ABOUT US

Robb and Regina Hirsch consider themselves fortunate, current residents and caretakers of the land at Red Tail Ranch, rather than “owners”.

Their goals for Red Tail Ranch include habitat conservation, and connecting people to nature. Protecting the rich natural and cultural resources on site is a critical component of the property. Robb and Regina deeply value facilitating experiences in nature, understanding that these encounters help people connect with and appreciate the natural world, hopefully becoming better stewards of the land themselves.

Regina’s family roots in the area go back to the 1850’s when her great-grandparents, straight off a boat from Italy, decided with other Italian families to homestead in Groveland. Over the years, the Laveroni’s had many businesses including owning the Iron Door Saloon, a lumber mill and a small chicken egg farm. The park in town is named after Regina’s grandmother, Mary Laveroni, a true matriarch of the community and brilliantly progressive woman. It is no exaggeration to say that Regina’s father and grandfather often visited this property, before it was Red Tail Ranch, on their explorations many decades ago.

In 2002, Robb and Regina put their biology careers on hold and moved to the foothills to start Mountain Sage on the old family property in downtown Groveland. The business has evolved to include a coffee and teahouse, plant nursery and gardens, music venue, and the gallery of Robb’s nature photography. The Mountain Sage has remained a community gathering spot and a regular stop for travelers in and out of Yosemite.

Though still overseeing Mountain Sage, Robb and Regina currently spend much of their time on other pursuits. Regina’s focus shifted into water conservation, ultimately inspiring her to start Watershed Progressive, a constantly evolving business committed to better use and reuse of the precious resource. Projects include large- and small-scale graywater systems, rainwater catchment, landscape design and habitat restoration on the individual or community scale, throughout California.

Robb has followed a path into nature photography in an effort use the medium as a mechanism to help people connect to and learn about the natural world. In 2020, his book The Nature Of Yosemite- A Visual Journey, was published by the Yosemite Conservancy- a coffee table photography book with text teaching about the natural history of the park. He currently leads photo workshops in Yosemite and surrounding Sierra Nevada and is collaborating on his second book on Yosemite Wildlife.