Nearly two centuries apart, two women made the same decision on the same piece of California ground—to hold on.
Because of these choices, the Spanish Ranch remains one of the last intact pieces of the 22,000-acre historic Rancho de Cuyama No. 1 and is now permanently protected through a conservation easement.
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.
To honor our ranching partners, who represent both the organization’s history and its future, the Rangeland Trust hosted a Landowner Appreciation Dinner on Tuesday, June 2, in Esparto, CA.
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.
Born and raised in the bustling town of San Francisco, Terri Arington knows development when she sees it. “Once development occurs, these rangelands are gone forever. We need to conserve what we still have, or we’re going to lose it.”
More often than not, conversations about land focus on what it provides: clean air, fresh water, local food, wildlife habitat, and more. These benefits are visible, measurable, and essential to the health and resilience of communities—a large part of why land conservation exists. Yet when ranchers are asked why they protect their land, their answers often go beyond environmental benefits.
For Starr Reimer, life has always moved at a joyful, full pace. From training horses to caring for rescue dogs, all while staying deeply connected to her church, it’s no wonder she laughs and says, “There just aren’t enough hours in the day.”
At the end of February, the California Rangeland Trust joined fellow members of the Partnership of Rangeland Trusts (PORT) in Washington, D.C. to meet with members of Congress and federal agency leaders about policies that help keep working lands intact.
The things you care about most can shift as you journey through life. As you grow and change, you can use our road map to help you make smart choices—no matter your season of life!
My name is Jazmin Rodriguez, and I recently graduated from the University of California, Davis, where I majored in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems. I grew up in California’s Central Valley, though I did not have a strong personal connection to agriculture beyond living near dairies and almond orchards. My passion for agriculture began in high school when I joined FFA and discovered a bright future for myself within the industry. To continue nurturing this passion, I pursued experiences at UC Davis, including serving as an Aggie Ambassador, working at the Student Farm, and seeking opportunities to expand my understanding of the agricultural landscape.
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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