Orvis Ranch
Stanislaus and Calaveras
Counties
Progress and Preservation in Harmony with
Nature
On March 31, 2006,
Bruce and Roma Orvis entered into a conservation easement agreement with the
California Rangeland Trust that ensures the 2,563-acreOrvis Ranch will forever
remain the same. Situated in the rolling foothills, the property is twenty-eight
miles east of Stockton and straddles Stanislaus
and Calaveras Counties. Owned and operated by the
family since 1873, the Orvis Ranch has been grazed for generations and is part
of the historic Snow Ranch. Today, Mr. Orvis manages a purebred Hereford operation on the
Ranch. The Ranch is an example of progress and preservation in harmony with
nature. Vegetation in the area is primarily annual grassland, thus the property
is used for year-round cattle grazing. The Ranch provides important foraging
habitat for a variety of animal species, and also features concentrations of
vernal pools and other important plant communities. Native birds depend on the
annual grasslands and also benefit from keeping the property agriculturally
active. In the spring, native wildflowers are highly scenic along the hills and
drainages, and provide much desired open space. The purpose of the conservation
easement is to allow ongoing agricultural productivity of the property while
conserving the open space, historical value, scenic character, and wildlife
habitat. The California Rangeland Trust worked with the Trust for Public Land
in assembling funds from the State of California Department of Conservation,
the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Great Valley
Center to purchase the
conservation easement. The conservation agreement will ensure that the natural
environment and agricultural lifestyle will both be preserved in perpetuity.
Designed by: