The Rodman Preserve
Wetlands at Rodman Preserve
Rodman Preserve is open Saturdays from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm or by appointment
To arrange an alternative day call 707-262-0707 or email us at LCLT@LakeCountyLandTrust.org.
Rodman Preserve is located at 6350 Westlake Rd., Upper Lake, CA. Click for map below.
Visitors are welcome to enjoy unguided hikes. Heavy rains can impact the trails, so at times water-proof boots are needed for comfortable walking. If trails need to be closed because of excessive rains, we will do our best to notify the public through our website and Facebook posts. Please note because of the sensitive nature of the wildlife habitat, dogs are not allowed on the trails.
Rodman Preserve is a conservation jewel.
The Rodman Preserve project (formerly known as the Rodman Slough Preserve) was a joint effort between the Lake County Land Trust, the County of Lake and private land owners. LCLT holds title to 132 acres that includes oak grasslands, wetland habitat, and a small ranch house that has been renovated to serve as a Nature Center.
102 acres are owned by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife which funded the purchase through the Wildlife Conservation Board, and County of Lake owns the 41 acre Rodman Slough Park near the bridge over Rodman Slough. That part of the acquisition was funded by a grant from the California Department of Parks and Recreation. The remainder of the property, which was and is in agricultural production is privately owned and LCLT holds a
conservation easement on an oak-studded hillside that is part of that land.
It has been amazing and heartening to find so many native grasses on this property and the result has been the creation of a modest native grass restoration project. Seeds from the grasses at Rodman Preserve have been collected, grown to seedlings, and then transplanted at the preserve. The current and most productive plan, however, is to hand weed around the biggest patches of native grasses that have been identified. This is an on-going project and the Land Trust is continuing to search for volunteers to participate in this project. The long term goal is to create a California native grass prairie at the preserve. Please join us in this effort.
Self guided walks are available every Saturday.
The Rodman Preserve gate will be open from 9 am - 2 pm. The preserve offers a moderate one and a half mile walk where visitors will see birdlife and even some mammals like foxes and coyotes. A Land Trust volunteer will be present at the nature center to welcome guests.
Special field trips can be arranged by contacting the Lake County Land Trust. As funding and volunteer participation becomes available the hours of the center will be expanded.
Native California bunch grasses continue to flourish at the Rodman Preserve
By Roberta Lyons, LCLT board of trustees
The over 200 acre property known as the Rodman Preserve is a beautiful area of upland oak habitat and open meadows which feature a variety of grasses and forbes. Fortunately among the plethora of “non-native” grasses are also thriving numerous native California bunch grasses.
Thanks to the expertise of former Executive Director and now board member, Catherine Koehler, who is a general ecologist but also specializes in California’s native forbes and grasses, at least five different species of native bunch grasses have been identified on the preserve including: California Purple Needle Grass (Stipa pulchra); Squirrel Tail (Elymus elymoides); California Brome (Bromus carinatus) and Blue Wild Rye (Elymus Glaucous).