California Rangeland Trust Conserves 155 Acres of Working Land in Placer County

(AUBURN, CALIF.) – May 14, 2025

The California Rangeland Trust is proud to announce the permanent conservation of the 155-acre Obardee Ranch, located in the Sierra Nevada Foothills on the urban edge of North Auburn in Placer County. This achievement marks the Rangeland Trust’s third conservation project in Placer County and its 97th conserved ranch statewide, bringing the total protected acreage to more than 416,000 acres.

Obardee Ranch’s roots trace back to an 1852 homestead. In 1940, Otto Ruud purchased the land, and it has remained in the family for the past 85 years. Today, the ranch is overseen by siblings Anne, Delana, and Fredrick “Bart” Ruud.

Witnessing the region’s continued urban expansion, the Ruud family sought to safeguard their family’s legacy. They decided to partner with the California Rangeland Trust to protect the property from future development and preserve its agricultural integrity for generations to come.

“The dream held by us [the Ruud siblings], as well as our mother and father, that our family farm will be protected from development by the California Rangeland Trust conservation easement is a legacy event,” shared Barton Ruud. “As octogenarians, we knew it was time to make a lasting decision about the future of our family’s land. Slowing the loss of farmland—across the nation, across California, and in Placer County—is imperative.”

The urgency of land conservation efforts is growing. 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 stands to lose an additional 797,400 acres of agricultural land by 2040, compared to 2016 levels, to development and other land-use changes. This decline threatens food production, wildlife habitat, and the legacy of sustainable land stewardship passed down through generations of ranching families.

Today, the integrity of Obardee Ranch is maintained through a grazing lease with a Placer County rancher who operates a purebred Angus cattle operation throughout the Sierra Nevada Foothills. With the conservation easement now in place, the land will remain a working landscape forever, continuing to deliver vital ecosystem services to the surrounding region.

This conservation project was made possible through funding from the California Strategic Growth Council’s Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC), administered in partnership with the Department of Conservation (DOC), along with support from a private foundation grant and a generous partial donation from the Ruud family. SALC is a component of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that uses Cap-and-Trade dollars to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen the economy, and improve public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities.

“Protecting rangeland with such a rich agricultural heritage for future generations is of the utmost importance,” said Jennifer Lucchesi, Director of the Department of Conservation. “The wide range of benefits of this project promote healthy ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and ultimately improve the health of our Placer County community.”

This collaborative effort demonstrates how conservation can succeed when private landowners and public agencies unite around a shared vision. Together, the Ruud family and their partners have safeguarded not only working lands, but also vital open space and wildlife habitat—ensuring lasting benefits for the environment and the broader community.

“The conservation of Obardee Ranch is a testament to the power of partnerships and the foresight of landowners like the Ruud family,” said Michael Delbar, CEO of the Rangeland Trust. “As development pressures increase, protecting working lands like this one is critical—not only for the future of agriculture, but for the health of our communities and environment. We’re honored to help ensure this land remains a thriving part of California’s rangeland heritage.