California Rangeland Trust Partners with Calaveras County Ranching Family to Protect 3,000-Acre Property

(CALAVERAS COUNTY, CALIF.) – March 31, 2026

The California Rangeland Trust is proud to announce the permanent conservation of the more than 3,000-acre Ray-Mar Ranch, located adjacent to Salt Springs Reservoir in Calaveras County. This milestone represents the Rangeland Trust’s seventh conservation project in the county and its 104th conserved ranch statewide, bringing the total protected acreage to nearly 426,000 acres.

In 2006, the Alger family purchased the property to establish a commercial cattle operation. After several years, the ranch transitioned to a purebred operation and expanded to include recreational opportunities such as fishing and hunting. In 2016, the family patriarch stepped back from day-to-day management, and the family decided to lease the land to other cattle operations.

Due to its proximity to major transportation corridors—including California State Route 4, California State Route 12, and California State Route 26—Calaveras County has increasingly become a “bedroom community” for nearby urban centers such as Stockton, Modesto, Tracy, and Sacramento, making the region attractive to developers. Concerned about mounting development pressures and committed to keeping the ranch in grazing, the Alger family approached the California Rangeland Trust to help conserve their property.

Brent Alger, who co-owns the ranch with his parents, brother Jeff and two sisters, shared, “We may not be there day-to-day, but we don’t want to see it change. We value the open space and want to preserve it for future generations of our family and beyond.”

The Rangeland Trust partnered with key groups to fund the conservation of the Ray-Mar Ranch. Funds were made available through the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Agricultural Conservation Easement Program–Agricultural Land Easements (ACEP-ALE) and the California Strategic Growth Council’s (SGC) Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) Program in collaboration with the California Department of Conservation. SALC is part of California Climate Investments, which uses billions of Cap-and-Invest dollars to fund projects that reduce harmful emissions, protect public health, strengthen local economies, and support natural environments. With a strong focus on communities most impacted by pollution and limited access to resources, California Climate Investments helps build a more equitable and sustainable future. For more information about these investments, visit caclimatenvestments.ca.gov

Additional support came from a planning grant provided by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, which enabled the Rangeland Trust to prepare the property for the conservation easement by funding essential steps such as property appraisal, site assessment, and required documentation.

“We are delighted to be supporting Ray-Mar Ranch’s ability to provide rangeland for Calaveras County in perpetuity,” said California Department of Conservation Director Jennifer Lucchesi. “This work helps an increasingly urban California remain self-sufficient, and we value our partnership with the Strategic Growth Council and California Rangeland Trust on these efforts.”

Under the conservation easement, the family plans to continue leasing the land to a local rancher to support its ongoing health and stewardship. The property provides vital habitat for a diverse range of wildlife, including bald eagles and foothill yellow-legged frogs. By maintaining responsible grazing management, the Algers are helping ensure the land’s long-term vitality for generations to come, in alignment with the goals of the conservation easement.

“Conservation works best when it starts with the people who know the land best,” said SGC Executive Director Erin Curtis. “Ranchers here have cared for this landscape for generations, and with support from SALC, they’re ensuring these working lands near Salt Springs Reservoir remain open, productive, and protected from development for the long term. It’s a powerful example of how ranchers and the state can work together to keep California’s rural landscapes thriving.”

The larger conservation efforts in Calaveras County exemplify the power of collaboration between private landowners, local agencies, and conservation organizations. By partnering with the Algers and the six other local landowners, the Rangeland Trust and its partners have created a lasting impact that extends beyond the boundaries of the ranch, preserving critical habitat and open space for the benefit of both wildlife and the surrounding community.

“The recent conservation of Ray-Mar Ranch and the other conservation efforts in Calaveras County are a testament to the power of partnerships and the foresight of landowners,” 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 work alongside ranching families like the Algers and the more than 100 other families who have partnered with us to ensure California’s rangelands remain a thriving part of our heritage.”