Land Trust Accomplishments 2006 - 2009

 

Updated March 2009

Three years ago the Land Trust Board of Trustees adopted a strategic plan with the goal of making the Land Trust a dynamic force for conservation in Santa Cruz County.  In the past three years the Land Trust has become Santa Cruz County's leading land conservation organization. 

When current transactions are completed in 2009, the Land Trust will have protected more than 1,700 acres and raised more than $26 million in conservation funds.  We are poised now for a generation of conservation that can save Santa Cruz County from the fate of many of its neighboring counties. 

Conservation Accomplishments

In three years the Land Trust has protected 1,700 aces o land and initiated work that will lead in the years ahead to the protection of tens of thousands of acres. 

Pajaro Valley Farmland Protection.   We have reached agreement with four prominent Pajaro Valley landowners to protect almost 1,000 acres of prime farmland.  We are currently working with several other landowners on potential conservation easements. 

Sandhills Protection.  In 2008 we acquired the largest unprotected property (189 acres) in the Santa Cruz Sandhills, a rare habitat that supports seven species of plants and animals found nowhere else on earth.  This campaign was the largest capital campaign in our history and the beginning of an effort to protect up to 500 acres of this threatened habitat. 

Watsonville Slough Protection.  We are now nearing completion of the protection of another 400 acres of farmland and 76 acres of wetland in the Watsonville Slough.  The Watsonville Slough is the largest freshwater wetland in the county and this $14.5 million project will be the largest conservation transaction in the county in decades. 

Santa Cruz Mountain Forest Protection.  In 2007 we added 80 acres to the 320 acre Byrne Forest which we have owned since 1984.  We have been in conversations with three of the four largest forest landowners in the Santa Cruz Mountains and with other conservation organizations interested in working together to protect to Santa Cruz Mountains. 

Land Conservation District.  During the past three years the Land Trust has devoted substantial resources towards creating and funding a county-wide open space district.  We have commissioned a poll which showed razor thin support, engaged in extensive outreach to fashion a "winning measure" for the ballot, and gained the endorsement of important stakeholders, including all five members of the County Board of Supervisors. 

Organizational Accomplishments

In 2005 the Land Trust did not have the capacity to be a conservation leader.  In the past three years we have built the staff, donors, relationships and reputation required to play a leading role in conservation on the Central Coast.

Staffing.  The Land Trust has successfully built our staff as outlined in our strategic plan, hiring a Development and Communications Director, Conservation Director, and Acquisition Manager.

Donors.  We have exceeded the donor and donation goals outlined in our strategic plan.  Individual membership has doubled from 300 in 2005 to over 600.  Donations have increased from $74,000 in FYE 05 to $454,000 in FYE 08.  The Land Trust Conservation Circle of donors contributing $1,000 or more annually now has 102 members. 

Public funds.  By the time a number of major transactions close in 2009, we will have received more than $20 million in public funds.  These funds will come from the Wildlife Conservation Board, the Department of Conservation, the National Resources Conservation Service, and the Coastal Conservancy. 

Foundation Grants.  We have raised $4.7 million in foundation grants, including grants from the Betty and Gordon Moore Foundation and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation – two of the country's leading conservation funders.

Relationships.  During the past three years the Land Trust has built strong relationships with landowners, elected officials, local conservation organizations, and regional and national organizations working in Santa Cruz County. 

Outreach.  We have received extensive press coverage of our work during this period, including 20 major stories in the local press.  We have redesigned our newsletter and website and receive frequent and positive feedback on both.

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