Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area - Tule Ranch

Tule Ranch

This 10,000-acre (40 km2) ranch was purchased in 2001 as part of a large expansion of the Wildlife Area. It had been owned by the Glide family for over 130 years. Since the acquisition, approximately 5,000 acres (20 km2) of new wetlands have been restored on this property. The western portion of the Tule Ranch contains vernal pools within a mostly natural grassland. Spectacular wildflower displays occur in the Spring. Some notable breeding grassland species include Grasshopper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow and Western Meadowlark. A prominent landmark in the area is the Umbrella Barn, a large wooden barn that is over 100 years old.

The Tule Ranch is host to a large grazing program. Some fields are managed for maximum nutritional value in the form of legumes such as Burr Clover. These fields also provide important forage for migratory Snow Geese and White-fronted Geese. Cattle are the primary management tool in the vernal pool habitat area. Their removal of thatch from the thick stands of annual rye grass help facilitate the germination of native forbs in this area, resulting in spectacular blooms of wildflowers each spring. At the very bottom of the Tule Ranch is the Fireman's Club, a square mile of property that contains a historic slough that once drained into the Yolo Basin. This section of land was hunted by the Dixon Fire District employees for many years in exchange for their emergency services to the ranch.