Outdoor Living & Natural Habitats

Urban development must be balanced with the need for green space that is vital to our health and well-being. In our 35-year history, and in partnership with state and local agencies, the Land Trust has preserved more than 26,000 acres of beautiful open space, which are now 8 public parks and recreational areas. Collectively, these areas create dynamic habitat corridors that help keep wildlife out of crop lands and residential areas and in their natural habitat.

State & Local Parks

White Slough Marsh (1979)

38-acre tidal marsh now part of the Department of Fish and Game’s wetlands program on upper San Pablo Bay.

Clyde Preserve (1979) ~ Dale Peters Clyde

40-acre Douglas Fir forest conveyed to Napa College for environmental studies off of Dry Creek Road.

Zinfandel Park (1985)

Homeowners’ neighborhood park in the City of St. Helena. 

Nellie G. Wright Estate (1994)

Now part of Bothe Napa Valley State Park, this parcel could have had a homesite.

Bull Island (1997)

109-acre tidal marsh/wetland on the Napa River near Cuttings Wharf; transferred to the California Department of Fish and Game and the State Lands Commission.

Hunts Grove Park (1998)

A half-acre parcel transferred to the City of St. Helena for a city park.

Knoxville Ranch (2000) ~

Homestake Mining Company
8,078 acres of open space and wildlife habitat in the northeast corner of the County. Transferred from the Homestake Mining Company to the California Department of Fish and Game.

Napa Ranch (2005)

12,275 acres of open space and wildlife habitat transferred to the California Department of Fish and Game for the Knoxville Wildlife Area. Assisted purchase from the Laufs family.

Ghisletta Wetlands and Open Space (2000)

83 acres of wetlands and open space, transferred to the Napa County Flood Control District as a part of the South Napa Wetlands Area.

Robert Louis Stevenson State Park Additions (1981 – 2000)

Through a series of generous grants and donations (including Montesol–Livermore, Schwartz Canyon, Sutro-Surber, Patten-St. Helena Mine, and Conley), The Land Trust has played a key role in establishing

the Palisades and Oat Hill Mine Trails as premier public hiking destinations through the acquisition and transfer of over 1,710 acres to the Robert Louis Stevenson State Park in Calistoga.

Quail Ridge Wilderness Reserve (1985 – 2003)

Through a series of grants from the Wildlife Conservation Board, the State Coastal Conservancy, and others, The Land Trust has worked with the Quail Ridge Wilderness Conservancy, the University of California at Davis, and Fish and Game to preserve 1,037 acres on the Quail Ridge Peninsula.

Bandettini (2004)

147 acres on Mt. St. Helena encompassing beautiful Douglas fir forests, a caretaker cabin, and a portion of the trail heading up to Mt. St. Helena. The property was transferred to Robert Louis Stevenson State Park in late 2006

Stanly Ranch Wetlands (2004)

261 acres of wetlands that have been threatened with homesite development numerous times over the last 20 years. These lands are now permanently protected through California Department of Fish and Game, who will restore these lands to wetland wildlife habitat.

Sutro Surber (2000)

528 acres of undeveloped forestlands and open space in the hills east of Calistoga, just below the Palisades Trail. A conservation easement over the property was sold to California Department of Parks by Dennis Sutro and Ted and Sandra Surber in 2000.

Berryessa Vista (2008)

261 acres of oak forests, chaparral and grasslands on the shore of Lake Berryessa. Dr. Dwight and Jan Murray, Dr. Howard Way, Dr. Paul White donated 224 acres of this property in 2003 to the Land

Trust. The property was transferred to the Napa County Parks and Open Space District for use as a public park/recreation area. The Land Trust retains a conservation easement.

Todd Ranch (2008)

The Land Trust transferred this 738 acres of open space and wildlife habitat to the California Department of Fish and Game as an addition to the Knoxville Wildlife Area.