Population Expansion of Bakersfield Cactus on Center for Natural Lands Management Preserves

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is issuing a California Endangered Species Act (CESA) scientific, educational, or management permit pursuant to Fish and Game Code section 2081, subdivision (a) to CNLM (Permit No. 2081(a)-25-019 -RP) for a project to expand the Bakersfield cactus (Opuntia basilaris var. treleasei) populations on the Sand Ridge and Caliente Preserves through pad collection and outplanting. Pads will be collected from preserve donor sites in winter of 2026. Pad collection will be limited to either 200 donor plants or five percent of the existing population, whichever is smaller. Pads will then be outplanted from January to March 2026 into suitable unoccupied locations within the Sand Ridge and Caliente Preserves. Twenty outplanting sites are expected to be planted with 10 pads spaced at 10-foot intervals along a circular route. Each site will be visited monthly to monitor the cactus plants and to water each outplanting through the first summer. Outplanting sites will also be hand weeded as needed during site visits. The translocated plants will be monitored annually for three years following outplanting.