The preserve is truly a treasure for the region, and I was fortunate to be able to play a role in obtaining funding for it, but unfortunately, the public is very restricted in its access to it, (sadly apparent in that most events celebrating it will be at a Galt town center rather than at the Preserve) an access that still remains open to the public in the American River Parkway.
Galt festival to celebrate Cosumnes River Preserve
By Mary Lynne Vellinga - mlvellinga@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PST Sunday, December 30, 2007
In search of a distinct identity, the city of Galt is aligning itself more closely with the Cosumnes River Preserve, the vast wonderland of waterfowl on its border.
On Jan. 12, the city will hold its first Annual Winter Bird Festival, in celebration of the many species of migratory and resident birds that flock to the 46,000-acre Cosumnes preserve during the winter months.
Most of the events will take place at the Chabolla Center. They will include expert speakers, a "Crane Culture" theater performance by the group Save Our Sandhill Cranes, and children's activities.
School buses also will take people on morning and evening driving tours of the preserve, whose flooded fields are teeming with a wide variety of birds.
The idea for the festival came from City Councilman and former Mayor Tim Raboy.
"What I've been trying to do for many years on the council is show the environmental benefits of living in Galt," Raboy said. "So many people in Galt have never been out to the preserve and walked the trails there. … They just think it's a big area with thousands of protected acres that no one can ever go on.
"My goal has always been to increase the size of the preserve between Elk Grove and Galt and have more of a greenbelt than there is now … I'm hoping that people will see more of the benefit."
Harry McQuillen, manager of the Cosumnes preserve, said the city's idea was "to take community ownership of the preserve."…
While much of the preserve remains inaccessible, The Nature Conservancy and its various government and nonprofit partners operate about four miles of trails, some of them wheelchair-accessible, and a visitors center on Franklin Road.
