Mitigation Project in West Roseville Marries Land Conservation with Residential Development

(ROSEVILLE) – JANUARY 5, 2020

Today, the California Rangeland Trust announced the permanent conservation of 87 acres of open space in West Roseville, known as the Creekview Northern Preserve. The Rangeland Trust partnered with the land development and homebuilding company Anthem United who funded the conservation easement on the property to mitigate potential environmental impacts associated with the development of the 500-acre Winding Creek Community, a new residential area being constructed nearby.

Anthem United will manage the preserve as a working landscape until development of the Winding Creek Community is complete. After that, the City of Roseville will assume the management responsibilities for the landscape. To protect the area’s natural resources and maintain the health and biodiversity of the ecosystem, the preserve will continue to be grazed by cattle.

“California Rangeland Trust is proud to play a role in this venture which seeks to strike a balance to provide homes and habitat for people, wildlife, and livestock,” said Rangeland Trust CEO Michael Delbar. “We all need places to live and society needs infrastructure to survive. The key is finding responsible ways to do that. We feel this project with Anthem United and the City of Roseville accomplishes that goal.”

The preserve is filled with oak trees, an intermittent stream, seasonal wetlands and vernal pools which provide potential habitat for the federally listed branchipod species, as well as migrating birds. Though cattle and wildlife are the primary beneficiaries of this conservation agreement, the public will also benefit from the protection of this area of open space. 

Conservation of this property ensures the community will be able to have a relationship with nature and the land for years to come. Walking and biking trails will surround the preserve and provide abundant opportunities for community members to experience the outdoors without disturbing the land’s natural habitat.

“We are really happy about that and we think it’s a tremendous amenity for people to enjoy,” expressed Brendan Leonard, Project Manager for Anthem United. “When it’s preserved like this forever it makes us feel good about people’s ability to interact with nature and be close to it, while still being in a suburban area and not having completely blitzed over all the natural resources that are surrounding the neighborhood.”

Meeting the infrastructure demands of this growing community while protecting valuable open space in the process perfectly demonstrates what is possible when developers and conservationists come together to provide homes and habitat for people and wildlife alike. This project represents a model for thoughtful development, innovative land management, and responsible stewardship.