Grant to preserve swath of Central Coast land
A large swath of ranchland just inland along California’s Central Coast has been designated for preservation through a $10.3 million grant that will protect a wildlife corridor for threatened and endangered species, the California Wildlife Conservation Board announced.
The grant, awarded by the state agency to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County, will allow the nonprofit to purchase a conservation easement for Camatta Ranch, a working cattle ranch — adding to protected lands its 27,512 acres, an area more than than three times the size of nearby San Luis Obispo.
The acreage will extend an open space corridor that runs from Carrizo Plain National Monument at the southern reach to Big Sur at the north. It comprises a vast swath of blue oak woodland and grassland that is native habitat for 300 animal species — including endangered species such as the California condor, San Joaquin kit fox and the giant kangaroo rat. Also protected will be habitat for 250 native plant species.
“This is a victory for conservation that is part of a large landscape vision for conservation,” said Jennifer Norris, executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Board. “These are unique ecosystems, and protecting them is a priority for the state.”
Purchase of the development rights for Camatta Ranch is expected to close in March. After that the property will open to docent-led hikes under jurisdiction of the land conservancy, which will manage the site.
The Morrison family, which has owned and operated the ranch for 40 years, will continue to do so on a maximum of 2,500 acres, an arrangement similar to that in West Marin where working ranchland remains in private hands and is preserved from development through the Marin Agricultural Land trust.
The purchase price of $10.3 million was cobbled together from grants supplied by the California Department of Conservation, California State Coastal Conservancy and the Wildlife Conservation Board, which administers land purchases and development programs for wildlife conservation in the state.
The purchase, which has been in the works for nearly a decade, was finalized to help meet Gov. Gavin Newsom’s goal of conserving 30% of California’s land and coastal waters by 2030, part of a global movement called “30x30.”
“In the heart of California’s Central Coast, the beautiful and diverse Camatta Ranch stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of a family and the power of partnerships to ensure its protection,” Kaila Dettman, executive director for the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County, said in a statement.