2012 Acre by Acre Award

2012 Acre by Acre Award: Randy and Lori Dunn

Randy and Lori Dunn are longtime Angwin residents and true land preservation advocates.  In 2004, the couple purchased Sentinel Hill, located just as you drive into the town of Angwin and donated a conservation easement to the Land Trust.  The property consists of 64 forest acres and is very scenic encompassing the northwest side of Sentinel Hill.  Thanks to the Dunn’s foresight and generosity these acre are protected in perpetuity for the entire Napa County community.

If Sentinel Hill was not enough, in 2006 the Dunn’s made a principal leadership gift to the Napa Valley Wild! Campaign to preserve and protect Wildlake and Duff Ranches.  Their $5 million dollar gift, the largest gift in Land Trust history from individuals, would inspire several other leadership gifts from the community and help raise over $25 million.

Today, the 4,000 acres that are Wildlake and Duff ranches are a dramatic swath of permanently protected land that spans the Napa Valley’s eastern horizon – over 15 miles of protected landscape beginning east of the Palisades and stretching nearly to the town of Angwin. Elevations range from 600 feet to 2,800 feet. The higher elevation promontories provide unparalleled views of the Napa Valley and Mt. St. Helena to the north, Mt. Tamalpais to the west, Mt. Diablo to the south, Pope Valley and, on a clear day, the Sierra Nevada to the east. Over 95% of the Bell Creek watershed remains intact, securing one of the sources for the municipal water supply of St. Helena. Supporting 10 habitat communities hosting 369 native vegetation species, including 11 rare or endangered species, the Wildlake Ranch and Duff Ranch preserves present the longest “development free” view-shed on any of the surrounding ranges in the Valley.