! Thank you, volunteers, for your generosity, dedication and hard work.


Protecting your Kaweah River
Imagine a healthy river corridor choked by nonnative vegetation, obscuring peaceful riverside views and destroying habitat for native plants and wildlife. At SRT, we strive to prevent this image from becoming a reality in your backyard. As part of our goal to conserve natural systems, we partnered with several local conservation organizations to remove over 60 stands of this invasive, water-loving, giant reed ( Arundo donax) from the Kaweah River, where it was first identified in 2001. Arundo directly and negatively impacts the surrounding community by competing with native plant species, reducing habitat for wildlife, increasing fire danger, altering flood regimes and degrading water quality. If you would like to volunteer on this exciting project, just click on the volunteer button under Take Action and fill out an application today!

Envision your community—Springville
The Springville Chamber of Commerce recently received a grant and hired a consultant to launch a community visioning process. This opportunity allows Springville residents to plan their long-term future. SRT Board Member Julie Allen and Executive Director Soapy Mulholland, as Springville residents, are serving on the steering committee. SRT members in Springville are encouraged to participate in this process and to volunteer for the Action Team, which assists the steering committee and represents the broader interests of the community. This team helps with data collection and public outreach tasks, meets to review the Action Plan's progress, and provides key direction regarding planning proposals. For more information, contact Dagny Grant, chairperson of the steering committee, at dagny@sosinet.net.


Envision your community—Three Rivers
The Three Rivers Community Plan Revision Committee is working closely with Tulare County Resource Management Agency planning staff to update the community plan. This plan directs and coordinates future planning decisions by guiding land development while protecting natural resources and the rural character of the community. SRT supports this process by providing consultants and contributing services. SRT members in Three Rivers are encouraged to participate. For further information on the Three Rivers Community Plan, please call James or Kathleen at 559.561.4323. Watch the local Kaweah Commonwealth for meeting and presentation information.

Building our stewardship program
During summer 2003, Cindy Jones served as an SRT Science and Stewardship Intern, providing much-needed support for this critical part of our work. Her duties included coordinating ongoing stewardship projects; organizing all legal materials related to SRT preserves and conservation easements; meeting with landowners to finalize baseline studies of their properties; and laying the scientific groundwork for measuring the success of our conservation work at Kaweah Oaks and James K. Herbert Wetland Prairie Preserves. Thank you, Cindy, for all your hard work!


California’s Native Grandeur, Preserving Vanishing Landscapes: In June 2003, SRT and our partner, The Nature Conservancy, hosted a preview event for this exhibition of landscape paintings at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. The show featured works by early plein air painters who captured the scenic glory of California’s lands and waters. The exhibition illustrated the grandeur and variety of our state’s landscapes, reminding us of the urgent need to safeguard our natural treasures as California continues to grow and evolve.


Conservation and Education on the Circle J Norris Ranch
In May 2003, Springville resident Elli Norris sold her 621-acre ranch to the Tulare County Office of Education, enabling the County to use the land as an outdoor education classroom. In turn, the County granted a life estate that allows Ms. Norris to live the rest of her life on the ranch. Ms. Norris also donated a third conservation easement to SRT and a fund to establish a stewardship endowment, ensuring the property is conserved in perpetuity. SRT now holds easements on the entire ranch, which protects open space, rolling blue oak woodlands, a large pond, natural vegetation and native wildlife habitat for bald eagle, hawk, egret, mountain lion, bobcat and coyote.


A Brand New Identity
In early 2003, Board, staff, volunteers and design experts participated in a facilitated session regarding the ‘identity’ of the land trust. Our old name, ‘Sierra Los Tulares Land Trust,” had too many words and funny, hard to pronounce words. After a great deal of creative input, the Board changed our name to ‘Sequoia Riverlands Trust.” Recently, SRT staff unveiled our new logo and look, producing letterhead, envelopes, stationery, banners, a newsletter, and this website.