Finding common ground for habitat preservation and farming earns Kaweah water manager prestigious award

Longtime Tulare County water manager Mark Larsen will be recognized with a prestigious conservation award Oct. 1 during the annual “Evening Under the Oaks” event sponsored by Sequoia Riverlands Trust. 

Larsen, who has spent 24 years working in the Kaweah watershed, will receive the Alan George Conservation Award for his commitment to groundwater sustainability and land preservation at the event, which takes place at Kaweah Oaks Preserve east of Visalia. 

The award recognizes individuals whose leadership advances the protection of natural lands, working farms and the region’s vital resources. 

Larsen, a native of Fresno, currently serves as general manager of Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency. He said his initial reaction to the news was one of disbelief. 

“My first response was, ‘Why?’” he said with a shy smile during an interview in his office at Greater Kaweah GSA. “I really didn’t get it. It’s just not something I had thought about or even put together myself.”

In addition to his GSA duties, Larsen also serves as general manager of the Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District and as watermaster for the Kaweah and St. Johns Rivers Association. He served two nine-year terms on Sequoia Riverlands Trust’s board of directors, including a term as board chair, helping guide the organization through a period of significant growth. 

Larsen acknowledges that the intersection of agriculture and conservation can be rife with conflict, but he is proud to have played a role in bridging that gap. 

“There were activities of environmental organizations that were pretty negative. Their  approaches were aggressive and a lot of farmers who run the boards of these agencies have a bad taste in their mouth from what has historically happened. And so what I found was a lot of the water agencies wanted nothing to do with them,” Larsen explained. 

Sequoia Riverlands Trust does not work in that fashion, Larsen said. In fact, one of its goals is to preserve agricultural land. But it still took time and joint projects to build goodwill among water agency board members and the trust to find that “they’re less at odds with each other than they realize and that there’s a lot of common goals and objectives there.” 

One such project involved recharging groundwater at Kaweah Oaks Preserve, an ideal location because of its proximity to local waterways and its soil types. But a lease for cattle grazing on the land and preconceived ideas held up progress. 

“Long story short, we found that the cattle had no problem with the recharge activities. 

I even took some hikes out there in the preserve during the recharge events with the cattle there and everybody was happy,” Larsen said, noting the cattle were simply rotated to different pastures. 

“It’s too easy to say no. Sometimes we just have to find a way to go through, around, or under an issue.” 

Sequoia Riverlands Trust executive director Logan Robertson Huecker said Larsen works with integrity and commitment to the community.

“The future of the Central Valley depends on people who understand that land and water are inseparable, and Mark has dedicated his career to protecting both. We are honored to recognize his legacy with this award,” she stated in a press release. 

The Alan George Conservation Award was established by Sequoia Riverlands Trust to celebrate extraordinary achievement in conservation in Tulare County and beyond. George was instrumental in the creation of Sequoia Riverlands Trust and Kaweah Oaks Preserve. He was a leader in bridging agriculture and conservation and the award recognizes those who embody the same spirit of stewardship and vision. 

Previous honorees include: Former superintendent of Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks Bill Tweed; teacher Nancy Bruce; College of the Sequoias biology professor Rob Hansen; author and former Visalia mayor Greg Collins; and chief executive director of the Central Valley Community Foundation Ashley Swearingen.

Sequoia Riverlands Trust is a regional nonprofit land trust founded in 2000 that protects more than 43,000 acres along the Kaweah, Kern, Kings and Tule rivers, as well as in the Carrizo Plain National Monument. 

“Evening Under the Oaks” is Sequoia Riverlands Trust’s annual fundraiser. It features live music, a live auction, raffle and storytelling by people whose lives have been shaped by the land. A special craft beer made with elderberries grown and harvested at the preserve will be served. 

Tickets are available at https://www.srt.social/oaks. Early bird pricing is available through Aug. 31, with tickets at $105 each or tables of 8 for $800. Tickets increase to $125 Sept. 1. Registration closes Sept. 24.