Wildlands Participates in College Corps Fellowship Program
The Wildlands Conservancy is proud to participate in College Corps, a statewide program launched in 2022, which provides meaningful work to college students in exchange for serving their community. The first of its kind, the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps initiative helps to create debt-free pathways to college while engaging students across the state in solving problems in their communities. The initiative has three core goals, which are:
Create a generation of civic-minded leaders with the ability to bridge divides and solve problems.
Help low to moderate income students graduate college on time and with less debt.
Address societal challenges and help build more equitable communities across California.
To date, The Wildlands Conservancy’s Wind Wolves Preserve has hosted five College Corps fellows from California State University, Bakersfield. Fellows have gained valuable experience assisting with habitat restoration and monitoring, trail maintenance, and conducting outdoor education programs for Kern county students and the greater community.
Meet some of Wildlands 2023-2024 College Corps Fellows below.
Q&A with Fellow Jason Alvarez
Jason Alvarez, 2023-2024 College Corps Fellow
Jason Alvarez served in various capacities during his time volunteering at Wind Wolves Preserve. He gained valuable experience and made an impact working in the nursery, maintaining trails, hosting education booths at community events, and helping to restore native plants along the newest trail at the preserve, Red-tailed Trail.
Where are you from? I was born and raised in Bakersfield, CA.
What is your major and anticipated graduation date? I am currently majoring in computer science at CSU Bakersfield with an anticipated graduation date of June 2026.
Do you have a favorite project you were able to work on while volunteering for The Wildlands Conservancy? Red-tailed Trail restoration was my favorite project during my time volunteering for The Wildlands Conservancy. I am grateful I was able to work on such a significant project to help preserve Kern County’s beautiful landscapes, which visitors will be able to enjoy for years to come. I look forward to coming back to the preserve to see the native shrubs, trees, and other plants the volunteers, rangers, and I planted.
What inspired you to get into conservation work? I've always enjoyed being outdoors and have a huge appreciation for our planet and Mother Nature. I wanted to be able to look after my local community and give back to it, and conservation work was something I truly resonated with. I knew that this was something that I truly cared about, and the community behind it was something I wanted to be a part of.
What did you enjoy most about volunteering your time at Wind Wolves Preserve? While volunteering at Wind Wolves, I enjoyed the hands-on work the most. I loved planting trees and shrubs, maintaining the trails—whether weed whacking or laying down gravel to create safer paths—and, most importantly, connecting with the incredible people I met.
What insights would you like to share with others about your overall experience? One of the most valuable aspects of the program and working with the preserve was recognizing the importance of children gaining knowledge about nature and learning how to help protect the Earth and its conserved lands. My first visit to the preserve as a grade-schooler taught me the immense value of spending time outdoors and understanding my environment. Coming full circle to teach a group of children what I learned during my initial visit was an unparalleled experience I will always carry with me throughout my life.
Do you have a favorite spot within the Preserve that you enjoy visiting? There are a few locations at the preserve that I genuinely love visiting. Reflection Pond being my favorite, not only because of its evocative name but also due to the touching story behind it. Gazing over this serene spot constantly reminds me of the importance of caring for and protecting something pure and beautiful. I also enjoy hiking up to Raven's Landing via the San Emigdio Canyon trail; the canyon view from its peak in early to mid-March is truly breathtaking.
Q&A with Fellow Isaias Martinez
Isaias Martinez, 2023-2024 College Corps Fellow
Through the College Corps Fellowship Program, Isaias Martinez gained hands-on experience in restoration work and made a lasting difference. During his time spent volunteering at Wind Wolves Preserve, Isaias planted, monitored and cared for native plants, including the endangered Bakersfield cactus, worked on trail maintenance, and helped educate the community at community events. Isaias also enjoyed putting his photography skills to use.
Where are you from? I am originally from Mexico and currently live in Bakersfield California.
What is your major and anticipated graduation date? My major is traditional biology at CSU Bakersfield and I will be graduating in May 2025.
Do you have a favorite project you were able to work on while volunteering for The Wildlands Conservancy? My favorite project was planting. Through those experiences I was able to learn about many native plants, their benefits to the local fauna, and why they are so important to the preserve. During those times I was able to encounter tarantulas and other critters that live around the areas we are restoring, which are now providing habitats that will become their original home once again.
What did you enjoy most about volunteering your time at Wind Wolves Preserve? As we patrolled and also maintained trails open or closed to the public, I was able to behold the beauty of Wind Wolves Preserve. I saw the majestic mountains, I saw the plains and how beautiful they look with the sun setting on the plants. During my time at Wind Wolves, I learned and appreciated the nature around me more than I did before. Learning and then sharing that knowledge with others as I helped with the field trips was what I enjoyed most about my experience.
What insights would you like to share with others about your overall experience? Helping even if it’s just a couple times makes a difference. I have witnessed how while planting native shrubs on a bare area dominated by invasive European grass, native fauna started to come back. This was on the newly made Red-tailed Trail. As the days passed, and even during some planting or watering days there, coyotes would be watching from afar just curious, Red-tailed hawks would fly around and even perch on the stronger trees planted there, and some other birds such as meadowlarks ventured further away from the shelter of the saltbush into those areas that are now offering their natural habitat conditions. This change was made by the community and people coming to help us restore. Just a little bit of help can make the difference, and it is rewarding.
Do you have a favorite spot within the Preserve that you enjoy visiting? The trail behind Tule Elk Overlook. As you walk there you can see the grass moving creating wind wolves, you feel the breeze and the clouds moving, giving you shade in the winter times. You can look to the west and see the vast hills and mountain peaks giving soul to the San Emigdio Canyon, to the east you can behold the whole valley and on especially clear days can even observe mount Whitney peeking from those mountain ranges opposite to us. It’s all breathtaking and makes you smile without you noticing.