900 Acres saved for critters in So-Cal Sprawl-land....and

Orange County studying buying remaining private wildlife areas in county

With at least $42 million available from a transportation bond measure OK'd by voters, Orange County's transportation agency published a list of wild areas they seek to purchase as "mitigation" for various highway projects. Around 3400 acres are on the agency's "high priority" list, and are shown in green on the map below.

In the first wave of purchases, almost 600 acres was saved in Trabuco Canyon in the south end of the county (#'s 22, 56 and 66 on the map below), and 300 acres saved in the city of Brea (Hayashi property--#28 on the map) in the Chino Hills. Here is a report with more details:
http://www.octa.net/pdf/6.29.11.pdf

MORE INFO:

http://www.hillsforeveryone.org/news-publications/PDFs/hfe-publications/newsletters/2011/spring-2011.pdf

history of Chino Hills state park purchases map
http://www.hillsforeveryone.org/wildlife-corridor/PDFs/maps/CHSP-Acquisitions-Map.pdf

http://articles.ocregister.com/2011-05-26/news/29591957_1_octa-open-space-improvements-and-other-projects

Click on map to enlarge

More North Coast Forests are saved

Mendocino County is becoming one big preserve

426 Acres of Ancient Redwoods Saved at Noyo River

4/7/2011—from CBD--

More than 400 acres of old-growth redwood forest on the northern coast of California are now protected. Over the past two years, the Center for Biological Diversity has been challenging logging plans that would have destroyed some of California's last remaining old forest. The area most recently in danger, known as the Noyo River Canyon in Mendocino County, has just been bought by the preservation organization Save the Redwoods League for $7.5 million-- meaning the Center won't have to stay in court to protect these amazing trees. The area will continue to provide safe habitat for many years to come for numerous threatened and endangered species, including the marbled murrelet, a shy, seafaring bird that relies on old-growth forest for nesting.

Read more:

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/center/articles/2011/martinez-gazette-03-27-2011.html
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/center/articles/2011/san-francisco-chronicle-03-25-2011.html
http://www.savetheredwoods.org/enews/index.php?id=18
http://www.savetheredwoods.org/protecting/NoyoRiverRedwoods.shtml#newsNoyo

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

State Wildlife Board OK's buying Development Rights on 8544 acres northeast of the Town of Willits

Eel River Peninsula $8,559,000 Mendocino County
-- A map has finally been released by the State's Wildlife Conservation board for its June 2011 action where it granted $8.5 million to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to acquire a conservation easement over 8,544± acres of threatened and endangered species habitat, deer range habitat, oak woodlands and old growth forests, wildlife corridors, riparian areas and to provide future wildlife oriented public use opportunities, located east of the town of Willits in Mendocino County.

SEE ITEM 19 ON THE AGENDA: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=29798
--------------------------------------------

State Buys more development rights on the Gualala River 

We finally have a map of 13,913 acres preserved by the Wildlife conservation Board in Feb 2011, at a cost of $20 million

SEE ITEM 23 FOR FOR MORE INFO: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentVersionID=55580

Legal News in Humboldt Redwoods

Fed Judge halts 101 Highway widening through Richardson Grove State Park's ancient redwoods

7/6/11
For the full story:
http://humboldtherald.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/judge-grants-preliminary-injunction-on-richardson-grove-project/

Photo by Andy Caffrey

http://saverichardsongrove.blogspot.com/

WCB 7/2011: Re-Do of hearing to Save Usal Forest

50,000 Acre forest in Mendocino County to be saved, at July 26th hearing

 

(CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE)

 
The California Wildlife Conservation Board will hopefully ignore the protests from the owner of hundreds of thousands of  acres of redwoods to the north and south of the 50,000 acre Usal Forest, and then commit about $20 million to preserve the Usal land. The protestors, the Fisher Family of San Francisco who own the Gap clothing stores, as well as Banana Republic and Old Navy stores, also own both Humboldt Redwoods co., formerly known as Pacific Lumber, and the Mendocino Redwood Co. totalling nearly 400,000 acres of redwoods on the northern California coast.

Formerly owned by Georgia-Pacific lumber co., the Usal Forest land was sold to Hawthorne Timber, which then sold it to the local Redwood Forests Foundation (http://rffi.org/) with a loan from Bank of America. The state deal will help pay off the BofA mortgage. RFFI has managed the land as a sustainably-logged forest, unlike the industrial-style timber management by Georgia Pacific, and the state deal will help open some of it to public trails, etc. for an additional payment of $5.5 million ($3 million from the state, $2.5 mil. from the private Save the Redwoods League) which would give the Redwoods League full ownership of 957 acres known as Shady Dell.


AGENDA: http://www.nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=34542

APPRAISAL: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=31170

LOTS MORE INFO: http://rare-earth-news.blogspot.com/search?q=usal
http://rffi.org/Usal-ConservationEasement.html
http://www.rffi.org/InTheNews.html
http://www.wildcalifornia.org/blog/take-action-now-to-support-the-usal-redwood-forest/
http://www.times-standard.com/ci_17527762
http://www.wildcalifornia.org/blog/usal/
http://www.times-standard.com/guest_opinion/ci_17591051

SMMC-MRCA 6/27/2011-7/6/2011

Late June-early July Purchases and Developments around the L.A. Ring of Parks, from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority board agendas

HIGHLIGHTS:
Laurel Canyon
Stone Canyon reservoir
Elephant Hill--East L.A.


June 27, 2011 - SMMC--Consideration of resolution authorizing the addition of the Laurel Canyon – Mulholland properties project to the Conservancy Acquisition Workprogram, City of Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map]
July 6, 2011-MRCA--Consideration of resolution authorizing entering into a Project Agreement with the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District for the acquisition of the Laurel Canyon – Mulholland Properties project, Laurel Canyon, City of Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map 1] [Map 2]

June 27, 2011 - SMMC--Consideration of resolution authorizing a comment letter to City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power on Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Upper Stone Canyon Reservoir Water Quality Improvement project. [Comment Letter] [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map]

June 27, 2011 - SMMC--Consideration of resolution authorizing a supplemental comment letter to Los Angeles County on the Draft 2035 General Plan. [Resolution] [Attachment ] [Map] [Comment Letter]

July 6, 2011-MRCA--Consideration of resolution authorizing a grant application to Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy for acquisition and improvements at Elephant Hill, El Sereno, City of Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map] [Attachment]
[Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2]

test of Rare Earth News email service...

From the editor:
I'm wondering whether the automatic "Google--Feedburner" email system for my subscribers is working. I just changed some settings, so hopefully it is working again. Please reply to me at rexfrankel@yahoo.com if you got this email.

Thanks, Rex Frankel

Trails reopened in Angeles National Forest

Many are open, some still closed...

5/16/11
An update on Angeles Forest Re-opening :
According to the Forest Service map of the station fire closure area at http://maps.fs.fed.us/stationfire/ the list below shows the status, effective May 16 2011, of some of the more popular trails that were affected by the Station Fire. Keep in mind that even though these trails are in the newly opened areas of the forest, the individual trails may be signed closed. Please respect any trail closure signs and stay off those trails for your own safety and the recovery of the forest.

Many of the trails will not be in good shape, so be prepared for surprises like downed trees, slides, washouts, ruts, and other hazards.

Many trails have been drastically changed from before the Station Fire.

Many fire roads have not yet been graded and may be much narrower and in very poor condition with ruts and washouts. All the usual caveats about trail safety apply so use the trails safely and responsibly, and be especially careful the first time you travel on one of the newly opened trails.

Opened Trails (As of May 16, 2011)

* Brown Mountain (to the saddle)
* Gabrielino (JPL to Paul Little)
* Gabrielino (Switzers to Redbox to Chantry)
* Bear Canyon Trail
* Sam Merrill Trail
* Castle Canyon Trail
* Sunset Ridge Trail
* Mt. Lowe West Trail
* Idlehour Trail
* Kenyon Devore Trail
* Rim Trail
* Sturtevant Trail
* Santa Clara Divide Truck Trail (Dillon Divide to Mt. Gleason to Three Points)
* Chilao Loop/Mt. Hillyer
* Vetter Road
* Silver Mocassin
* Shortcut
* Valley forge
* Mt. Lukens road (once the highway opens)
* Earl Canyon
* Haines Canyon
* Doc Larsen

Keep in mind that even though these trails are in the opened area, the individual trails may be signed closed (And those signs should still be respected). Many of the trails will not be in good shape, so be prepared for surprises like downed trees, massive ruts or slides, washouts, and other hazards.


Closed Trails (Until Further Notice)
* Strawberry Peak,
* Tom Sloan
* Dawn Mine
* Upper Brown Mountain (Saddle to the Summit/Ken Burton)
* Ken Burton
* Gabrielino from Switzers to Paul Little
* Grizzly Flat
* Hoyt
* Stone Canyon
* Condor Peak Trail
* Trail Canyon
* Alder Creek
* Colby Canyon
* Josephine
* Mueller Tunnel

Lee Zebold, Los Angeles Hiking Meetup Group, http://www.meetup.com/hiking-196/
Forest Service Volunteer
--------------------

A SWITZER FALLS UPDATE

5/28/11,
Folks,

In case you were thinking of seeing Switzer falls soon, here is an update:

I have posted pictures from the Switzer trail to the upper and lower falls. Since the trails have been closed for 1 1/2 years, they need a lot of work, but I was able to get there. The trail to the top of the main falls is passable but littered with debris. The trail to the base of the falls has slid away in some places and has fallen trees blocking two sections. However, I was able to get around them.

I have posted pictures from today here: http://www.meetup.com/hiking-196/photos/1658071/
and two videos of the upper and lower falls on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZXGVla2qmw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NZYMZSArgY

--Rex, hike organizer

SMMC-MRCA 3/28/2011 to 6/1/2011

Land Preservation and Development Deals in the L. A. and Ventura County Mountains, March to June 2011

(Taken from the agendas for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and the MRCA)

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

CalTrans Provides Funds to Save North End of Simi Hills, between Rocky Peak Park and Sage Ranch park

FOR MORE INFO: FROM THE MRCA 4/6/11-- authorizing entering into a Caltrans Contribution Agreement, District Agreement No. 07-4903, to receive mitigation funds from the State Route 118 and Rocky Peak Road on and off-ramp project, Santa Susana Mountains, City of Simi Valley. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map]

Photos of this area are posted here: https://picasaweb.google.com/Rare.Earth.fotos/SageRanchSimiHills962009#5378565824937880978

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

SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS:

SMMC 3/28/11-- comment letter to City of Los Angeles on Forest Lawn Memorial Park – Hollywood Hills Master Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report (sch No. 2008111048), City of Los Angeles. [Map 1] [Map 2] [Map 3] [Map 4] [Map 5] [Map 6] [Map 7] [Resolution] [Comment Letter]

SMMC 4/25/11-- comment letter to Los Angeles County on Notice of Consultation for 2701 April Road project adjacent to Malibu Creek State Park, unincorporated Los Angeles County. [Map] [Resolution] [Comment Letter] [Map 2]

SMMC 4/25/11-- comment letter to City of Los Angeles on Forest Lawn Memorial Park – Hollywood Hills Master Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report (sch No. 2008111048), City of Los Angeles. [Resolution] [Attachment] [Staff Report]

SMMC 4/25/11-- comment letter to Los Angeles County on Final Environmental Impact Report for the Pepperdine Campus Life Project (sch No. 2008041123), watersheds of Marie/Winter/Middle canyons, unincorporated Malibu area. [Resolution] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Attachment 4] [Attachment 5] [Comment Letter]

SMMC 4/25/11-- “The Edge (U2)’s housing tract--concerning public benefits program associated with Coastal Development Permit application numbers 4-10-040, 4-10-041, 4-10-42, 4-10-043, 4-10-44, and 4-10-045 (formerly application numbers 4-07-067, 4-07-068, 4-07-146, 4-07-147, 4-07-148 and 4-08-043) and authorize entering into an agreement to secure such public benefits, Sweetwater Mesa, unincorporated Malibu area. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Attachment 4]

SMMC 5/23/11-- comment letter to the City of Calabasas on the Notice of Preparation for the proposed 77-acre Messenger Development located at 4790 Las Virgenes Road, Malibu Canyon watershed. [Comment Letter] [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map]

SMMC 5/23/11-- transfer of jurisdiction and control from State Coastal Conservancy of APN 4458-009-900, 24038 Malibu Road, City of Malibu. [Map] [Staff Report]

SMMC 5/23/11-- add two potential Coastal Slope Trail – Sweetwater to Tuna Canyon Park parcels (apns 4453-016-004 and 006) in Carbon Canyon to the Conservancy Workprogram, Malibu. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map]

MRCA 4/6/11-- acceptance of conservation easement, approximately 0.3 acres, over portion of APN 5565-011-011, on Horse Shoe Canyon Road, Laurel Canyon, City of Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map 1] [Map 2]

MRCA 4/6/11-- acceptance of conservation easement, approximately 0.2 acres, over portion of APN 2428-006-042, on Oak Point Drive in the Cahuenga Pass area, City of Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map 1] [Map 2] [Map 3]

MRCA 4/6/11-- amending Resolution No. 10-106 and authorizing acquisition of APNs 5576-009-055, 056, 057, 058, 059, 060, 061, 062, 063 AND 064, Hollywood Knolls, South of Lake Hollywood. Negotiators: Joseph T. Edmiston and Daniel Fitzgerald. Under consideration: price and terms. (This item may be heard in closed session pursuant to Section 54956.8 of the Government Code.) [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map 1] [Map 2]

MRCA 5/4/11-- authorizing acceptance of the offers to dedicate trail easements associated with Coastal Development Permit Nos. 5-89-133 (Stiepel), 5-89-1149 (Thorne), 5-87-983 (Forge), 5-89-260 (Norman), 5-90-106 (Niemier), 5-89-124 (Ashley), 5-89-123 (Ashley), incorporated and unincorporated Malibu. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map] [Map 2]

MRCA 5/4/11-- “The Edge” project-- public benefits program associated with Coastal Development Permit application numbers 4-10-040, 4-10-041, 4-10-042, 4-10-043, 4-10-044, and 4-10-045 (formerly application numbers 4-07-067, 4-07-068, 4-07-146, 4-07-147, 4-07-148 and 4-08-043) and authorize entering into an agreement to secure such public benefits, Sweetwater Mesa, unincorporated Malibu area. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Attachment 4] [Map 1] [Map 2] [Map 3]

MRCA 6/1/2011-- authorizing acceptance of the offers to dedicate scenic easements and/or open space easements associated with Coastal Development Permit Nos. 5-90-265 (Nesse), 5-89-743 (Segal), 5-90-106 (Niemier), 5-88-938 (Ohanian/Bennett), 5-90-327 (Javid), 5-89-960-A (McCallister), 5-90-246 (Bolton), incorporated and unincorporated Malibu. [Map] [Staff Report] [Resolution]

MRCA 6/1/2011-- accepting the assignment of the right to apply for 1992 per parcel funds (8.b.1) from the City of Los Angeles, and approving the filing of an application for designated Proposition A funds for the acquisition of APNs 5576-009-055, 056, 057, 058, 059, 060, 061, 062, 063, and 064, known as the La Rocha Acquisition Project, and entering into a Project Agreement with the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District to acquire said properties. Hollywood Dell area, City of Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map 1] [Map 2]

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

VERDUGO MOUNTAINS:

SMMC 3/28/11-- acceptance of donation of fee title on and over Canyon Oaks development open space, Verdugo Mountains, City of Los Angeles. [Map] [Staff Report] [Resolution]

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

VENTURA COUNTY:

SMMC 4/25/11-- comment letters to City of Simi Valley regarding Ready Project, 890 and 900 West Los Angeles Avenue, Simi Valley. [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Resolution]

SMMC 4/25/11-- 300 room hotel--- comment letter on the Draft Specific Plan for the Hummingbird Nest Ranch, City of Simi Valley. [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map] [Comment Letter]

MRCA 4/6/11-- authorizing entering into a Caltrans Contribution Agreement, District Agreement No. 07-4903, to receive mitigation funds from the State Route 118 and Rocky Peak Road on and off-ramp project, Santa Susana Mountains, City of Simi Valley. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map]

MRCA 5/4/11-- authorizing acceptance of multiple conservation easements totaling approximately 11 acres from the (Cal Lutheran) University Village project over APN 521-0-031-140 and acceptance of processing funds, Thousand Oaks. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map] [Map 2]

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

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY:

SMMC 5/23/11-- comment letter to Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission on Mission Village Project (sch No. 2005051143), Newhall Ranch. [Staff Report]

SMMC 5/23/11-- comment letter to City of Santa Clarita Planning Commission on One Valley One Vision General Plan Final Environmental Impact Report (sch No. 2008071133), Santa Clarita. [Comment Letter] [Resolution] [Attach 1] [Attach 2] [Attach 3]

MRCA 4/6/11-- authorizing entering into a contract with Desert and Mountain Conservation Authority for pre-acquisition services directly related to the acquisition of parcels in the Upper Santa Clara River watershed and San Gabriel Mountains. [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map] [Map 2] [Staff Report]

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

SANTA SUSANA MOUNTAINS:

SMMC 5/23/11-- advance of funds to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority from CF-0907 for Browns Canyon restoration project, unincorporated Chatsworth. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map]

MRCA 4/6/11-- authorizing the acceptance of a donation of a portion of APN 2826-026-005 and potentially portions of APNs 2826-026-006 and 014 located west of Interstate 5 in the Newhall Pass, unincorporated Los Angeles County. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map]

MRCA 5/4/11-- authorizing acquisition of APN 2816-031-001 totaling 9.3 acres using in lieu mitigation fees, Santa Susana Mountains, Devil Canyon, unincorporated Los Angeles County. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map]

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

HIGH DESERT—LA COUNTY:

MRCA 4/6/11-- authorizing entering into a management agreement and contract with Desert and Mountain Conservation Authority for property management of approximately 187 acres bordering Elizabeth Lake Road, from the Joshua Ranch project, City of Palmdale. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map]

MRCA 4/6/11-- authorizing entering into a management agreement and contract with Desert and Mountain Conservation Authority for administration, acquisition expenses, initial site preparation, and property management services for a 480-acre property, from the AV Solar Ranch One project, located between Highway 138 and California State Parks Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve, unincorporated Antelope Valley. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map] [Map 2]

MRCA 4/6/11-- requesting transfer and acceptance of Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy properties located north of the Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor Zone in Los Angeles County. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] [Attachment 2] [Map]

SMMC 4/25/11-- transfer of apns 3059-004-900, 3059-005-900, 3079-004-900, 3091-018-900, 3091-018-901, 3236-006-901, 3236-007-903, and 3318-002-900 located north of the Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor zone to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, unincorporated Los Angeles County. [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Map] [Map 1] [Map 2] [Map 3] [Map 4] [Map 5] [Staff Report] [Resolution]

------------------------------
ASSORTED:

SMMC 4/25/11-- grant of Proposition 84 funds to the City of Los Angeles for a natural area within the boundaries of Cesar Chavez Recreation Complex in the San Fernando Valley. [Attachment] [Map] [Attachment 2] [Staff Report] [Resolution]

SMMC 5/23/11-- comment letter to Los Angeles County on the Draft 2035 General Plan. [Comment Letter] [Resolution] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Attachment 4] [Attachment 5] [Attachment 6]

SMMC 5/23/11-- grant of Proposition 84 funds for Green Solutions Phase III, Project Planning and Design, Upper LA River Watershed. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3]

MRCA 5/4/11-- authorizing acceptance of donation of approximately 1.09 acres of natural land, APN 2569-022-054, between La Crescenta and Tujunga, unincorporated Los Angeles County. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map]
-----------------------------

SCC 3/2011 to 5/2011: Coastal Land buys by the State this spring

Our taxes funded purchase of 2970 acres this spring on our coastline

From the agendas of the State's Coastal Conservancy:

http://scc.ca.gov/2011/05/06/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-may-19th-2011/

http://scc.ca.gov/2011/03/04/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-march-17-2011/

3/17/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $706,000 to the City of Laguna Beach, Orange County, for acquisition of the 7.8-acre Domanskis property adjacent to the Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park for open space, public access, and habitat preservation.

3/17/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $240,000 to Save the Redwoods League to complete the acquisition of a 500 acre property commonly known as the “Raiche-McCrory Property” and add it to the Area of Critical Ecological Concern managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management within the area known as “The Cedars” in western Sonoma County.

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

5/19/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $1,445,000 to the City of Santee to acquire 105 acres and design a trail on the Walker Property along the San Diego River, San Diego County, for the purpose of protecting and restoring habitat and providing compatible public access.

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

5/19/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $3,000,000, including $500,000 of funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to The Trust for Public Land for acquisition of the 63-acre Ocean Meadows property in Devereux Slough, Santa Barbara County.

5/19/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $3,100,000 to the Solano Land Trust toward acquisition of approximately 1,500 acres of the Rockville Trails Estates property, and preparation of a property management plan.

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

5/19/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $1,000,000 to the East Bay Regional Park District for the acquisition of approximately 540 acres of the 955-acre Owen property in order to expand the Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park in Alameda County.

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

5/19/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $750,000 to LandPaths to acquire a remainder interest in the 120-acre Ranchero Mark West property in Sonoma County for the protection of natural resources, public access, and education.

5/19/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $500,000 to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District to acquire the 97-acre Silva property for addition to the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve near the town of La Honda in unincorporated San Mateo County.

5/19/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $315,000 to the Northcoast Regional Land Trust to acquire an approximately 36 acre parcel at the confluence of Martin Slough and Swain Slough in the Elk River watershed in Humboldt County to facilitate the future restoration and enhancement of wetlands, water quality, and fish and wildlife habitat on a portion of the property, and the preservation and enhancement of coastal agriculture on the remaining area.

WCB 2/2011 to 6/2011

Big Purchases of Land and Development Rights at Important Calif. Wildlife Linkages coming up in June

Includes outright purchase of 2342 acres and purchase of “conservation easements” on another 25,173 acres

http://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2011/06/page/7/

HIGHLIGHTS:

Mono County—108 acres
Santa Cruz—8.5 acres
Fresno--.15 acres
Palm Springs—70 acres
Western Riverside co—715 acres
San Diego--250 acres
Lassen Foothills—8455 acres
Sierra Crest—2683 acres
Mendocino co—Willits—8544 acres
Sonoma co—4046 acres
Contra Costa co—1159 acres
Half Moon Bay/San Mateo co—140 acres
San Luis Obispo—1337 acres

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

NOTICE OF MEETING--WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD--June 2, 2011

FOR FULL AGENDA:

http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=29798

FOR MAPS OF ALL PURCHASES: https://goo.gl/photos/4sCAiQdbBKFFu3si9

Wheeler Ridge Wildlife Area, $550,000 Expansion 3, Mono County
--grant to Eastern Sierra Land Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 108± acres located south of the town of Mammoth Lakes and north of the town of Bishop in Mono County.

Santa Cruz Long-Toed Salamander, $60,000 Larkin Valley Santa Cruz County
--acquisition in fee of 8.5± acres at the northwest corner of Larkin Valley Road and Metiver's Way in Santa Cruz County.

San Joaquin Fish Hatchery (Hovannisian Property) $28,500 Fresno County
-- acquire a fee title to 0.15± acres of land for future public access to the San Joaquin River Parkway and the San Joaquin Fish Hatchery.

Thousand Palms Conservation Area (Gabison) $705,000 Riverside County
-- acquiring 70± acres of land located west of the City of Thousand Palms

Western Riverside County MSHCP (2006), $1,704,650 Expansions 6—9 --to acquire four properties totaling 715± acres. .

San Diego County MSCP/HCPLA 2009 (Gibson) $885,000 -- to acquire in fee 250± acres located south of Interstate 8 and northwest of Harbison Canyon Road in San Diego County.

Lassen Foothills, Expansion 6 (Gaumer Ranch) $2,545,000 Tehama County
-- a grant to The Nature Conservancy to acquire a conservation easement over 8,455± acres of land for protection of deer and mountain lion habitat, and native oak woodlands, located within the Deer Creek watershed in southeast Tehama County and approximately six miles east of Highway 99.

Sierra Crest Conservation Easement, Phase III $2,420,000 Sierra County
-- a grant to the Truckee Donner Land Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 2,683± acres located approximately 16 miles northwest of the town of Truckee, in close proximity to Webber Lake, in Sierra County.

Eel River Peninsula $8,559,000 Mendocino County
-- a grant to Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to acquire a conservation easement over 8,544± acres of threatened and endangered species habitat, deer range habitat, oak woodlands and old growth forests, wildlife corridors, riparian areas and to provide future wildlife oriented public use opportunities, located east of the town of Willits in Mendocino County.

Baxter Ranch $2,360,242 Sonoma County
--to acquire a conservation easement over 4,046± acres within the Coastal Range, in close proximity to the Lake Sonoma Recreational Area, 10 miles west of the City of Cloverdale, in Sonoma County.

San Joaquin Multi-Species Conservation Plan $1,847,966 (Thomas) Contra Costa County
-- to acquire 1,159± acres in the Diablo range within the City of Pittsburg east of the town of Clayton.

Pillar Point Bluff Complex $3,010,000 San Mateo County
--to acquire in fee 140± acres along the Pacific Ocean immediately to the west of the Half Moon Bay Airport near the town of Half Moon Bay.

Nick Ranch Conservation Easement $2,375,000 San Luis Obispo County
--a grant to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to acquire a conservation easement over 1,337± acres of land for the protection of rangeland, grazing land and grassland areas, located approximately 20 miles east of the City of San Luis Obispo, near the small rural community of Pozo, within the Salinas River watershed and next to the federally designated Machesna Mountain Wilderness and the Los Padres National Forest, within San Luis Obispo County.

Gualala River--discussion of 14,000 acre conservation easement purchase; approved at 9/2011 meeting

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

2/2011: WHAT’S BEING SAVED:

Siskiyou County—5929 acre conservation easement at Little Shasta River

Humboldt County---2903 acre conservation easement at Charles Mountain Ranch in southeast Humboldt county

Mendocino County

—13,913 acre conservation easement at Gualala River

--45,576 acre conservation easement at the Usal Forest

--disburse up to $3,000,000 to Save-the-Redwoods League to acquire approximately 957 acres known as the Shady Dell Creek Tract, as part of the 50,635-acre Usal Redwood Forest Conservation Project in northern Mendocino County. http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/1101bb/20110120Board05_Shady_Dell_Creek_Acquisition.pdf

(NOTE: the Usal forest was purchased from the Hawthorne Timber Company in 2007 by the Redwood Forests Foundation in order to preserve it as a sustainably logged forest. The funds from the State will help pay off the loans which were used to buy the land.)

--disburse up to $2,500,000 to The Conservation Fund to acquire the approximately 464-acre Smith Tract portion of the Ten Mile Ranch, located adjacent to the Ten Mile River, Mendocino County.

http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/1101bb/20110120Board06_Ten_Mile_River_Acquisition.pdf

Yuba County—833 acre conservation easement in the Yuba Highlands

Contra Costa County—798 acres—Barron property south of Pittsburg

Ventura County:

disburse up to $500,000 to the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy to acquire and prepare a stewardship plan for 70 acres of the Hollingsworth Ranch property along the Ventura River in unincorporated Ventura County.

http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/1101bb/20110120Board11_Hollingsworth_Ranch.pdf

Los Angeles County

118 acres at Cold Creek in Malibu

151 acres in Claremont

8 acres in Rubio Canyon in Altadena

Riverside County

92 acre conservation easement at Mystic Lake (Ramona)

40 acres at Big Morongo canyon

71 acres near Hemet, Western Riverside exp 5

San Diego County

132 acres in Potrero

89 acres in East Elliot and Otay Mesa

1081 acres at Jacumba Peak

278 acre conservation easement in Mendenhall Valley—Palomar Mountain

385 acres in San Felipe Valley north of Julian

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To read the full agendas,

Wildlife Conservation Board, February 24, 2011
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=31265&inline=1

FOR MAPS OF WCB PURCHASES: https://goo.gl/photos/9akMd2P2oLy1mTzV8