Wonder

Dry Creek wildflower meadows, Tulare County

Meadows of Dry Creek Preserve, California
Meadows of Dry Creek Preserve / , Flickr / CC BY 2.0

WorldBlue  In short

Valley of Dry Creek in Tulare County is better known and protected due to a rare biotope – sycamore alluvial woodland community. In total there are only 17 such woodlands known in California and the one in Dry Creek is the third largest and is considered to be healthy. The area contains many species of rare plants.

3.4 out of 10 stars 33.5%

GPS coordinates
36.44217 N 119.02939 W
Location, address
North America, United States, California, Tulare County, 4 km north-east from Lake Kaweah, the valley of Dry Creek
Dominating species
California sycamore (Platanus racemosa Nutt.), California poppy (Eschscholzia californica Cham.), baby blue eyes (Nemophila menziesii Hook. & Arn.), fiddlenecks (Amsinckia sp.) and others

Map of the site

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WorldYellow In detail

This monument here is included due to impressive spring wildflower displays – there are few wildflower meadows in this part of California which can be compared to Dry Creek wildflower meadows regarding the size and visual impressiveness.

Gravel mine turns into preserve

Spring wildflowers of Dry Creek Preserve, California
Spring wildflowers of Dry Creek Preserve / , Flickr / CC BY 2.0

In 2004 California Portland Cement Company suspended mining of gravel in their Dry Creek mine located at the lower reaches of the valley. The land of the former quarry was granted to Sequoia Riverlands Trust.

Unfortunately, the mining operations did change the landscape. Old sycamores and oaks were felled, streambed of Dry Creek was changed. Restoration activities included the re-establishment of natural stream patterns and vegetation. The diversity of the unique Californian nature is returning here. As the activities will bring more success, the area will be opened for tourism.

Beautiful dream coming true

Part of this beauty is man-made – the thorough work of nature conservation activists and landscape designers has turned the former industrial landscape into magnificent scenery. Here man has proved that he is a venerable part of nature.

If the winter has been generous with the right amount of rain at the right times – there can’t be a more beautiful place to enjoy the spring than the valley of Dry Creek. The walk through the endless cover of diverse flowers and sparse growths of sycamores with bright orange and green hillsides all around… this world can’t get more beautiful than this.

References

  1. Beautiful gallery! Spring Wildflowers before the Storm, Creator’s Palette, accessed on February 27, 2010
  2. Dry Creek Preserve, Sequoia Riverlands Trust website, accessed on February 27, 2010
  3. Dry Creek Preserve, Visalia website, accessed on February 27, 2010
  4. Wildflowers, Visalia Times Delta, accessed on February 27, 2010
Dry Creek wildflower meadows of Tulare County are included in the following list:

WorldYellow Linked articles

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve / , Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Top 10 locations of California poppy meadows and fields

California poppy meadows belong to the most impressive wildflower displays in the world. Their unusually clear and brilliant color seems to come from another, better reality. This flower has created a passion that is rare elsewhere in the world. Many Californians are obsessed with “wildflower hunting” – search of beautiful meadows, photographing, and just pure enjoyment of beauty.

Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge / David Ohmer, / CC BY 2.0

Wonders of California

Although California is one of the states in the United States of America, Americans often compare it to a separate country, e.g. “if California would be a country, it would have the eighth largest economy in the world”. We can go on with this comparison – California has more landmarks and attractions than many large countries of the world.

Dragon's Blood Trees, Soqatra
Dragon’s Blood Trees, Soqatra / Rod Waddington, Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

Ecosystems

Biotope is a rather small area with uniform environmental conditions and a specific community of life. Wondermondo describes biotopes and ecosystems which have striking looks, look very beautiful, or have other unusual characteristics.

WorldYellow Recommended books

Historic Tulare County

A Sesquicentennial history 1852-2002.

The Way it Was: The Colorful History of Tulare County

A colorful history of Tulare County California.


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