Rangeland conservation donors come from a variety of backgrounds and locations. It is our pleasure to share the stories that inspire our community members to get involved!
Mary Vail’s story begins in the hills of West Hollywood, where her upbringing was shaped by both education and ranching traditions. Her mother, Christine, was a schoolteacher, and her father, Granville, worked for Vail & Vickers Cattle Company—what Mary simply remembers as “the family company.” She can still picture walking into his office as a young girl and seeing the mounted animals decorating the room.
Growing up, Mary spent her days in Girl Scouts and focused on her studies in school before heading to the University of California, Santa Barbara to earn her undergraduate degree in Political Science. She later earned her law degree in Sacramento before building a career in San Francisco, where she spent nearly a decade practicing law focused on the public sector and civil rights work. It was at this time that Mary decided to make the short trip across the Bay to Oakland, where she continued her legal career and has now lived for more than 40 years. Mary has always remained deeply connected to the Bay Area community she served both professionally and through years of public service work.
Twenty years ago, it was her cousin, Nita Vail (CEO of the Rangeland Trust from 2001 – 2020), who first introduced Mary to the California Rangeland Trust. The mission immediately resonated. In many ways, the mission reflected the same values that shaped her career in public service and civil rights advocacy. Protecting working lands is another way of investing in people, communities, and future generations.
Supporting family ranching, she says, feels personal. “I came from ranching, so I feel like it tells my family’s story.” For Mary, conserving working lands is not only about preserving open space, but she also recognizes the importance of agriculture in strengthening local communities and expanding access to healthy food.
Today, she proudly supports the California Rangeland Trust as a Silver Spur. We thank you, Mary, for helping to honor ranching heritage while conserving our state’s working lands.
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.
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