The Wildlands Conservancy

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The Wildlands Conservancy
The Wildlands Conservancy
AbbreviationTWC
Formation1995; 27 years ago (1995)
Type501(c)3 non-profit
Legal statusNonprofit organization
PurposeEnvironmental conservation
HeadquartersOak Glen, California
Region served
California
MethodsBuy land and open to public
Staff (2019)
82 [1]
Volunteers (2019)
900 [1]
Websitewww.wildlandsconservancy.org

The Wildlands Conservancy (TWC) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve land for public recreation. It operates 22 preserves in California. The preserve system comprises 180,686 acres including mountains, valleys, deserts, rivers and oceanfront lands. TWC buys land, restores land, builds public visitor facilities and provides outdoor education programs for children. All usage (hiking, camping, education programs) is free of charge. There are over 1 million visitors annually. [2] [3]

History[]

The California Desert Protection Act of 1994 established two national parks, one national preserve and 69 wilderness areas. Significant private inholdings existed within these public lands.

In 1995, TWC acquired a 25,500 acre inholding of San Gorgonio Wilderness and created Pioneertown Mountains Preserve.

In 1998, most private inholdings within the California desert preserves were put up for sale. TWC launched a campaign to preserve this land. From 1999-2003 TWC acquired 646,000 acres of these inholdings and gifted it to government agencies.

From 1995 to 2000, TWC created preserves in Southern California. These preserves are located in the San Bernardino Mountains, nearby desert canyons and the southern central valley.

In 2005 TWC acquired a historic trout hatchery, restored the land, and created Whitewater Preserve providing access to San Gorgonio Wilderness.

From 2005 to 2009, TWC expanded into Northern California creating preserves along the Eel River and Sonoma Coast.

The California Desert Protection Act of 2010 extended desert preservation.

In 2016, President Obama designated Sand to Snow National Monument, Mojave Trails National Monument, and Castle Mountains National Monument. Sand to Snow National Monument contains Whitewater Preserve and Mission Creek Preserve. [4] [5] [6] Mojave Trails National Monument contains large amounts of land acquired by TWC and donated to the federal government.

From 2015 to 2021, TWC added preserves throughout California including several in the eastern Sierra Nevada.

List of preserves[]

The Wildlands Conservancy is located in California
Beaver Valley Headwaters
Beaver Valley Headwaters
Seawood Cape
Seawood Cape
Sounding Seas Dunes
Sounding Seas Dunes
Eel River Estuary
Eel River Estuary
Emerald Waters
Emerald Waters
Eel River Canyon
Eel River Canyon
Spyrock
Spyrock
Jenner Headlands
Jenner Headlands
Estero Americano Coast
Estero Americano Coast
Aspen Glen
Aspen Glen
Two Rivers
Two Rivers
Bodie Hills
Bodie Hills
Wind Wolves
Wind Wolves
Mariposa
Mariposa
Santa Margarita River Trail
Santa Margarita River Trail
Bluff Lake
Bluff Lake
Bearpaw
Oak Glen
Oak Glen
Galena Peak Wilderness
Whitewater
Whitewater
Mission Creek
Mission Creek
Pioneertown Mountains
Pioneertown Mountains
Wildlands Conservancy properties (Red pog.svg=preserves Green pog.svg=reserves)
Name County Size[2] Elevation[2] Created[2] Park website[2] Remarks
acres ha feet meters
Aspen Glen Reserve Mono 89 36 5,200 1,600 2019 [1] West Walker River (1 mile)
Bearpaw Reserve San Bernardino 600 240 4,500–6,000 1,400–1,800 1996 [2] seasonal waterfall
Beaver Valley Headwaters Reserve Siskiyou 6,094 2,466 3,200–5,500 980–1,680 2021 [3] East Fork Scott River (2.5 miles)
Bluff Lake Reserve San Bernardino 80 32 7,800 2,400 2000 [4] Bluff Lake (scene from The Parent Trap filmed here)
Bodie Hills Preserve Mono 156 63 6,500 2,000 2020 [5] Bridgeport Valley by Bodie Hills
Eel River Canyon Preserve Trinity 26,600 10,800 500–4,000 150–1,220 2021 [6] Eel River (20 miles)
Eel River Estuary Preserve Humboldt 1,100 450 0–20 0.0–6.1 2008 [7] Eel River, estuary, tidal wetlands, marsh, dunes, grasslands, bay
Emerald Waters Reserve Humboldt 3,019 1,222 340–2,600 100–790 2019 [8] Eel River (4.5 miles)
Estero Americano Coast Preserve Sonoma 547 221 0–600 0–183 2016 [9] ocean bluffs, estuary, coastal prairie above Bodega Bay
Galena Peak Wilderness Reserve San Bernardino 1,280 520 7,000–9,324 2,134–2,842 2018 [10] Galena Peak
Jenner Headlands Preserve Sonoma 5,630 2,280 100–2,000 30–610 2009 [11] Sonoma Coast
Mariposa Reserve Orange 897 363 2,000 610 2005 [12] seasonal waterfall
Mission Creek Preserve Riverside 4,760 1,930 1,900–2,800 580–850 1997 [13] Sonoran-Mojave transition zone with creek and wetlands
Oak Glen Preserve San Bernardino 909 368 5,024 1,531 1996 [14] stream, ponds, botanic garden, Pisgah Peak
Pioneertown Mountains Preserve San Bernardino 25,500 10,300 3,600–6,450 1,100–1,970 1995 [15] riparian corridors, Chaparrosa Peak
Santa Margarita River Trail Preserve San Diego 1,384 560 500 150 2018 [16] Santa Margarita River (5 miles)
Seawood Cape Preserve Humboldt 128 52 0–400 0–122 2019 [17] 1 mile of craggy coastline
Sounding Seas Dunes Reserve Humboldt 80 32 0–20 0.0–6.1 2009 [18] 2.5 miles of sand dunes along ocean
Spyrock Reserve Mendocino 5,832 2,360 700–3,100 210–940 2005 [19] Eel River (5 miles)
Two Rivers Reserve Mono 150 61 6,600 2,000 2015 [20] Little Walker River, West Walker River
Whitewater Preserve Riverside 2,851 1,154 2,075–3,050 632–930 2005 [21] Whitewater River, ponds
Wind Wolves Preserve Kern 93,000 38,000 640–6,005 195–1,830 1996 [22] wetlands, foothills, Tule elk

References[]

  1. ^ a b IRS form 990 for 2019
  2. ^ a b c d e "The Wildlands Conservancy". The Wildlands Conservancy. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
  3. ^ McConnell, Doug (June 25, 2016). "The Wildlands Conservancy - OpenRoad with Doug McConnell". NBCBayArea.
  4. ^ "Feinstein introduces desert preservation act". The Sun. February 9, 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  5. ^ Murphy, Bernadette (September 1, 2016). "Monumental Achievement: One of the West's great natural wonders — the Sand to Snow National Monument — has finallly been given the recognition and protection it deserves …and it's in the Coachella Valley's backyard". Palm Springs Life.
  6. ^ Thompson, Jack (April 19, 2016). Inside the California Desert's newest National Monuments (Video). United States: Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory.

Bibliography[]

  • The Wildlands Conservancy (December 28, 2012). Behold the Beauty (1st ed.). The Wildlands Conservancy. ISBN 978-0988819702.
  • The Wildlands Conservancy (2021). Behold the Beauty (2nd ed.). The Wildlands Conservancy.
  • Ritter, Matt (2018). California Plants: A Guide to Our Iconic Flora. San Luis Obispo, California: Pacific Street Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9998960-0-6.

External links[]

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