A true piece of California's heritage
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Ecology
Today, with the ever-encroaching urbanization of the area, portions of the Ranch are natural habitats for various species of mammals, birds, fish, plants, reptiles, and insect species.
Nature of the Area Gallery
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Valley Oak Woodland and Riparian: The Ranch is upland valley oak woodland terrain (watershed slopes directly above bottomlands or flood lands), and riparian terrain bottomlands (below upland terrain but above water channels), and the Cosumnes River and Deer Creek channels.
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Habitat: Species making their home on portions of the Mahon Ranch include deer, black bear, porcupine, bobcat, mountain lion, river otter, weasel, muskrat, raccoon, opossum, squirrel, coyote, beaver, fox, salmon, Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle, night heron, ibis, egret, crane, duck, geese and scores of other birds, insects and invertebrates – both year-around residents and migratory species.
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Soils: The Ranch consists of Prime Farmland and Farmland of Statewide Importance which support a rich agricultural operation along with sustaining a robust array of plant life including Valley Oak, Sycamore, Box Elder, Willow, Ash and Cottonwood trees.
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Conservation, Protection and Preservation: In 2012, in concert with the City of Elk Grove, the Ranch established a 62-acre conservation easement on the Home Ranch property for Swainson Hawks (Buteo swainsoni). The Deer Creek and Cosumnes River riparian corridors and the farming practices on the Mahon Ranch provide optimally suitable nesting habitat and foraging opportunities for Swainson Hawks. Continuing our land use and preservation practices, in 2022, the Ranch worked with the City to add 102 acres of protected land for the Swainson Hawks.
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We’re proud of our family’s stewardship of the land, the habitat it supports and our farming practices which have preserved and enhanced the environment of the Ranch for more than 140 years.
