The conservation of 100 ranches, a milestone years in the making, brought California’s ranching and conservation communities together to celebrate the growing impact of the California Rangeland Trust.
Founded 28 years ago by forward-thinking members of the California Cattlemen’s Association, the Rangeland Trust was built on a simple but powerful idea: to create a land trust by ranchers, for ranchers. Its mission was to protect California’s working rangelands—for the future of ranching families and for all Californians who rely on healthy, working landscapes.
While it has since grown to become the largest land trust in the state, the organization remains rooted in that same grassroots, rancher-led approach—now partnering with 106 ranching families to conserve more than 433,000 acres of working rangeland.
At the Sardella Ranch, in the rolling hills of Tuolumne County, ranchers, conservationists, state officials, and community supporters gathered at the end of April to celebrate the milestone. Just beyond the fenceline, the neighboring Murphy Ranch—conserved at the close of last year—officially marked the Rangeland Trust’s 100th conserved ranch.
The event began with a meal from local favorite, Sierra Smoke Barbecue, followed by a short program honoring the Rangeland Trust’s landowner partners, recognizing its valued funding partners, and highlighting conservation efforts across the region.
True to its ranching roots, the program opened with the ceremonial ringing of a cowbell, as CEO Michael Delbar announced the achievement: 106 ranches conserved across California. The tradition, started by staff years ago to mark the completion of each project, symbolizes the partnerships, perseverance, and shared commitment behind every protected landscape.
“Partnering with 106 ranching families to conserve their private working rangelands is a great reason to celebrate. More than that, it reflects the trust, collaboration, and shared purpose that make lasting conservation possible,” said Delbar. “We’re truly honored that these families have chosen to partner with us. Each conservation easement tells a story of stewardship and resilience, helping ensure that California’s working lands continue to thrive for generations.”
While the achievement was a reason to celebrate, that work is far from over, as rangelands and the ranching stewards behind them face a growing range of challenges across the state—underscoring the importance of continued partnership.
After a warm welcome from hosts Mike and Julie Sardella, Board Chair Clayton Koopmann addressed attendees, sharing his family’s ranching and conservation story before recognizing the other ranching partners in attendance.
Koopmann reflected on a sentiment he hears often from families who choose to conserve their land: “They just want to make sure the land is better than when they got it—and that it’s protected for generations to come, whether for their own family or another.”
A key part of addressing those challenges—and achieving conservation success—lies in the Rangeland Trust’s partnerships. The event welcomed representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) California division, as well as the California Department of Conservation. NRCS State Conservationist Carlos Suarez spoke about the importance of conserving working lands and the agency’s ongoing efforts to support that mission.
“NRCS is an agency of over 90 years,” Suarez stated. “We work on a volunteer basis with the state’s landowners to put conservation on the ground. For me, the agricultural easement program is one of the most important programs that we have in the state. We have conserved many acres across the state, but none of that can be done without partnership—among agencies, land trust, and, most importantly, the state’s producers.”
Later, Jennifer Lucchesi, Director of the California Department of Conservation, highlighted the Department’s Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) program and the essential role partnerships play in the protection of the state’s working landscapes.
“The conservation of these ranches across the state really represents what can be achieved when ranchers, landowners, communities, and public agencies can come together with a shared vision and a shared purpose—all in the best interest of our agricultural future here in California and in the best interest of all of us as Californians,” Lucchesi expressed. “Together these conserved ranches that are being celebrated today form a real meaningful and connected landscape in the Sierra Foothills and across the state, safeguarding thousands of acres of land helping to achieve some of the goals of the state’s SALC program. The Department of Conservation is so grateful and proud to have been a part of these efforts and look forward to finding more ways to collaborate in the future.”
The program continued with another meaningful tradition. The Rangeland Trust presented the Mackey family, owners of Murphy Ranch, with a commemorative easement sign recognizing their voluntary conservation efforts. The sign will stand at the ranch entrance as a lasting symbol of their commitment to protecting the land for future generations.
“It’s all really exciting,” Mackey expressed. “I knew we were going to be close to being number 100. And I know it’s just a number, but it feels like a good start. We’re particularly happy that our ranch is contiguous with the Sardella Ranch, ensuring that a large chunk of land is protected in the local area. It’s humbling to know our decision contributes to something bigger than ourselves.”
The family was also honored with special recognition from U.S. Representative Tom McClintock’s office, with remarks delivered by District Representative Ethan Hunt on the local impact of these efforts.
While the event was originally intended to celebrate the Rangeland Trust’s 100th conserved ranch, the organization’s progress has not slowed. Since planning began, the organization has completed six additional projects.
Among the recent closings is the Ray-Mar Ranch in the hills of Calaveras County. Members of the Alger family were also presented with their own easement sign during the event, marking the ranch as the Rangeland Trust’s 104th conserved property. They, too, received special recognition from Representative McClintock’s office.
Following the conclusion of the program, guests were invited to take a guided tour of Sardella Ranch, which offered a closer look at the ranch’s history and day-to-day stewardship. Along the way, Mike Sardella shared practical, boots-on-the-ground conservation practices he uses to enhance the health of the land, demonstrating how thoughtful management supports both agricultural productivity and the ranch’s long-term vitality.
Sardella reflected, “Being a part of the family that is the Rangeland Trust is probably one of the best decisions we have ever made. These ranches are heirloom family things that we do not want to lose and by doing a conservation easement, it has allowed for us to do other projects on the land that help us keep this land viable into the future for the benefit of us all.”
As the day came to a close, the significance of the moment was clear: this celebration marked more than a milestone—it reaffirmed a mission. What began as an idea among a small group of cattlemen has grown into a statewide effort to safeguard California’s working landscapes, supporting the viability of ranching and the stewardship that keeps these lands healthy, productive, and open.
That work remains more important than ever. As ranching families across the state face a growing range of challenges, the need to keep ranchers on the land, and keep rangeland in ranching, remains critical. Guided by its founding principle, a land trust by ranchers, for ranchers, the California Rangeland Trust continues to look ahead, working alongside ranching families to ensure these landscapes endure 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.
