The MCRCD Land Stewardship Program mission is to provide professional, progressive, and sustainable long-term land management that is resilient to climate change and supports native ecosystems and the local community.
Willits Bypass Mitigation Lands
The Willits Bypass Mitigation Lands, located in Little Lake Valley, is the largest public wetlands restoration and mitigation project in the State of California. In 2015, we assumed long term management responsibility for the 2,087-acres of wet meadow, stream corridors, and oak woodlands. CalTrans created a non-wasting endowment through the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation as a permanent source of funding for management and monitoring of mitigation lands. MCRCD, a signatory to the Endowment Agreement, signed a 10-year interim contract to provide necessary on-the-ground land management and monitoring services. Four staff members manage and monitor grazing impacts to listed species, ecosystem function, and overall biological diversity.
Our Willits Mitigation Lands Blog: recent posts
- Week #32 Birds of PreyThis Red-shouldered Hawk and White-tailed Kite have been using the same perch to scan for prey and fill their bellies.…
- Two Large New World SparrowsNovember 21, 2023 As fall continues, leaves cover the ground, trees become silhouettes, bird nests are exposed, and it is…
- Week #31 Vultures by the CreekWatch these Turkey Vultures scavenge for food, drink some water, and bask in the sun!
Our Willits Mitigation Lands Videos
Our team has created dozens of videos showing the diversity of life in Little Lake Valley’s Willits Wetlands. Please see our YouTube channel for the complete video collection.
Our Willits Mitigation Lands Gallery
Above is a sample of recent photos from the Little Lake Valley. See the complete gallery for more.
