Bufford Ranch

The Bufford Ranch is located about 50 miles east of Bakersfield and 23 miles south of Lake Isabella on the north side of Walker Basin. Two conservation easements were placed on the ranch, one in 2013 and another in 2016, to bring the total conserved area to 845 acres. Property uses include cattle grazing, small game hunting, an archaeological site, and wildlife habitat. The eco-region diversity lends itself to a great variety of wildlife and plant species, some of which are rare or special status species. Animals found on the Property include deer, bear, mountain lion, bobcat, coyotes, bandtail, ducks, skunk, quail, and badger. The conservation easement ensures the rangeland environment, agricultural productivity, open space created by working landscapes, archaeological and cultural resources, plant and wildlife habitat, and associated watershed will be conserved and sustained in perpetuity. With the amount of development in the area, conservation of this ranch buffers an important wildlife corridor. With the 7,300 acres of Bureau of Land Management ground and the Nature Conservancy’s Caliente Ranch nearby, the Bufford Ranch expands connectivity between the Tehachapi and US Forest Service lands and ensures a buffer against further subdivision.