Why is the Reserve on Woodbridge Road?
One of the Department of Fish & Game’s (DFG) objectives is to maintain ecological reserves and marine protected areas intended to conserve unique, fragile habitats, which can function to protect and restore rare and threatened native species. The greater sandhill crane population has diminished in California to a point where they were listed as a threatened species in 1983. The Stockton delta wetlands (inclusive of this reserve) provide the largest area of freshwater marsh wintering habitat in the state, not only for Sandhill cranes but for other waterfowl as well. The South site of the reserve was purchased by DFG in October of 1985 from the El Dorado Duck Club. The 145-acre Duck club was one of the only destination points along Woodbridge Road following the early Delta reclamation efforts. This site has 4 major ponds which are irrigated by water from Sycamore Slough during the winter months to provide fresh water habitat for the Sandhill Cranes. This site at Woodbridge Ecological Res
