Once-a-year wetlands walk slated for March 28 in Tulare County
A 725-acre preserve will open to the public March 28, offering visitors access to a landscape reminiscent of the San Joaquin Valley floor a century ago.
“Walk the Wetlands” will be held on James K. Herbert Wetland Prairie Preserve in Tulare County. It is managed by Sequoia Riverlands Trust and opens just once a year for a self-guided hike.
The preserve is a nondescript swath of land that many unknowingly speed past along busy Highway 137 between Lindsay and Tulare. But according to Land Stewardship Manager Jonathan Vaughn, the preserve is a perfect example of agriculture and a rare ecosystem co-existing.
“I think it’s a really interesting and rare juxtaposition of intact, high-quality natural areas, as well as restored alfalfa farmland, all in one property. Nowadays, anyone would have difficulty finding differences between the two and I’d say that is a good measure of success.”
The preserve was sold to Four Creeks Land Trust by Carol Sellers Herbert and James K. Herbert, who died in 2023.
The sale of undisturbed prairie started a movement for land conservation in the region, prodding conservation groups in Three Rivers, Springville and Visalia to join forces to eventually become Sequoia Riverlands Trust.
According to Sequoia Riverlands Trust, the preserve is a prime example of a once-extensive wetland prairie that stretched to Tulare Lake. Just 4% of the Valley’s original landscape survives.
With the recent lack of rain and warm temperatures, Vaughn said, visitors may find vernal pools holding shallow water or saturated soils.
“When the water retreats, that is when the wildflowers begin to bloom around the edges of the pools,” he said.
The preserve is sandwiched between the Kaweah and Tule rivers, and its wetlands are an important stop for migratory birds. An impermeable layer of Corcoran clay about 18 feet below the surface causes the vernal pools to form.
More than 120 bird species have been identified there, including Swainson’s hawk, golden eagle, ferruginous hawk, killdeer, mallard, and pied-billed grebe.
The entrance to the Herbert Preserve is off Highway 137 and Road 168. The event is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the last entry at noon. Space is limited and an RSVP is required. Suggested donation is $20. Waterproof shoes are recommended.
