Placer County

WHF maintains 12 preserves within Placer County.

3-D South Preserve
Lincoln Hills Onsite Preserves
Lincoln Hills Offsite Preserves
Lincoln Hills Orchard 80 & Riparian Zone Preserves
Orchard Creek Conservation Bank
Sierra de Montserrat
Sierra Springs
St. Joseph Church
West Placer Schools Conservation Bank
Highway 65 Self-Storage Preserve
Pacific Tech Park Open Space Preserve
Toad Hill Ranch Mitigation Bank

Placer County is located in the southeast portion of the Sacramento Valley. It stretches from the valley floor on the west to the Nevada state line, and it takes in the northern portion of Lake Tahoe. The city of Auburn is the County Seat, but Roseville, Rocklin, and Lincoln are the largest cities in the County.

3-D South Preserve

The Three D South Preserve (also known as the John D. Vincent Vernal Pool Preserve) covers 312 acres and preserves grassland, seasonal wetlands, freshwater marsh, and natural and restored vernal pools and swales. The Preserve is located on East Catlett Road southwest of the city of Lincoln. The federally-listed vernal pool fairy shrimp has been found is some Preserve pools. Wildlands, Inc. owns and manages the Preserve. The Wildlife Heritage Foundation has oversight responsibilities.

Habitats Found Within this Preserve

Vernal Pools

Lincoln Hills Onsite Preserves

The Preserves at Lincoln Hills consist of five open space parcels within the larger Lincoln Hills development located in the southeastern portion of Lincoln. Together, the individual open space parcels total 487 acres. Habitats occurring at the on-site Preserves include seasonal wetlands, freshwater marsh, open water, streams, riparian, oak woodland, and annual grassland. Because of the variety of habitats in the Preserves, wildlife use is high. Birds are particularly plentiful in the marsh and open water habitats and the oak woodland habitat in the Northeast Preserve. Bobcats have been observed here, and in 2011 an egret and heron rookery was found. The Home Owners' Association owns and manages the Preserves with assistance from the Wildlife Heritage Foundation.

Habitats Found Within this Preserve

Grasslands

Lincoln Hills Offsite Preserves

The Lincoln Hills Off-site Preserves encompass 205 acres and include the Rodeo Grounds along Highway 65 and the McBean Parkway Expansion along Auburn Ravine in Lincoln. This preserve is owned and managed by the City of Lincoln. WHF has oversight responsibilities to ensure that the conditions of the Conservation Easement are enforced.

The Rodeo Grounds Preserve covers 145 acres of grasslands, vernal pools and swales, and seasonal wetlands and was created to preserve habitat for the vernal pool fairy shrimp.

The 60-acre McBean Parkway Expansion Preserve is located along Auburn Ravine between the Highway 195 bridge and the Highway 65 bridge. It includes the perennial stream in Auburn Ravine and the natural riparian habitat along the stream. However, the majority of the Preserve consists of created wetlands and riparian habitat. The Off-site Preserves are owned and managed by the City of Lincoln. The Wildlife Heritage Foundation has oversight responsibilities to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the federal permits and the Conservation Easement.

Lincoln Hills Orchard 80 & Riparian Zone Preserves

The 80-acre Orchard Creek and Riparian Preserve is located at the west end of Twelve Bridges Drive. It preserves annual grassland, vernal pools and swales, and an ephemeral stream channel. The Preserve is adjacent to the Orchard Creek Conservation Bank and has habitat for several special-status species known to occur at Orchard Creek. Wildlands, Inc. owns and manages the Preserve, and WHF has oversight responsibilities.

Habitats Found Within this Preserve

Riparian

Wetlands

Vernal Pools

Orchard Creek Conservation Bank

The Orchard Creek Conservation Bank covers 648 acres north of Athens Road between Lincoln and Rocklin and includes annual grassland, vernal pools and swales, and Orchard Creek. The vernal pool fairy shrimp, vernal pool tadpole shrimp, and several special-status plant species are known to occur in Bank habitats. The Bank is owned and managed by Wildlands, Inc. WHF has oversight responsibilities.

Habitats Found Within this Preserve

Riparian

Wetlands

Grasslands

Vernal Pools

Sierra de Montserrat

Sierra de Montserrat is a 158-acre network of open space preserves in a residential development in Loomis. Habitats preserved include wetlands, riparian, grassland, and oak woodland. Most of the wetland and riparian habitats occur in areas that were placer mined in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The Preserve is managed by WHF. The variety and structural complexity of habitats at Sierra de Montserrat provide breeding, foraging, and resting habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. Raptors are commonly observed at Sierra de Montserrat, and numerous bird and mammal species have been recorded using the Preserve.

Habitats Found Within this Preserve

Wetlands

Woodlands

Sierra Springs

The Sierra Springs Preserve covers 10 acres on several parcels within the Sierra Springs development. Habitats within the Conservation Easement include annual grassland, seasonal wetlands, riparian and streams. All preserved areas are located on private lots and are managed by the Home Owners Association with oversight from the Wildlife Heritage Foundation.

Habitats Found Within this Preserve

Wetlands

St. Joseph Church

The St. Joseph's Church Preserve is a two-acre open space in the city of Lincoln. It is owned by The Roman Catholic Diocese and managed by WHF. The Preserve supports seasonal wetlands, annual grassland, oak woodland, and a small seasonal stream. The preserve is actively used by a variety of birds, especially in the spring, and rattlesnakes have been observed there.

Habitats Found Within this Preserve

Wetlands

Grasslands

West Placer Schools Conservation Bank

The Western Placer Schools Conservation Bank encompasses 225 acres north of Moore Road and west of Dowd Road west southwest of the city of Lincoln. Habitats in the bank include grassland and vernal pools and swales. Both the vernal pool fairy shrimp and vernal pool tadpole shrimp have been found in the Bank pools. The Wildlife Heritage Foundation has oversight responsibilities.

Habitats Found Within this Preserve

Wetlands

Vernal Pools

Highway 65 Self-Storage Preserve

The Highway 65 Self-Storage Preserve is an 11-acre grassland and vernal pool preserve near Athens Avenue between Lincoln and Rocklin. It is owned by the Highway 65 Self-Storage LLC and managed by WHF. The Preserve supports vernal pools and swales and seasonal wetlands embedded in annual grassland. A variety of grassland birds use the property for foraging.

Pacific Tech Park Open Space Preserve

The Pacific Tech Park Open Space Preserve is a 1.7-acre preserve in the city of Rocklin owned by Foothill Tech Properties, LLC and managed by WHF. The Preserve consists mostly of seasonal wetlands, but a small amount of riparian habitat is also present. Because the habitat is structurally varied, the Preserve attracts a variety of birds, especially during the spring, even though it is in an urban environment.

Toad Hill Ranch Mitigation Bank

The Toad Hill Ranch Mitigation Bank covers 1,630 acres north of Sunset Boulevard West and east of South Brewer Road. The Bank supports annual grassland, vernal pools and swales, and other wetlands. The Bank provides Swainson's hawk foraging habitat, but it also supports habitat for listed vernal pool crustaceans. Some Bank wetlands are restored or created. Wildlands, Inc., manages the Bank and WHF has oversight responsibilities.