Where the Critters Roam

   Mark Grossi THE FRESNO BEE

MARIPOSA On Frank Long's foothills, cow pies apparently are signs of good health for nature.

The ubiquitous dark blobs mean cows have been eating the grass, opening up many places in the thick green carpet where small critters flourish and buttercups, lupines and poppies put on brilliant spring shows.

After 54 years of ranching here, Long has no wish to see houses in place of critters, wildflowers or even cow pies. He sold the development rights to conservationists who won't allow homes, commercial development, oak tree removal or other significant changes on about 2,900 acres near Mariposa.

His property will remain a working ranch, even as development reaches into the oak-studded foothills between the new University of California at Merced and Yosemite National Park.

"I know UC Merced is coming in and homes on 5-acre lots with it," he said. "It's going to happen all around us. The ranch is better the way it is."

Conservationists believe his ranch would have attracted developers. It is part of the view along a stretch of Highway 140, one of the main year-round routes into Yosemite.

As UC Merced grows, conservationists believe more people will discover the charm of Mariposa County, which has a population of only about 17,000. Long's ranch will provide much-needed open space.

"The idea is to make sure some land remains the way it was before the development builds up in this area," said Robin Park, a project manager with the Trust for Public Land, which helped arrange the deal.

The trust helped the Sierra Foothill Conservancy purchase the development rights, known as a conservation easement, for about $1.4 million supplied by the state Wildlife Conservation Board.

The Foothill Conservancy, based in Central California, holds the easement, which will prevent development, no matter who owns the property in the future.

The money comes from a bond measure in Proposition 12, passed by voters in 2000. Al Wright, executive director of the Wildland Conservation Board, said the arrangement is a good example of protecting oak woodland.

"It's part of our California heritage," he said.

But the idea for the Mariposa-area arrangement came from Long, 78, a former Mariposa County supervisor.

"I don't believe in preservation," he said. "Even a rock changes over time. But this ranch is good for the aquifer underground. It's good for wildlife, like the deer. And it's a terrific view shed."

His foothills offer vistas of majestic ridge lines and several species of oak trees. Tiny early wildflowers peeked out last week on hillsides as nearby creeks rushed down toward lush valleys.

Squalls dumped showers on blue oak and buckeye near a small group of cows munching grass.

The cattle are a surprising key to maintaining healthy conditions, said Chuck Peck, executive director of the Sierra Foothill Conservancy. Peck said he knows that grazing is a contentious issue for environmentalists, who point to trampled meadows and eroded stream banks where cattle have been.

He felt the same way until he began working years ago around table top mountains in Fresno County as the Foothill Conservancy grew.

When cattle were removed from the land, he noticed vernal pools, wildflowers and smaller animals began to disappear as nonnative grasses advanced.

Most of the thick, tall grasses covering California's foothills are invaders brought from other countries over the past 150 years. The vegetation can take over vast areas and wipe out natural habitat for many native plants and animals.

"At this point, it is essential to have responsible grazing to maintain what we have," Peck said. "Without it, the very thing we want to keep here would be gone."

Long agrees. His ranch is home to quail, dove and many other kinds of birds and animals that rely on the conditions his ranch provides, he said.

He has seen more erosion and muddy streams in the Mariposa area as development enters the area, he said. He could have made a lot of money by selling his property to developers, but he said he knew what would happen to the natural resources.

"You start running the heavy machinery around and you'll see erosion," Long said. "The streams run clean and clear through the ranch. It should stay that way."

The reporter can be reached at mgrossi@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6316.

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