Melo Wetlands
Melo Wetland Preserve is open dawn to dusk
Melo Wetland Preserve is located at 2590 Clipper Lane in Lakeport, CA. Limited parking is available. Click for map below.
The Melo Wetland Preserve is the Lake County Land Trust’s first purchase of land in the Big Valley Wetlands preservation area, a property which has become a keystone parcel for what is becoming the largest protected area of wetland/riparian habitats adjacent to Clear Lake. Purchase of this 34-acre shoreline and inland wetland property from George and Lisa Melo was completed in October, 2016. Since then, the LCLT has acquired two more wetland properties that have been combined as the Wright-Keithly Preserve in the Big Valley area to bring the total protected acreage to over 300.
This vital Clear Lake shoreline stretches from Clear Lake State Park, west to Lakeport and maintains high value habitats with pristine lakeshore vegetation and mature oaks used by a variety of species. The Melo Wetland Preserve, located at Clipper Lane off Soda Bay Road includes beautiful native wetland and shoreline forests as well as upland wet meadow, pasture, and oaks. The Land Trust will steward this property for its wildlife values including its littoral shoreline that provides nesting habitat for both wildfowl and fish; and tules that provide a filtration system important to the water quality of Clear Lake.
A management plan has been developed and public access is provided. There are no restroom facilities and parking is limited, but walkers are welcome. The goals for this preserve are to protect the natural values of the land and shoreline but allow public access, especially to the nearby communities of Holiday Cove and Lands End.
The property is part of the Big Valley Wetlands Conceptual Area Protection Plan (CAPP) developed by the Lake County Land Trust and approved by the State Department of Fish and Wildlife. The existence of the CAPP, which includes numerous properties along this shoreline, makes the area eligible for funding from the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), the land acquisition arm of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The purchase price was $215,000 plus appraisal and closing costs, of which $110,000 was contributed by the WCB. The remainder of the funds came from individual donations, foundations and businesses. Of note was an original $20,000 donation from John Sheridan and Andrea DuFlon which kicked off the fundraising campaign in 2014. The Pitzer Family Foundation of Southern California also donated $35,000; The Priest Foundation, the Keeling-Barnes Family Foundation, funds from both the Robert Morse and John Graham bequests were used, as were donations from numerous individuals and businesses who, it may be assumed, care deeply for the preservation of our beautiful county. The Lake County Land Trust appreciates the commitment of our dedicated supporters in ensuring that land such as this will be preserved in perpetuity!
Enjoy the following video to see the Melo Wetland Preserve via drone, produced and narrated by the late LCLT volunteer and supporter Bob Schoenherr: