Central Valley and Sierra Nevadas:

Assorted Lands Saved in 2016

SHASTA COUNTY:

http://www.redding.com/news/local/open-space-plans-for-oregon-gulch-get-a-boost-33d6b24d-6b59-6926-e053-0100007f1dc5-381169071.html
5/27/2016: State parks may fund 165 acre purchase in Redding


GLENN COUNTY:

@Conserve_CA Feb 12, 2016
By matching fed funds with 1800 acres of land, we've helped protect small Hamilton City and river shore from floods http://www.chicoer.com/general-news/20160211/imperilled-j-levee-in-hamilton-city-gets-another-burst-of-funding


CALAVERAS COUNTY:



http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/opinion/article_26ab681a-3f16-11e6-a99f-1ff494a375fb.html
3257 acre agricultural conservation easement at Airola's Oak Canyon Ranch may be bought by Rangeland Trust (located in Copperopolis)


TUOLUMNE COUNTY:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvfsp30UQW0&feature=youtu.be
400 acres added to Yosemite National Park, Ackerson Meadow



NEVADA AND PLACER COUNTIES:

@BearYuba 7 Dec 2015
A new era of land conservation is dawning for Bear Yuba Land Trust http://www.bylt.org/sierra-nevada-protected-forever/
12,000 acres owned by PG&E will have conservation easements owned by BYLT


NEVADA COUNTY:

26 Dec 2015: 35 acre Clover Valley Preserve was given to BYLT, now removing garbage, mattresses & tires. More: http://www.bylt.org/land/clover-valley-preserve

http://www.capradio.org/69828
412 acres bought by Truckee Donner Land Trust and sold to USFS; at Castle Valley trailhead of PCT
http://blogs.usda.gov/2016/04/19/partnership-protects-public-access-in-a-landscape-fit-for-a-king/


PlacerLandTrust ‏@PlacerLandTrust Nov 2
3 yrs ago (2014), 7.5 acres of the Aeolia Preserve was permanently protected. Read more at:
http://www.placerlandtrust.org/project/aeolia-preserve/




TULARE COUNTY:

66 acre Craig ranch in Tulare County @savetheredwoods 4/4/16
Land donation by Save the Redwoods League and Sequoia Riverlands Trustto the federal Bureau of Land Management improves access to giant sequoia grove near Visalia: http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article61161792.html
https://www.savetheredwoods.org/league-announcement/save-redwoods-league-sequoia-riverlands-trust-donate-land-tulare-county-blm/
http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article61161792.html
MAP: https://www.savetheredwoods.org/protect/you-secured-a-new-gateway-to-giants/
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/sports/outdoors/pathstopeaks/2016/03/04/nonprofits-donate-land-tulare-county/81337038/


KERN COUNTY:

https://kernvalleysun.com/kv_life/for-hot-springs-valley-acquisition#.V5EA0DLpL7E.twitter
CA SNC gives $500k for 189 acres near Lake Isabella

WCB 2/2016: More land for critters....

About 20,000 Acres to be Saved by CA Wildlife Board in February

Notice of Meeting
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
February 24, 2016 10:00 a.m.
Resources Building 1416 9th Street, First Floor Auditorium Sacramento, California 95814

FULL AGENDA: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=115311
MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=131695

NORTH COAST:

Eel River Peninsula, Phase II (Foster Mountain), (Garcia Creek), (Summer Camp) Mendocino County $3,530,000
To consider the acquisition of three separate conservation easements by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection totaling 15,620± acres; near the City of Willits


CENTRAL COAST:

Santa Cruz Sandhills, Zayante, (Bias) Santa Cruz County: $10,000 to the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County to acquire in fee 11± acres of land located adjacent to the community of Felton
http://www.landtrustsantacruz.org/

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/environment-and-nature/20160425/land-trust-of-santa-cruz-county-protects-sand-parkland-habitat

CENTRAL VALLEY:

Mouth of Cottonwood Creek Wildlife Area, (Manner) Shasta County $350,000
To reconsider the acquisition in fee of 13± acres of land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife near the community of Cottonwood

Willow Bend, Colusa County $430,000 to River Partners to acquire in fee 24± acres near the City of Colusa
http://www.riverpartners.org/

Epperson Place Ranch Conservation Easement Colusa County $407,000 to the California Rangeland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 1,547± acres located in Bear Valley
http://rangelandtrust.org/

Keegan Ranch Conservation Easement Colusa County $332,500 to the California Rangeland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 2,507± acres in Bear Valley



SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:

Upper Mission Creek/Big Morongo Canyon Conservation Area Expansion 7, Riverside County: $66,250 to the Coachella Valley Conservation Commission (CVCC)to acquire 39± acres located in the City of Desert Hot Springs

Sycuan Peak Ecological Reserve, Expansion 6 San Diego County $25,530
acquisition in fee of 2± acres of land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife located in the community of Jamul

Hollenbeck Canyon Wildlife Area Expansion 6 San Diego County $282,720
acquisition in fee of 185± acres of land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife located near the community of Jamul

San Diego Mountain Ranch San Diego County: $10,000 to Back Country Land Trust to acquire a total of 982± acres located in Campo Valley

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 12/2011: more CA land saved...

State $$ to Save over 20,000 acres in December

from the agenda of the 12/8/2011 meeting of the California Wildlife Conservation Board

The WCB is buying conservation easements on 16,033 acres and full ownership of 4218 acres of California wildlife habitat.

SUMMARY:

LASSEN COUNTY: 535 ACRES

TEHAMA COUNTY: 2910 ACRES

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY: 436 ACRES

RIVERSIDE COUNTY: 188 ACRES

SISKIYOU AND SHASTA COUNTIES: 8230 ACRES

PLUMAS COUNTY: 2946 ACRES

SIERRA AND NEVADA COUNTIES: 2995 ACRES

FRESNO COUNTY: 2011 ACRES

FOR THE MEETING AGENDA:

http://www.nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=39028

FOR MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=40356

SPECIFICS:

Bass Hill/Lassen Creek Conservation Easement (Hulsman) in Lassen County

acquire a conservation easement over 535± acres located adjacent to the Department of Fish and Game’s Bass Hill Wildlife Area

grant to The Nature Conservancy for a conservation easement over 2,311± acres, Lassen Foothills expansion 7, (Kerstiens Ranch) in Tehama county

Lassen Foothills, Expansion 8 (Lower Deer Creek Falls, Tehama County

a grant to the Northern California Regional Land Trust for a cooperative project with Western Rivers Conservancy and the Department of Fish and Game to acquire fee title to 599± acres of land for the expansion of the Lassen Foothills Conservation Area, located northeast of Chico along a State Highway 32 in Tehama County. The project will protect approximately 1.4 miles of riparian corridor along Deer Creek

San Joaquin Multi-Species Conservation Plan 2008 Vaquero Farm Central  in Contra Costa County, acquire 320± acres

San Joaquin Multi-Species Conservation Plan 2008 (Affinito) in Contra Costa County

acquire 116± acres  in the City of Pittsburg.

Santa Rosa Mountains, Expansions 11—13 in Riverside County

acquisition in fee of 50± acres of land

Western Riverside County MSHCP, Expansion 6 

Grant to the Jurupa Area Recreation and Park District, for a cooperative project with the Redevelopment Agency of the County of Riverside and the Riverside Land Conservancy, to acquire in fee 138± acres

Bear Creek Working Forest in Siskiyou and Shasta Counties

a grant to the Pacific Forest Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 8,230± acres of working forest lands allowing for continued forest management, passive public use and enhancing the protection of forest, meadow, riparian, fisheries and water resources. The property is located north and south of Highway 89 in a rural area of the southern Cascade Mountain Range in Shasta and Siskiyou Counties near the communities of McCloud, Pondosa and Bartle.

Goodwin Sierra Valley Ranch Conservation Easement in Plumas County

a grant to the California Rangeland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 2,946± acres of working ranch land allowing for continued livestock grazing and other permitted agricultural uses while enhancing the protection of meadow, watershed, riparian, fisheries and wetland resources. The property is located north and south of Highway 70, just east of the town of Beckworth in Sierra Valley.

Webber Lake/Lacey Meadows in Sierra and Nevada Counties

a grant to the Truckee Donner Land Trust to acquire 2,995± acres of land for the protection of significant alpine and wet-meadow habitat, north of the town of Truckee.

Black Mountain Preserve, Expansion 4 (Kimbler) in Fresno County

a grant to the Sierra Foothill Conservancy to acquire conservation easements over 2,011± acres of land for the protection of grazing lands, grasslands, and blue oak woodlands located between Prather and Tollhouse in Fresno County.

Even More New Parks to Explore....

In the Sierra Nevadas and Central Valley:

IN SHASTA COUNTY:

Hathaway ranch 6630 acre conservation easement
http://www.pclfoundation.org/publications/sierranevada/shasta.html
http://www.shastalandtrust.org/content/view/19/1/

JS ranch 5940 ac conservation easement
http://www.alcnet.org/PR_JS_Ranch

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

IN TEHAMA COUNTY:

(NOT FINALIZED) 5545 ac Pine Creek CE—Rose Ranch, seeking $1 million of total $1.5 mil cost of CE from SNC
http://grants.sierranevada.ca.gov/Easygrants_WS_SNC/applicationpdf.aspx?id=385

80 acres—near Lassen NP—saved 4/2011
http://www.wildernesslandtrust.org/news/eighty-acre-added-to-the-lassen-volcanic-wilderness/

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

IN PLUMAS COUNTY:

BY THE FEATHER RIVER LAND TRUST:

Heart-K ranch 884 acres
http://www.frlt.org/docs/hk_directions.pdf
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Come-Celebrate--Heart-K---Signed--Sealed--Delivered-.html?soid=1102283092745&aid=3XGHZYiLLRU

Maddalena ranch—575 acres
http://frlt.org/oursuccesses.html
http://www.frlt.org/docs/madd-directions.pdf

Leonhardt Learning Landscape—42 acres,
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs092/1102283092745/archive/1105007767955.html

318 acre conservation easement at Pierce Family ranch, completed 12/2010
http://www.flickr.com/photos/frlt/sets/72157625403168342/

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

IN SIERRA COUNTY:

Sierra County Land Trust Protects Volcano and Young America Lakes
5/19/11 from High Sierra Rural Alliance
http://sierracountylandtrust.org/index.shtml
http://www.sierrafund.org/news/495-sclt

Thanks to the herculean efforts of Laurie Oberholtzer of the Sierra County Land Trust and Carl Somers of The Trust for Public Land, three more parcels totaling 835 acres surrounding the Sierra Buttes will be kept in trust for the public. One parcel contains Young America Lake. Another parcel includes Volcano Lake. The acquisition also includes a large portion of the craggy face of the Sierra Buttes.
Previous purchases by the SCLT have included two parcels bordering the eastern edges of Volcano Lake and four parcels on Upper and Lower Sardine Lakes. Their land holdings now total over 1500 acres. The public will now be able to enjoy un-gated access to these jewels in the Lakes Basin area which will be managed by SCLT for hiking and back country camping.
The most recent 835 acre purchase was made possible by a grant funded through Prop 50 in 2007 to the High Sierra Rural Alliance as sponsor for SCLT from the Sierra Nevada-Cascade Grant Program. HSRA is thrilled to have played a part in the acquisition of this unparalleled landscape for public use. We wish to thank everyone who helped make the purchase possible and wish the SCLT much good luck and further successes in protecting the treasures of Sierra County.

MAP OF Young America lake
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=39.59960,-120.65091&z=15&t=T

map of Volcano lake
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=39.60668,-120.62521&z=15&t=T

http://sierracountylandtrust.org/whatwedo.shtml
While much of the Lakes Basin is in the Tahoe National Forest, almost 3,000 acres are still privately owned, mostly old mining claims.

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

IN NEVADA COUNTY:

Sugarloaf Mtn-- 30 acres bought by city of Nevada City, 12/10/10
http://www.nevadacityadvocate.com/nevada-city/3498.html
http://sierrafoothillsreport.com/2011/01/31/nevada-city-gains-title-to-sugarloaf/

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

IN PLACER COUNTY:

1800 acre Bruin ranch, (WCB 11/2010 gave half the purchase price)
http://www.tpl.org/what-we-do/where-we-work/california/northern-sierra-nevada/harvego-bear-river.html
http://auburnjournal.com/detail/144340.html

MAP: http://geocommons.com/overlays/68765

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

TDLT buys 122 ac in Martis Valley,

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/12/3623207/preservation-trust-buys-martis.html#ixzz1MoxyPCwl
Approx. location: http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=39.29957,-120.10657&z=14&t=T

52 acre Big Gun preserve
http://www.placerlandtrust.org/news-detail.aspx?title=Big+Gun+Preserve+Protects+Endangered+Species&newsID=49

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

IN EL DORADO COUNTY:

1/18/2011
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/18/3330966/talks-begin-on-public-uses-for.html
The Bureau of Land Management acquired the 695-acre property near Rescue just beyond Folsom Lake in 2010.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/folsom/kanaka_valley.html

land ownership map: http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/folsom/kanaka_valley.Par.75978.File.dat/ownership.pdf

topo map: http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/folsom/kanaka_valley.Par.29358.File.dat/topo.pdf

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

IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

IN ALPINE COUNTY:

20 acres from Wilderness Land Trust to USFS
http://www.wildernesslandtrust.org/news/ilderness_land_trust_acquires_20_acres_to_add_to_the_mokelumne_wilderness/

http://www.wildernesslandtrust.org/news/wilderness-land-trust-permanently-protects-20-acre-private-inholding-as-part-of-the-mokelumne-wilderness/

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

IN MADERA COUNTY:

Topping ranch conservation easement—1362 acres
http://yubanet.com/regional/Sierra-Nevada-Conservancy-Board-Approves-10-Million-in-Bond-Funded-Watershed-Protection-Projects-in-the-Sierra.php

2990 acre conservation easement, by Sierra Foothill Conservancy
http://www.californiaoaks.org/html/current_issues.html

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

IN TULARE COUNTY:

152 acre Dry Creek and 1819 acre Homer ranch preserves,
http://www.thesungazette.com/articles/2011/05/18/news/news04.txt
http://www.sequoiariverlands.org/map/nature-preserve-map.html

50 acres added to US BLM's Atwell Island preserve in 2010
http://www.alcnet.org/projects/overview/california/atwell_1
Atwell Island Land Retirement Demonstration Project,

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

IN KERN COUNTY:

434 acres donated by National Audubon Society to feds, 3/10/11
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsbytes/2011/471xtra_wild_adds.html

Loggers to Sell development rights by Mt. Shasta...

Shasta Slopes Saved

2/2/2011--Today the Roseburg Resources Company and Pacific Forest Trust (PFT) announced they will establish a working forest conservation easement to conserve the significant natural resources of the company’s 8,230-acre Bear Creek tract, located on the slopes of Mt. Shasta in the northern California counties of Siskiyou and Shasta. This effort will complete the permanent conservation of the upper Bear Creek watershed, spawning grounds for the world-famous Fall River rainbow trout.

(click on map to enlarge)

The Bear Creek Working Forest Project is located in the PFT's Mt. Shasta Headwaters Conservation Area within the Klamath-Cascade region, source of the majority of California’s drinking water, heart of the state’s timber industry and home to one of the world’s most biodiverse conifer forests.

Together Roseburg Resources and PFT are applying to the California Wildlife Conservation Board, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, the National Scenic Byways Program and private foundations for grants to fund the $7.8 million appraised value of the conservation easement. Roseburg has committed to sell the easement to PFT if sufficient funding commitments can be secured this year.

Family-owned Roseburg Resources Company, http://roseburg.com, headquartered in Dillard, Oregon, owns 175,000 acres in northern California....

FULL PRESS RELEASE:
http://www.forestsworkwonders.org/2011/02/pft-and-roseburg-resources-company-join.html

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

OTHER PACIFIC FOREST TRUST NEWS:


12/2010--We have some great news to share as 2010 comes to a close. This month California's Sierra Nevada Conservancy delivered the funds to complete our conservation easement on the 245-acre Calpine Meadow Ranch in Sierra Valley, CA, located at the southern tip of our Klamath-Cascade focal area.

Finalizing this conservation easement brings the total lands PFT has safeguarded this year to more than 3,000 acres - a cause for celebration!

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=emptq8bab&v=001HMt6LRUvA5islRFztcpzIlGHAsOlHJ8xSbcaxe--gKVVcS5Kve0pavUsav9B4KTe77GLzLV96uprkqG4YjrE5HYZQRNieZcHw2bf0w8hEjYPly5OhEw0xdNBloodgFDIAUZ9zYd-cbsTPgqA0hpmVWXXtZnIGTSamL1-uvQMYEBCjw0Jz3eAcw%3D%3D
--------------------

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0Bzo64sMxUUP8NDA3MWY2YTMtY2UwNy00MzYyLWI2MDMtNzUzMjg4NDJjMWVh&hl=en

PFT is working with local ranchers to create a conservation corridor across southern Sierra Valley, the largest alpine valley in North America. Located north of Lake Tahoe and a stone’s throw from Reno, Sierra Valley is the headwaters of the middle fork of the Feather River, where the snowmelt from the northern Sierra creates the largest wetland ecosystem in the Sierra Nevada. To date, in partnership
with five families, we have conserved 4,500 acres along the important transition between the upland forests and valley meadowlands. More conservation easement projects are underway.

---------------------
Mt. Shasta

PFT is working closely with the owners of large, well-managed commercial forestlands that surround this majestic peak, interspersed with the National Forest and Mt. Shasta Wilderness Area. The goal of these partnerships is to secure key properties that anchor the forest products industry of the area, while assuring the ongoing sustainable management of these uniquely diverse forests. The glaciers and snow pack of Mt. Shasta form the headwaters of the Sacramento River and several of its key tributaries, including the McCloud and Fall Rivers, which provide much of the water for thirsty Californians. To date, PFT has conserved more than 9,000 acres here, with several major conservation projects in development.

WCB 11/2010: Part two--Calif. Wildlife board to save 84,000 acres in November...

More: State Plans Big End of Year Land Purchases—over 84,000 acres of land and development rights

PART 2 OF AGENDA:

NOTICE OF MEETING --WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
November 18, 2010
10:00 AM
State Capitol, Room 113
Sacramento, California 95814

http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=24287

MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=25149

HIGHLIGHTS:

Glenn County, transfer120± acres to Nature Conservancy, to acquire 104± acres in fee

Loch Lomond Vernal Pool, Lake County, acceptance of 1.7± acres and the disposal of 1.4± acres

Swiss Ranch, 304 acre conservation easement, Calaveras County

Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area, 532 acres, American Canyon, Napa County

Peninsular Bighorn Sheep, 947± acres, Riverside County,

East Elliott and Otay Mesa Regions (Sunroad), 1 acre, San Diego County

Cow Creek Conservation Area, conservation easement over 5,868± acres Shasta County

Red Bank Creek, conservation easements over two ownerships totaling 7,132± acres Tehama County

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPECIFICS ON AGENDA ITEMS

8. Hamilton City Flood Damage, $10,000.00 Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration, Glenn County
To consider the disposal of a portion of property, the Sacramento River Conservation Area, Expansion 4, 120± acres, funded through a Wildlife Conservation Board grant to The Nature Conservancy, approved by the Board in November of 2001, and to authorize the reuse of proceeds generated by disposal to acquire 104± acres in fee title for the protection of riparian and riverine habitat supporting threatened and endangered species.

9. Loch Lomond Vernal Pool, $25,000, Ecological Reserve Exchange, Lake County
To consider the acceptance of 1.7± acres and the disposal of 1.4± acres through an exchange of fee title land between the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and a private landowner to expand protection of vernal pool habitat at the Loch Lomond Ecological Reserve, located in the community of the Loch Lomond, in Lake County.

10. Swiss Ranch, Expansion 3, $430,000, Calaveras County
To consider the acquisition of a conservation easement for the Department of Fish and Game over 304± acres of land for protection of critical habitat for the migratory Rail Road Flat deer herd, located in the Sierra foothills along Swiss Ranch Road in Calaveras County.

12. Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area, $10,000, American Canyon Napa County
To consider the acceptance of 352± acres of land for the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) for protection of bay wetlands, as an addition to the DFG’s Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area, located between the City of American Canyon and the Napa River in Napa County.

16. Peninsular Bighorn Sheep $5,000.00 Riverside County
To consider the acceptance of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Land Acquisition grant and authorize the use of those funds to acquire 947± acres for the Department of Fish and Game, to protect and enhance existing regional wildlife linkages and habitats for the Peninsular Bighorn Sheep, located west of the community of Oasis, in Riverside County.

17. East Elliott and Otay Mesa Regions (Sunroad), $5,000, San Diego County
To consider the acceptance of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Habitat Conservation Planning Land Acquisition grant and the approval to subgrant the federal funds to the City of San Diego to assist with the acquisition of 1± acre of land to protect critical regional wildlife linkages, coastal sage scrub, and to protect and preserve core areas of vernal pool habitat that will enhance the existing Multiple Species Conservation Program and the Natural Community Conservation Plan areas located on the western Otay Mesa, south of Highway 905 and east of Highway 805 in the San Diego city limits.

18. Cow Creek Conservation Area, Expansion 2, $1,340,000, Shasta County
To consider the allocation for a grant to the American Land Conservancy to acquire a conservation easement over 5,868± acres of land, for protection of rangeland, riparian corridors and other significant ecosystems, located north of State Highway 44 approximately 10 miles east of the City of Redding in Shasta County.

19. Red Bank Creek $3,960,000.00 Tehama County
To consider the allocation for a grant to the Northern California Regional Land Trust to acquire conservation easements over two ownerships totaling 7,132± acres for protection of native oak woodland habitat, located approximately 20 miles northwest of the City of red Bluff in Tehama County.

Feds Get Sacramento River land in trade near Shasta Lake...

BLM Acquires Land to Improve Public Recreation Opportunities Near Sacramento River

http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2010/july/NC1084_sac_river_aquire.html

7/8/2010--The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has acquired 275 acres near the Sacramento River that will improve public access to recreation areas and trails north of Redding.

Acquisition of the three parcels between Keswick and Shasta dams will enable the BLM to complete six miles of new trail. A new three- mile loop from the Walker Mine Road Trailhead and a three-mile trail to Moccasin Creek will cross the newly acquired land, according to Steve Anderson, manager of the BLM Redding Field Office.

“Getting the property into public ownership also improves our ability to protect sensitive cultural and historic resources, improve wildlife habitat, and allow us to better manage fire-prone vegetation and reduce wildfire risk,” Anderson said.

The BLM acquired the parcels in a land exchange with property owner Jaxon Baker who acquired from the BLM about 100 acres within the urban expansion area of the City of Shasta Lake.

Anderson said BLM and its partners will soon begin developing the recreation trail segments on the newly acquired parcels, continuing improvement of a rapidly expanding recreational trail network in the Redding area.
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Meanwhile, feds shift lands between departments to help Forest Service and Off-Roaders

One small step for good government

http://blogs.redding.com/bross/archives/2010/07/one-small-step.html

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Hey, this won't make a noticeable dent in the trillion-dollar deficit, but Rep. Wally Herger alerts the world that his HR 689 has passed both houses of Congress -- and will bring new efficiencies to one small corner of the federal government in the north state.

The measure is a land swap that would consolidate the management of the Chappie-Shasta OHV park under the Bureau of Land Management's, um, management, while shifting some 5,000 acres in the Trinity Alps Wilderness to the jurisdiction of the Forest Service. Makes sense for both agencies -- as if the checkerboard of public and private land weren't confusing enough, it only gets worse when you throw in adjacent lands owned by the federal government, but under two separate Cabinet departments.

But what will it mean for users? Local BLM chief Steve Anderson explains in an e-mail:

"Many of the special use permits involved regional users (ie: Oregon, Southern California, Nevada) along with local users. For organized events the reality of one permit simply makes planning more direct. We receive OHV grants from the State of California and while the grant process wont change, there should now only be one grant application for the 52,000 acre, Chappie Shasta OHV area. We would hope that one application would be a benefit to the State OHV Commission and the approval process.

BLM continues to acquire land in the OHV area with federal, state, and settlement (Iron Mountain Mine Superfund ) land. It may make land acquisition more straightforward. Sometimes private parcels offered for purchase would be split between management agency jurisdictions. The parcel(s) may have value for trail connectivity and long term management but we would try to select those lands of most importance within our jurisdiction."

A Current map of the Chappie Shasta off-roader park --CLICK ON IT TO ENLARGE

http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/redding/recreationmain/reddingrecreationtrails.html

McCloud River defenders sue the Feds...

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Winnemem Sue the Feds

Following a night-long war dance on April 19, 2009, members of the Winnemem Wintu tribe marched from a camp on the American River to the California State Capitol to announce a lawsuit against six federal agencies. The lawsuit claims that the agencies have caused destruction or damage to sacred and cultural sites in the McCloud River watershed above Shasta Dam. The lawsuit details village sites, ceremonial rocks and other sacred places that have been damaged or are threatened.

"We hope this lawsuit and war dance will protect our basic quality of life and ensure our freedom to maintain our traditions and culture," said Caleen Sisk-Franco, the Winnemem Wintu Tribe's spiritual leader.

There was good media coverage of the war dance and lawsuit filing, including:

Redding Record: Winnemem Wintus sue federal agencies over Shasta Dam, other issues

Capital Public Radio: Native American Community Files Lawsuit Against Federal Government In Sacramento
(Aired 4/20/2009 on NPR's All Things Considered; Aired 4/21/2009 on NPR's Morning Edition)

5000 Acres Saved in Shasta County

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Lassen Foothills -- Conservation Easement purchased on 5000 Acres

http://www.shastalandtrust.org

http://anewscafe.com/2009/04/13/shasta-land-trust-wraps-up-cow-creek-ranch/

http://www.redding.com/news/2009/mar/30/shasta-land-trust-adds-5000-acre-ranch-to-its/

By Ben Miles , executive director of the Shasta Land Trust of Shasta County.

4/13/2009-Shasta Land Trust has completed a conservation easement on the 5,000-acre Cow Creek Ranch in Shasta County.

The completed easement represents the conclusion of over two years of coordinated efforts by the owners of Cow Creek Ranch, Shasta Land Trust, and their partner organization, the Trust for Public Land.

This conservation easement will prevent further development on the ranch, protecting the many natural resources on the property and ensuring that it remains open space available for ranching purposes.

Located along Whitmore Road, the ranch is owned by the Cow Creek Ranch Limited Partnership. The 4,915-acre cattle ranch will remain in private ownership and may continue to be used for productive ranching uses under the terms of the conservation easement.

The vast acreage of Cow Creek Ranch features an impressive array of habitat types that support many species of wildlife. Blue oak and black oak woodlands, riparian corridors along several creeks, ponderosa pine stands, springs, and ponds all can be found on the property, along with vast expanses of upland dryland grazing areas.

The Cow Creek Ranch will not be open to the public as a result of the conservation easement, but some limited visitation may be conducted by Shasta Land Trust on an annual basis in the future.

Shasta Land Trust is a local non-profit conservation organization, formed in Redding in 1998. Working only with willing landowners who are motivated to conserve their property, Shasta Land Trust has helped conserve over 16,000 acres of land in this region.

The conservation easement on Cow Creek Ranch joins similar Shasta Land Trust easements for over 8,000 acres of ranches in the Cow Creek watershed, helping support the local ranching economy and ensuring the diverse natural resources of the region continue to thrive for generations to come.

The conservation easement was purchased from the Cow Creek Limited Partnership with funds provided by the Wildlife Conservation Board of California, as well as the Preserving Wild California program of the Resources Legacy Fund. Support for Shasta Land Trust is derived from its many supporters and members.

The conservation easement for Cow Creek Ranch permits a handful of residences on the nearly 5,000 acres, but prohibits any additional residential development on the property. Continued grazing is permitted, as is the ability to maintain the necessary ranching and agricultural infrastructure. The property will remain in private ownership and may be sold or passed down to heirs, but will remain under the restrictions of the conservation easement in perpetuity. The ranch will continue to support the local ranching economy, provide important wildlife habitat, provide clean water from its springs and streams, and offer scenic views of its natural expanses for many generations to come.

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Activists in McCloud Celebrate Withdrawal of Nestle Water Bottling Contract

8/6/2008

San Francisco, CA--Activists in McCloud, California won a decisive victory yesterday when the bottled water giant Nestle announced it will kill its water-bottling contract with the McCloud Community Services District. Inked in 2003, the deal would have allowed Nestle to pump up to 200 million gallons of water from nearby Mt. Shasta springs, enough water for 614 typical U.S. families. The bottled water giant had since scaled back the plan due to mounting public opposition led chiefly by the Protect Our Waters Coalition.

The announcement came just days after California Attorney General Edmund Brown Jr. threatened to challenge the company’s contract in McCloud due to the environmental impacts of diverting water from the area.

“The cancelation of the Nestle contract is step forward for customers of the McCloud watershed”, said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. “Thanks to the California Attorney General’s office the people of McCloud have been given another chance to protect their water from exploitation by Nestlé’s water barons.”

"This is great news for McCloud's residents, for our ecosystems, and for future generations,” said Brian Stranko, of the Protect Our Waters Coalition and CEO of Cal Trout. “Cancelling this contract with Nestle was the only environmentally and economically responsible thing to do. A watershed this special should be managed with transparency, public participation and sound science, not empty promises and closed doors. We are heartened to see this step in the right direction."

Nestle had been using the promise of new jobs to convince residents in McCloud of the need for a new water-bottling facility. Yet a recent study by Food & Water Watch reveals that bottled water plants employ few people and the jobs that do create are low paying and dangerous. According to The Unbottled Truth About Bottled Water Jobs, bottled water factories employ on average only twenty-four people and the typical salary of a bottled water worker is more than ten thousand dollars less then that of typical manufacturing jobs. In 2006, bottled water manufacturing had one of the highest rates of workplace injury and illness, with one out of every 11 workers maimed or infirm—a rate 50 percent higher than the broader manufacturing and construction industry.

Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer rights organization based in Washington, D.C. that challenges the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources. Visit www.foodandwaterwatch.org.

http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/press/releases/Nestle%20Contract%20Cancellation.pdf