A Memorial Grove has been established on the western side of the Preserve. From time to time, families have asked that loved ones be remembered with planting on the Preserve and to honor their requests, plantings have been made in the memories of:

They grow well in an arid climate such as we have in Kern County; the Kern River runs through the Preserve, so the water table is relatively high. Although they will need a few years of watering to become established and have reached the water table, PVP will look after your planting and see that it flourishes.

Oak is a symbol of strength, courage, and endurance. It is slow-growing but tough. On the Preserve, critters enjoy its shade and its acorns are a good food resource for birds, cottontails, jackrabbits, and small rodents.

Like an oak, the elderberry bush is long-lived but grows more quickly (3 to 17 feet). Its berries, either fresh or sun-dried are one of the most important food resources for birds on the Preserve. Bunnies and other creatures find shelter and cool shade within its shrubbery. For Native Americans who once hunted and gathered in this territory, its dried berries were prized for food, especially in winter, and its twigs and branches were used in basketry or made into tools and musical instruments. Its abundance meant life, survival, and celebration.

The California Sycamore is one of the most majestic of trees on the Preserve. The Preserve has some of the best surviving riparian stands in California. It may grow to 75 feet high, with multiple trunks. Its silvery, mottled white and gray bark is very attractive. It likes water in its early days but it does well once its roots reach the water table. Birds, such as goldfinches, feed on its seed, and other birds, such as orioles, build nests in their branches.