In the Cuyama Valley on September 12, 2026, community members, donors, landowner partners, and friends gathered with the Rangeland Trust and the Doiron family to celebrate the conservation of Spanish Ranch.
“Events like this are some of my favorite moments in this work,” said Michael Delbar, CEO of the Rangeland Trust. “Of course, we get to celebrate the completion of a conservation project, but we also have the opportunity to get our boots on the ground and stand on the very land we work every day to conserve and protect. We are grateful to the Doirons for opening their gates to all of us.”
Guests enjoyed a delicious taco meal from Testa Catering before gathering for a short program honoring the Doiron family and the many partners who helped make the project possible.
The program began with Delbar welcoming attendees and highlighting the importance of private lands conservation. He also shared the Rangeland Trust’s significant presence in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, where more than 150,000 acres have been conserved, representing 34 percent of the Rangeland Trust’s overall portfolio.
The success of the Spanish Ranch conservation project was made possible through strong partnerships and a shared commitment to protecting California’s working landscapes. Funding for the conservation easement was provided through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Agricultural Conservation Easement Program–Agricultural Land Easements. Recognizing the property’s significant big game population, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) also provided additional funding in support of the project.
Beyond these public and nonprofit partners, more than 140 private donors and seven private foundations rallied behind the effort, collectively contributing nearly 54 percent of the total funding needed to complete the conservation project. Among these supporters was the John S. Kiewit Memorial Foundation, whose leadership gift helped close the remaining funding gap and bring the project to completion.
This extraordinary show of community support underscores the deep local commitment to protecting Spanish Ranch and the working landscapes of the region.
Eric Hvolboll, President of the John S. Kiewit Foundation board, shared more about the Foundation and why it believes in working lands conservation in the local area.
“This is exactly what we are here to do, but many of the thanks belong to the Kiewit Family for establishing this Foundation and giving us our direction and purpose,” said Eric. “We are honored to have helped get this project across the finish line and look forward to ways that we can collaborate on more projects like this in the future.”
As part of the celebration, the Rangeland Trust presented the Doiron family with a large commemorative easement sign in recognition of their voluntary conservation efforts. The sign will be prominently displayed at the entrance to the ranch, serving as a lasting symbol of the family’s commitment to protecting the land for generations to come.
Pam Doiron, owner of the ranch, then spoke about the ranch’s history and what it meant to her to see the community rally behind its conservation.
“This is amazing, if you look around, everyone has had a role at getting us here to this point,” said Pam. “You all have been supporters either educationally, financially, physically, or emotionally. We wouldn’t be here without you. The ranch is a symbol that shows that agriculture, history, and conservation go hand in hand. I am proud, along with my family, to carry that legacy forward.”
The celebration was a fitting reflection of what made the conservation of Spanish Ranch possible in the first place: a landowner willing to make a lasting commitment, partners willing to invest in the future of the property, and a community that recognized the value of keeping this landscape intact.
For Delbar, the significance of the project extends well beyond the completion of an easement.
“Spanish Ranch represents what is possible when landowners, conservation partners, and communities come together around a shared vision for the future,” Delbar said. “We’re not just conserving acres, we’re helping ensure that these working landscapes remain whole, productive, and connected for generations to come. That is the legacy of this project, and the many others like it in the local area and across the state, and we’re proud to celebrate it alongside everyone who helped make it possible.”
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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