Indexed News on:

--the California "Mega-Park" Project

Tracking measurable success on preserving and connecting California's Parks & Wildlife Corridors

READ OUR EDITOR ON FACEBOOK: facebook.com/rex.frankel

Friday, September 25, 2026

N. LA County Parks

Sept. 15, 2026 Meeting of the Desert Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority

Update on granting conservation easements on Fairmont Butte and Joshua Ranch properties to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) to enable the MRCA to enforce the MRCA Ordinance. DMCA 9/15/2026 Fairmont view and Joshua Ranch maps. https://smmc.civicweb.net/document/59235/Fairmont%20view%20and%20Joshua%20Ranch%20maps..pd?handle07C9A1B88EF444CA91A66591E0692BA5

Update on Transition Habitat Conservancy acquisitions and fencing in the general vicinity of the Antelope Valley California Poppy State Natural Reserve and Fairmont Butte. DMCA 9/15/2026  Fairmont view area maps https://smmc.civicweb.net/document/59236/Fairmont%20view%20area%20maps.pd?handleB4D9B598171E4A129560BB0B415618E5

Updates on the status of existing Desert and Mountain Conservation Authority (DMCA) fee simple and conservation easement land interests. DMCA 9/15/2026 Existing DMCA Land interests https://smmc.civicweb.net/document/59237/Existing%20DMCA%20Land%20interests.pd?handle6595B19DDC844CDE9A5D2473F8ADA5E1

Consideration of resolution authorizing a contract with, or grant to, the Transition Habitat Conservancy (THC) using accumulated Solar One account funds for fencing installation and some fence maintenance to protect resources on DMCA, MRCA, and THC Fairmont Butte area properties. DMCA 9/15/2026 9-15-26 Item VII(b) Staff Report https://smmc.civicweb.net/document/59238/9-15-26%20Item%20VII(b)%20Staff%20Report.pd?handleA2CDBAC1F80F47D38FF3454691CA0FC5

Sunday, September 13, 2026

Some Private Land-Saving Deals

MENDOCINO:

https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/the-nature-conservancy-in-california-1959-angelo-coast-range-reserve/
located nw of Cahto peak, 7500 acres total. 3100 acres was transferred to Nature Conservancy by the Angelo family keeping a life estate; some is owned by the federal BLM. In 1994, NC transferred its land to the UC Natural Reserve System
https://ucnature.org/reserves/angelo-coast-range-reserve/
https://share.google/saMzXBdgwXCjS31Fw

--------------------------------------

SIERRA AND LASSEN COUNTIES: NE OF LAKE TAHOE--Loyalton Ranch Acquisition Returns Ancestral Lands to Washoe People
11/2025: The Wildlife Conservation board approved a $5.5 million grant to the Wášiw-šiw Land Trust
https://wasiw-siwlandtrust.org/
to support the purchase of 10,274 acres at Loyalton Ranch, a historic return of ancestral lands to the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California (Tribe) in the northern Sierra Nevada.
The Loyalton Ranch acquisition, a culmination of a four-year collaboration between the Tribe, the Northern Sierra Partnership and the Feather River Land Trust, https://www.frlt.org is part of the Tribe’s plan to reclaim and steward lands across the northern Washoe homelands, with the purchase expected to close in early 2026.

MAP:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6905668bd5531875588490a7/t/698b69c324ab903f8a8c615d/1770744259303/We%CC%81lmelti%C9%81+Preserve+Map+%281%29+%281%29.jpg

---------------------------------------

TULARE COUNTY/HERSHEY RANCH:

October 29, 2025
Partnership with Tule River Indian Tribe Protects Critical California Wildlife Habitat
The Conservation Fund recently partnered with the Tule River Indian Tribe to conserve over 17,000 acres in the foothills of the southern Sierra Nevada. The project is now the largest ancestral land return in California’s Sierra Nevada foothills and is nestled between the Tule River Reservation and Giant Sequoia National Monument,
--State of CA contrib $8 million to buy 14,673 acres Hershey Ranch; also bought was 2357 acre Carothers ranch
https://www.kvpr.org/environment/2025-01-08/tule-river-tribe-to-buy-back-14-000-acres-of-ancestral-land

MAP:
https://www.conservationfund.org/our-impact/projects/connecting-indigenous-lands-in-the-southern-sierra-nevada/


-----------------------------------------------------------

KLAMATH RIVER:

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/CNRA/bulletins/3fc0376
‘Salmon Everywhere’ One Year After Klamath Dam Removal by Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary Pacificorp.
This bulletin was sent at 11/18/2025 
A little more than a year after the historic removal of four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) scientists are seeing salmon reoccupying just about every corner of their historic habitat.

-------------------------------------

SISKIYOU--The Wildlands Conservancy has expanded Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve in Siskiyou County through a 14,177-acre acquisition that strengthens habitat for salmon, steelhead, and beaver
https://wildlandsconservancy.org/preserves/beavervalleyheadwaters

---------------------------------

SAN DIEGO https://wildlandsconservancy.org/preserves/santamargaritarivertrail
1384 acres saved 2018
For several decades the Fallbrook Trail Council has maintained 18 miles of equestrian and hiking trails on this former water district property. The Fallbrook Trails Council and The Wildlands Conservancy are now partners in maintaining this trail

MOJAVE DESERT
https://wildlandsconservancy.org/stories/saving-the-mojave-desert
From 1999 to 2004, Wildlands purchased 587,000 acres of fragmented land throughout the vast Mojave landscape that was destined for destruction and development, and donated them to the U.S. Department of the Interior for permanent conservation.

We now steward 25 preserves across California, Oregon, and Utah, protecting 208,000 acres.


---------------------------------------

PLACER COUNTY--CLOVER VALLEY  



the clover valley preseve is 402 acres in the town of Rocklin
Protected in 2025 by Conservation Easement jointly held by Placer Land Trust and Placer County

https://www.facebook.com/reel/592233920331098/?mibextid=9drbnH

https://placerlandtrust.org/clover-valley/

Clover Valley was under intense pressure from development for decades, with approvals and entitlements in place for 500+ single-family homes and a roadway across the valley floor. For years, community members rallied together to hold off the construction of subdivisions, roads, and highways that would destroy this last wild place. Finally in 2025, working with the original landowner as a willing seller, Placer Land Trust and Rocklin-based Jessup University purchased and protected the land through a conservation easement.

Jessup University found an opportunity to save Clover Valley through their discussions with the landowner, and negotiated the purchase of 402 acres of the valley floor at a discounted price of $10M. In 2022, Jessup chose to partner with Placer Land Trust to draw on our fundraising and land protection expertise and to ultimately hold a conservation easement on the property.

Early grant-seeking efforts were largely thwarted by California’s budget deficit, which effectively dried up public conservation funding. In a nail-biting final push, Placer Land Trust rallied local agencies and organizations in an extraordinary collaborative partnership. Placer County Office of Education, Placer County, the City of Rocklin, and City of Lincoln all made significant contributions to the fundraising effort.

Individuals also contributed over $1.3M, and hundreds of people wrote to elected officials or spoke at public meetings advocating for saving Clover Valley. Finally, in Spring of 2025, funds were secured to place a permanent conservation easement on the valley. The easement is to be jointly held by Placer Land Trust and Placer County, and ensures that the valley will be protected forever.



SCC 09-2026

3 Coastal Land Deals

https://scc.ca.gov/2026/09/04/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-in-fort-bragg-september-17/

SAN LUIS OBISPO: disburse up to $5,000,000 to ytt Northern Chumash Nonprofit to undertake the yatspansini wayaktspu Conservancy Acquisition, consisting of acquisition of 357 acres of the Alexander Ranch north of Cayucos. Total price of $18 million includes $7 million from the State Dept. of Conservation.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2026/0917/20260917Board10_yatspansini%20Acquisition.pdf

SAN LUIS OBISPO: disburse up to $42,000,000 to the Wildlands Conservancy to acquire the fee title and leasehold interest in the approximately 2,060-acre Wild Cherry Canyon property within the Diablo Canyon lands from PG&E subsidiary Eureka Energy.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2026/0917/20260917Board12_Wild_Cherry_Acquisition_staff%20rec.pdf

SANTA CLARA COUNTY: disburse up to $14,500,000 to the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority to undertake the Coyote Valley Landscape Linkage Acquisition, consisting of acquiring approximately 417 acres of land located in Coyote Valley in Santa Clara County.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2026/0917/20260917Board15_Coyote_Valley.pdf

LA meetuphikes.org

E-Mail the editor:

rexfrankel at yahoo.com

Blog Archive

Quick-Search of Subjects on the Site