SCC 9/2023

A Few New Coast Parks for California!

MEETING AGENDA
https://scc.ca.gov/2023/08/30/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-in-healdsburg-september-14/


SANTA ANA RIVER PARK IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY: disburse up to $354,000 to augment the Conservancy grant of $2,087,500 previously authorized (8/22/2019) to the City of Riverside for (1) the acquisition of four acres at 5200 Tequesquite Avenue in the City of Riverside in Riverside County
https://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2023/2309/20230914Board03E_City_of_Riverside_SAR_Parkway_Staff_Rec.pdf
MAP: https://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2019/1908/20190822Board10_Santa_Ana_River_Parkway_Ex2.pdf

OJAI IN VENTURA COUNTY: disburse up to $400,000 to the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy to acquire a 44.38-acre property that includes the Riverview trailhead, Ventura River Preserve, in unincorporated Ventura County.
https://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2023/2309/20230914Board03N_Riverview_Acquisition.pdf
MAP: http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2023/2309/20230914Board03N_Riverview_Acquisition_Ex2.pdf

EEL RIVER IN TRINITY COUNTY: disburse up to $3,950,000 to The Wildlands Conservancy to acquire approximately 8,085 acres of the Lone Pine Ranch property at the confluence of the Eel River mainstem and Kekawaka Creek in Trinity County
The project represents the final phase of the acquisition of the formerly private 26,600-acre Lone Pine Ranch for the purposes of preserving and restoring fish and wildlife habitat, providing public access and recreation, and protecting open space and natural resources. When added to the TWC’s adjacent 3,000-acre Emerald Waters Reserve, this acquisition will result in the permanent protection of 29,600 acres of land along the Eel River. ...Acquisition of the Lone Pine Ranch is part of a landscape scale conservation strategy in the Eel River Watershed, complementing conservation land holdings by the Golden State Conservancy at Eel River Ranch and McKee Ridge Ranch and conservation easement acquisitions by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation through the Eel River Peninsula Project upstream of the Lone Pine Ranch.
https://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2023/2309/20230914Board05_Lone_Pine_Ranch-staffrec.pdf
MAP: http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2023/2309/20230914Board05_Lone_Pine_Ranch_Ex1.pdf

NAPA COUNTY: disburse up to $2,375,000 for the Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to acquire 56.8 acres of historic tidal marshland within the lower tidal reach of the Napa River [POSTPONED]

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO BAY: disburse up to $1,188,000 to Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority to prepare a draft master plan for approximately 1,550 acres of conserved lands in Coyote Valley, Santa Clara County.
https://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2023/2309/20230914Board12_Coyote_Valley_Conservation_Areas_Master_Plan.pdf
MAP: http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2023/2309/20230914Board12_Project_Location_Map_Ex1.pdf

SAN LUIS OBISPO: disburse up to $1,570,000 to the California Rangeland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over the 1,014-acre Wong Asuncion Ranch in unincorporated Atascadero
https://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2023/2309/20230914Board18_Wong_Asuncion.pdf
MAP: http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2023/2309/20230914Board18_Wong_Asuncion_Ex1.pdf

LOS CERRITOS IN ORANGE COUNTY: disburse up to $31,852,000 to the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority for the Southern Los Cerritos Wetlands Restoration Project, 103.5 acres of wetlands in Seal Beach formerly known as the Hellman Ranch
https://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2023/2309/20230914Board21_Southern_Los_Cerritos_Wetlands_Final_v2.pdf

WCB 8/2023

Upcoming CA State Wildlife Land Purchase Grants

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD August 24, 2023, 10:00 a.m. Natural Resources Building, First Floor Auditorium 715 P Street Sacramento, CA 95814 Preliminary Agenda Items
Preliminary agenda: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=213634&inline

MAPS and Details: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=213795&inline

IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY:

LuginBuhl Ranch $500,000 Siskiyou County
grant to Siskiyou Land Trust for a cooperative project with Sierra Nevada Conservancy to acquire 320± acres located on the Upper Sacramento and Shasta River watershed near Mount Shasta. Total price: $2.5 million, with $2m from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy

Hart Ranch Conservation Easement - Rabbit Hill $1,475,000 Siskiyou County
grant to American Farmland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 3,354.5± acres located near the community of Montague. Total price: $1.475m

Hart Ranch Conservation Easement – Soda Springs $1,250,000 Siskiyou County
grant to American Farmland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 2,578± acres located near the community of Montague. Total price: $1.25m

Feather River Wildlife Area, Shanghai Bend Unit Transfer $0 Sutter County
transfer of 142± acres of land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to Sutter County to own, operate, and maintain in perpetuity for purposes of public access, public recreation, and habitat preservation. The property is located along the Feather River with 19± acres in Yuba City and the remaining 123± acres

Tahoe Forest Gateway (Leidesdorff) $2,250,000 Placer County
grant to 40 Acre Conservation League for a cooperative project with the Sierra Nevada Conservancy to acquire 650± acres located in Emigrant Gap in Placer County. Total price: $3m, with $750,000 from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy

Dos Rios Norte $22,665,000 Sutter County
grant to River Partners to acquire 1,522.93± acres located approximately five miles east of Knights Landing. Total price: $22.6m.

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IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:

Big Morongo Springs $1,850,000 San Bernardino County
grant to Native American Land Conservancy to acquire 60± acres of land for the protection of a flowing spring located in Big Morongo Canyon. Total price: $2m, with $150,000 from Native American Land Conservancy.

Western Riverside MSHCP Barth $115,000 Riverside County
grant to the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority (WRCRCA) to acquire 20± acres located just east of the city of Temecula. Total price: $330,000, with $214,000 from USFWS.

Western Riverside MSHCP Johnson $371,000 Riverside County to acquire 10± acres of land located in the city of Hemet (withdrawn from agenda)

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IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA:

Walt Ranch $7,000,000 Napa County
grant to Land Trust of Napa County for a cooperative project with State Coastal Conservancy, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and The Conservation Fund to secure permanent conservation of 2,300± acres in the Napa River watershed. Total price: $24.5m, with $6.5m price reduction by the owner, $7m from CA State Coastal Conservancy, and $4m from the Moore Foundation.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/wine/article/walt-ranch-napa-land-trust-17695256.php

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IN THE CENTRAL COAST:

Basin Ranch $8,593,200 Monterey County
grant to Big Sur Land Trust for a cooperative project with the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County to acquire 5,105± acres located in the Salinas River watershed. Total price: $8.68m, with $86,000 from Big Sur Land Trust.
https://www.land.com/property/5105-acres-in-Monterey-County-California/5584354/

Steelhead Preserve $1,625,000 Ventura County
grant to the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy to acquire 21± acres in the Ventura River watershed by expanding the adjacent Ventura River Steelhead Preserve located about seven miles north of the city of Ventura. Total price: $1.625m.

SCC 6/2023

SOME BIG COASTAL PRESERVATION DEALS IN JUNE!

AGENDA:

https://scc.ca.gov/2023/05/18/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-in-sacramento-june-01/
click on agenda item links for maps

TO WATCH ON ZOOM:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_x3pYh8EHQ7WsnkYGeRCn4w

LAND PURCHASES IN GREEN SHADING

DATE: Thursday, June 01, 2023
TIME: 10:00 A.M
LOCATION: California Natural Resource Agency, 715 P Street, Room 2-221 A-C
Sacramento, CA 95814

HUMBOLDT: $5,500,000 to California Trout, Inc. for the acquisition of the 175-acre Prior Ranch for the Elk River Habitat Restoration Project

HUMBOLDT: $4,500,000 to the Hoopa Valley Tribe to acquire approximately 10,300 acres of real property known as the Pine Creek Tract, in the Klamath River watershed (current owner: New Forest, bought in 2018 from Soper-Wheeler. Hoopa tribe will pay a total of 14.1 million))

MENDOCINO: $2,000,000 to the Wildlands Conservancy to acquire 11,692 acres of the Rana Creek Ranch in upper Carmel Valley

MENDOCINO: amend the Conservancy’s revenue sharing agreement with The Conservation Fund for the 16,000 acre Big River/Salmon Creek Forests. State will receive $3.1 million.

SONOMA-NAPA: $1,500,000 to Sonoma Land Trust to acquire the 654-acre McCormick Ranch Property in the Mayacamas Mountains

SONOMA: $515,200 to the Pepperwood Foundation to reduce wildfire risk at 1054 acres out of the 3200 acre Pepperwood Preserve

MONTEREY: $1,090,000, including $970,000 of grant funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation to acquire a conservation easement over 24 acres of agricultural land, floodplain restoration and coastal access along Tembladero Slough, between Castroville and Salinas River State Beach.

SAN LUIS OBISPO: $910,000 to the Land Conservancy of SLO County to acquire a conservation easement over the 736-acre Warren Ranch located in the upper San Simeon and Santa Rosa Creek watersheds

ORANGE COUNTY: $575,000 to the Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy for restoring 44.8 acres of degraded wetlands at Newland Marsh in Huntington Beach

SCC 4/2023

State to Fund Preservation of Two Forested Parcels

https://scc.ca.gov/2023/03/23/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-in-san-rafael-april-06/

Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $41,200 to the Mattole Restoration Council to complete preacquisition activities for 52 acres of wetland, riparian, grassland, and forested habitat on the North Fork Mattole River in Humboldt County. SCC 4/6/2023
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2023/2304/20230406Board03A_Lower_North_Fork_Mattole.pdf

Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $7,000,000 to the Land Trust of Napa County to acquire 465 acres of the 2,300-acre Walt Ranch Property for habitat preservation, biodiversity protection, climate resilience, improving wildlife corridors, and public access and tribal cultural uses compatible with natural resource protection in the Capell Valley of Napa County, California. SCC 4/6/2023
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2023/2304/20230406Board05_Walt_Ranch_Acquisition.pdf

WCB 5/2023

State To Preserve 25,000 Acres in May Meeting

Notice of Meeting

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=212662&inline

MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=212927&inline

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD May 25, 2023, 10:00 a.m.
Natural Resources Building, First Floor Auditorium 715 P Street Sacramento, CA 95814

Bates Ranch $2 million Santa Clara County
cooperative project with the Peninsula Open Space Trust and the Moore Foundation to acquire 735± acres to provide a critical wildlife corridor from Mount Madonna County Park to Uvas Reservoir, near the city of Gilroy

Devil's Canyon $1,600,000 Los Angeles County
grant to Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to acquire in fee 120± acres

White Tate $642,200 San Diego County
grant federal funds to the Escondido Creek Conservancy, to acquire in fee 48± acres near the city of San Marcos

Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement $0 Siskiyou County
To consider WCB entering into a Property Transfer Agreement on behalf of CDFW for future acceptance of 7,027± acres of land from Klamath River Renewal Corporation after dam removal and restoration as a no-cost acquisition located near the town of Hornbrook

Bently Junction Ranch $4,220,000 Mono County
grant to The Wildlands Conservancy to acquire 2,333± acres located near Bridgeport

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Rana Creek Ranch $24 million Monterey County
grant to The Wildlands Conservancy for a cooperative project with the State Coastal Conservancy to acquire 11,691± acres located in Carmel Valley

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=212651&inline

review of price

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Fay Creek Ranch $3,336,929 Kern County

two grants to Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC) for a cooperative project with Sierra Nevada Conservancy to acquire 2,285± acres near the community of Weldon in Kern County. At close of escrow, WRC will direct the seller to convey the southwestern 1,039± acres to the Kern River Valley Heritage Foundation and the northeastern 1,246± acres to the Tübatulabal Tribe’s nonprofit organization for long-term stewardship

Karuk Tribe Gets Land Back on Hwy 96

Biden and Congress Return 1000 Acres to North Coast Tribe

On January 6, in a rare act of unity for a very divided federal government, President Joe Biden signed into law an act returning the center of the world to the Karuk Tribe. Eight years in the making, the Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam Sacred Lands Act took roughly 1000 acres of land hugging the shores along the confluence of the Klamath and Salmon Rivers near the border between Humboldt and Siskiyou Counties and placed it in trust for the Tribe.

The land has previously been managed by the US Forest Service. In 1850, the California legislature passed the Act for the Government and Protection of Indians which, among other things (including establishing indentured servitude and laying the groundwork for genocide), facilitated the removal and displacement of Indigenous Californians from their ancestral lands. By the time that the first seeds of what would become the US Forest Service were planted in the late 1800s due to exploitation of the forests by miners and loggers, the original stewards of the lands that would come to be managed by the federal government had already been forcibly removed. For perspective, the Tribe’s ancestral territory encompasses over one million acres, 95 percent of which is currently occupied by the US Forest Service, so although this act of land return is cause for celebration, it is a mere fraction of the territory historically inhabited by the tribe...

MAP: https://huffman.house.gov/download/huffman_legislativemap-katimiinarea_08-09-2021

https://www.yournec.org/feds-return-center-of-the-world-to-karuk-tribe/

SEE FULL STORY ON PAGE 6
https://www.yournec.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Web_February-2023-EcoNews.pdf

SCC 2/2023

 Coastal Conservancy to Fund $7 million purchase in East SF Bay

2/2/2023 meeting in Imperial Beach (San Diego area)
https://scc.ca.gov/2023/01/20/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-in-imperial-beach-february-02/

disburse up to $7,000,000 to East Bay Regional Park District to acquire the 768-acre Finley Road Ranch Property in Contra Costa County for purposes of protecting, restoring, and enhancing natural and scenic resources, including wildlife corridors and habitat; improving landscape resilience related to climate change; preserving open space; providing public access and recreational use compatible with the protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural and scenic resources; and providing a public entry staging area for parks on the southern side of Mount Diablo

Total price is $11.3 million, including $4.3 million in non-State funds

for uncropped map:

https://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2023/2302/Linking/20230202Board10_Finley%20Road%20Ranch_Ex%201%20map.pdf

WCB 2/2023

CA Wildlife Land Deals.....

Notice of Meeting WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
February 16, 2023, 10:00 a.m.
Natural Resources Building, First Floor Auditorium 715 P Street Sacramento, CA 95814

agenda and maps: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=210594&inline

Photos: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=210689

IN L.A. COUNTY:

Escondido Falls $1,500,000 in Los Angeles County
grant to Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to acquire 88± acres. Total price: $4.8 million
https://files.ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/274756-1/attachment/azqLUAQd3fq1RSnITTxvOKKctYydTQJUIsjQF2t8kGDBQZ6J6-BczTwfJDifhm63KBIbLf3ruh03Ni070

Topanga Lagoon Restoration Planning $4,946,000 in Los Angeles County
a grant to the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains for a cooperative planning project with CDFW, State Coastal Conservancy, California Department of Parks and Recreation, and Caltrans to develop the technical studies, environmental review and outreach necessary to restore the Topanga Lagoon

IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND SIERRA NEVADAS:



Fay Creek Ranch $3,360,000 in Kern County
grant to Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC) for a cooperative project with the Sierra Nevada Conservancy to acquire 2,285± acres near the community of Weldon. WITHDRAWN FROM AGENDA

Kramer Ranch Conservation Easement $1,356,788 in Lassen and Modoc Counties
grant to California Rangeland Trust for a cooperative project with the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to acquire a conservation easement over 4,922± acres near the community of Bieber
Total price: $2.96 million

Yanci Ranch $0 in Yolo County
to subgrant federal funds to the Yolo Habitat Conservancy to acquire a conservation easement over 795 ± acres. Total price: $1.3 million

Barber Creek $240,000 in Alpine County
acquisition of 66± acres of land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)

Bufford Ranch Conservation Easement, Expansion 2, $95,000 in Kern County
grant to California Rangeland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 64.99± acres of land located in Caliente. Total price $100,000


IN THE SF BAY AREA:

Monitor Island Transfer $0 in Lake County
no cost transfer of 4± acres of land by CDFW to Lake County Land Trust

IN SAN DIEGO:

San Felipe Valley Wildlife Area, Expansion 6 (Geis) $413,000 in San Diego County
acquisition in fee of 50± acres of land as an expansion to CDFW’s San Felipe Valley Wildlife Area


IN THE CENTRAL COAST:

Silacci Ranch Conservation Easement $2,010,000 in Monterey and San Benito Counties
grant to California Rangeland Trust for a cooperative project with the Department of Conservation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to acquire an agricultural conservation easement over 9,418± acres near the city of Salinas. Total price: $8.5 million
https://www.montereyherald.com/2020/12/17/grant-awarded-to-conserve-rangeland-in-the-gabilans-near-salinas/

SCC 12/2022

Sonoma Mountain Purchase Funded by CA Coastal Conservancy Board

ful meeting agenda:
https://scc.ca.gov/2022/11/16/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-in-pacific-grove-december-01/

SONOMA: disburse up to $787,500 to Sonoma Land Trust to acquire the 174-acre Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools Property in Sonoma County 12/1/2022 SCC
https://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2022/2212/20221201Board12_Sonoma_Mountain.pdf
Several maps: https://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2022/2212/20221201Board12_Sonoma_Mountain_Ex1.pdf

WCB 11/2022

ABOUT 10,000 ACRES TO BE SAVED BY WILDLIFE BOARD

 Notice of Meeting of WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD, November 15, 2022, 10:00 a.m.
MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=206070&inline

CENTRAL VALLEY/SIERRA NEVADAS:

21 ACRES China Hill, Expansion 4, $40,750 Siskiyou County
grant to Siskiyou Land Trust (SLT) for the protection of Yreka phlox, a wildflower endemic to China Hill and other surrounding foothill areas, located in the city of Yreka. USFWS is granting $59,000, for a total price of $100,000
http://bondaccountability.resources.ca.gov/Project.aspx?ProjectPK=22897&PropositionPK=4

655 ACRES Yreka Phlox Soap Creek Ridge purchase (Anderson) $105,075. Siskiyou County
grant to Siskiyou LT. USFWS granting $295,000, for a total price of $400,000

66 ACRES Barber Creek $240,000, Alpine County, acquisition by CDFW. WITHDRAWN

4101 ACRES Sierra Valley Conservation easement purchase, Expansion 7 (Bates Ranch) $2,382,268 in Plumas County, grant to the Feather River Land Trust. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is granting $317k, for a total price   of $2.7million

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NORTH COAST:

CAL FIRE Mattole Headwaters, $0 Humboldt County POSTPONED
acceptance of a conservation easement over 95+ acres by CAL FIRE located near Whitehorn in Humboldt County.

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CENTRAL COAST:

Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander (Hasan) $900,000 Santa Cruz County
acquisition of 3.5± acres of land by CDFW, located in Aptos. Total price is $900k

4503 ACRES Sans Topo Ranch Conservation Easement, $650,000. San Benito County, grant to California Rangeland Trust (CRT) to acquire a conservation easement located near Hollister.    The US Fish and Wildlife Service is providing $1.85 million, for a total price of $2.5 million.

321 ACRES Pereira Ranch Conservation Easement, $415,000 , in San Luis Obispo County,
grant to the Land Conservancy of SLO County near San Luis Obispo. CA Dept of Conservation is contributing $735,000, for a total price of $1.15million

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LOS ANGELES:

Agoura Hills - Santa Monica Mountains Gateway, $2,230,000, grant to MRCA to acquire 8± acres, SE of Cornell and Agoura roads. MRCA to provide $330k, Total price is $2.6 million
https://smmc.civicweb.net/document/11584/Consideration%20of%20resolution%20authorizing%20a%20grant.pdf?handle=4F14D34DD86F45C082668846035801E2

Newhall Pass I-5 Wildlife Crossing Design, $4,724,000, Los Angeles County. grant to the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains for a wildlife overpass across Interstate 5
https://mrca.civicweb.net/document/64073/Consideration%20of%20resolution%20authorizing%20a%20suppo.pdf?handle=A82B7D676B474C3295B22EEAD2884D61