2016 So Calif Land Deals

ORANGE COUNTY:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/land-714763-bolsa-trust.html

11 acres will be bought by Bolsa Chica Land Trust from Signal Landmark and Goodell to settle lawsuit; price is being determined

RIVERSIDE AND SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES:

http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20160915/region-gets-9-million-in-federal-grants-for-habitat-species-preservation

Projects that will receive $$:

--16 acres in City of Colton

--up to 4823 acres in the Coachella Valley

--1025 acres in Riverside County

--56 acres in the Chino Hills

--land in the Horseshoe Pebble Plain of the San Bernardino Mountains (SEE 9/10/2014 POST)

 

Feb 27, 2016

Arrowhead water donates 90 acres of land in San Bernardino National Forest http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20160221/arrowhead-water-donates-90-acres-of-land-in-san-bernardino-national-forest

https://www.amargosaconservancy.org/breaking-news-600000-acres-amargosa-basin-public-lands-protected-forever/

9/15/2016—600,000 acres in federal lands in the Amargosa Basin saved from solar project development as part of the Desert Renewable Energy and Conservation Plan

http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/analysis/2016/09/14/blm-releases-final-california-desert-management-plan MAP of conserved lands in the plan

Feb 12, 2016

Photos: Obama Declares 3 New National Monuments In California Desert http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/02/12/466583045/photos-obama-declares-3-new-national-monuments-in-california-desert

 

Feb 26, 2016

MDLT just transferred 820 acres in the Old Woman Mountains to protect access and ecosystem value #LWCF #Outdoors4all

SAN DIEGO COUNTY:

Jan 8 , 2016

Caltrans buys large chunk of Manchester Ave. strawberry fields http://www.encinitasadvocate.com/news/2016/jan/06/caltrans-buys-strawberry-fields/

@encinitasadvocate

10 Dec 2015

Lucky 5 Ranch purchase--KEY LAND PURCHASE CONNECTS STATE PARKS CONSER... http://fb.me/7BtS3PRK6

https://issuu.com/anzaborregofoundation/docs/desert_update_spring_2014_4_3_14_lo

WCB 6/2016: CA Wildlife Conservation board deals

State $$ Will Save 2459 Acres at June Meeting

Notice of Meeting

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD

June 2, 2016 10:00 a.m. California State Capitol, Room 437 Sacramento, California 95814

http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=116421

MAPS OF PURCHASES: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=131696

CENTRAL VALLEY-SIERRA NEVADAS:

Oest Ranch Oak Woodlands Conservation Easement, Expansion 1, Placer County $495,000

grant to the Placer Land Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 77± acres of land for the protection of native oak woodland habitat and for the protection and preservation of sensitive biological resources located near the City of Auburn

Background: https://www.placer.ca.gov/upload/bos/cob/documents/sumarchv/2015/150505A/14g.pdf

Sheep Ranch Conservation Easement, Expansion 4, Calaveras County $270,000

acquisition of a conservation easement over 155± acres of land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for the protection of habitat, including native oak woodlands, for the benefit of deer and mountain lions located near Arnold]

Bufford Ranch Conservation Easement, Expansion 1, Kern County $214,000

grant to the California Rangeland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 261± acres of land to preserve, protect and sustain the rangeland, grazing land, grassland, working landscapes, wildlife habitat, and watersheds located approximately 12 miles south of Lake Isabella

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA:

Hanson Hills, Contra Costa County $10,000

acquire 76± acres of land for the protection and preservation of existing regional wildlife linkages, including grassland and oak woodland savannah habitat areas within the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan, located in the Diablo Mountain Range, west of the City of Brentwood

http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2016/09/29/antioch-deer-valley-regional-park-to-add-76-acres/

http://eastcountytoday.net/park-district-purchases-key-property-near-marsh-creek/

Silver Spur Ranch, Lake County $440,000

grant to Tuleyome to acquire in fee 1,280± acres of land for the protection of habitat such as blue oak woodland, riparian areas, and chaparral, and to provide for potential future wildlife oriented public use opportunities located near Clearlake Oaks. Seller: Dharma Realm Buddhist University

Background: https://tuleyome.wordpress.com/landtrust/silverspur/

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/5704049-181/state-funding-approved-to-buy?artslide=0

MAP:

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMU8Br7ee4606HRy5JLGCYCHLnJmQ5igbjdG_Wa6e-3FKB9s4hG-rCYmWw-tPKK-g/photo/AF1QipNDb186d9Tc3ZtBEoBuvXkNHieBOLvo-uNji48?key=TlNuTFBQNVJfNTR0NVUyRTlrenhoR29kRWxJN1Nn

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:

Puma Canyon, Expansion 7, San Bernardino County $105,000

grant to the Transition Habitat Conservancy for a cooperative project with National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to acquire 20± acres of land to conserve lower montane chaparral and woodland habitat for the benefit of deer, mountain lion, and other wildlife species located in Puma Canyon, near the community of Phelan

http://www.transitionhabitat.org/

http://www.transitionhabitat.org/Projects.html

Live Oak Canyon and Expansion 1, Riverside County $978,500

To consider the allocation of two grants, one to the Western Riverside County - Regional Conservation Authority and one to the City of Redlands for cooperative projects with Western Riverside County-Regional Conservation Authority, the Riverside Land Conservancy, and the City of Redlands to acquire a total of 162± acres of land from two separate landowners in Riverside and San Bernardino County.

Western Riverside MSHCP (2012) – Riverpark, Riverside County $818,500

acquire in fee 108± acres of land near the City of Lakeview

Canada de San Vicente Ecological Reserve, Expansion 1, San Diego County $370,000

acquisition in fee of 169± acres of land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for the protection of core wildlife linkages and endangered species habitat located near the community of Lakeside

Hollenbeck Canyon Wildlife Area, Expansion 7 and 8, San Diego County $369,240

acquisition in fee of 141± acres of land from two separate landowners by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for the protection of core wildlife linkages and endangered species habitat, located near the community of Jamul

Sycuan Peak Ecological Reserve, Expansion 7, San Diego County $32,000

acquisition in fee of 10± acres of land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for the preservation and protection of habitat to protect rare, threatened, endangered and fully protected species, located near the community of Jamul

WCB 11/2014 to 3/2015: More Critter Parks...

CA Wildlife Board Funds Purchase of 18,175 acres of Habitat and Buys 13,333 Acres of Development Rights

Taken from the Agendas for the California Wildlife Conservation Board for November 2014 to March 2015.... http://wcb.ca.gov

MAPS OF PURCHASES:
11/2014: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=91387

2/2015: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=98345

ON THE NORTH COAST:

Blue Creek, Humboldt/Del Norte County $5,035,000

--grant to Western Rivers Forestry for a cooperative project with the State Coastal Conservancy, Wyss Foundation, the Yurok Tribe and the New Market Tax Credit Program to acquire 6,479± acres of land near the town of Klamath, and traversing both Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. WCB 11/20/2014 and 3/12/2015

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

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA:

East Contra Costa County NCCP/HCP (Viera/Perley) $882,500

--acquire 260± acres located in the Diablo Mountain Range, about 6 miles southeast of the Town of Clayton in Contra Costa County. WCB 2/25/2015

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

CENTRAL VALLEY AND SIERRAS:

Granite Chief Wilderness--American River Headwaters, Placer County $3,500,000

--grant to American River Conservancy for a cooperative project with the California Natural Resources Agency and private donations to acquire 9,955± acres of land to help preserve alpine forests on the headwaters of the Middle and North Forks of the American River in Placer County. WCB 2/25/2015

INFO: http://www.arconservancy.org/atf/cf/%7B297DAEBE-1FFA-413C-8866-6AA8965863F7%7D/Granite%20Chief_7_30_Press.pdf

Mt. Shasta Headwaters Forest, Hancock Phase I (Town Block), Siskiyou/Shasta County

$9,090,000

--grant to the Pacific Forest Trust for a cooperative project with the California Department of Transportation to acquire a forest conservation easement over 12,644± acres of land covering a

significant portion of the upper watershed of the McCloud River, located near the town of McCloud and transversing both Siskiyou and Shasta Counties. WCB 11/20/2014

https://www.pacificforest.org/press-release-conservation-partnership-expands-watershed-protection/

MAP: https://www.pacificforest.org/conservation-project/mccloud-dogwood-butte/

Little Shasta Valley Conservation Easement, Fogg Gulch, Siskiyou County, $53,000

--grant to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to acquire a conservation easement over 645± acres of land. WCB 11/20/2014

Allensworth Ecological Reserve, Expansion 50-56, Tulare County, $0.00

--acquisition of 8 separate parcels of land totaling 12.98+/- acres. The funding source is being

provided by the California Department of Corrections Statewide Electric Fence Project mitigation fund. WCB 11/20/2014

Allensworth Ecological Reserve, Expansion 57, Tulare County $0.00

--acquisition of two separate parcels totaling four± acres of land. WCB 2/25/2015

Barry Point Fire Forest Restoration, Modoc County $2,500,000

--grant to the Pacific Forest Trust for a cooperative project with the landowner to restore forest habitat within the privately-owned Collins Timber Company’s 32,686-acre Lakeview Tract, located just west of Goose Lake, approximately 30 miles north of the city of Alturas in Modoc County. WCB 11/20/2014

San Joaquin Wetlands Associates Settlement (MID Eminent Domain) Stanislaus County $0.00

--accept a perpetual conservation easement over 44± acres of natural and managed wetlands, upland

habitats, and riparian areas on 12 privately-owned parcels in western Stanislaus County as part of a Settlement Agreement related to the Modesto Irrigation District’s Westley to Rosemore Transmission Line Project. WCB 2/25/2015

East Sacramento County Blue Oak Legacy Area, Expansion 3 (Graves) $810,000

--grant to the Sacramento Valley Conservancy to acquire 100± acres approximately six miles south of the city of Folsom and three miles north of the community of Rancho Murrieta. WCB 2/25/2015

San Joaquin River Parkway, Jenco Farms , Fresno County, $911,400

--acquisition of 23± acres, WCB 2/25/2015

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

CENTRAL COAST:

Burton Mesa Ecological Reserve, SLC Lease Amendment, Santa Barbara County, $0.00

-- adding 175± acres of land currently under the jurisdiction of the California State Lands Commission. WCB 2/25/2015

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

LOS ANGELES COUNTY:

Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing, Los Angeles County $650,000

--grant to the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains for a cooperative project with Caltrans, Los Angeles County, a private landowner, and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to enhance an existing undercrossing to allow wildlife to cross Highway

101, located approximately nine miles east of Thousand Oaks in Los Angeles County.

WCB 11/20/2014

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

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:

Western Riverside - Monte Cristo, $60,800

--acquire 21± acres of land near the community of Murrieta. WCB 11/20/2014

Western Riverside - Oldar, $95,000

--acquire 157± acres of land near the community of Temecula. WCB 11/20/2014

Western Riverside, Evandel – Wilson, $146,200

--acquire 80± acres of land near the community of Murrieta. WCB 2/25/2015

Western Riverside, Evandel – Bergstein, $218,565

--acquire 108± acres near the community of Murrieta. WCB 2/25/2015

Metcalf Meadow, Recovery Land Acquisition Grant (2013), San Bernardino County $570,000

--grant to the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust to acquire14± acres located within the city of Big Bear. WCB 11/20/2014

Puma Canyon, Expansion 5 (Saylor) San Bernardino County $44,000

--grant to Transition Habitat Conservancy to acquire six± acres of land, to conserve lower montane chaparral and woodland habitat for the benefit of deer, mountain lion and other wildlife species, located in Puma Canyon on the lower northern slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains, near the community of Pinon Hills in San Bernardino County. WCB 2/25/2015

County of San Diego (PWRG) San Diego County, $227,090

--grant to the Endangered Habitat Conservancy (EHC) to acquire fee title to 79± acres and then transfer the property to the State CDFW, located near El Cajon. WCB 2/25/2015

County of San Diego, $1,625,295

--grant to the Endangered Habitats Conservancy to acquire a total of 634± acres from three separate landowners near the city of El Cajon.WCB 2/25/2015

City of Carlsbad (Cielo del Norte, Phase ll) San Diego County, $10,000

--grant to The Escondido Creek Conservancy to acquire fee title to 242+/- acres of land

for the protection of California gnatcatcher habitat in San Diego County. WCB 2/25/2015

WCB 1/2013 to 3/2013: A few State Wildlife board land purchases in March...

LAND PURCHASES BY CALIFORNIA'S WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD

FOR JANUARY THROUGH MARCH 2013

SUMMARY:

1640 acres of development rights purchased

124 acres bought in full ownership

AGENDA FOR 3/11/2013 MEETING: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=60200&inline=1

MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=68100

HUMBOLDT COUNTY: Arcata Community Forest (Humphry) 2 acres for $190,000. WCB 3/2013

MENDOCINO COUNTY: acquire 64± acres, located adjacent to the Inglenook Fen-Ten Mile Dunes Natural Preserve – MacKerricher State Park. WCB 3/2013

YUBA COUNTY: exchange easements between the State and two separate property owners to provide clear title to the adjoining landowners and improved access to the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Daugherty Hills Wildlife Area (Howard Hill Unit). WCB 3/2013

YUBA COUNTY: Marysville ranch--acquisition of a conservation easement over 1,277± acres of land by the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) for a cooperative project with the U.S. Department of Defense, California Department of Transportation and the Trust for Public Land for the protection of oak woodland and grassland habitats and habitat linkages and open space buffers between DFW’s Spenceville Wildlife Area (SWA) and Beale Air Force Base (BAFB). $265,000. WCB 3/2013

BUTTE COUNTY: Little Chico Creek Oak Woodland, 363 acres,  $555,000.00

Conservation Easement, and Expansions 1 and 2 (Mott, Smith and Brigham). WCB 3/2013

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Puma Canyon, and $488,000  Expansions 1 and 2 (Swart, J. Cox, and M&B Cox)

To consider the allocation for a grant to the Transition Habitat Conservancy to acquire the fee title of three separate properties totaling 124± acres. WCB 3/2013

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

There was also a WCB Board Meeting on January 24, 2013;

There were no land purchases on the agenda for that meeting

Tax $$ to save 6296 riverfront acres in Calif.

State Hands out $34 million for New 

River Parks and Trails

2012 PROPOSITION 84, ROUND 2, RIVER PARKWAYS GRANT RECIPIENTS

11/26/2012--The California Natural Resources Agency today announced over $34 million in funding for 33 proposed river parkway projects statewide. These projects will create recreation opportunities for families, restore fish and wildlife habitat, provide flood management, and enhance California’s river parkways.

…In total, the grants will fund more than 31 miles of trails and more than 7,500 acres of wildlife habitat restoration and land acquisition.

For full info release:

http://resources.ca.gov/bond/RP_Awards_2012.Final.pdf

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

LIST OF LAND PURCHASES TO BE FUNDED:

Alpine County parks dept.:  6 acres--Markleeville Creek Acquisition - $136,000

El Dorado County:  American River Conservancy –2,566 acres-- Cosumnes River Parkway - $1,800,000

Yuba and Nevada Counties: Bear Yuba Land Trust – Rice’s Crossing: Yuba River Acquisition - $1,900,000

Acquire the 2,706-acre Rice’s Crossing property immediately below New Bullards Bar Dam adjacent to Yuba River State Park to provide trails for public use and improve river health for salmon fisheries.

http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/yuba-121413-river-land.html

The Rice's Crossing property spans both sides of the Middle Yuba River and is bounded by Bullards Bar Reservoir to the north and South Yuba River State Park to the south.

… "This property knits together more than 8,500 acres of protected open space and contains six miles of the Yuba River," said Markley Bavinger, project manager for the Trust for Public Land.

(BELOW: RICE'S CROSSING LOCATION)

L.A./San Bernardino County line: The Conservation Fund – Mount Baldy Ranch Land Acquisition - $868,000. Acquire 237 acres along San Antonio Creek in the San Gabriel Mountains

Humboldt County: Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc. – Ryan Creek Community Forest Project - $1,000,000. Acquire approximately 1,200 acres of timberland adjacent to Ryan Creek, establishing a Community Forest for the city of Eureka, which will practice sustainable timber management.

Tulare County: Sequoia Riverlands Trust – Kaweah Oaks Preserve Acquisition $410,181

Acquire approximately 22 acres of riparian habitat adding approximately one-half mile of creek frontage along Deep Creek to the Kaweah Oaks Preserve.

Nevada County:  The Sierra Fund – Deer Creek Tribute Trail & Restoration Project (Acquisition) $739,111. Acquire approximately 32 acres of riparian habitat for the purpose of habitat restoration/enhancement and public access.

Sonoma County parks dept:  Mark West Creek Regional Park and Open Space Preserve - $1,000,000

Acquire 297 acres in the Mark West Creek watershed creating a 1,100-acre regional park and open space preserve providing hikers, cyclists and equestrians access to 20 miles of developed trails crossing grasslands, woodlands and creeks.

Placer County: Trust for Public Land – North Fork American River – Big Bend Acquisition - $1,368,000. Acquire 460 acres known as the Big Bend Property which is bisected by the North Fork American River to protect habitat and wildlife corridors and improve public access to the river.

WCB 11/2012: State to Save amost 7700 acres from bulldozing this month

State to buy more wildlife preserves in November

SUMMARY:

3468 ACRES PURCHASED IN FULL

2200 ACRES OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHT PURCHASED (conservation easements)

NOTICE OF MEETING--WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD

November 29, 2012, 10:00 AM, State Capitol, Room 11, Sacramento, California 95814

FINAL AGENDA:

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=57504&inline=1

MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=58096

CENTRAL VALLEY:

Shanghai Bend River Access $10,000 -- Sutter County

acquisition of 13± acres by Quitclaim Deed from Sutter County-- west bank of the Feather River in southeast Sutter County.

Conaway Ranch Conservation Easement (Change of Scope) $0.00 --Yolo County

acquisition of four friendly agricultural conservation easements (three outside and one within the Yolo Bypass) by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG), located east of the cities of Davis and Woodland. This change of scope proposes to redirect a portion of the funding and authorize a grant to the California Waterfowl Association to acquire the easement inside the Yolo Bypass in-lieu of the DFG. Same project as approved by WCB 8/30/2012

East Sacramento County Blue Oaks Legacy Area, $2,713,514 --Expansion 2 -- Sacramento County

grant to the Mother Lode Land Trust to acquire 375± acres located on Scott Road approximately three miles north of Rancho Murieta in southeast Sacramento County.

Campstool Ranch $2,761,055 --Calaveras County

acquire a working forest conservation easement on 2,175± acres of mixed conifer forest lands, located near the community of Railroad Flat in Calaveras County.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA:

Napa Sonoma Marsh, Napa River Unit (Giovannoni) $35,000 --Napa County

acquisition of 12± acres located south of Highway 12 off Buchli Station in Napa County.

Quail Ridge UC Davis Natural Reserve System $70,000 --Napa County

grant to the University of California to acquire 10± acres for expansion of the UC Davis Natural Reserve System approximately 14 miles west of the City of Winters

East Contra Costa NCCP/HCP (Alaimo) $88,250 --Contra Costa County

acquire 2± acres located in the Diablo Mountain Range between the town of Clayton and the City of Pittsburg, in unincorporated Contra Costa County.WITHDRAWN FROM AGENDA

San Antonio Valley Ecological Reserve Expansion $868,000 -- Santa Clara County

acquisition of 339± acres of land as an addition to the Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) San Antonio Valley Ecological Reserve located approximately 20 miles east of San Jose in eastern Santa Clara County.

CENTRAL COAST:

Santa Cruz Sandhills, Zayante (Zolezzi) $87,921 -- Santa Cruz County

acquire a conservation easement over 25± acres, located in the City of Ben Lomond

Star Creek Ranch $2,510,000 --Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties

acquire 1,210± acres of land for the protection of habitat linkages and working forest property, located in Pajaro Hills in Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:

Joshua Tree North Linkage - Section 33, $685,000 --San Bernardino County

acquire 624± acres of land for the protection of desert habitat corridors leading south to the Joshua Tree National Park, located west of the community of Joshua Tree, in San Bernardino County

Upper Mission Creek / Big Morongo Canyon $2,012,000 --Conservation Area, Expansion 6 (Palmwood) Riverside County

acquire 883± acres located near Desert Hot Springs in Riverside County.

Gulp...another plan to suck the desert dry

So-Cal Sprawlers seek water from valley near the Amboy Craters in the Mojave Desert

the Cadiz water project is back!

Rejected in 2002 by the big water agency in So-Cal, the Metropolitan Water District, several smaller urban water sellers are now backing the project to "mine" water from a remote desert valley to provide water for 400,000 more people in the L.A.-Orange county areas.

http://www.pe.com/local-news/san-bernardino-county/san-bernardino-county-headlines-index/20111206-desert-environmental-review-on-water-storage-plan-released.ece

"An environmental report has been released for a controversial plan to pump water from ancient underground basins in the eastern Mojave Desert and store Colorado River supplies there for delivery to Riverside County and elsewhere in Southern California.
The $225 million Cadiz Valley Water Conservation, Recovery and Storage Project would involve building 44 miles of pipeline to carry water in surplus years from the Colorado River Aqueduct to the company’s property, which lies between the Mojave National Preserve and Joshua Tree National Park.
In dry years, water would be pumped from the aquifer underneath the 35,000 acres owned by Cadiz Inc..."

More on local hearings in January and February of 2012 are in the above article.

(click on maps to enlarge)

TO READ THE EIR:
http://www.smwd.com/operations/cadiz-project-draft-eir.html

More New Parks to Explore....

In Southern California:

ORANGE COUNTY:

Lake Forest-Orange co. land swap
http://www.ocregister.com/news/park-291583-forest-lake.html
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/park-291583-forest-lake.html?graphics=1#graphics1

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

SAN DIEGO COUNTY:

125 acres bought by Lakeside River Park Conservancy, 4/25/11
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/apr/14/santee-using-grant-funds-to-buy-land-along-san-die/

6.5 acres saved by Lakeside River Park Conservancy, 5/19/11
http://www.lakesideriverpark.org/About/hahana.html

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

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY:

Mojave Desert LT purchases—3300 acres in Cady Mts., 955 acres Quail mtn
6/13/11
http://mojavedesertlandtrust.org/index.html
http://mojavedesertlandtrust.org/newsletters/MDLT_Summer2011.pdf

The Land Trust was able to purchase 3,300 acres in December 2010 in the beautiful Cady Mountains Wilderness Study Area, about 40 miles east of Barstow, with a grant from the California Department of Fish & Game. This purchase protected the habitat and wildlife corridors for sensitive species such as bighorn sheep, desert tortoise, burrowing owl, prairie falcon, and golden eagle.

We are currently working to close escrow on more than 70 parcels with as many landowners in Imperial County that will protect a portion of the Chuckwalla Desert Wildlife Management Area - an area designated to aid in the recovery of the threatened desert tortoise. This area contains critical tortoise habitat, but also contains a large checkerboard pattern of inholdings that, if developed, will threaten the recovery of the species. When the Land Trust acquires these parcels, 1,600 acres of habitat will be protected to give the tortoise a better chance to survive.

Desert Destruction halted...

-
Fed Judge Overturns Bush's Plan for the West Mojave Desert

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2009/mojave-orv-09-29-2009.html

Bush-era Plan Authorizing Off-road Vehicles on Federal Lands in Mojave Desert Found Illegal by Court

9/29/2009--SAN FRANCISCO— Late Monday a federal judge rejected a Bureau of Land Management plan for managing millions of acres of public land in the California desert. In response to a challenge brought by a coalition of conservation groups including the Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, and Desert Survivors, the court ruled that the Bush-era West Mojave Plan violated the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the National Environmental Policy Act by favoring off-road vehicle use over protection of sensitive desert resources such as endangered species and archeological sites.

“This is a huge win for the California desert,” said Lisa Belenky, a senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. “The court’s decision takes the Bureau of Land Management to task for designating thousands of miles of off-road vehicle routes while ignoring the significant damage these vehicles cause to our public lands and the wildlife that depend on these lands for their survival.”

The court rejected the Bureau’s use of a route designation “decision tree” that the agency used to designate areas for off-road vehicles – a decision tree that failed to take into account such legal requirements as the minimization of routes to limit damage to public lands and disruption of wildlife and habitats. The court found that the Bureau failed to provide adequate explanation for many of the route changes and actually added routes beyond the limit expressly set in the agency’s own planning documents.

It also found that the Bureau violated the law by failing to analyze alternatives that would reduce the number or miles of off-road vehicle routes so as to reduce impacts to resources; that the agency’s analysis of impacts of off-road vehicles on air-quality cultural resources, riparian resources, unusual plant assemblages, and sensitive species such as the Mojave fringe-toed lizard was inadequate; and that the Bureau failed to look at the impacts of cattle grazing on sensitive desert soils.

-----------------------------------
to read the judge's ruling:
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/deserts/california_desert_conservation_area/pdfs/WEMO_NECO_case_order_9-28-09.pdf

"For the foregoing reasons, ...The Court GRANTS summary judgment in favor of plaintiffs on the FLPMA claims, GRANTS summary judgment on some of the NEPA claims in favor of plaintiffs, and GRANTS summary judgment on some of the NEPA claims in favor of defendants, and GRANTS summary judgment in favor of defendants on the ESA claims."

PArks Linkage Bill proposed in east Mojave desert...

-
Senator Feinstein is Drafting Bill to Link Joshua Tree and East Mojave Parks

excerpted from http://www.pe.com/localnews/sbcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_S_monument16.447149a.html

9/16/2009--...Earlier this year, preservationists said they sought Feinstein's support to create a 2.4 million-acre preserve to protect public land from military use and energy development. The area would be called the "Mother Road National Monument" because it would include 70 miles of historic Route 66...

One supporter said Tuesday that the senator now is working on a more modest plan than initially discussed. ..

Elden Hughes, a member of the Sierra Club California/Nevada Desert Committee and a Joshua Tree resident, said Feinstein is crafting legislation for a smaller monument than envisioned earlier by conservationists.

He said he hopes the Schwarzenegger administration doesn't stop Feinstein's effort, because a monument designation would protect corridors for wildlife to move between Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve. Such swaths of undisturbed land will be especially important as global warming changes habitat, he said.

"Severing the desert would be a huge mistake," Hughes said. "We need the wildlife and plant corridors to remain open."

Adding lands to Joshua Tree National Park...

-
News from the Mojave Desert Land Trust

Their most current e-newsletter--late August 2009:
http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=00126XNn1lqCgybx6Tv9j5uON0ZQIxxpr32Io2YE3YWouLeVZvM2i5HESUZWT_wI3aJ_P9SW0SrFLIGyEL2ia6pHIRsGUBjMDgVxaXkIZfbaSJDrAkN67sHCg%3D%3D

Their campaign to save 955 acre near Nolina Peak on the north boundary of Joshua Tree National Park: http://www.mojavedesertlandtrust.org/quailmountain.html

THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Land Saved to Date: 16,105 acres and growing

Land Currently in Escrow: $1,080,000

Number of Parcels Acquired: 298

Dollars Invested Acquiring Land: $7,343,000

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From the Executive Director
Nancy Karl

With the growing threats to the Mojave Desert, such as large solar and wind installations, a high-speed rail crossing the desert, an airport proposed for the Primm, NV area, large-scale development projects and climate change affects, it's a historic and critical time to pay attention to those areas that currently contain healthy (and dwindling) wildlife populations.

Your community Land Trust is paying attention to and responding to these threats through programs that acquire and conserve land, comment on Environmental Impact Reports (EIR's), steward and monitor lands we've already preserved, and restore land that has been impacted by dumping or other uses.

The Quail Mountain Project is an important and rare opportunity to purchase exquisite habitat and wildlife viewing areas in south Joshua Tree, next to our previous purchase, Nolina Peak. We have a limited period of time to complete the purchase before it goes back on the market for potential development. Have you ever seen a 30-foot waterfall in Joshua Tree? After a rain event, you'll have the opportunity, if we can save this important natural area.

Desert Land Rush by energy companies...

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Too Hot and Distant for tract houses...But Seems Like Everyone wants a piece of the Mojave Desert...

excerpted from
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-solar1-2009jun01,0,6845540.story

6/1/2009--A rush to stake claims for renewable energy projects in the California desert has triggered a federal investigation and prompted calls for reforms to prevent public lands from being exposed to private profiteering and environmental degradation.

Officials said last week that the inspector general's office of the Department of the Interior was investigating Tempe, Ariz.-based First Solar Inc.'s recent acquisition of Hayward, Calif.-based OptiSolar, and its unfinished renewable energy projects, for $400 million. The deal gave First Solar control of what the company described as OptiSolar's "strategic land rights" to 136,000 acres of public land in San Bernardino, Riverside and Kern counties.

Bureau of Land Management officials, however, said First Solar acquired OptiSolar's applications to develop that land.

"There is no value associated with a mere application, which could be rejected by us for a variety of reasons," said Greg Miller, renewable energy program manager for the BLM office in Moreno Valley...

...Three years ago, the bureau had six applications for solar energy projects on file. Over the last year, it has received 130 additional applications from 50 companies, covering about 600,000 acres -- much of it in one of the sunniest regions on Earth, the Mojave Desert.

Some applicants are asking for parcels as small as 250 acres. Then there is Cogentrix Solar Investments, which is seeking more than 300,000 acres...

...A coalition of a dozen environmental groups led by the Wildlands Conservancy has identified 137,000 acres of public and private agricultural and degraded desert lands -- all near existing transmission lines -- that could be used for solar energy farms.

"On these alternative lands we can unite what otherwise would be conflicting environmental interests," said David Myers, executive director of the Wildlands Conservancy.

"It would be a real shame if the public policy for our new green economy was driven haphazardly by speculators," he said.

An Island in the Mojave National Preserve...

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Spotlight on the Castle Mountains Proposed Mojave National Preserve Addition

from http://calwild.org's Voices For the Desert news

http://calwild.org/explore-wild-lands/desert.html

5/2009--The Castle Mountains lie along the California-Nevada border and are surrounded on three sides by the Mojave National Preserve. These mountains, including Hart Peak at 5,543 ft., represent a critical linkage between the Paiute Mountains and the New York Mountains for plant-life, wildlife, scenic viewshed and watershed. The Castle Mountains are currently the only remaining portion of the 340-mile Lanfair Valley watershed that is not part of the Preserve. The vegetation consists of Joshua tree woodland, with higher elevations leading to Blackbrush scrub and Pinyon-Juniper forest at the highest altitudes. The area of Desert Grasslands below the Viceroy Mine was recognized as a “unique plant assemblage” in 1980 by the BLM in their California Desert Conservation Area plan. The scenic view from Hart Mountain looks out over adjacent and contiguous wilderness, including views of many of the highest peaks in the Mojave Desert. The remote nature of this site protects the ability to enjoy increasingly rare natural quiet. The Castle Mountains are critical habitat for Mojave Desert wildlife like the Desert Bighorn, Mule Deer, Bobcat, Mountain Lion, Golden Eagle, Swainson’s Hawk, Desert Tortoise, Gila Monster, Prairie Falcon, Bendire’s Thrasher, Grey Vireo, Townsend’s big-eared bat, and California leaf-nosed bat. This area is especially critical to the Desert Bighorn who utilize the area both as habitat and as a wildlife corridor between the water-poor Paiute Mountains and the wetter New York Mountains. This area is also a “living laboratory” showcasing the progression of human history in the Eastern Mojave Desert. There are significant elements of Native American, Western-American and Mining History, including an obsidian source that provided material found throughout the Mojave, the historic town of Hart, and both the Hart and Viceroy mines. The opportunity for historic preservation and interpretation are tremendous.

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Senator Feinstein Wants Energy Plans Halted on Desert Lands that were Donated for Preservation

excerpted from http://yubanet.com/california/Desert-Protection-Feinstein-Seeks-to-Preserve-Former-Catellus-Lands.php

By: Sen. Dianne Feinstein's office

(lands in red and purple are the Wildlands Conservancy donation parcels. Click on map to enlarge)

Washington, DC Mar. 18, 2009 - U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the author of the 1994 California Desert Protection Act, today announced her intention to introduce new legislation to establish a national monument to preserve hundreds of thousands of acres in the Mojave Desert. The former Catellus lands were previously donated to or by purchased by the Department of the Interior for conservation.

"The former Catellus lands between the Mojave National Preserve and Joshua Tree National Park were purchased by or donated to the federal government so they would be protected forever. I feel very strongly that the federal government must honor that commitment," Senator Feinstein said.

"That's why I am very concerned about wind and solar development proposals intended for these lands. I'm a strong supporter of renewable energy and clean technology -- but it is critical that these projects are built on suitable lands. The former Catellus lands shouldn't be eligible for development.

So, I intend to introduce new legislation to protect hundreds of thousands of acres of these former railroad lands through a national monument designation. This would provide lasting protection for these lands and prevent development, while allowing existing uses to continue. I also intend to work with local stakeholders to determine whether other local desert lands may be suitable for federal protection at this time.

These former Catellus land acquisitions were financed by $40 million in private donations from The Wildlands Conservancy, $18 million in Land and Water Conservation Fund appropriations and approximately $5 million in a price reduction from Catellus, a real estate subsidiary of the former Santa Fe and Southern Pacific Railroad. The private parties contributed this large sum of money in the belief that this land will be protected and conserved. Building huge solar facilities on these lands is untenable and unacceptable. Bottom line: the former Catellus lands must be protected from development."

Senator Feinstein recently expressed her concerns about development proposals intended for the former Catellus lands in a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, which is available below.

Protecting the Former Catellus Lands

The national monument designation would ensure that hundreds of thousands of acres between Joshua Tree National Park and the Mojave National Preserve are protected in perpetuity. Large-scale development would be prohibited within the monument in order to protect the biological and aesthetic integrity of the region and guarantee public access for hunting, hiking, camping and exploring scenic back roads.

The 600,000 acre Catellus agreement was one the largest nonprofit land acquisition donations to the United States in history. Most of the Catellus lands were acquired and donated to the federal government between 1999 and 2004. It included nearly 100,000 acres of land to the National Park Service, over 210,000 acres in 20 wilderness areas to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and hundreds of thousands of acres of important habitat for threatened and endangered species.

The BLM is currently reviewing 130 applications for solar and wind energy development in the California desert, covering more than 1 million acres of public land. Several of these applications are located in the eastern Mojave Desert on or near property previously owned by Catellus. The California Energy Commission has estimated that approximately 100,000 to 160,000 acres of desert lands would be needed for the state to meet its 33 percent renewable energy goal by 2020.

Senator Feinstein was the lead sponsor of the 1994 Desert Protection Act, which provided lasting federal protection for nearly 9 million acres of pristine desert land in Southern California. It established Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park and the Mojave National Preserve. It remains the largest parks and wilderness bill to impact the lower 48 states.

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Desert News: Power Lines Plan route shifted; State is Planning for Power Plants; Chevron Sells Mine; Marines Seek More Land

New Green Path North power line proposal would avoid sensitive desert areas, but threaten others

http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_greenpath27.40e3075.html

2-27-2009-A new route proposed for a controversial power line would sidestep sensitive Mojave Desert land by running towers parallel to existing lines along Interstate 10 and through San Timoteo Canyon to Lytle Creek.

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we get letters:

Evan Welsh writes:
The BLM is currently processing applications for solar facilities that would cover almost almost 700,000 acres. Many of these projects fall on land protected by the Wildlands Conservancy, in conjunction with the BLM and others, as part of the Catellus land acquisition. This modern gold rush has the potential to cut the Mojave Desert in half, and have a myriad of negative ecological, social, and cultural effects that will be impossible to mitigate. I have included a link to the BLM map that shows the relative size and location of these projects.

To download a map:

http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/cdd/energy.Par.96009.File.dat/cdd_renewable_energy_09_05_2008.pdf

(click on map to enlarge)

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Mapping for projects, protection
1/26/2009--State officials are mapping the California desert to identify what to designate for renewable energy projects and what to protect….

http://www.mydesert.com/article/20090126/NEWS07/901260308/1026

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Southern California utilities eye Inland desert as energy goldmine

http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_renewables26.3d2d943.html


http://www.pe.com//imagesdaily/2009/01-26/20090126_renewables_gfx_600.jpg

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Chevron Mining agrees to sell Mountain Pass rare earth mining operations

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS190520+10-Sep-2008+PRN20080910

Sept. 10, 2008-- Chevron Mining Inc. (Chevron) today announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its MolyCorp-Mountain Pass rare earth mining operations to Rare Earth Acquisitions (Editor's note: they are not related to Rare Earth News.)

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Marines want to take over Amboy Road

http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2009/01/26/news/local/local5.txt

1/25/2009--LAUGHLIN - The U.S. Marine Corps wants to expand its Twentynine Palms, Calif., air-ground combat training base to the east, taking over Amboy Road, which Southern California drivers use to reach the Colorado River cities…. “If the road becomes clogged with military convoys or closed during training exercises, travelers will change their driving patterns and detour past Indian casinos prior to their arrival in Laughlin,” she advised her board of directors.

More from the Center for Biological Diversity
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/t/5243/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26416

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More Battling Over Power Lines in the Desert

http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_grassroots24.3f1195f.html

12/23/2008--Block Energy's Path -- Effort high to keep power lines out of virgin desert

--See comments section at end for L.A. DWP's response

More on Green Path North
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp007434.jsp
Imperial Irrigation District's Green Path site, http://www.greenpath.us/
California Desert Coalition, http://www.cadesertco.org/
Alliance for Responsible Energy Policy, http://www.stopgreenpath.com/
Coachella Valley Coalition, http://www.coachellavalleycoalition.com/

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LOOSE WEBSITE SCRAPS: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

http://www.uneco.org/cleveland_national_forest.html

cleveland national forest conservation fund, United Eco Action fund

http://www.uneco.org/cleveland_forest_info.html

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http://calwild.org/images/carnivore_map.gif

road impact on carnivore habitat in SoCal

RIVERSIDE COUNTY:

http://www.rctlma.org/

riverside county transportation and land use management agency

http://www.isocarp.net/Data/case_studies/475.pdf

RIVERSIDE COUNTY INTEGRATED PROJECT, 2 new freeways planned in Riverside County

ORANGE COUNTY:

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/a-clockwork-orange/native-american-saga-part-2-so/

Native American Saga, Part 2: So Many Bones, So Little Time

12/14/2008: Tribes fight over bones at Bolsa Chica

SAN DIEGO COUNTY:

http://theabf.org/featurearticle05.htm

On their attempts to purchase of 4000 acre Desert Cahuilla property…AKA the Freeman property

In May of 2006, the Anza-Borrego Foundation was presented with an extraordinary opportunity. Joining a coalition of conservation organizations, we could help purchase 4,000 critical acres in the area – which are “checkerboarded” with land already owned by the State of California.
Eventually, this foothold could include as many as 15,000 acres of new and largely pristine parkland. Over twenty-three square miles!... The Desert Cahuilla area occupies more than 16 square miles of land located north of S22, between the park’s east boundary and Highway 86….With the collapse of the conservation purchase of the Desert Cahuilla property, the stage is now set for California State Parks to acquire the property from TheTrust for Public Land. Initially, the project is subject to a two-stage vote by the Public Works Board: a July 14th vote to “select” the site, and an August 10th vote to
authorize the final purchase of the property.
What is unresolved, at least at this early stage, is how the property will be classified. It could be incorporated into Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, or it could be added to Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation area.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY:

http://www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/assessor/

San Bernardino assessor maps

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Judge Upholds Ruling Against Fire-unsafe Subdivision in San Bernardino Mountains

10/27/2008: Ruling in favor of the Center for Biological Diversity and the health of the San Bernardino Mountains, this Tuesday California's Fourth District Appeals Court affirmed a lower court's decision that San Bernardino County's approval of a controversial Lake Arrowhead subdivision was illegal. The ruling echoes a 2006 opinion in a case brought by the Center, stating that approval of the development went against the county's own general plan's "unambiguous" requirement that a fire evacuation route be finished before an area project is approved. The court further ruled that the county went against its own development code as well as state environmental law by not identifying an adequate water source for the project. And all this is in addition to the county's failure to do an accurate analysis of biological impacts. Known as Blue Ridge Estates, a.k.a. the Hawarden Development, the project was planned for a steep slope near Cedar Glen, an area of the San Bernardino Mountains considered hazardous for wildfire that was already largely burned by the catastrophic Old Fire of 2003. Moving forward with the development would have impeded the area's natural cycles and put it even more at risk of fire (not to mention all the other devastating effects of development). Get more on the case in the Press-Enterprise. http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/center/articles/2008/press-enterprise-10-27-2008.html