Wind Wolves Preserve

Wind Wolves Preserve is a nature preserve owned and managed by The Wildlands Conservancy, a nonprofit land conservancy. Covering 93000 acre in Kern County, California, the preserve is located 35 miles southwest of Bakersfield and features the San Emigdio Mountains and Pleito Hills. It is the largest nonprofit nature reserve on the West Coast and is part of the list of preserves.

Geography
At the southern end of the Central Valley, the land rises to the Transverse Ranges, where the preserve helps connect the Coast Range and the Sierra Nevada mountains. The area provides a critical wildlife corridor between these mountain ranges and facilitates animal movement, thereby improving genetic diversity.

The preserve is adjacent to the Los Padres National Forest.

Two of the most significant Native American archaeological sites are located within the preserve. The Pleito site features some of the most intricate rock art in the world, while Cache Cave is known for its extensive collection of artifacts. To protect these sites, access is restricted. For a period, virtual reality (VR) technology was used to showcase them to the public. Though VR headsets are no longer available, this technology offered an innovative way to experience these sites during special events at the preserve.

An international team researched the Cache Cave site and produced several papers.

Flora and fauna
Wildlife includes Tule elk, deer, bear, Western rattlesnake, mountain lions, bobcats, desert tarantulas, and California condors. Endangered species at the preserve include the San Joaquin kit fox, Buena Vista Lake Shrew, blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard, and Bakersfield cactus.

In 1998, 19 tule elk were translocated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife onto the preserve, the first of 88 elk that were reintroduced between 1998 and 2005. Natural growth has resulted in the current population, one of the largest in the state. An annual inventory of the tule elk is conducted each fall. Four hundred forty-five tule elk were counted in 2022.

Wildflowers include poppies, lupine, hyacinth, and phacelia.

Recreation
The preserve has hiking trails, a small waterfall, several ponds, picnic areas, a Ramada, restrooms, and a campground. Outdoor education programs are offered for school children on ecology, wetland ecosystems, geology, and Native American lifeways. The 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 of which connects to an adjacent National Forest trail. One route is a dirt road that can be used for hiking and biking. There are also trails that follow a riparian zone.

Events
The preserve hosts various events throughout the year, all free to the public.

A bird event has booths providing information about local birds.

The annual Spring Nature Festival has been held in March since 2014, featuring exhibits, wildlife and wildflower viewing, and guided hikes. Almost 8,000 people visit over a weekend. The wildflowers typically peak around festival time.

The Earth Day Celebration event has educational booths, live reptile presentations, partner booths, and seed planting information.

There is a Science Sleuths program for kids 10 and up. They must solve a mystery given a set of clues.

Guided sunrise and night hikes are offered.

History
The Chumash tribe lived in this region until the 18th century. In the 1820s, El Camino Viejo was part of the original road between San Francisco and Los Angeles. In 1842, the property was a Mexican land grant, Rancho San Emidio. 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 Bakersfield cactus. The Conservancy restored the 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.

In 2021, a conservation easement was placed on 14631 acres of land within the preserve. The California Rangeland Trust will monitor the easement. Three thousand, five hundred cattle graze on this land.

Works

 * OpenRoad had editorial control. The Wildlands Conservancy funded the episode.