Wind Wolves Preserve

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Wind Wolves Preserve
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Map showing the location of Wind Wolves Preserve
Map showing the location of Wind Wolves Preserve
Location of Wind Wolves Preserve
LocationKern County, California
Nearest cityMaricopa, California
Coordinates34°59′3″N 119°11′13″W / 34.98417°N 119.18694°W / 34.98417; -119.18694
Area93,000 acres (380 km2)
Created1996
OperatorThe Wildlands Conservancy
WebsiteWind Wolves Preserve

Wind Wolves Preserve is a Wildlands Conservancy nature preserve consisting of 93,000 acres (380 km2) of land in Kern County, California, 35 miles southwest of Bakersfield. Located in the San Emigdio Mountains, it stands in stark contrast to the agricultural Central Valley. Picnicking, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and camping are common activities. There are several major archaeological sites. It is the largest non-profit nature preserve on the west coast.

Recreation[]

The preserve has hiking trails, small waterfall, several ponds, picnic area, Ramada, restrooms and campground. Outdoor education programs are offered for school children on ecology, wetland ecosystems, geology and Native American lifeways. [1] San Emigdio Canyon Sunset Theater provides family oriented movies in an outdoor setting.

The only part of the preserve that has been developed is San Emigdio Canyon. There are 28 miles of trails. One trail connects to an adjacent National Forest trail.

Two of the best Native American archaeological sites are at the preserve. Pleito is one of the best painted rock-art sites in the world. Rock art of the Chumash people is among the most elaborate rock art. Cache Cave has a substantial collection of artifacts. Neither site can be visited. Pleito is overly fragile. Cache Cave has complex passages. Instead virtual reality is used to show the sites. The virtual reality interface allows tribal members to interact with the site that they could otherwise not access. VR headsets are available for people visiting the preserve. [2] [3] [4]

An international team researched the Cache Cave Native Californian site and produced several papers. [5] [6] [7] [8]

Geography[]

At the southern end of the Central Valley the land rises to the Transverse Ranges. The San Emigdio Mountains are a key range. The Pleito Hills are on the east side of the preserve.

The preserve helps connect the Coast Range and Sierra Nevada mountains. It's within the Transverse Ranges facilitating movement of animals improving genetic diversity.

The preserve is adjacent to the Los Padres National Forest.

Flora and Fauna[]

Wildlife includes Tule elk, deer, bear, mountain lions, bobcats, California condors, San Joaquin kit fox, and blunt-nosed leopard lizard.

The 400 Tule elk represent one of the largest populations in the state. In 1998, 19 elk were moved onto the preserve. Natural growth has resulted in the current population.

Wildflowers can be excellent in the spring if there was sufficient rain the prior winter. Wildflowers can include poppies, lupine, hyacinth and phacelia. [9] An annual Spring Nature Festival has been held in March since 2014. Almost 8,000 people visit over a weekend. There are exhibits, viewing of wildlife and wildflowers, and guided hikes. [10]

Endangered species at the preserve include the San Joaquin kit fox, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, and Bakersfield cactus. [11]

History[]

The Chumash tribe lived in this region until the 18th century. [12]

In the 1820s, El Camino Viejo was a road that was part of the original road between San Francisco and Los Angeles. [13]

In 1842, the property was a Mexican land grant.

From the 1850s to the 1990s it was a working cattle ranch.

In 1996, Wildlands Conservancy acquired the property and opened the preserve to the public for light recreation.

In 2011, lightning started a fire in the Pleito Hills sweeping through the Pleito Hills Bakerfield cactus. The Conservancy restored cactus at the burned site and established four new sites.

In 2021, the Wolf Fire burned 685 acres of grasslands. Firefighters fought the fire using ground and air resources. [14] [15]

In 2021, a conservation easement was placed on 14,631 acres of land within the preserve. The California Rangeland Trust will monitor the easement. [16] [17]

References[]

  1. ^ Munoz, Anabel (November 29, 2015). "Kern County's best kept secret: The Wind Wolves Preserve". KABC Television, LLC - Bakersfield Eyewitness News.
  2. ^ Cassidy, Brendan; Robinson, David (December 11, 2017). "How virtual reality is opening up some of the world's most inaccessible archaeological sites". The Conservation.
  3. ^ Bowles, Adam (December 14, 2017). "Archeological sites located at Wind Wolves Preserve!". 23 ABC News.
  4. ^ Rozaki, Kiriaki (2019). "Rebuilding the Ancient World Through Virtual Reality". Greek Media Group.
  5. ^ unknown (2017). "Cache Cave". University of Central Lancashire.
  6. ^ Robinson, David (2017). "Assemblage Theory and the Capacity to Value: An Archaeological Approach from Cache Cave, California, USA". Cambridge Archaeological Journal.
  7. ^ McArthur, Dan; Robinson, David (2016). "'Getting Caned?' Assemblage Theory and the Analysis of Cane Material from California" (PDF). Society for California Archaeology Proceedings.
  8. ^ Cassidy, Brendan; Sim, Gavin; Robinson, David; Gandy, Devlin. "A Virtual Reality Platform for Analyzing Remote Archaeological Sites" (PDF). University of Central Lancashire.
  9. ^ Behrens, Zach (March 4, 2016). "10 Great Off-The-Radar Spots To See Wildflowers In Southern California". Southern California Public Radio.
  10. ^ Luiz, Joseph (March 5, 2020). "Wind Wolves Preserve looking for volunteers to help with Spring Nature Festival this month". Nexstar Media Inc.
  11. ^ Morley, Veronica (November 29, 2021). "Help protect the endangered Bakersfield cactus found solely in Kern". 23ABC News Bakersfield.
  12. ^ Greenlee, Diana (April 30, 2016). "Wind Wolves Preserve presents opportunities for learning, convening with nature". The Bakersfield Californian.
  13. ^ Hammond, Jon (September 6, 2016). "Wind Wolves: An enormous nature preserve in the Tehachapi Mountains". Tehachapi News.
  14. ^ CalFire (February 18, 2021). "Wolf Fire Incident". CalFire incident website.
  15. ^ unknown (January 20, 2021). "Fire at Wind Wolves Preserve fully contained". KGET.com.
  16. ^ Menting, Pete (November 18, 2021). "Nearly 15,000 acres of Wind Wolves Preserve to be permanently protected". 23ABC News Bakersfield.
  17. ^ Salzano, Miabelle (November 18, 2021). "First step towards total conservation, 15,000 acres of Wind Wolves Preserve permanently protected". Nexstar Media Inc.

Bibliography[]

  • The Wildlands Conservancy (2021). Behold the Beauty (2nd ed.). The Wildlands Conservancy.
  • Butterfield, Scott (2021). Rewilding Agricultural Landscapes: A California Study in Rebalancing the Needs of People and Nature. Washington, DC: Island Press. ISBN 978-1642831269.
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