Reed Tollefson recently spotted some cottonwood saplings, a sign of regeneration at the Audubon Kern River Preserve. 

After several years of drought the forest had some large patches of dead trees. These cottonwood saplings colonized a niche left by the dead trees after the 2016 flood. Floodwaters were followed by a decent amount of water in year two for these saplings. Baring another drought many of these young trees should thrive under Audubon’s stewardship.