Mariner Preserve

Area: 160 acres

Location: City of Lincoln, Placer County, California

Date Acquired: 2007

Acquisition Type: CNLM holds a conservation easement to protect imperiled species and habitats that exist on the preserve in perpetuity. The preserve is owned by third party.

Key Habitats: Vernal Pools and California Annual and Perennial Grassland

Species of Special Interest to CNLM:  Vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi) and  Vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi)

Introduction

In November of 2006, Elizabeth Mariner set aside 160 acres of land as a conservation bank, creating the Mariner Preserve. In 2007, the property was transferred in fee title to Westervelt Ecological Services, who initiated management of the Preserve. The Center for Natural Lands Management (CNLM) accepted a conservation easement over the property on February 6, 2007, ensuring that the Mariner Preserve will be protected forever in its natural state, and will continue to support the native flora and fauna of its wetlands and uplands. The role of CNLM is to monitor the Preserve and ensure that the terms of the conservation easement are maintained in perpetuity.

Conservation Significance

The Mariner Preserve is comprised of vernal pools, wetlands, and uplands, and provides high quality habitat for the federally endangered vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi), and the federally threatened vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi). These small crustaceans are only found in vernal pools (seasonal, rain-filled wetlands) and only about 10% of California’s original vernal pools remain.  This unique habitat faces the pressures of increasing urbanization and agricultural conversion of open space lands. In addition to tadpole and fairy shrimp, the Mariner Preserve supports diverse native California flora such as coyote thistle (Eryngium vaseyi), slender popcorn flower (Plagiobothrys stipitatus micranthus), and woolly marbles (Psilocarphus brevissimus).

Our Work

Our role and responsibilities with Mariner Preserve is to monitor the conservation easement for the protection of the imperiled species that are found or the Preserve.   The preserve is managed by the owner primarily through the use of cattle grazing to preserve the conservation values of the site by promoting native vernal pool plants and reducing thatch accumulation.

All mitigation bank credits for the Mariner Preserve have been sold and the bank is closed.

Public Access

Due to the vulnerability of the species and habitats that exist on this Preserve, it is not open to the public.