a lot of migratory geese and ducks, the deer come through every year, and then we have bears, bobcats, mountain lions and coyotes, so we try to keep it as natural as we can.” A partnership that the couple has with Cal Fire, Mike Sardella says, is a win-win because burning clears the land of invasive species and offers the agency a place to train firefighters with controlled burns. “It opens up the ground to more grass and the wildlife comes in and feeds off all that new growth,” he says. To preserve the natural state of the ranch, the couple worked with California Rangeland Trust to be the county’s first property to be placed in a conservation easement. The voluntary, legal agreement permanently limits uses of the land to conserve natural resources. “As property disappears, the whole lifestyle is going to disappear with it, so it is best to see if we can keep that alive by doing our part,” Mike Sardella says. The ranch also includes historic features dating from the 1880s, including a mining camp, chapel, remnants from a Chinese labor camp and Native American grinding rocks. The Sardellas say they are grateful for the Leopold Conservation Award nomination. “Being a finalist shows us we are on the right track,” Julie Sardella says. “We are listening to the land.”
Christine Souza csouza@californiabountiful.com
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