Natural History Wanderings

Marin Independent Journal reports on the closing of Historic I Ranch, aka McClure’s Dairy, the largest and oldest dairy in Point Reyes National Seashore,

This is an opportune time to restore the 1,076 acres and turn it back into the wild coastal prairie it once was.
California’s coastal prairies are the most species-rich grassland type in North America, supporting a myriad of wildlife from top predator mountain lions down to the diminutive long-tail weasel.
Coastal prairies are also endangered due to habitat loss, classified as an “environmentally sensitive habitat” and protected by the California Coastal Act.
Restoration implies returning the land to a prior state, but the goal is not re-creating some arbitrary historical ideal, but rather restoring basic ecological functions. Wind, salt spray and fire, as well as grazing and browsing by native species, are natural disturbances that maintain coastal prairies.

Read full article at Marin Voice: Point Reyes ranch closure an opportunity to ‘re-wild’ coast – Marin Independent Journal