TAFT, Calif. (KERO) — Here at this National Monument, the closer you look the more you'll see in the Carrizo Plains, also known as Taft's backyard.
- Spring bloom begins in the Carrizo Plains National Monument.
- Officials from the National Monument ask visitors to respect the environment.
- The grasslands have a great diverse and abundant amount of wildflowers in bloom.
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At this national monument, the closer you look, the more you'll see. The vast array of colors can be seen, thanks to the many efforts of staff who protect and sustain the Carrizo Plain.
“With all these flowers, it provides food sources maybe for different species out here, and obviously the public loves them,” says Johna Hurl, the Carrizo Plain National Monument Manager.
Johanna Hurl, the National Monument Manager, tells me more than 100-thousand people made the trip to visit the Carrizo Plains in 20-23.
The area also saw between 12 to 17 inches of rain, which helped to create the super-bloom. This year they averaged about 8 inches of rain,
Although she says it won't be a super bloom, she is still expecting a big number of visitors to see the great diversity and abundance of wildflowers popping up in the weeks ahead.
Hurl says it is her job to make sure visitors are safe, to do so she usually drives the established roads paved throughout the 250-thousand-acre grasslands.
“Just stay on trails stay on roads there’s no off-road vehicle use, respect private property, there is private property in the area and enjoy the flowers,” continues Hurl.
Hurl says she's big on exploring and sharing nature, and she wants everyone to have a good experience, she encourages people to admire and snap pictures but not to stray from the path.
In the past, visitors have trampled through the grass causing damage, and before you step off into the wild, be mindful of the other residents, like rattlesnakes. Otherwise, Hurl says to be prepared for a 'boom' in the bloom, for several weeks.
“This year is really pretty and we keep getting more and more flowers every day, we’re not done at all so we’re looking forward to see what we have,” says Hurl.
If you want to see these flowers, officials from the national monument say depending on the weather, full bloom should take place in April.
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