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

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

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.