Conservation Purpose: The Remy Preserve contains nearly 100 acres of wetlands, primarily seasonal wetlands known as vernal pools. Vernal pools are found throughout California and other parts of the world where they form on soils characterized by impermeable subsurface soil layers such as claypans, hardpans, or cemented volcanic mud flows and basalt flows. These shallow soils cause rainfall to pond in localized small depressions, typically less than 1000 square feet in size, forming temporary wetlands that support a rich diversity of flora and fauna, most of which are only found in California. As much as 90% to 95% of these habitats have been lost to agriculture and urban development and many of those vernal pools that remain support species listed as either threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Vernal pools at the Remy Preserve support populations of the federally threatened vernal pool fairy shrimp. Aside from this federally protected species, the Remy Preserve supports populations of several rare plants such as dwarf downingia and rare wildlife such as loggerhead shrike, burrowing owl, Swainson's hawk and many others.

Habitat Types: Aside from vernal pools, the preserve contains scattered areas of freshwater marsh with cattails and tules. The naturally occurring vernal pools and other wetlands are intermixed with constructed wetlands that have been built to compensate for wetlands filled for the North Village development. Like many of California's grasslands and prairies, the majority of the preserve is dominated by non-native annual grasses and forbs, primarily soft chess, filaree, and foxtail fescue. Although non-native annual grasslands are the dominant habitat type at the preserve, the vernal pools and surrounding uplands still support a diverse assemblage of native plants such as goldfields, tidytips, owl's clover, shooting stars, poppies, brodiea, lupine, popcorn flower, and many others providing a spectacular wildflower display in the spring. The southern parcel contains a large area of alkaline grassland dominated by salt grass, a native plant commonly found in areas with saline soils along the western Sacramento Valley and the western and southern margins of the San Joaquin valley.

Management: Although not currently grazed, a prescribed grazing program is planned for the preserve. Cattle grazing reduces the dominance of non-native annual grasses such as soft chess and annual ryegrass and improves habitat conditions for native wildflowers and some vernal pool plants, particularly those plants that grow at the edges of vernal pools where competition from exotic annual grasses is most intense. Additionally, the preserve is periodically burned to decrease exotic weeds such as medusa-head and barbed goat grass. Public access is only allowed with the permission of the Preserve Manager.

Manager: The Preserve is managed by Cathy Little. The Center for Natural Lands Management holds a conservation easement and manages the preserve under contract with Discovery Builders, a private company that owns the Preserve.

For information and inquiries please contact:

Cathy Little
Preserve Manager
e-mail: clittle@cnlm.org