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| The Wildlands Conservancy’s administrative headquarters is at its Oak Glen Preserve. It is situated at 5,024 feet, adjacent to the steep escarpment of Yucaipa Ridge in San Bernardino National Forest. The Preserve includes prominent peaks the Conservancy purchased to prevent exploitation of private lands within the National Forest and to promote the expansion of the San Gorgonio Wilderness. These peaks include Wilshire Peak (8,707 feet) and Galena Peak (9,324 feet), an important lambing area for bighorn sheep. The preserve is part of the Conservancy’s 33,000 acre Sand to Snow Preserve System. |
A nature trail meanders through an evergreen forest, past several ponds with migration ducks in winter, under a deciduous black oak forest and past a willow-shaded stream. |
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| The preserve headquarters are at scenic Los Rios Rancho, southern California’s largest historic apple ranch. More than 200,000 visitors each year make the scenic drive to Los Rios to pick apples, picnic, hike, participate in environmental programs, and enjoy homemade apple pie. The Wildlands Conservancy acquired the ranch when it was being marketed for residential subdivision. The Conservancy has entered a long term lease with third and fourth generation Oak Glen apple farmers to operate the orchards, packing shed and bakery. The lessee, Rileys Frontier Events, celebrate working the land, log cabin living, and a country music entertainment venue. |
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| Oak Glen boardwalk |
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| The use of pesticides in the orchards has been eliminated and replaced with modern organic agricultural practices. Important pollinators and beneficial insects are no longer sprayed in efforts to destroy apple pests. As a result, the San Bernardino County Museum found that a federally endangered insect-dependent bird, the southwest willow flycatcher, bred along the stream on the preserve. This is the first time the willow flycatcher has been recorded in this part of the county. |
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| Apple orchards at Los Rios Rancho |
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The Wildlands Conservancy built a children’s nature trail at Los Rios for its outdoor education program. This trail meanders through an evergreen forest, past several ponds that have migration ducks in winter, and under the canopy of a deciduous black oak forest that opens onto a south-facing chaparral hillside. The return trail follows a willow-shaded stream onto a boardwalk that is replete with butterflies when the wetlands are in bloom. Our Oak Glen naturalists have provided free school fieldtrips for over 50,000 children who get their first experience in nature using this trail as an outdoor classroom.
The trail is open to the public without charge Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Conservancy has developed Blue Sky and Oak Knoll picnic areas which are open to the public daily. Future plans include a group campground and a trail with a 3,700-foot gain to Wilshire Peak.
For information call preserve headquarters at (909) 797-8507.
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