Contra Costa County
WHF maintains 6 preserves within Contra Costa County.
Gale Ranch
Intervening Properties
Montanera
Old Ranch Preserve
Wendt Ranch
Holland Tract Preserve
Contra Costa County is located in the San Francisco Bay Area of central California. The county extends from San Francisco Bay to the San Joaquin Valley. The Carquinez Strait forms the northern county boundary. The dominant feature in Contra Costa County is Mount Diablo, the highest peak of the Diablo Range.
Gale Ranch
The Gale Ranch Preserve includes several parcels and covers a total of 850 acres in the city of San Ramon. Most of the Preserve is grassland, but streams, ponds, riparian habitat, and wetland are present as well. Portions of the Preserve are known to support populations of California red-legged frog. The grassland also provides habitat for the San Joaquin kit fox. WHF holds the conservation easement and acts as the Preserve Manager.
Habitats Found Within this Preserve
 Wetlands |
 Grasslands |
Intervening Properties
The Intervening Properties conservation areas consist of two parcels: 27.4 acres known as the on-site preserve and 180 acres known as the Jones property. The on-site conservation area is south of Camino Tassajara Road in Danville and includes a portion of Alamo Creek. This portion of the conservation area provides habitat for the California red-legged frog. The Jones property conservation area provides habitat for the California red-legged frog, California tiger salamander, and San Joaquin kit fox. Together, the two conservation areas support grassland, oak woodland, streams, and wetlands. The properties are owned by other entities, but are managed by the Wildlife Heritage Foundation.
Habitats Found Within this Preserve
 Reparian |
Wetlands |
Grasslands |
 Woodlands |
Species Found Within this Preserve
 California Red Legged Frog |
 San Joaquin Kit Fox |
 California Tiger Salamander |
 Congdon's Tarplant |
Montanera
The Montanera Open Spaces are located in the hills between Orinda and Berkeley. They consist of several parcels covering over 1,000 acres and were created as mitigation for impacts from the Gateway development project. These Open Spaces preserve grasslands, oak woodlands, seasonal wetlands and seeps, creeks, and riparian habitat. They also provide habitat for the California red-legged frog, foothill yellow-legged frog, Alameda whipsnake, and a host of common species, including raptors. The Wildlife Heritage Foundation has oversight responsibilities for the Open Spaces.
Habitats Found Within this Preserve
|
Reparian |
Wetlands |
Grasslands |
Woodlands |
Old Ranch Preserve
The 87-acre Old Ranch Preserve is located in the Old Ranch Summit development east of Alcosta Boulevard and north of Old Ranch Road in the city of San Ramon. The Preserve is managed as habitat for the California tiger salamander and burrowing owl, and was created to offset impacts to habitats for those species. The majority of the Preserve is grassland, but small amounts of wetlands are also present. The Preserve is owned and managed by Davidon Homes and monitored by WHF.
Habitats Found Within this Preserve
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Wetlands |
Wendt Ranch
The 86-acre Wendt Ranch open-space preserves annual grassland, seasonal wetlands, riparian, and stream habitat and is being managed as habitat for the California red-legged frog. The Preserve is located just east of the Intervening Properties Preserve and includes portions of the Main Branch of Alamo Creek and the West Fork of Alamo Creek. In addition, coast live oaks and valley oaks have been planted in part of the Preserve. Shapell Industries of Northern California owns the Preserve and WHF acts as the Preserve Manager.
Habitats Found Within this Preserve
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Wetlands |
Grasslands |
Woodlands |
Species Found Within this Preserve
|
California Red Legged Frog |
Holland Tract Preserve
The Holland Tract Preserve is located east-northeast of Oakley in the southwest portion of Holland Tract in the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta. It was created as mitigation for wetland impacts for several Contra Costa Water District projects and covers approximately 202 acres. Of that amount approximately 105 acres are created wetlands and open water habitat. Wildlands, Inc. owns and manages the Preserve and the Wildlife Heritage Foundation has oversight responsibilities.