In 2025, the California Rangeland Trust continued bringing people together around a shared commitment to California’s working lands. With the support of ranching families, donors, partners, and community members across the state, we reached important milestones, expanded our programs, and strengthened the connections that make conservation possible.
Most importantly, we worked alongside ranching families to protect the land we all depend on.
Below are just a few highlights from this past year.
In 2025, the Rangeland Trust reached a significant milestone by surpassing 100 ranches conserved statewide, marked by the conservation of the Murphy Ranch in Tuolumne County. Over the course of the year, we completed eight conservation projects totaling 19,464 acres, bringing our cumulative impact to 421,290 acres permanently conserved across California.
These projects reflect the continued trust of landowners and the long-term partnerships that make conservation possible.
In recognition that conservation is a long-term commitment, the Rangeland Trust continued growing its Programs Department in 2025. Created to support landowners beyond the easement, this department focuses on connecting ranching families with information, resources, and partnerships that help keep land healthy and operations resilient.
This year, we hosted four educational webinars on conservation easement basics and benefits, third-party verification programs, wildfire risk mitigation, and insurance considerations. We also held an in-person succession planning workshop, offering families practical guidance for planning ahead.
Looking ahead, we are excited to expand this work even further in 2026 with the launch of a new Resources Hub on our website, designed to make it easier for ranchers to find information about grant opportunities, educational workshops and webinars, and additional tools to support long-term stewardship.
The addition of a Conservation Technical Assistant in 2025 also allows us to begin offering more hands-on support through our Programs Department. Starting in 2026, we will provide program navigation, eligibility and application support, and project planning and coordination in partnership with NRCS and other organizations. This includes support for Farm Bill programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (Grassland CRP).
We gathered with the Bloom family, partners, and community members at the Bloom Ranch to celebrate the permanent conservation of this working landscape. The occasion reflected the trust, collaboration, and shared commitment that make conservation possible.
In addition to state and federal funding, more than $200,000 in private donations helped make this project a reality, highlighting the importance of strong public-private partnerships and the role of community support in advancing working lands conservation.
Moments like these matter. They offer time on the land, space to recognize the families who steward it, and a reminder that conservation is ultimately about partnership and legacy.
Connection remains central to our work, and nowhere was that more evident than at A Western Affair 2025. Under a nearly full harvest moon at historic Rancho Santa Barbara, more than 400 guests from the region and throughout the state gathered to celebrate California’s working lands and the ranching families who steward them. The sold-out evening brought together landowners, conservation partners, policymakers, and supporters for a night rooted in shared purpose, reflection, and community.
From honoring conservation leaders and ranching families to celebrating the milestone of the Rangeland Trust’s 100th conserved ranch, the event captured both how far this work has come and what lies ahead. Thanks to the generosity of attendees and sponsors, the live auction raised an incredible $130,000, directly supporting rangeland conservation efforts across California and reaffirming the power of coming together in support of the land that connects us all.
Storytelling continues to be one of our most powerful tools. In 2025, we shared our award-winning documentary, You Just Can’t See Them From the Road, with public audiences throughout California. These screenings created space for meaningful conversations about conservation, ranching, and the landscapes that shape our communities.
We also continued producing our monthly podcast, Tuned In To the Land, using long-form conversations to deepen understanding and connection. Through the voices of ranchers, conservation partners, and decision-makers, the podcast continues to reach new audiences and elevate the role of working lands in everyday life.
Throughout 2025, the Rangeland Trust remained engaged with state policymakers to try to advance conservation solutions that support working lands. As California approaches 2030 and works toward its 30x30 conservation goals, our core message heading into 2026 is clear: the public benefits of private working lands conservation must continue to be amplified, understood, and supported.
Protecting working rangelands remains essential to meeting statewide conservation goals while keeping land productive and in the hands of those who steward it.
As we head into 2026, the California Rangeland Trust is energized and ready to build on this momentum. With a growing Programs Department, new tools and resources for landowners, and a strong community behind us, we are focused on what comes next.
From conserving additional ranches and expanding hands-on support, to elevating the role of working lands in public conversations and continuing to bring people together through events and storytelling, we remain committed to supporting more ranching families as they achieve their dreams of conservation.
Thank you to every landowner, donor, partner, and supporter who made this year possible. Together, we are shaping a future where California’s working lands remain protected, productive, and stewarded for generations to come.
California Rangeland Trust is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 31-1631453) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
Privacy Policy & Terms of Use.
© 2020 California Rangeland Trust. All Rights Reserved.
Developed by Go West Marketing.
