Landowners of The Preserve play a vital role in stewarding this land.
Each property consists of a building envelope that is set within a protected area, undisturbed by development, called the Openlands. Through conservation easements, the Conservancy and Landowners partner to manage the roughly 8,000 acres of The Preserve designated as Openlands. Some of The Preserve’s most sensitive and valuable natural resources are found in our Openlands. Land management techniques, such as conservation grazing and weed management, that improve the health and quality of the land may be applied in the Openlands. Conservancy staff monitor and study the Openlands. Researchers survey ponds which support our endangered amphibians, monitor seasonal nesting habitat for tricolored blackbirds, and conduct annual surveys of vegetation around The Preserve. We have also instituted citizen science projects, like the Where the Wildlife Wander cameras, in the Openlands of participating landowners to capture the intimate lives of The Preserve’s wild residents. To read more about The Preserve’s innovative land design, click here.
Openlands Management Plans
Our goal for all Openlands is to preserve the rich mosaic of habitat types and support the ecological processes and biodiversity of The Preserve. Many Preserve Landowners partner with the Conservancy each year to meet shared goals.
Through an Openlands Management Plan with the Conservancy, Landowners may voluntarily implement conservation strategies and actions to enhance wildlife habitat and improve the scenic quality of their Openlands. Conservancy staff will schedule a site visit with Landowners on request to identify conservation goals and help develop a 3-5 year plan for implementation.
Some benefits of initiating a management plan include managing invasive plants, which reduces wildfire fuel loads and improves scenic quality, and improved wildlife viewing by creating a more appealing ecosystem for The Preserve’s wild residents. Our collaborative relationships with Landowners lead to improved ecosystem health, increased understanding of our wildlife populations, and broad observation of the landscape. The Openlands Management Plans are adaptive; Conservancy staff monitor the progress of Landowner stewardship in the Openlands and will revise plans based on our evolving knowledge of what is working best on the land.
For more information in working with us to steward your Openlands, contact the Conservancy.