Rana Creek Preserve is a nature preserve owned and managed by The Wildlands Conservancy, a nonprofit land conservancy. Covering 14,142 acres (57.23 km2) in Monterey County, California, the preserve lies within Carmel Valley. It is part of the organization's collection of protected natural lands, further detailed in the list of preserves.
| Rana Creek Preserve | |
|---|---|
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
  Location of Rana Creek Preserve | |
| Location | Monterey County, California |
| Nearest city | Monterey, California |
| Coordinates | 36°26′24″N 121°38′7″W / 36.44000°N 121.63528°W |
| Area | 14,142 acres (57.23 km2) |
| Max. elevation | 3,400 feet (1,000 m) |
| Min. elevation | 500 feet (150 m) |
| Created | 2023 |
| Operator | The Wildlands Conservancy |
| Website | Rana Creek Preserve |
Recreation
editRana Creek Ranch will be opened to the public for recreational use, including activities such as hiking. The conservancy aims to develop facilities that meet a high standard to enhance the visitor experience.[1]
Geography
editRana Creek Ranch spans 14,100 acres along Carmel Valley Road, about 20 miles from Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The property includes varied landscapes, such as oak-filled valleys, native grasslands, flower-covered ridgelines, rolling hills, lush forests, and multiple water sources, including vernal ponds created by fault lines over millennia. These ponds support a range of amphibians, such as western toads and chorus frogs. Elevations range from 900 to 3,400 feet, providing habitats that support a range of wildlife, including the federally protected California red-legged frog and California tiger salamander. The property also serves as a crucial wildlife corridor, connecting the Salinas Valley to the Los Padres National Forest.[2][3]
History
editOriginally inhabited by the Esselen Tribe, the area later became a working cattle ranch for over 200 years. In the early 1980s, Apple co-founder Mike Markkula purchased it as a private retreat. In 2023, he sold Rana Creek Ranch to The Wildlands Conservancy, which aims to preserve its natural and cultural heritage and provide public access as a nature preserve. The conservancy is exploring plans to repurpose the existing conference complex as a land-stewardship institute. Initial management will involve environmental assessments and collaboration with the Esselen Tribe to document the property's biodiversity, which will guide long-term stewardship and access decisions.[4][5]
Works
edit- "Carmel Valley's Newest Preserve and Kern County's Tule Elk". OpenRoad. Episode 92. 2024-04-07. NBC Bay Area. Retrieved 2024-05-05. OpenRoad had editorial control. The Wildlands Conservancy funded the episode.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Garcia, Corinne Gaffner (June 19, 2024). "2023 Conservation Deal of the Year: Rana Creek Ranch". The Land Report. No. Spring 2024. The Land Report.
- ^ Dudley, Paul (June 26, 2023). "Massive Carmel Valley property owned by Apple co-founder selling to preservation group". KSBW Action News. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ Schmalz, David (March 28, 2024). "Rana Creek Ranch – a vast, majestic property in Carmel Valley – is slated to become a recreational treasure". Monterey County Now. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ Rogers, Paul (June 18, 2023). "Apple co-founder to sell huge Carmel Valley ranch for $35 million to become public nature preserve". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Bay Area News Group. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ Schmalz, David (March 28, 2024). "Rana Creek Ranch – a vast, majestic property in Carmel Valley – is slated to become a recreational treasure". Monterey County Now. Retrieved November 12, 2024.