
Episode 2: Understanding Conservation Easements
Conservation easements are what we do at the Rangeland Trust, but what exactly is a conservation easement?

Conservation easements are what we do at the Rangeland Trust, but what exactly is a conservation easement?

The roots of the California Rangeland Trust run deep. In this inaugural episode, Michael welcomes Rangeland Trust Board Chair, Andy Mills, who also served as one of the Trust’s very first employees back in 1998. Listen as Michael and Andy dive deep into the history of the Trust and talk about their vision for the future of the organization.

Tune in every month to learn how you can be involved in preserving the future of the Golden State for generations to come.
(SACRAMENTO) – The California Rangeland Trust announced that Michael Delbar has taken the helm as its new CEO. He replaces former and longtime CEO Nita Vail who stepped down from her role at the end of April after more than 20 years. Having served as the Trust’s chief operating officer for the past 10 years, Delbar is well poised to lead the Rangeland Trust forward.
(SANTA MARIA, CA) – Today, the California Rangeland Trust announced the permanent conservation of the 300-acre Rock Front Ranch near Santa Maria, California. The ranch remains privately-owned, while the terms of the conservation easement ensure the conserved land will be available for grazing livestock and wildlife to continue to thrive in perpetuity. Funding for this project was made possible by contributions from the community.

The solar project on the Jack Ranch, owned by the Hearst Corporation, serves as a groundbreaking model for clean energy production, innovative land management, and stewardship by generating enough clean energy to power 100,000 homes.

The Keegan family acquired the Epperson Place Ranch in 1944, and in 2011, the Rangeland Trust worked with the family to conserve the 1,547-acre property located in Colusa County’s magnificent Bear Valley. The ranch boasts open grassland, blue oak and foothill pine woodland which provides foraging habitat for resident and wintering raptors, migratory birds, deer, Tule elk and the occasional bear.

In September 2017, the California Rangeland Trust, along with funding partners the Wildlife Conservation Board and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, conserved the Avenales Ranch in San Luis Obispo County. The 12,284-acre ranch is known for its bountiful wildlife, watersheds, rich history, and family legacy. It is home to six generations of Sinton ranchers, three of whom are still running the ranch.

Sitting just 13 miles east of Stockton, California, the Cook Ranch was poised to see significant impact from urban expansion. A new development had been approved for four, forty-acre ranchette lots on the western boundary, dividing land connectivity and increasing the pressure to change from a cattle ranch to houses. Instead, the Cook family partnered with the Rangeland Trust to conserve their 2,235-acre ranch, ensuring the preservation of the land’s integrity.

The Willow Creek Ranch is a beautiful beef cattle ranch that contains a haven for California’s federally threatened and endangered species and provides a significant water source for major cities in the region.
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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