"Forever Wild" Nature Preserve
The beauty of the Forever Wild acreage is a true balance between vineyard and nature. The 350 acres of oak woodlands are protected as Forever Wild space. These days, the natural beauty can be seen in the Red-Tailed Hawks soaring overhead.
The Oak trees that cover the hillside of Forever Wild provide a home to a diverse group of wildlife and plant communities. Valley Oaks stand above smaller Coast Live Oaks, Blue Oaks, and Oregon Oak trees. In the shade of the trees and meadows that dot the landscape, wildflowers provide a pop of color. California poppies, lupins, and lilies can all be found blooming on spring walks.
Soaring over the hillsides and vineyards raptors of all kinds call the forest home. Red-Tailed Hawks perch on treetops to keep an eye out for prey, while White-Tailed Kites hover over vineyards and meadows trying to spot other small animals. At night, owls emerge from their daytime hideaways and owl boxes to quietly take down prey. This diverse group of birds helps limit rodent populations, that left unchecked can damage vineyards. The songbirds that can be heard singing in the hills provide an equally important role. Bluebirds will glide through the vineyards searching for insects that can damage the fruit. The natural pest control that birds provide helps us maintain the vineyard as sustainably as possible.
Utilizing motion-sensing cameras placed throughout the forest we have been able to capture images of wildlife moving across the landscape. A healthy group of deer shares the landscape with packs of coyotes, stealthy bobcats, and curious grey foxes. Flocks of turkey's roost high in the trees and roam the hillsides during the day searching for food. Rabbits and hares bound along, always keeping a wary eye on predators.
The water that falls on the trees and grasses in Forever Wild gets naturally filtered through the matrix of roots as it makes it's way downstream to the lake. Looking out from the Lakeside Pavilions, one can watch the daily gathering of ducks, geese, and wandering cranes.
Forever Wild is a standing tribute to the beauty in the balance between vineyard and nature that Bob and Renee Stein first envisioned almost thirty years ago.
This is the reason we consider Forever Wild to be the heart of the Notre Vue Estate.
