NOTES FROM A RANGER
Travis Bibee, Josh Canepa, and Matt Thorp
Wind Wolves Preserve
The Wind Wolves Preserve ranger team is driven by the desire to encourage others, both young and old, to share in their appreciation for nature and its beauty. Whether listening to the peaceful sound of a spring-fed creek, spotting wildlife prints, or observing a condor soaring in the skies, experiences such as these build a tremendous foundation for one who seeks connectivity and appreciation for the simple things in life.
When COVID-19 first set in during the spring, Wind Wolves Preserve staff recognized that, just as in nature, we needed to adapt to continue to make this special place accessible for the communities we serve. We have implemented several changes to assist the transition to a new normal while still upholding the founding values of The Wildlands Conservancy. For instance, we widened trails to allow more room for passing while social distancing and installed messaging to encourage visitors to go paperless and take a photo of our trail map.
While we have continued to make headway with our restoration efforts, we look forward to sharing restoration opportunities with volunteers who share the same land stewardship heart as we do. Our volunteers help us with a range of tasks, including native seed collection, planting in our nursery, and habitat restoration for threatened and endangered species like the tricolored blackbird and Bakersfield cactus. Our team looks forward to future opportunities to work with our visitors and share in the little moments that are all too often taken for granted.
From left: Travis Bibee, Matt Thorp, and Josh Canepa
Matt hails from Riverside County and lived in San Luis Obispo County before moving to Bakersfield. He has been working at Wind Wolves Preserve since 2014.
Travis, a Bakersfield native, has been on our team since 2016, starting as a naturalist in the Education Department and then transitioning to the ranger crew last summer.
Josh, our bilingual ranger, is the newest addition to our staff, having started his position at the beginning of this year. Another Californian, Josh has lived in Panamá (Central America), Monterey County, South Africa, and México in addition to his residency in Bakersfield.
As rangers, Matt, Travis, and Josh maintain our trail system, restore diverse habitats, and share land stewardship principles with our guests.
