Cloverdale Ranch

Cloverdale Ranch is unique on the Coastside for its abundant water sources, both natural and man-made, which support habitats for many rare, threatened and endangered species while also supplying needed water for farmers. These include: 

• Butano Creek provides water for farmers and habitat for steelhead and Coho salmon. 
• Gazos Creek also provides steelhead and coho spawning grounds. 
• Arroyo de los Frijoles (“Bean Hollow”) watershed contains three reservoirs that support farming and rare wetland habitats for wildlife. These constitute the Lake Lucerne Water System serving local farmers. 
• Numerous ponds are found throughout the property. 

Cloverdale Ranch uplands includes large tracts of biologically rich coastal grasslands,  including some healthy stands of native grasses and wildflowers. Coastal grasslands are one of the most biodiverse and threatened ecosystems in North America.

Coastal grasslands evolved with, and benefit from, regular disturbance to prevent loss of biodiversity to introduced species, shrubs and forest. These disturbances were historically provided by grazing wildlife herds, natural fires and Native American burning practices. Later, the Coastside’s ranching history helped keep many of these grasslands undeveloped and prevented encroachment. 

Cloverdale is rich in native plant and animals including rare special status species such as San Francisco garter snake, California red-legged frog, northern harrier, olive-sided flycatcher, loggerhead shrike, common yellowthroat, and grasshopper sparrow. Endangered marbled murrelets, a seabird that nests in old-growth trees, are known to reproduce in the Gazos Creek watershed and have been observed flying over the ranch. 

Over 600 different species of plants grow in and around Cloverdale Ranch, including in nearly 450 acres of sensitive natural communities like riparian forests and freshwater wetlands. Cloverdale is located along the Pacific flyway and experiences use by a number of migrating birds including burrowing owl (overwintering) and grasshopper sparrow. It also supports endemic/local bird species such as the savannah sparrow that make use of the perennial coastal grasslands.