Land Preservation Agreements

The Land Trust has worked with 70 private landowners in Napa County to preserve over 21,000 acres of land through land preservation agreements. These lands remain in private ownership and management, but are subject to land preservation agreements through which the landowners voluntarily restricted future development on their properties. With the exception of Alston Park, the Newell Open Space and Berryessa Vista (which were preserved specifically as public parks), these properties are not open to public use.

In 2007, The Land Trust completed 11 land preservation agreements totaling 478 acres across Napa County:

Vine Hill Ranch, Yountville – Phillips family
Driving along Highway 29 north of Yountville, the western hillsides of the Napa Valley provide stunning views of prime agricultural lands stretching up to the densely forested hillsides of the Mayacamas Range. The Phillips family donated a 55-acre conservation easement that helps preserve this dramatic vista as it protects both agricultural fields and the adjacent mixed hardwood forests. The Phillips’ donation of conservation easement expands our effort to preserve Napa’s western hills which, in addition to their spectacular beauty, are important wildlife habitat and watershed lands.

“The Phillips family is committed to doing everything we can to maintain the agricultural nature of the Napa Valley. Following in the footsteps of our neighbor, Andy Beckstoffer, we are hopeful that our gift will spur others to protect the rural character of the Western Hills viewshed by donating conservation easements. We applaud The Land Trust for providing the opportunity to ensure a legacy of protection and stewardship for Vine Hill Ranch.” – Alex and Bob Phillips

Rattlesnake Ridge, Angwin & Haiku House, St. Helena – Larry & Suzanne Chambers Turley
Everyone knows that Larry Turley is passionate about making great wine. But last year Larry proved he’s equally passionate about land preservation by donating two conservation easements that protect vineyards and open space in northern Napa County. Rattlesnake Ridge, 36 acres on the Howell Mountain ridgeline above Angwin, combines organically-farmed vineyards and stands of oak woodlands while serving as prime agricultural watershed for Conn and Putah Creeks and the Friesen Lakes, Angwin’s water supply.

Larry and his wife, Suzanne Chambers, followed this with a second easement that preserves agricultural land in the Preserve and a prominent viewshed north of St. Helena. Just off Highway 29, opposite Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, the Haiku House parcel features an organic, dry-farmed vineyard and preserves a significant stretch of riparian habitat along Mill Creek, which the Turleys have worked to restore.

“I would hate to see this area end up like San Jose. It is really important to look to the future.” – Larry Turley

To Kalon II, Oakville; Georges III-2, Rutherford; & Las Amigas, Carneros – Andy & Betty Beckstoffer
Andy Beckstoffer continues to demonstrate his commitment to preserving Napa Valley agricultural lands with three conservation easements on vineyard properties during 2007. The To Kalon II easement covers 45 acres of the historic Oakville vineyard and complements a 2006 easement over the adjacent parcel, permanently protecting the entire 90-acre vineyard off Highway 29.

The Beckstoffers’ second easement, Georges III-2, protects 41 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard just off the Silverado Trail in Rutherford. Similar to To Kalon, this easement is the second one donated on the Georges III vineyard and ensures that the highly visible 90-acre agricultural block remains forever in agriculture.

The Las Amigas conservation easement, situated down in the Carneros region, also preserves prime agricultural farmland. These 58 acres, like To Kalon and Georges III, prohibit all future non-agricultural uses of the vineyards. In total, Andy and Betty Beckstoffer have donated seven conservation easements, covering 328 acres of agricultural lands.

Linda Falls, Angwin – Ed Van Egri
Longtime Land Trust supporter and friend Ed Van Egri placed 39 acres of Douglas fir forest and mixed Manzanita chaparral under conservation easement. These 39 acres also contain part of Conn Creek, including the beautiful Linda Falls that runs from Angwin down to Lake Hennessey. In addition, this parcel adjoins the existing Linda Falls property that Ed purchased and donated to The Land Trust in 1998; in total, 140 acres of woodlands, riparian habitat and scenic open space have been permanently protected just south of Angwin!

Ridge Road, Napa
On the prominent eastern ridge of the Napa Valley, The Land Trust worked with landowners to preserve 88 acres of wild and scenic open space under a land preservation agreement. This property sits above the Silverado Trail, just north of the City of Napa, in an area experiencing accelerated development. While protecting the scenic value of the ridgeline, the easement also boasts native coast live oak and mixed chaparral vegetation communities with two seasonal streams in the Soda Creek watershed.

Bella Oaks, Oakville – Cara Landry
North of the Oakville Grade, 64 acres of beautiful woodlands shall remain forever wild under a conservation easement completed in early 2007. One of The Land Trust’s priority projects, the Bella Oaks property showcases a fine example of relatively undisturbed bay - oak forest habitat typical of the Mayacamas mountain range. It also plays a critical role in protecting this highly visible ridge viewshed from manmade structures as it stretches from the valley floor to the top of the ridgeline. Cara Landry’s donation of the Bella Oaks conservation easement demonstrates her continued dedication to preserving wildlife habitat and agricultural watershed in the Western Hills.

Properties Protected by Agency Transfers

These lands were purchased using grant funds and either have been, or will be in the future, transferred to a government natural resources agency or another nonprofit conservation organization.

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 1/2-acre transferred to the City of St. Helena for a city park.

Knoxville Ranch (2000)
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.

Knoxville Ranch (2005)
12,275 acres of open space and wildlife habitat transferred to the California Department of Fish and Game for the Knoxville Ranch Wildlife Area. Assisted purchase from Todd Laufs.

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 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 Wildife 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 & Game to preserve 837 acres on the Quail Ridge Peninsula.

Sutro Surber (2000)
528 acres of undeveloped forestlands and open space in the hills east of Calistoga, just below the Palisades Trail, the easement was donated to The Land Trust by Dennis Sutro and Ted and Sandra Surber.

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 the California Department of Fish and Game, which will restore these lands to wetland wildlife habitat.

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Permanent Preserves

These properties were donated to The Land Trust to be managed in perpetuity for their ecological health.

Foote Botanical Preserve at Mt. George
— Si and June Foote (645 acres donated in 1977 and 1995)
— Austin Hills and Scott Bergren (77-acre bargain purchase 1998)
— Yajome/UCC Vineyards Addition (47 acre donation 2000)
767 acres of rare chaparral and wildflower species on Mt. George, the most prominent peak east of downtown Napa.

Wantrup Wildlife Sanctuary (1982) — the late Professor S. V. Wantrup
A 730-acre oak woodland preserve in Pope Valley where oak reforestation studies and graduate research takes place.

Connolly Ranch Environmental Education Center (1991) — the late Peggy Connolly
A 12-acre urban farm, Connolly Ranch serves as the environmental and agricultural educational center for The Land Trust. Over 3,000 Napa elementary students visit the ranch on school sponsored fieldtrips each year.

Archer Taylor Preserve (1993, 1996, & 1998) — Ann Taylor Schwing, Charlie Schwing and Connie Taylor
Ultimately, this Preserve will encompass 380 acres, including a century-old redwood forest in the Redwood Creek watershed west of Napa.

Missimer Snell Valley Wildflower Preserve (2003, 2004) — Dale and Sue Missimer
273 acres of this Snell Valley Preserve protects some of the most outstanding and rarest native wildflowers in Napa County. An additional 254 acres donated by Stella Ferandes preserves Snell Peak at the other end of the valley, protecting native chaparral shrublands and wildlife habitat.

Linda Falls (1998, 2008) — Edward Van Egri
140 acres of scenic open space and riparian habitat near Angwin.

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Other Protected Lands

These properties are also owned by The Land Trust and are awaiting establishment as a permanent preserve, or transfer to an appropriate conservation agency or other conservation nonprofit organization.

Audubon Cheyney Preserve (1992) — National Audubon Society
120 acres of open space and old-growth Douglas fir in the City of St. Helena’s Bell Canyon watershed open space.

Wildlake Ranch (2006)
3,045 acres of land encompassing stunning visual rocky outcrops, pine and Douglas fir forests, oak woodland, and chaparral with four miles of ridgeline in the Howell Mountains between Calistoga and Angwin. Property includes headwaters of Bell Canyon Creek, City of St. Helena’s water supply.

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