WELDON, Calif. (KERO) — The Kern River Preserve is owned by the Audubon Society, an organization with the goal of preserving habitats for nature and people. The preserve is known for the many species of birds that live there, but it's been closed to the public since January due to flooding.
Normally, the preserve encourages visitors, with not one but three signs leading off the 178 towards the entrance to the preserve, where 339 different bird species have been cataloged across roughly 3,600 acres of land.
"This is like our version of a rainforest, in a way," said Kern River Preserve Manager Reed Tollefson. "It's not driven by rain, it's driven by snowmelt. The birds actually come from the rainforest, from Mexico, Central America, Brazil. Some of them come up here and spend their summers raising their families and breeding. This is probably one of the most diverse terrestrial ecosystems in California."
Tollefson says that the Kern River slowly changes course as it deposits sediments, building up until it finds lower-lying land to flow into.
"It's a natural process and it's basically inevitable, and it's a big challenge. It's a big challenge for us, it's a big challenge for the county, but it's Mother Nature," said Tollefson.
The parking lot at the entrance to the nature preserve is currently flooded, rendering it inaccessible by car. In order to reach the Visitor Center, you need a pair of hip waders.
"We are not able to get to our Visitor Center, our nature trail, our office, and so forth," said Tollefson.
Tollefson says the water is much needed and hasn't negatively impacted the wildlife in the area. In fact, some are even benefitting from the excess water.
"It's a system that evolved around periodic disturbance and flooding," explained Tollefson, using a cottonwood seed to demonstrate how the tree is adapted to handle adversity.
"It's designed to just fall out into water like this and float away, and the seeds are just absolutely tiny, so everything you need to be a giant cottonwood tree or a willow is in that tiny seed," said Tollefson. "So they're adapted to these flood situations. As the water recedes, they germinate on that mud."
According to Tollefson, the area is a bit more overgrown than usual because preserve staff hasn't been able to get land care equipment in. Because the preserve sits on a plain, the river has flowed over several different areas.
Tollefson says he and 3 part-time employees are responsible for any work that needs to be done on the property.
"We'll get back opened up, it's just going to take time and effort, and we're spread kind of thin," said Tollefson.
Although he says he's sad that the public isn't able to enjoy the preserve right now, he is happy that the wildlife is still doing well.
"These systems are rare in California, and that means the animals that have to live here are rare, and when you are here today, you are listening to all these birds, like yellow warblers and summer tanager and song sparrows, and they rely on this ecosystem, and the flooding doesn't bother them one bit," said Tollefson.
Ultimately, Tollefson says he's just waiting for the day when the public can start coming back and enjoying the preserve.
"I'm looking forward to getting the preserve back open. It'll be on our web page and we'll invite people to come and visit us at our regular working hours, which is sunrise to sunset, 7 days a week."
