Some of the lowlands were farmed and the remainder used for grazing cattle. In 1934, Alexander Stewart Russell purchased the land in the watershed. Following the suggestions of UC extension forester Woody Metcalf Mr. Russell planted more than 22,000 trees including Monterey pines, coast redwoods, Arizona cypresses, and Giant Sequoias. The original barn, blacksmith shop, and machine shops now see uses as storage, shelter, workshop, and laboratory. There also are houses for the resident manager and student helpers.
Ample room exists for project work.
No overnight lodging is available except on a temporary basis in provided trailers. A road system runs through the valleys of Russell Reservation with some roads reaching ridgetops. The reservation operates on a well water system and has water available throughout the valley. However, potable water has to be brought in, and some types of research are constrained by lack of large volumes of water. The property's heavy machinery includes a bulldozer, tractor, and portable sawmill.