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The Wildlands Conservancy

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The Wildlands Conservancy

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We protect and rewild important landscapes and open them to the public for free. Visit one of our 25 nature preserves.

Founded in 1995, The Wildlands Conservancy (TWC) is dedicated to preserving the beauty and biodiversity of the earth and providing programs so that children may know the wonder and joy of nature. In working to achieve this mission, TWC has established the largest nonprofit nature preserve system on the West Coast, comprising 23 preserves encompassing 192,000 acres of diverse mountain, valley, desert, river, and coastal landscapes. These preserves are open to the public free of charge for passive recreation, including camping, hiking, picnicking, birding, and more. Ultimately, saving our treasured landscapes from development means educating and instilling a love for nature in future generations. For this reason, TWC is also the state’s nonprofit leader in providing free outdoor education opportunities for California youth. Through these programs and our reverent stewardship of preserves—visited by more than 1.5 million people per year—we foster a love and respect for life in all of its magnificent forms.

10/09/2026

14,177 acres. More than eight miles of the East Fork Scott River. One remarkable conservation opportunity.

The Wildlands Conservancy has secured the funding needed to acquire AP Ranch in Siskiyou County. Once complete, the acquisition will expand Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve to more than 20,000 acres—protecting connected river, forests, mountain meadows and wetlands in the Scott River headwaters.

This public-private partnership will build on salmon restoration already underway while creating opportunities for future free public access and outdoor education.

We are deeply grateful to the Wildlife Conservation Board, our generous supporters, Tribal partners and the many organizations helping make this possible.

Protecting AP Ranch is a promise to future generations. Help us care for this land as part of Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve and sustain the rivers and forests that wildlife depend on.

Support the project at https://wildlandsconservancy.org/ap-ranch-acquisition/

09/18/2026

More than 25 years of persistence have brought Wild Cherry Canyon closer to permanent protection.

Today, the State Coastal Conservancy authorized a $42 million grant to help The Wildlands Conservancy acquire approximately 2,060 acres of coastal hills, oak woodlands, headwater streams and wildlife habitat on California's Central Coast in San Luis Obispo County.

This milestone reflects decades of determination by local advocates, Tribal partners, conservation organizations, public agencies and elected leaders who never gave up on this remarkable landscape. We are especially grateful to the yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini Northern Chumash Tribe of San Luis Obispo County and Region, Senator John Laird, and the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County for their sustained advocacy and leadership in bringing Wild Cherry Canyon to this moment.

Once acquired, Wild Cherry Canyon will be permanently protected from development, creating the opportunity to restore and rewild its coastal prairie, oak woodlands, headwater streams and wildlife habitat and thoughtfully plan for free public access.

Acquisition is only the beginning of our responsibility to this land. Through the Diablo Canyon Lands Conservation Planning Project, we will work alongside the local community, Tribal Nations and conservation partners to help shape the future of Wild Cherry Canyon, including its conservation, Tribal access and stewardship, and free public access. That same spirit of partnership will be essential as we care for this extraordinary landscape for generations to come.

Read the full announcement: https://wildlandsconservancy.org/42-million-grant-advances-permanent-protection-of-wild-cherry-canyon/

Photo and Video provided by Jack Thompson / The Wildlands Conservancy

08/11/2026

Some landscapes can heal on their own. Others need our help.

Estero Americano Coast Preserve with decades of erosion, compacted soils and vegetation loss is getting the help it needs to repair damaged wetland habitat. This summer, The Wildlands Conservancy is working to restore more than five acres of wetlands to improve water quality, strengthen habitat for wildlife, and help water move more naturally across the land.

Read the full press release and restoration article to see how science, partnership, and long-term stewardship are helping heal this remarkable coastal estuary.

Press release: https://www.einpresswire.com/article/932281123/wildlands-conservancy-launches-major-wetland-restoration-at-estero-americano-coast-preserve

Article: https://wildlandsconservancy.org/healing-the-wetlands-of-estero-americano-coast-preserve/

07/16/2026

Heat, wildlife, fire risk, changing conditions, and sensitive habitats are part of the landscapes we protect. The best way to stay safe is to be prepared before visiting one of our preserves.

Read our Summer Safety Guide to learn the ins and outs of staying cool, keeping yourself and the wildlife safe, fire prevention measures, and so much more: https://wildlandsconservancy.org/enjoying-summer-across-the-preserve-system/

07/10/2026

Summer is the perfect time to soak up the sun and enjoy the outdoors. What better way to do this than at one of our preserves by joining one of our birding, hiking, hands-on stewardship, restoration support, or naturalist-led learning events?

Upcoming events:

Tuesday, July 14 · 7:30–10:30 AM
Bird Walk
Whitewater Preserve · Whitewater, CA

Saturday, July 18 · 9 AM–12 PM
Nature Hike
Estero Americano Coast Preserve · Bodega Bay, CA

Tuesday, July 21 · 9:30 AM–12:30 PM
Volunteer Stewardship Day
Jenner Headlands Preserve · Jenner, CA

Wednesday, July 22 · 8–11:30 AM
Backcountry Watering
Wind Wolves Preserve · Bakersfield, CA

Saturday, July 25 · 10 AM–12 PM
Naturalist Talk: Rewilding
Oak Glen Preserve · Oak Glen, CA

Saturday, July 25 · 7:30–10 PM
Night Hike
Wind Wolves Preserve · Bakersfield, CA

Find more events/volunteer details and registration information here:

Events: https://wildlandsconservancy.org/programs/
Volunteer: https://wildlandsconservancy.org/volunteer/

06/30/2026

We’re excited to see Jenner Headlands Preserve included in Vogue’s guide to Sonoma County as a coastal hike worth experiencing.

Jenner Headlands Preserve is open to the public today because of a powerful conservation partnership. Sonoma Land Trust and Sonoma County Ag + Open Space led the four-year effort that made the 2009 acquisition possible. The Wildlands Conservancy now owns and manages the preserve for long-term stewardship and free public access as part of its system of more than two dozen nature preserves in California, Oregon, and Utah.

To our partners at Sonoma County Ag + Open Space and Sonoma Land Trust : thank you for your leadership in protecting this coastal landscape for people, plants, wildlife, and future generations.

Jenner Headlands Preserve is open daily, 8 am to sunset, and admission is free. Please stay on trail, bring water and layers, keep dogs leashed, pack out what you pack in, and give wildlife room.

06/23/2026

Rana Creek Preserve is entering a new chapter. As we continue to steward the preserve, we’re planning for free outdoor education and public access.

With over 12,000 acres of oak woodlands, spring-fed creeks, ridgelines, and open sky, the land — co-stewarded by The Wildlands Conservancy and the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County — is ready for the next step.

Explore the story of Rana Creek Preserve and the work ahead at https://wildlandsconservancy.org/where-carmel-valley-runs-wild/

06/15/2026

In spring 2023, we were grateful to spend a day sharing the beauty of our Wind Wolves Preserve with the team of PBS SoCal’s "California in Bloom" special that premiered last week. Here’s a little behind-the-scenes look from Wind Wolves Preserve during filming on the remarkable landscape we work to protect forever.

Watch the full special: https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/california-in-bloom/episodes/california-in-bloom

06/12/2026

A rare conservation opportunity is unfolding in Siskiyou County.

The Wildlands Conservancy is working to permanently protect AP Ranch, adding to the Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve and safeguarding critical habitat that supports cold-water streams, native wildlife, and one of the most important tributaries in the Klamath watershed.

This landscape connects forests, meadows, wetlands, and waterways that sustain species across Northern California. With your support, we can ensure these lands remain protected and accessible for generations to come.

Read the full article to about what’s at stake and how you can help protect this remarkable place.

https://wildlandsconservancy.org/expanding-beaver-valley-headwaters-preserve/

04/22/2026

Earth Day is the perfect time to take a pause, appreciate the beauty around us, and reflect on ways to make it even better. That's why we show up year-round: stewarding the land, rewilding what was lost, and uplifting the next generation of stewards who will carry this work forward.

Address

39611 Oak Glen Road Unit 12
Oak Glen, CA
92399

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+19097978507

Website

https://wildlandsconservancy.org/

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