California Rangeland Trust Achieves Major Milestone

(LASSEN COUNTY, CALIF.) – December 17, 2024

The California Rangeland Trust is proud to announce a landmark achievement in its mission to safeguard the state’s natural resources and working landscapes—the permanent conservation of over 400,000 acres of rangeland made possible by partnerships with 95 different ranching families across the Golden State. Helping the Rangeland Trust reach this significant milestone was the recent conservation of more than 1,500 acres of working rangeland on the Willow Creek Ranch in Lassen County, Calif. This agreement further solidifies the Rangeland Trust’s role as a leader in protecting rangelands and the natural resources and wildlife habitats they support, while also empowering the continued stewardship of ranching families.

Since its founding in 1998, the Rangeland Trust has partnered with ranching families across the state, working hand-in-hand with landowners to establish conservation easements that allow them to continue ranching while protecting their land from development and other outside pressures. This approach ensures the long-term viability of these landscapes, which provide essential benefits to both people and wildlife.

“Reaching this milestone of conserving over 400,000 acres would not have been possible without the 95 ranching families who have chosen voluntary conservation. These rangeland stewards are the heart and soul of California’s rural communities,” said Michael Delbar, CEO of  the Rangeland Trust. “But as the state and nation face ongoing threats of losing hundreds of thousands of acres of farm and ranch land to development, our work is far from over. We must continue to seek collaborative solutions to safeguard these lands and the livelihoods they support.”

According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, the United States lost 141,733 farms and ranches and over 20.1 million acres of farmland between 2017 and 2022. California alone could lose an additional 797,400 acres of agricultural land by 2040 due to development and land-use changes. This decline threatens food production, wildlife habitats, and the legacy of sustainable land stewardship passed down through generations of ranching families.

The Rangeland Trust’s conservation efforts address these challenges directly. Willow Creek Ranch, the latest addition to its conservation portfolio, exemplifies the organization’s mission to serve the land, people, and wildlife by conserving California’s working rangelands.

Owned and operated by the Hanson family for over 40 years, the Ranch has prioritized sustainable land management to ensure the long-term health of the property and business. Recognizing the challenges of succession planning, the Hanson family chose to establish a conservation easement to protect their legacy.

 “Sustainability has always been our focus,” said Jack Hanson, owner of the Willow Creek Ranch. “It’s a word that can mean many things, but for us, it’s about building an operation strong enough to pass down to the next generation, if they choose to continue the legacy.”

The success of these conservation efforts depends on partnerships with agencies, organizations, and individuals dedicated to preserving California’s working lands. The Willow Creek easement was completed in collaboration with the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

“It is truly with heartfelt honor that the California Natural Resources Conservation Service is able to contribute to the protection of working rangelands,” said California State Conservationist, Carlos Suarez. “NRCS has a dedicated mission to put conservation at the forefront by protecting ranches who will impact our future generations like Willow Creek Ranch.”

The Willow Creek Ranch conservation easement protects critical wetlands and riparian meadows, providing stopover and breeding habitat for thousands of migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, and wading birds along the Pacific Flyway, a major North American migration route. It connects the 2,700-acre Willow Creek Wildlife Area with the 19,984-acre Tunnison Mountain Wilderness Study Area, managed by the Bureau of Land Management. This connectivity strengthens migratory corridors for birds and other wildlife, including the Greater Sage-Grouse, Northern Pintails, Greater Sandhill Cranes, and Yellow-headed Blackbirds. Additionally, the property is traversed by the Willow Creek, a key tributary within the Susan River Watershed, which ultimately feeds into the protected wetlands of Honey Lake.

“The Willow Creek Ranch provides important habitat for a wide variety of plant and wildlife species, many of which have special conservation status,” said Jennifer Norris, executive director for the Wildlife Conservation Board. “Protecting this rich biodiversity enhances the ecological value of these rare mountain meadows, wetlands, and grasslands and supports WCB’s larger goal of promoting climate resilience. We are proud to partner with California Rangeland Trust and NRCS on this important project.”

By collaborating with entities like the WCB, NRCS, and local landowners, the Rangeland Trust maximizes resources and expertise to create lasting conservation in the state. These partnerships allow the organization to address complex challenges faced by ranching families and ensure the protection of vital landscapes.

“The completion of the conservation easement on Willow Creek Ranch reflects a united effort around the mission of preserving the landscapes that sustain both wildlife and generations of ranching families,” added Delbar. “We are deeply honored to work with the Hanson family and our agency partners in safeguarding this vital piece of California’s heritage, ensuring its legacy endures for the benefit of all.”

As the Rangeland Trust celebrates the conservation of over 400,000 acres, the organization remains dedicated to its mission of partnering with landowners to protect more of California’s working landscapes. Amid the looming threats of land conversion, the Rangeland Trust will continue pursuing innovative, voluntary conservation solutions that empower landowners, strengthen rural economies, and preserve the best of the Golden State for future generations.