Indexed News on:

--the California "Mega-Park" Project

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

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Monday, May 12, 2025

WCB 5-2025

A Big New Park Along the Ventura Coast

VENTURA 6475 ACRES: Rancho Canada Larga $14,750,000 Ventura County
To consider the allocation for a grant to the Trust for Public Land to purchase a portion of 6,475± acres of land including coastal sage scrub, grasslands, coast live oak woodland, mixed chaparral, valley foothill riparian, and valley oak woodland habitat that support special status species including California red-legged frog and Southern California steelhead and provide future wildlife-oriented, public-use opportunities, located near the city of Ventura in Ventura County. Total price of $27.65 million includes $6.5 million from Patagonia via the Holdfast Collective, and $6.4 million in private donations

https://www.ojaivalleynews.com/news/outdoors/6-500-acres-of-rancho-ca-ada-larga-under-contract-with-national-nonprofit/article_ef15a537-2a44-483f-8c7e-1ee38eb62135.html




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ADDITIONAL PURCHASES:

Notice of Meeting WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
Thursday, May 22, 2025, 10:00 a.m., Natural Resources Building, First Floor Auditorium
715 P Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

MAPS AND DETAILS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=232433&inline

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NORTH COAST:

HUMBOLDT 80 ACRES: Jacoby Creek Forest, Expansion 5, $690,000 Humboldt County
To consider the allocation for a grant to Jacoby Creek Land Trust for a cooperative project with the City of Arcata and Cal Poly Humboldt to acquire 80± acres of land for the protection of working forests, salmonids and terrestrial wildlife and provide future wildlife-oriented, public-use opportunities, located in the Jacoby Creek watershed in Humboldt County. Total price: $690,000

TRINITY 12,029 ACRES: CAL FIRE Travis Ranch Conservation Easement $2,979,990 Trinity County
To consider the acquisition of a conservation easement by CAL FIRE under the California Forest Legacy Program Act of 2007 and the allocation of a grant to CAL FIRE to assist with the acquisition to protect 12,029± acres of land with significant forest, natural ecological, and open space conservation values located near the community of Kettenpom in Trinity County. Total price of $5.83 million includes federal forest legacy contribution of $2.85 million

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SF BAY AREA:

EAST SF BAY 140 ACRES: East Contra Costa County HCP/NCCP (Freschi) $320,000 Contra Costa County
To consider the allocation for a grant to the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy, for a cooperative project with the East Bay Regional Park District to acquire 140± acres of land for the protection and preservation of existing regional wildlife linkages, including grassland, oak woodland, and creek habitat areas within the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan, located near the city of Brentwood in Contra Costa County. Total price of $1.83 million includes CDFW contribution of $1.5 million

SONOMA 1517 ACRES: Monte Rio Redwoods $8,000,000 Sonoma County
grant to Sonoma County Regional Parks to acquire in fee, 1517± acres of land that allows for the protection of forestlands as an expansion of the adjacent Monte Rio Redwoods Regional Park and Open Space Preserve, located near the community of Monte Rio in Sonoma County. Total price of $24 million includes: $8 million from Sonoma County, $4 million from the Moore Foundation, $2 million each from Sonoma Land Trust and Save the Redwoods League.

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CENTRAL COAST:

SANTA BARBARA 556 ACRES: Purisima Hills Junak Conservation Easement $721,360 Santa Barbara County
subgrant federal funds to the Land Trust of Santa Barbara County (LTSB), and to consider a WCB grant to LTSB to acquire a conservation easement over 556± acres of land, located north of Highway 246 between Lompoc and Buellton in Santa Barbara County. Total price: $1.4 million, includes USFWS contribution of $700,000

MONTEREY 80 ACRES: Joshua Creek Canyon Ecological Reserve, Expansion 3, $54,488 (Garrapata Ridge) Monterey County
To consider the acquisition of 80± acres of land by CDFW for a cooperative project with the Big Sur Land Trust for the protection and preservation of maritime chapparal with small areas of American southwest riparian forest and oak woodland, and to provide future wildlife-oriented, public use opportunities located 11 miles southeast of Carmel-By-The-Sea in Monterey County. Total price: $54,488

SANTA CRUZ 111 ACRES: Watsonville Slough Ecological Reserve, Expansion 6, $2,330,000 Santa Cruz County
To consider the allocation for a grant to The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County to acquire 111± acres of land for the protection of wildlife habitat, for compatible public or private uses, and the protection of sensitive biological resources including to support the recovery of the state-listed and federally endangered Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, located near the city of Watsonville in Santa Cruz County. Total price: $2.3 million

MONTEREY 1720 ACRES: Tularcitos Creek $6,550,000 Monterey County
To consider the allocation for a grant to the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County to acquire 1,720± acres of land for the protection of oak woodland, vernal pools, and riparian habitat that support threatened and endangered species, including South Central Coast steelhead, California red-legged frog, yellow-legged frog, and California tiger salamander. The property will also provide access to sacred cultural and archeological sites of the Esselen and provide future wildlife-oriented, public-use opportunities, located eight miles east of Carmel Valley in Monterey County. Total price of $8.55 million includes $2 million from the State Coastal Conservancy

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CENTRAL VALLEY:

KERN 80 ACRES: Fremont Valley Ecological Reserve, Expansion 1, $79,500 Kern County
To consider the acquisition of 80± acres of land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for the protection of unaltered Mojave and Sonoran desert creosote scrub habitat and wildlife supported by that habitat, as an expansion of the Fremont Valley Ecological Reserve, located near California City in Kern County. Total price: $79,500

MERCED 168 ACRES: Los Banos Wildlife Area, Expansion 10 (Soares) $3,7000,000 Merced County
To consider the acquisition of 168± acres of land by CDFW for the protection of cismontane alkali marsh, a sensitive habitat that supports tricolored blackbird, giant gartersnake, Swainson’s hawk, and western spadefoot, and to provide future wildlife-oriented, public-use opportunities, as an expansion to CDFW’s Los Banos Wildlife Area located in Los Banos in the San Joaquin River watershed in Merced County. Total price: $3.7 million

YOLO 14,100 ACRES: Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area DWR Big Notch Easement $0 Yolo County
To consider the grant by CDFW of a perpetual right-of-way and easement over 14,100± acres of land to the California Department of Water Resources for the purposes of seasonal floodplain fisheries rearing habitat and fish passage, located near the city of Davis in Yolo County.

BUTTE COUNTY 20 ACRES: Meadowfoam (Eshoo) $2,124,200 Butte County
To consider the acceptance of a USFWS Recovery Land Acquisition grant and the approval to subgrant these federal funds to California Open Lands and for a WCB grant to assist in its acquisition of 20± acres for the protection of rare habitat for Butte County meadowfoam, a federal and state endangered plant species, located in the city of Chico in Butte County. Total price of $8.17 million includes $6 million from USFWS.




SCC 4-2025

Big Deals Save Some More of CA's Coast

SUMMARY:
https://scc.ca.gov/2025/04/18/news-release-coastal-conservancy-awards-13-6-million-for-coastal-access-restoration-climate-resilience-and-tribal-landback/

AGENDA:
https://scc.ca.gov/2025/04/04/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-in-santa-cruz-april-17/

BIG SUR 1720 ACRES: disburse up to $2,000,000 to the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County to acquire 1,720 acres of the historic Rana Creek Ranch along Tularcitos Creek in upper Carmel Valley to protect and restore natural resources and wildlife habitat; preserve open space; enable compatible agriculture including cattle grazing; protect cultural resources; provide compatible Native American tribal access and guided public access; and potentially create a tribal education center and tribal housing for property management.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2025/0417/20250417Board07_Tularcitos_SR.pdf

SONOMA 84 ACRES: disburse up to $1,103,500 to LandPaths to undertake the Calvi Acquisition and Management Planning Project, consisting of acquiring the 84-acre Calvi property in Occidental, Sonoma County for preservation of open space, protection and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat, and tribal and public access; and preparing a management plan, conceptual designs, and permit applications.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2025/0417/20250417Board09_CalviAcquisition_SR.pdf

HUMBOLDT 237 ACRES: disburse up to $1,272,250, of which $972,250 is from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program, to the City of Fortuna to complete pre-acquisition tasks and acquire 237 acres along the Lower Eel River in Fortuna, Humboldt County; and to prepare plans and designs for a park on a portion of the property, and to prepare a management plan for the other portion of the property. The City of Fortuna will retain 7.2 acres for open space, public access, and recreation, and the remaining 230 acres will be transferred to the Wiyot Tribe for the preservation of open space; protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources and habitat for fish and wildlife; protection of cultural resources; and to the extent compatible with habitat protection, providing public access and California Native American tribal cultural use and access.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2025/0417/20250417Board10_Lower_Eel_River_Wetlands_Acquisition_SR.pdf




Friday, March 7, 2025

SCC Feb. 2025

February Land Deals on CA's Coast

SCC 2/13/2025
https://scc.ca.gov/2025/01/31/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-in-oakland-february-13/

NORTH COAST: disburse up to $5,000,000 for the Great Redwood Trail to the Great Redwood Trail Agency...for the advancement of the Great Redwood Trail in Mendocino, Trinity, and Humboldt Counties.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2025/0213/20250213Board06_Great_Redwood_Trail_Agency_Augmentation.pdf
Addendum: Great Redwood Trail Augmentation – REVISED STAFF RECOMMENDATION, 2/13/2025
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2025/0213/20250213Board06_Great_Redwood_Trail_Agency_Augmentation_Board_Amended.pdf

MENDOCINO: disburse up to $503,400 to Mendocino Land Trust to undertake the Great Redwood Trail Willits to Longvale Planning Project,... for a 12.7-mile segment of the Great Redwood Trail in the City of Willits and unincorporated Mendocino County.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2025/0213/20250213Board07_GRT_Willits_to_Longvale.pdf

HUMBOLDT: Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $277,400 to the Blue Lake Rancheria to acquire two parcels comprising 33.8 acres at the Baduwa’t Estuary, west of McKinleyville, Humboldt County
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2025/0213/20250213Board03F_Baduwa_t_Estuary_Acquisition.pdf
Addendum: Support Letter
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2025/0213/20250213Board03F_Blue_Lake_Rancheria_Grant_Application_Support_Letter.pdf

MARIN COUNTY: approve the Disposition Plan for the Bel Marin Keys South Lagoon Levee, for the purpose of transferring the South Lagoon Levee to the Bel Marin Keys Community Services District to maintain the structural integrity of the levee and to maintain the levee top trail for public access, in Marin County.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2025/0213/20250213Board03H_BMK_SouthLagoonLevee.pdf

BALLONA WETLANDS comment, 8 pages
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2025/0213/20250213Board10_PublicCommentWalterLamb.pdf




Monday, January 27, 2025

WCB 02/2025

February CA Wildlife Land Deals

WCB Meeting 2/26/2025
10:00 a.m. Natural Resources Building, First Floor Auditorium 715 P Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

MAPS  
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=228285&inline

IN SO-CALIF:

10 acres: Ross (funds amount uncertain), San Diego County
grant to the Escondido Creek Conservancy to acquire 10± acres located near the city of Encinitas.

74± acres: Silo Hills (funds amount uncertain),, Riverside County
grant to the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority to acquire 74± acres located in the city of Hemet in Riverside County.

State Route 91 B Canyon Wildlife Crossing $10,666,000. Riverside County
grant to Caltrans to upgrade the existing box culvert under State Route 91, whose functionality as a wildlife corridor has been constrained due to a bend in the culvert, ... thus reconnecting a linkage to protected lands between the Chino Hills and the Santa Ana Mountains near the Riverside-Orange County border in Riverside County.

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L.A. COUNTY:

South LA County Habitat Connectivity Masterplan Augmentation $787,000 Los Angeles County.
grant to the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains for a cooperative project with the Wildlife Conservation Network, County of Los Angeles, and City of Los Angeles to complete high-resolution landscape connectivity models and maps for habitats within the urban and urban-wildland interface, engage stakeholders in urban nature conservation, and develop a physical masterplan for projects that will enhance wildlife corridors in southern Los Angeles County.

I-5 Sierra Madre-Castaic Wildlife Crossing Planning $4,921,000 Los Angeles County
grant to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority for a planning project that will conduct feasibility and constraints analyses for at least four wildlife crossing locations and to identify at least one priority wildlife crossing that will have Caltrans documentation, environmental review, and 65% designs developed to improve wildlife connectivity. The planning area is a 26-mile stretch of Interstate 5 that runs from State Route 138 south to the northern border of Santa Clarita and bisects protected lands in the Sierra Madre and Castaic ranges in Los Angeles County.

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CENTRAL VALLEY/SIERRA NEVADA'S

265 acres: Mourier West ($ amount uncertain) Placer County
grant to Placer Conservation Authority, for a cooperative project with Placer County to acquire in fee 265± acres located near Roseville in Placer County.

22 acres: Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area, Expansion 19 (Anderson) $200,000 Yuba County
acquisition of 22± acres of land by CDFW as an expansion of the Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area located near the community of Loma Rica in Yuba County.

212 acres: Anderson River Park Transfer (funds amount uncertain), Shasta County
transfer in fee of 212± acres of land owned by CDFW to the City of Anderson to own, operate, and maintain the property in perpetuity for purposes of public access and habitat conservation in Shasta County.

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SAN FRANCISCO BAY:

1218 acres: Richmond Ranch $4,000,000 Santa Clara County
grant to Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency to acquire 1,218± acres located adjacent to the city of San Jose.

98 acres: Ginochio Schwendel $728,000 Contra Costa County
grant to Save Mount Diablo to acquire 98± acres located near Clayton.

Monday, November 18, 2024

SCC 11/2024

Coastal Conservancy Public Meeting in Oakland- November 21

TIME: 10:00 A.M
LOCATION: Elihu M Harris State Building Room 2 – 2nd Floor
1515 Clay St., Room 2, Oakland CA 94612

Zoom (To Make Comments): In addition to in-person participation, remote participation is available to members of the public via Zoom webinar. To participate via Zoom, you must register for the Zoom Webinar at this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5sk3KafyQDy7v54oiIgC-Q
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

EAST L.A.: 24. disburse up to $1,131,700 to North East Trees, Inc. to implement the Ascot Hills Resilience Project, which consists of enhancement of at least 33 acres of habitat through the removal of invasive plants and planting of native plants to increase wildfire resilience, within Ascot Hills Park in the City of Los Angeles http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2411/20241121Board24_Ascot_Hills_Fire_Resilience_Project.pdf

LOS ANGELES: 7. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $10,260,000 to Santa Monica Bay Foundation, known as The Bay Foundation, to undertake the Santa Monica Coastal Habitat Restoration Program, consisting of implementing a suite of nature-based restoration projects to increase the resilience of Santa Monica Bay in Los Angeles County to climate change impacts.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2411/20241121Board07_SaMo_CHiRP_Staff%20Rec.pdf

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NORTH COAST:

MENDOCINO: 15. disburse up to $2,505,000 to the Mendocino Land Trust to undertake the Bell Point Land Return Acquisition and Coastal Trail Planning Project, which consists of acquiring the 157-acre Bell Point coastal blufftop property in Westport, Mendocino County for the purposes of natural resources and habitat protection and enhancement; open space and California Native American tribal cultural resources protection; and public access and trail recreation compatible with such uses; and to prepare plans, permit applications, initial designs, and environmental review documents for the establishment of 0.8 miles of California Coastal Trail on the property.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2411/20241121Board15_BellPointLandReturnAcquisition_StaffRec.pdf

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SAN FRANCISCO BAY:

SOUTHEAST SF BAY: 17. disburse up to $3,000,000 to The Trust for Public Land to acquire 430 acres of Newark Baylands (Area 4) for the protection and restoration of habitat, public access, the potential creation of an interpretive visitor center, and to the extent compatible with those purposes: education, research, and Native American tribal cultural uses.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2411/20241121Board17_Newark_Baylands_Staff_Rec.pdf


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NORTHEAST SF BAY 52 ACRES: Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $35,985,000 to East Bay Regional Park District to acquire approximately 52 acres at Point Molate in the City of Richmond, County of Contra Costa, to create a regional shoreline park that will protect, and may restore and enhance, open space, natural, scenic, cultural, and historic resources; and that will provide compatible public and California Native American tribal access, including recreational and visitor-serving amenities.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2411/20241121Board18_Final_Staff_Rec_Pt_Molate_Acquisition.pdf

Public Comment 1 P.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2411/Alan_Carlton_Item_18_Pt_Molate_Acqluisition_Redacted.pdf

Public Comment, 1 P.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2411/Roberta_Wyn_Agenda_Item_18_Point_Molate_.pdf

Support Letter 2P.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2411/Roberta_Wyn_CESP_Support_EBRPD_Acquire_Pt_Molate.pdf

Public Comment 5P.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2411/2024-11-15-Guidiville%20Rancheria%20Public%20Comment%20re%20Agenda%20Item%2018.pdf

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NAPA 523 ACRES: 20. disburse up to $704,000 to the Land Trust of Napa County to acquire the approximately 523-acre Phinney property. The property will be transferred to the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District to expand the adjacent Moore Creek Park and for long-term management.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2411/20241121Board20_Phinney_Acquisition.pdf








Wednesday, October 16, 2024

WCB 2024-11

CA To Buy and Return 14,000 Acres of Sierra Foothills to Tribe, and other land deals

Notice of Meeting WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
Thursday, November 21, 2024, 10:00 a.m.
Natural Resources Building, First Floor Auditorium, 715 P Street Sacramento, CA 95814
Preliminary Agenda Items
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=225963&inline

Maps and details:
CENTRAL VALLEY/SIERRA NEVADAS:

Hershey Ranch $2,389,475. Tulare County
grant to the Tule River Indian Tribe for a cooperative project with the California Natural Resources Agency to acquire 14,672± acres located near Porterville. Price sought by seller is $14 million
https://www.recorderonline.com/news/tule-river-tribe-to-receive-hershey-ranch-as-part-of-state-program/article_39d3400c-042a-11ef-87d9-b39e57cddcf7.html





Euer Valley Sustainable Public Access $890,000. Nevada County
grant to Truckee River Watershed Council for a cooperative project with Sierra Nevada Conservancy, State Water Resources Control Board, and Tahoe Donner Association to protect 30 acres of high-quality meadow and stream habitat by promoting sustainable recreational access for local residents and visitors, located on lands owned and managed by Tahoe Donner Association 7 miles northwest of Truckee in Nevada County.

Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area Expansion #18 (Soper) CE $790,200, Yuba County
acquisition of a conservation easement on 878± acres of land by CDFW as an expansion to CDFW’s Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area located near Bangor

Sierra Valley Conservation Area, Expansion 9 (Grashius Phase II) $1,200,000. Plumas County
grant to Feather River Land Trust to acquire a conservation easement on 944± acres of land by CDFW located near Beckwourth

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NORTH COAST:

Eel River Wildlife Area, Expansion 7 (Hansen) $420,000. Humboldt County
acquisition of 84± acres of land by CDFW as an expansion to CDFW’s Eel River Wildlife Area located near the community of Loleta

Eel River Wildlife Area, Expansion 6 (Pedrazzini) $680,000 . Humboldt County
acquisition of 136± acres of land by CDFW as an expansion to CDFW’s Eel River Wildlife Area located near the community of Loleta

Lake Earl Wildlife Area (Evans) $214,000. Del Norte County
acquisition of 3± acres of land by CDFW as an expansion to CDFW's Lake Earl Wildlife Area, located near Crescent City

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SAN FRANCISCO BAY:

Coyote Valley Landscape Linkage Expansion 1 $5,020,000 Santa Clara County grant to the Santa Clara Open Space Authority to acquire in fee 142± acres located near Morgan Hill

Hoover Ranch $5,090,000. Contra Costa County
grant to John Muir Land Trust to acquire in fee 600± acres near Oakley

Kiser Ranch $4,885,000. Sonoma County
grant to the Sonoma Land Trust for a cooperative project with State Coastal Conservancy to acquire 1,459± acres located near the city of Sonoma

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CENTRAL COAST:

Toro Creek Phase II $3,500,000. San Luis Obispo County
grant to the County of San Louis Obispo for a cooperative project with the State Coastal Conservancy, the Land Conservancy of San Louis Obispo County, and the Cayucos Land Conservancy to acquire 748± acres of land for the protection of coastal sage scrub, oak woodlands, enhancement to the La Panza Range – San Geronimo Corridor, an essential connectivity area, located between Cayucos and Morro Bay in San Luis Obispo County.

Pico Blanco (Esselen) $1,400,000. Monterey County. Grant to Western Rivers and Esselen Tribe of Monterey County to acquire 327± acres located near Big Sur

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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:

Skyline North $1,936,558. San Diego County
grant to Endangered Habitats Conservancy to acquire 557± acres located near Jamul


Saturday, September 7, 2024

SCC 6 & 9/2024


COASTAL LAND PRESERVATION DEALS

AGENDAS:
https://scc.ca.gov/2024/05/23/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-in-sacramento-june-6/
https://scc.ca.gov/2024/08/22/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-in-fortuna-september-5/

SUMMARY:


MARIN COUNTY 100 ACRES: disburse up to $500,000 to the Town of Fairfax to acquire the approximately 100-acre Wall Property in Marin County
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2406/20240606Board03E_Wall_Property_Acquisition.pdf

MONTEREY 24 ACRES: disburse up to $79,120 to augment the Conservancy grant authorized on June 1, 2023, which provided funding to the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation to conduct pre-acquisition activities, coordinate with landowners and key stakeholders, acquire a conservation easement over 24 acres along Tembladero Slough, between Castroville and Salinas River State Beach in Monterey County.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2409/20240905Board3C_Castroville_to_the_Coast_Augment.pdf

MENDOCINO 4566 ACRES: disburse up to $8,500,000 to Save the Redwoods League to repay private loans used to acquire the 3,187-acre DeVilbiss Ranch to facilitate transfer of ownership of the 4,566-acre Lost Coast Redwoods property in northern Mendocino County to the United States Bureau of Land Management.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2409/20240905Board05_Lost_Coast_Redwoods.pdf

SOUTH SF BAY 1218 ACRES: disburse up to $1,500,000 to the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency to acquire approximately 1,218 acres of the 3,654-acre Richmond Ranch in Santa Clara County.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2409/20240905Board08_Richmond_Ranch.pdf

L.A. RIVER AND NEWPORT BAY: disburse up to $418,784 to 3 non-profit organizations for three community-based wetland and stream restoration project on approximately 14 acres in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2409/20240905Board14_Community_Restoration_Grant_Program_2024_.pdf

Monday, July 22, 2024

WCB 8/2024

Big Redwood Forest Preservation Deal Coming Up On Mendocino Coast


MEETING OF THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
Thursday, August 22, 2024, 10:00 a.m.
Natural Resources Building, First Floor Auditorium, 715 P Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Agenda summary:
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=224088&inline



NORTH COAST:

LOST COAST REDWOODS
4566 acres: Lost Coast Redwoods project, $8,500,000 Mendocino County
To consider the allocation of a grant to Save the Redwoods League and Bureau of Land Management for the permanent protection of 4,566± acres located seven miles southwest of Leggett in Mendocino County.


https://www.savetheredwoods.org/project/lost-coast-redwoods/
Save the Redwoods League acquired Lost Coast Redwoods property for $36.9 million in December 2021. The land is protected from excessive timber harvesting, subdivision, and development. ...With more than 2,250 acres (about 3.5 square miles) of second-growth redwood forest and large old-growth trees scattered throughout . Total size: 3181 acres, Goal: $43.4 million

https://www.savetheredwoods.org/project/lost-coast-redwoods/overview/
Soper Company owned this property, known to the company as DeVilbiss Ranch, and managed it for timber production since 1963. For decades the company supported habitat and biodiversity through ethical stewardship and led the timber industry in science-based innovation and land management practices that foster sustainable forests. ….totals 3100 acres

https://www.savetheredwoods.org/project/cape-vizcaino-restoration/
SRL purchased the nearby 401-acre property Cape Vizcaino property in 2008,

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WITHDRAWN FROM AGENDA: 120 acres: North Coast Range Fen Conservation Area (Wojcik) $475,000 Humboldt County
To consider the acquisition of 120± acres of land by CDFW as an expansion to CDFW’s North Coast Fen Regional Conservation Area located near Bridgeville in Humboldt County.

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CENTRAL VALLEY AND SIERRA NEVADAS

96 acres at Big Rock in Mariposa County, $520,000
To consider the allocation for a grant to the American Indian Council of Mariposa County to acquire in fee 96± acres of land located near Mariposa in Mariposa County.

Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area Expansion #17 (Soper) FEE $1,238,900
Yuba County four miles east of Bangor

1585 acres: Willow Creek Ranch Conservation Easement $775,000 Lassen County
To consider the allocation for a grant to California Rangeland Trust for a cooperative project with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to acquire a conservation easement over 1,585± acres, located 17 miles north of Susanville in Lassen County.

691 acres: Upper Carpenter Valley $2,500,000 Nevada County
To consider the allocation for a grant to Truckee Donner Land Trust to acquire in fee 691± acres located three miles northwest of the town of Truckee in Nevada County.

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SAN FRANCISCO BAY:

8 acres: Tidewater Day Use Area $2,650,000 Alameda County
To consider the allocation for a grant to East Bay Regional Park District for a cooperative project with the National Park Service, California State Coastal Conservancy, and Alameda County to convert an empty industrial lot to eight acres of bayfront parkland, which will become part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline in the city of Oakland in Alameda County

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LOS ANGELES:

BOTH BALLONA ITEMS WERE WITHDRAWN FROM THE AGENDA

--Ballona Wetlands Drain Removal $575,000 Los Angeles County
To consider an allocation for a grant to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to remove two reinforced concrete pipelines within the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve in Playa Del Rey, Los Angeles County.

--Ballona Wetlands Tribal Engagement $250,000 Los Angeles County
To consider an allocation for a grant to CDFW to provide engagement with tribal governments and tribal community members to facilitate participation in ongoing actions within the Reserve in Playa Del Rey, Los Angeles County.

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

SCC 4/2024

Bay Ridge Trail Preserve is Expanded

disburse up to $1,683,000 to the California Rangeland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over approximately 1,402-acres of Stonier Ranch for the protection of open space, wildlife corridors, viewsheds, natural resources, and grazing lands, in Santa Clara County.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2024/2404/20140418Board08_Stonier_Ranch_staffrec.pdf




WCB 5/2024

Notice of Meeting WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
Thursday, May 23, 2024, 9:30 a.m. Natural Resources Building, First Floor Auditorium
715 P Street Sacramento, CA 95814

DETAILS AND MAPS
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=222475&inline

AGENDA ITEMS:

NORTH COAST:

Trinity Headwaters $12,100,000 Trinity County
grant to Pacific Forest Trust to acquire 10,700± acres located west of Interstate 5 and the city of Mount Shasta, and southeast of the community of Callahan. $1.4M from SNC, $2M from feds
INFO AND MAP: https://www.pacificforest.org/conservation-project/trinity-headwaters/
https://www.pacificforest.org/conserving-trinity-river-headwaters/

Miner's Creek $2,750,000 Siskiyou County
grant to The Nature Conservancy to permanently protect 389± acres
https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/california/stories-in-california/staff-stories/ see 12/15/2023 post

Upper Bear Creek Meadows Conservation Easement $4,485,000 Siskiyou County
grant to Siskiyou Land Trust for a cooperative project with CAL FIRE to acquire a conservation easement over 4,768± acres located east of the community of McCloud. $1.2M from CalFire

Parks Creek Ranch $9,300,000 Siskiyou County
grant to The Nature Conservancy to acquire 5,277± acres located five miles from Weed.

Arcanum Ranch $550,000 Mendocino County
grant to Sanctuary Forest to acquire 50± acres located two miles south of the community of Whitethorn.

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SO-CALIF:

El Monte Valley (Digenan) $810,000 San Diego County
grant to Lakeside’s River Park Conservancy for a cooperative project with the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and the County of San Diego to acquire in fee 75± acres located eight miles east of the city of Santee. (Price includes $690k from CNRA for total $1.5M.)
The Property connects the County’s El Monte County Park to the County’s 2,619-acre El Capitan Preserve,

Santa Rosa Hills $347,000 Riverside County
grant to the Oswit Land Trust for a cooperative project with CNRA to acquire in fee 165± acres located one mile east of the city of Hemet. (CNRA is paying $1M, for total price of $1,34M)

Western Riverside MSHCP Johnson $371,000 Riverside County
grant Federal & WCB funds to the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority (RCA) to acquire in fee 10± acres located in the city of Hemet. USFWS is paying $690k

Happy Valley $1,400,000 Riverside County
grant $2.6M Federal & WCB funds to the Oswit Land Trust to acquire in fee 639± acres located near Indio Hills.

Palo Verde Ecological Reserve, Expansion 5, $8,000,000 Imperial County
acquisition of 1,971± acres located south of the city of Blythe. Dept of Water Resources paying $2M, $25.5M from Lower Colorado MSCP Consortium

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L.A. COUNTY:

Angeles Linkage $824,000 Los Angeles County
grant to the Trust for Public Land for a cooperative project with the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to acquire 113± acres located half a mile south of the community of Acton.
RMC paying $1.5M, and CNRA $1M

Follows Camp Ecological Design $2,080,000 Los Angeles County
grant to City of Industry for a project to develop restoration design plans and initiate environmental education programs, located on 118 acres of city-owned land eight miles northeast of the city of Azusa.

Simi Divide - Box Canyon Connector $850,000 Ventura County
grant to Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority for a cooperative project with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to acquire 166± acres located near Simi Valley. SMMC paying $385k

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CENTRAL COAST:

Elkhorn Slough Ecological Reserve, Expansion 19, $640,000 Monterey County
To consider the acquisition of 24± acres located near Castroville.

LI Livestock Ranch Conservation Easement $1,056,124 San Benito County
grant to the California Rangeland Trust for a cooperative project with the Bureau of Reclamation to acquire a conservation easement over 1,631±-acres located adjacent to Pinnacles National Park. Bureau of Reclamation paying $980k

Beach Ranch $5,000,000 Santa Cruz County
grant to The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County to acquire 264 ± acres located 2.5 miles southwest of Watsonville. Coastal Conservancy paying $8M, LT of S. Cruz $900k

Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander, Section 6 (La Selva Uplands) $6.1M, Santa Cruz County
grant federal & WCB funds to The Trust for Public Land and The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County as successor grantee for a project to acquire in fee 144± acres located near Watsonville. USFWS paying $3M

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SF BAY AREA:

Barnett Ranch $1,997,000 Contra Costa County
grant to John Muir Land Trust to acquire 134± acres located in Martinez in Contra Costa County

Morgan Valley Expansion 1 (Aigner) $70,000 Lake County
grant to The Regents of the University of California to acquire 12 ± acres.

Morgan Valley Expansion 2, $30,000 Napa County
grant to The Regents of the University of California to acquire 5± acres.

Tiburon Ridge (Martha) $5,500,000 Marin County
grant to The Trust for Public Land and Marin County Open Space District as successor grantee to acquire 110± acres located in the town of Tiburon. $49M total price; $29m from Marin CO OSD

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CENTRAL VALLEY/SIERRA NEVADAS:

Western Placer County HCP/NCCP (Redwing Ranch North) $1.1M, Placer County
grant federal & WCB funds to the Placer Conservation Authority, for a cooperative project with Placer Legacy Open Space and Agricultural Conservation Program to acquire in fee 430± acres located near Lincoln. USFWS paying$4.3M, Placer Legacy Program $400k

C & P Conservation Easement $1,410,000 Sutter County
grant to Ducks Unlimited for the acquisition of a conservation easement over 313± acres of land buffering high quality wetlands located on the Sutter National Wildlife Refuge

Island Dairy $11,100,000 Stanislaus County
grant to River Partners to acquire fee title over 482± acres located between the historic San Joaquin River channel and Laird Slough immediately adjacent to the unincorporated community of Grayson.




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