Land Trust finalizes landmark conservation achievement

Total protected acres now tops 65,000

Land Trust of Napa County (“Land Trust”) and the Trust for Public Land are proud to announce the acquisition of a conservation easement over 7,260 acres of a ranch on the shoulders of Mt. St. Helena, one of the largest private properties in Napa County.

“This ranch ranked as the number one priority for biodiversity conservation in Napa County,” said Doug Parker, CEO of the Land Trust. “It has one of the highest concentrations of significant native species in a five-county region and it has been identified as a key crossroads for wildlife movement from the San Francisco Bay Area to points north and east.”

“The preserved property is one of the most significant tracts of wilderness near Napa Valley. Its protection is crucial to preserving the natural character of this area that is well-known around the world,” said Dave Sutton, Acting State Director for The Trust for Public Land.

The project is notable for its size and location. The ranch shares 14 miles of boundary with Robert Louis Stevenson State Park and other State, federal and Land Trust-protected lands. Its protection consolidates a 34 square mile unbroken conservation landscape.

The project also protects a vital source of fresh water with dozens of streams and creeks descending from its slopes, including Putah Creek which feeds Lake Berryessa, a federal reservoir crucial to regional cities and farms.

The conservation easement  will be held by the Land Trust. Conservation easements offer landowners the opportunity to permanently protect their land from development, while maintaining private ownership.

The Trust for Public Land also hopes to purchase a portion of the property to improve access to Robert Louis Stevenson State Park and provide new opportunities for public recreation. Until that time, however, the property remains privately-owned and is not open to the public.