BCCER History

For at least 500 years Native Americans occupied the area now known as BCCER. They utilized a wide variety of naturally occurring resources. While they did not farm in the traditional sense, they were land stewards, enhancing production of resources by selectively burning and carefully cultivating natural stands of plants while gathering them for food and fiber. However, by 1800 or before, native American populations were decimated by diseases of European origin, communities disappeared, and traditional land stewardship could no longer be maintained.

By 1850 persons of European ancestry began to settle the area. They cut timber for their own use and for sale to the developing community of Chico and turned loose cattle, pigs, and sheep to graze. Native wildlife was hunted and trapped for food or sale and to prevent predation on livestock. As more people homesteaded the area, fences were built to separate herds. In the later part of the 18th century, timber in the upper watershed of Big Chico Creek began to be extensively exploited. In 1874 a flume was completed from near Chico Creek headwaters to the town of Chico, passing through the area of the BCCER. This flume included "flumetender's cabins and a telegraph line. The flume operated until about 1910. Vast changes in the ecosystem followed the homesteaders and their livestock. Much of the timberland was replaced by brush and the perennial native grasses were replaced by exotic annual grasses and weeds. Gradually the early homestead families sold out to owners of large cattle ranches and left the area. Cattle were generally driven to high country in summer and back to the home ranch in fall. As pastures deteriorated the ranches were no longer profitable and speculators began to buy up the land for potential development. One reason for setting up the BCCER was to preserve habitat from development.

BCCER was created with the purchase of the Simmons Ranch in 1999 and the Henning Ranch in 2001. It is owned and managed by the California State University, Chico, Research Foundation.