Bakersfield Cactus Beard Ranch Population Expansion Project

Bakersfield Cactus Beard Ranch Population Expansion Project

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is issuing a permit to The Nature Conservancy [Permit No. 2081(a)-21-019-RP] pursuant to Fish and Game Code section 2081(a) for a project to expand and establish Bakersfield cactus into unoccupied areas within its current range. The Project includes collecting and preparing pads of Bakersfield cactus and transplanting the pads into 39 acres of unoccupied habitat on Beard Ranch, a property owned by The Nature Conservancy. In January 2022, up to 100 pads will be collected from up to three CNDDB EOs. Only one terminal pad will be collected from each plant or clump that contains at least 20 pads. Each recipient site where the pads will be planted will be cleared of all vegetation via mechanical methods to reduce competition, and a small hole will be excavated for each pad. Immediately after pad collection, 30-50 of the pads will be placed on the ground at each recipient site for about two weeks until the cut ends are callused over. In January/February 2022, plants will be placed directly in the ground into the prepared holes, watered immediately, and rocks will be placed around plants to increase plant vigor. All planting will occur within newly created pastures that have exclusionary fencing around the perimeter and these pastures will remain ungrazed until plants become well-established (approximately two years). Following the two-year establishment period, cattle will be allowed to seasonally graze the pasture and are expected to effectively reduce non-native weed competition with Bakersfield cactus. Data on the survival, number of pads, and the overall health of each cactus will be monitored annually in the fall for five years.

Bakersfield

Kern

Southern California