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Tejon Ranch Conservancy eNews Fall/Winter 2022

On the Ranch

By Jaron Cramer, Executive Director

Two essential life lessons I have learned (and re-learned) in recent years are to appreciate and celebrate the moments as they come and to practice gratitude more often. The Conservancy is about to have a moment worthy of celebration. But before I explain, I have some thanking to do.

At the core of the Tejon Ranch Conservancy's mission, vision, history, and future is the Ranch-Wide Agreement (RWA). I am constantly reminded of the incredible work that went into this deal. It put nearly 90% of Tejon Ranch's lands into conservation, formed the Conservancy as an independent non-profit, and spelled out how to go about fulfilling our mission to preserve, enhance, and restore Tejon and the Tehachapi Range for future generations. It has allowed us to work closely with the Tejon Ranch Company to share and protect the wonders of the Ranch, one of the last great places in the West. To all who have championed the RWA, thank you.

Still only a few months into my role with the Conservancy, I am riding the coattails of previous and current staff and Board members and their impressive contributions. For example, the Ranch-Wide Management Plan, created in 2013, is an encyclopedic overview of science-based best management practices for stewarding and providing significant public access to Tejon's conserved lands. It remains an epic achievement that guides our programs today. (Note: The second five-year update of the Plan will be crafted and re-adopted in 2023, ensuring its contents remain relevant and in alignment with the RWA.) As executive director, I greatly appreciate the details and forethought of the policies, procedures, projects, and plans crafted by those who came before. They have equipped our organization to operate transparently and efficiently. To all who have held a formal role with the Conservancy, thank you.

As a charitable organization, the Conservancy has always relied on our partners and supporters to infuse our efforts with the necessary energy and resources for success. A few key contributors include:

  • The Tejon Ranch Company, which has provided a significant investment of advance funding, as well as an immeasurable contribution of their staff time and resources, to facilitate the Conservancy's work.
  • The Resource Group signatories of the RWA -- NRDC, National Audubon Society, Endangered Habitats League, Planning and Conservation League, and Sierra Club -- which continue to stand steadfast with us and our conservation efforts.
  • Agencies like the California Wildlife Conservation Board and the USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), which have provided significant funding for easements and stewardship efforts on Tejon's conserved lands.
  • Academic institutions like Cal State University Bakersfield (CSUB), which has hosted an internship program with the Conservancy since 2014 for science majors to gain real-world learning opportunities and produce meaningful work products. (Note: Mitchell Coleman, current Conservation Science Director for the Conservancy, was the program's first intern.)
  • The many public and private foundations, business sponsors, and individual members and donors who have given so generously to keep our programs thriving.
  • Our dedicated crew of docents, as well as community groups and local businesses, who have provided thousands of hours of volunteerism to help us do more with our dollars.
  • The law firms and attorneys who have contributed an impressive sum of pro-bono legal assistance to support the mission of the Conservancy.

Our partners and supporters have empowered over a decade of research, restoration, and recreation on Tejon. To all who have contributed time, energy, or dollars, thank you.

If you do not "see" yourself in the paragraphs above, know that my gratitude extends to you nonetheless for staying up to speed with the happenings of the Conservancy. I hope you'll consider attending an event or volunteering with us on Tejon or joining the ranks of our supporters with a year-end gift. It's quick and easy to donate online here.

Now back to the moment worth celebrating...

A settlement agreement was recently signed to resolve the litigation between the Conservancy, the Tejon Ranch Company, and Resource Group signatories of the RWA. Details will be forthcoming, but suffice it to say the agreement embodies a continued dedication to cooperation and collaboration, and we are excited to move forward together to reach our shared conservation goals.

2023 will mark the 15-year anniversary of the RWA, and we aim to celebrate this important milestone during our Public Access events throughout the year and with a special gathering in June. Stay tuned!

In recent months, the Conservancy has secured nearly $450,000 of funding from the NRCS's Environmental Quality Incentives Program for projects that will address invasive trees and brush, establish riparian enhancement zones, and monitor and improve habitat for native species in the Tejon Creek and Caliente Creek watersheds. The first phases of these multi-year projects began this fall and will ramp up in 2023. Several other stewardship-focused grant applications are in the works.

Our Environmental Education Program recently received generous grants from the Virginia and Alfred Harrell Foundation and the SeedCore Foundation to help us continue to teach scientific inquiry through nature journaling in the field and the classroom in 2023. The program will focus on reaching underserved students, from middle school through college, in Kern and LA counties, in addition to providing training for local teachers to make use of our extensive nature journaling curriculum in their classrooms.

Scientific research of Tejon's natural resources is ramping up. The Conservancy will help facilitate several studies in 2023, including a CSUB student's Master's Thesis research project, which will overlap nicely with stewardship efforts in Tejon Creek, and a UC Riverside student's study of population genetics on the lotus plants (Acmispon sp.) found on the Ranch.

There's much more in the works, but I hope this brief review – and the articles that follow in this newsletter – give you a better sense of why this is such an interesting, exciting time to be a part of the Conservancy's community. We're glad to have you with us.

Sincerely,

Fall foliage along El Paso Creek.

Moments of Wonder: A Biological Year in Review

By Mitchell Coleman, Conservation Science Director

Most of us have had those wonderful moments in nature when we’ve made unanticipated observations. A rare bird or plant, or a sapphire-blue centipede. Admittedly, these moments of wonder are usually not why I’m in the field – the reality is relatively mundane field work, such as checking on a trough, mending a fence, or collecting data – but they seem to characterize my memories far more than the to-do list ever does. I’ve been fortunate to have had many such moments this year. Below are the 2022 highlights!

The photos in this feature are by Mitchell Coleman unless otherwise noted.

Male Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens), Joaquin Flats.

Aka the “gothic” cardinal.

California jewelflower (Caulanthus californicus), Bald Mountain.

An endangered member of the mustard family, this species was once common within the Central Valley and the Coast Range. The population on Tejon Ranch is the eastern-most in the species – a remnant population discovered in 2015.

Striped adobe lily (Fritillaria striata), Bald Mountain.

Like the California Jewelflower, this rare lily has a narrow range in the Central Valley – on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada foothills. The population on Tejon Ranch is the southern-most in the species range.

Male Lewis’s woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis), Chanac Creek.

Although this species as a whole is doing well, it is rarely observed on Tejon Ranch – the last observation prior to 2022 was in 2014. Senior Docent Steve Justus provided an excellent report on its return to Tejon in the last newsletter.

Looking east across the White Wolf South Pasture, dominated by wildflowers including lupine (Lupinus benthamii), fiddleneck (multiple Amsinckia sp.), popcorn flower (Plagiobothrys notohfulvus), and California poppy (Eschscholzia californica).

Young pad of the endangered Bakersfield cactus (Opuntia basilaris ssp. treleasei).

Note the spines emerging from the eyespots – one of the characteristics unique to Bakersfield cactus – and the reddish leaves overlaying them. Fun fact, the “pads” of a beavertail cactus are the stems, and the “spines” are modified leaves.

The “Milky Way” (proper name: Campo Bonito Pasture) with the characteristic cover of popcorn flowers (mostly Plagiobothyrs nothofulvus).

Kern mallow (Eremalche kernensis), Comanche Point.

Another rare species, Kern mallow is only known to occur across a handful of populations in the San Joaquin Desert, and the population on Tejon is the most southeastern. Like California jewelflower, the population of Kern mallow on Tejon are located quite a ways from the other known populations, mostly on the western side of the Desert. This is likely a remnant from when the species range was more continuous.

Calico monkeyflower (Diplacus pictus), Joaquin Flats.

Another San Joaquin Desert endemic, this species occurs along a narrow band on the eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada, and the population on Tejon is the southern-most of its range. Calico monkey flower also has a very interesting and complex ecological niche, involving oak gooseberry (Ribes quercetorum), rocky outcrops, and small herbivorous mammals. Want to know more? We have a Tejon Talk about it!

Rubber boa (Charina bottae), Blue Ridge.

This species is rarely observed on Tejon – the observation in 2022 was only the second time.

Dragonfly larva (suborder Anisoptera), Reservoir 2.

Isn't it interesting that dragonfly larvae are aquatic?

Yellow faced bumblebee (Bombus vosnesenskii), Ray’s Perch.

Note the beautiful pollen sacks on each hind limb. Surprisingly, the sacks have a consistency a lot like earwax.

Launched in 2022, a partnership with researchers and students from Antelope Valley College and College of the Canyons will focus on studying bumblebees and other pollinators across Tejon.

Tejon jewelflower (Streptanthus medeirosii), Martinez Ridge.

This recently-described species is known at only one locality. We did extensive surveys looking for other populations this summer but did not find any.

Serpentine bittercress (Cardamine pachystigma), Winters Ridge.

Prior to 2022, this species was last observed on Tejon in 2014!

Common desert centipede (Scolopendra polymorph), Tejon Creek.

As the epithet suggests, this species has several morphs, ranging from brown, yellow, orange, and blue. This is the only native scolopendrid in California.

Tehachapi buckwheat (Eriogonum callistum), Antelope Peak.

This buckwheat is nearly endemic to Tejon Ranch, occurring mostly on limestone outcroppings.

The famous “big” Sycamore of Little Sycamore Canyon, with blue dick (Dipterostemon capitatus, previously Dichelostemma capitatum) in the foreground and common monolopia (Monolopia lanceolata) in the background hills. Tree ring studies indicate this tree is not as old as it appears.

Bakersfield cactus bloom (Opuntia basilaris ssp. treleasei), Tejon Creek.

These flowers are huge attractors of native pollinators. I saw hundreds of monarch butterflies that day!

California legless lizard (Anniella pulchra), Canada del Gato Montes.

Not a snake, a true, albeit limbless, lizard!

Giant velvet mite (Dinothrombium sp.), Antelope Canyon.

Take a magnifying glass to the soil in your favorite habitat to see if you can find some of these glorious arachnids. They can be quite abundant!

Glossy snake (Arizona elegans), Canada del Gato Montes.

That’s all I have to say about that, not trying to “gloss” over it though.

Western columbine (Aquilegia formosa), El Paso Canyon.

Although not uncommon, this is a rarity on Tejon, found only in the wettest stretches of certain watersheds.

Western forest scorpion (Uroctonus mordax), Winters Ridge.

The southern range of this species is in the vicinity of the Tehachapi Mountains and Tejon Ranch.

Rosy buckwheat (Eriogonum roseum), Winters Ridge.

The rosy hue of many Mojave vistas in the late summer and fall are often made by a local dominance of this buckwheat.

Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia), Canada del Gato Montes.

My understanding is that the taxonomy of Joshua trees is under revision, but the current nomenclature still holds.

Bitteroot (Lewisia rediviva), Blue Ridge.

The genus Lewisia was named for Meriwether Lewis, whereas the genus Clarkia was named for William Clark.

San Bernardino larkspur (Delphinium parryi), Blue Ridge.

The characters for this specimen don’t cleanly fit the Jepson keys. Hmmm…

Gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer), Canada del Gato Montes.

Gilbert’s skink (Plestiodon gilberti), Ray’s Perch.

Mitchell Coleman (Conservation Science Director), Tejon Creek.

Editor's Note: Clearly, he's willing to get down and dirty to capture some of the vast beauty and biological diversity of Tejon Ranch for us to enjoy. Mitchell was quite thrilled to snap a photo of wire-lettuce (Stephanomeria sp.) flowering in the creek bed. Photo by Jaron Cramer.

Ray's Perch. Photo by Reema Hammad.

Enjoy Tejon and the Tehachapis with us

Thanks to recent rain events, the first hints of green have finally emerged on the otherwise golden hills of the Ranch. While winter weather may prohibit travel through some reaches of the high country in the Tehachapi Mountains, areas like White Wolf (near the SR-58 corridor) and Big Sycamore Canyon (on the Antelope Valley side of the Ranch) are exceptional spots for hiking, photography, and naturalist outings this time of year. We hope you'll join us for one of our upcoming tours on the Ranch and beyond.

A few events worth highlighting in the coming weeks include:

Interested in a private tour? Please contact Reema Hammad, Public Access Coordinator at rhammad@tejonconservancy.org.

A few housekeeping items for events: Participants must observe the Conservancy's policies for Public Access events, and all events require pre-registration; rules and registration links can be found on our website calendar here. Events may be subject to change or cancellation.

Photo by Reema Hammad.

Nature Journaling Over Time: Part Two

By Paula Harvey, Education Coordinator

In the Conservancy's Summer Newsletter, I promised to continue journaling about the milkweed growing in my garden to demonstrate journaling over time. This year, my milkweed is three years old and well-established. It supported a diversity of wildlife including migrating monarch butterflies and their offspring. (Note: Tejon Ranch is also located in the heart of the migration route for monarchs. Four native species of milkweed have been identified by the Conservancy on the Ranch.)

My first journal entry was made on August 3rd, just past the peak of the milkweed’s yearly life cycle. Inflorescences topped all the mature plants and attracted a myriad of invertebrates, while green seed pods were forming.

This was the first journal entry about milkweed. Notice the list of all the invertebrates using the plants. Photo by Paula Harvey.

Plenty of new plants had sprouted and established themselves all over the yard. I searched for monarch caterpillars as I counted at least 12 butterflies on the plants every day. None were to be found. What mystery. I was disappointed, but given all the other invertebrates, this little pollinator habitat seemed healthy and thriving.

Narrow Leaf Milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis) flowers with green seedpods developing (to the right). Photo by Paula Harvey.

Near the end of September, I observed more changes in the plants— very few flowers were left, seed pods continued forming and breaking open, seeds were beginning to disperse, and insects, other than milkweed bugs and yellow jackets, had left. I then discovered caterpillars! And a beautiful chrysalis!

The first of several pupae discovered in my yard, along with one of many larvae. Photo by Paula Harvey.

Perhaps, I hypothesized, there have been caterpillars all along, but the tarantula hawk wasps and milkweed wasps have been predating them. I continued to observe and added a page in my journal.

The second of three journal entries tracking narrow-leaf milkweed through the year. My attention focused more on monarchs at this point. That is often what happens in journaling: your interests take twists and turns as you make discoveries through your observations. Photo by Paula Harvey.
Here is the fragile, newly emerged monarch about which I journaled. Notice the clear casing of the chrysalis. This butterfly rested overnight before taking off on its migratory journey west. Photo by Paula Harvey.

It’s November now. I’ve continued my observations and watched the caterpillars. I’ve made some exciting discoveries and added to my list of mysteries. The first snow has come to the mountains. A couple chrysalides remain, and butterflies will probably never emerge from them. But I keep watching anyway. I’ve scattered some seeds to expand my milkweed wonderland for next year’s animals. And I’m watching the last of the milkweed before it loses its leaves and goes dormant until next spring.

Milkweed in autumn. A few remaining seeds cling to the plants until a strong breeze takes them. Photo by Paula Harvey.
The final journal entry about milkweed at the end of the season. Photo by Paula Harvey.

We all say this at one time or another: “Where did the time go?“ Mostly, we’re so busy that we don’t pay attention to what is going on around us. But this time, I experienced the seasons through the lifecycle of the milkweed and the animals that use it throughout the year. I feel more connected to the plants, to the animals and, interestingly, to time; and have a deeper understanding and appreciation of both milkweed and the seasons. Journaling over time is a fantastic activity that deeply connects you to nature.

A final word about growing milkweed in your garden:

Feeling a connection with my subject is one of the benefits of journaling. Growing milkweed and seeing it used, particularly by the migrating monarchs, gives the additional satisfaction that I am part of a solution to the serious problem of endangered monarchs. I am a steward of the milkweed community and that gives me a sense that I can make a difference. Milkweed grows like a weed, and benefits from benign neglect so it’s easy to grow.

I encourage you:

Keep journaling!

And plant milkweed!

P.S. On November 10th, we hosted a large group of Kern High School District science teachers and several guests from California State Parks and Bakersfield College for a day-long workshop on teaching scientific inquiry through nature journaling. If you'd like to organize a journaling outing, please contact me at pharvey@tejonconservancy.org, or check the Conservancy's Calendar for public workshops throughout the year.

Participants of the Nature Journaling workshop at the White Wolf Picnic Area on November 10th. Photo by Reema Hammad.
Photo by Mark Duffel.

VIDEO: In February 2022, Dr. Daniel Griffin from the University of Minnesota visited Tejon Ranch to continue his work on the dendrochronology of valley oaks (Quercus lobata). In this Tejon Talk, Dr. Griffin discusses the important insights we gain by studying these majestic, ancient trees on Tejon Ranch and the Tehachapi mountains.

info@tejonconservancy.org

(661) 248-2400

Thank you!

This issue of the Tejon Ranch Conservancy E-News was produced by Jaron Cramer. If you’d like to contribute to E-News, please contact us.

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