Generous donors stepped forward and we completed the transaction in record time, bringing an additional 45 acres into preservation, to be managed as part of the Los Cielos Preserve. The developer needed a rapid transaction and offered the lots to the Conservancy if we could quickly close. At that time, individual lots in builder-ready condition (graded) in the development were selling for $500,00 and up. The sale included 19 lots that had been approved by San Diego County for development. In early 2018, the Conservancy was in a unique position to purchase 45 acres, Parcel I of the Rancho Cielo development, at a bargain price of $525,000. More info about each parcel in the Complex, in the order of acquisition. It is precious because it serves as some of the best sage scrub habitat around for the threatened Coastal California Gnatcatcher (it is considered the “Gnatcatcher Core”) and houses several rare plants. It is a key piece of the open space puzzle that connects thousands of acres of wildlife habitat in North County. Home to thriving native wildlife and plants, the preserve includes diverse habitat types: riparian oak woodlands, grasslands, coastal sage scrub, and southern mixed chaparral. ![]() Ĭomprised of 6 properties acquired over an 11 year period, The Keithley Preserve Complex now functions as 905 acres of contiguous habitat. These opportunities will provide middle and high school students with real-world field experience that they can carry into college and careers in conservation and science. We aspire to transform a now-vandalized work building into a field station for conservation science where youth from North San Diego County can participate in habitat restoration and hands-on research. Although the structures are currently unusable, we plan to re-imagine them over the next few years to support conservation projects. On the Mountain Meadow land the Conservancy has retained, we now are the owners of old agricultural structures and an irrigation pond. The Mountain Meadow Preserve will never be developed and is now protected in perpetuity for the benefit of the native plants and animals of California. ![]() The Conservancy will continue to manage the entire Preserve under an easement purchased by the Department of the Navy to protect native plants and animals. As part of the complex transaction, the Conservancy purchased the 693-acre property then sold most of it to San Diego County Parks. The Friends of Daley Ranch and Palomar Audubon Society were essential partners in the acquisition. The purchase and preservation of the 693-acre Mountain Meadow Preserve (formerly Mountain Gate development) was finalized in 2018 as part of the Save 1000 Acres campaign. Restoration of the preserve is already being done to remove the trash left behind on the property as well as the many invasive species. The George Sardina, MD Preserve, formerly John Henry, was purchased with $4.2 million in grant funds from the State of California to protect the 282-acres near Lake Wohlford! Combined with the 693-acre Mountain Meadow Preserve acquired in 2018, the Save 1000 Acres campaign has now protected 975 acres of important wildlife habitat in the upper Escondido Creek watershed. ![]() GEORGE SARDINA, MD PRESERVE (Lake Wohlford The acquisition and conservation is a result of State, Federal, and local collaboration. Fish and Wildlife Service’s section 6 of the Federal Endangered Species Act. The purchase price was $2,054,000, consisting of a grant awarded to the Conservancy from the State of California Wildlife Conservation Board (propositions 68 and 84) and a sub-grant from the U.S. The Conservancy’s newest wildlife sanctuary is called LeoMar Preserve to honor Leonard Wittwer and Martha Blane, two Conservancy founders instrumental in the success of the now 30-year old land trust.Įscrow closed on May 7th, 2021. ![]() The Escondido Creek Conservancy has continued its commitment to creating wildlife corridors in North San Diego County as part of its on-going Missing Lynx campaign with the purchase of 79 acres of land adjacent to the Gaty reservoir in Olivenhain. $2,560,000) LEOMAR PRESERVE (OLIVENHAIN.
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