By Mark Grossi / The Fresno Bee
April 12, 2010, 8:01 a.m.
The Tulare Basin Wildlife Management Area just added nearly 800 acres of wetlands for migrating birds, waterfowl and other wildlife in the southern San Joaquin Valley.
Federal officials are building toward protection of 22,000 acres in Kern and Tulare counties. And this is an effort worth watching.
Many decades ago before agriculture flourished here, the Tulare Lake was the largest fresh water lake west of the Mississippi.
To recapture a remnant of the lost habitat, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service created the wildlife management area three years ago, calling it an important stopping point for migrating birds along the international Pacific Flyway.
In March, the service added its first Kern acreage. Conservation easements totaling more than $1.1 million brought two tracts of wetland habitats into the management area.
They will be managed as part of the Kern National Wildlife Refuge. The acquisitions include the 150-acre Santura Duck Club tract for $240,000 and 627-acre Rancho Visalia tract for $875,000.
The easements are arranged with willing sellers. The money comes from the sale of federal duck stamps.
Other partners in the project include the Tulare Basin Wetlands Association, California Waterfowl Association, California Outdoor Heritage Alliance and other member groups of the Tulare Basin Wildlife Partners.
Read more: http://fresnobeehive.com/news/2010/04/tulare_basin_wildlife_area_exp.html#ixzz0mLlY545Y