The California Wildlife Conservation Board voted to award more than $10 million to protect a 27,000-acre cattle ranch on the Central Coast that is home to hundreds of endangered species of native plants and animals.
The Wildlife Conservation Board voted Feb. 15 to award a $10.3 million grant to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to preserve Rancho Camatta in Santa Margarita, according to a news release.
The 27,500 acres of grassland, shrubland, blue oak savanna and riparian corridors serve as habitat for 299 species of animals and 250 species of native plants, including the Camatta Canyon amole plant, Bell's vireo and blunt-nosed leopard lizard, as well as the endangered San Joaquin kit fox, California condor and giant kangaroo rat.
The funds will protect a ranch that is 4 square miles larger than San Francisco. The ranch has been owned by the Morrison family since 1978, when they decided to move their cattle to the Central Coast, about 30 miles northeast of San Luis Obispo.
“In the heart of California's Central Coast, the beautiful and diverse Rancho Camatta is a testament to one family's enduring legacy and the power of partnerships to ensure its protection,” Kaila Dettman, executive director of the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo . County, she said in a statement.
“By preserving this working cattle ranch, comprised of rolling grasslands, majestic oaks and habitat for countless species of wildlife, we will not only protect a 27,512-acre tract of land, but also a critical wildlife corridor and a refuge for those who visit” , Dettman continued.
The grants contribute to Governor Gavin Newsom's goal of preserving 30% of California's coastal waters and lands by 2030. The initiative, known as “30×30,” seeks to expand access to nature, address climate change and protect biodiversity .
