Land Lines December 2010

Bruin Ranch Success!

By Jeff Darlington

After more than a year of hard work and after overcoming numerous obstacles, Placer Land Trust and The Trust for Public Land are extremely pleased to announce that we have acquired the 1,773 acres (Phase 1) of Bruin Ranch on the Bear River.

Publication of Land Lines was put on hold to bring you this important news during the holidays: we closed escrow on the property on December 29th!

This is Placer Land Trust’s largest conservation acquisition to date, both in terms of acreage, value ($9.5 million), and public benefits.

“The public benefits of Bruin Ranch are unparalleled, and we are thrilled to be able to preserve it for future generations,” said PLT President Fred Yeager.

Covered in blue oak woodlands, peppered by spectacular views from rough hewn cliffs, and traversed by streams of every size, Bruin Ranch rolls over the ridge between Auburn and the Bear River. This amazing property boasts three miles of Bear River frontage, a dozen miles of tributaries, and many ponds and wetlands.

The project benefits water quality and wildlife habitat, and connects to over 1,700 acres of existing PLT preserves.

Phase 1 funding came from the California Wildlife Conservation Board and from Placer County, and from community members like you!

Placer Land Trust will next work with Placer County and other entities to create public access and recreation infrastructure on the property, which will also remain a working cattle ranch.

Placer County Supervisor Robert Weygandt called the Board of Supervisors’ unanimous vote to support Bruin Ranch historic, saying, “I think 100 years from now, when people look back, they’re going to be very pleased with some of the decisions we made.”

When combined with adjacent and nearby lands, Bruin Ranch brings together over 3,700 acres of protected open space in the Bear River and Coon Creek watersheds.

According to Dave Sutton of The Trust for Public Land:

“Bruin Ranch is among the most important conservation properties in the region. It anchors critical north-south and trans-Sierra wildlife corridors and is home to the largest intact stand of blue oak woodlands in Placer County.”

In addition to The Trust for Public Land and our two main funders, many organizations and individuals were critical in making this project a success. For more than a year all of us at Placer Land Trust have focused on protecting this magnificent property, and our members and supporters have been there with us all the way. We can’t thank you enough!

Funds raised from the public through PLT’s fundraising campaign will support our ability to steward and manage this property in perpetuity.

“When we protect a piece of land, we agree to preserve it forever,” said Yeager. “That is no small commitment, and we take it very seriously.”

Huge thanks also go out to Lloyd Harvego and Terry Harvego, our lanowner partners, for their patience with this project and for helping to fund PLT’s ongoing stewardship through several generous charitable donations.

See the article on this page about our next steps, including when and how you can access Bruin Ranch in the near future.

Thanks for your support!

 

 

From the Board Room

Welcome New Board of Directors Members!

By Fred Yeager

Placer Land Trust is very pleased to announce two recent additions to its Board of Directors: Larry Welch and Mehrey Vaghti.

Larry Welch is a resident of Auburn and a former Vice President for Hewlett Packard until his retirement in 2007.

Larry is an active member of the community serving on the Boards of the Placer Community Foundation and PRIDE Industries. Previously, Larry was a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the U.C. Davis Graduate School of Management, was Chairman of Sacramento region’s Valley Vision and was a member of the Citizens’ Advisory Committee for the Placer County Open Space Initiative.

“I’ve been passionate about preserving open space for my entire life,” said Larry. “As a member of the Placer Legacy Citizens Advisory Committee, I developed an even deeper respect for the precious resources that exist across all of Placer County. I look forward to doing everything I can to support Placer Land Trust’s mission to preserve natural and agricultural lands throughout the county.”

Mehrey Vaghti of Auburn is returning to our Board after taking a three-year sabbatical.

Mehrey is a restoration ecologist who brings a variety of valuable skills and experience to the Board. She graduated with High Honors from U.C. Davis in Environmental Biology & Management, and holds a Master’s degree in Restoration Ecology. Mehrey has worked as a horticulturist, habitat biologist, forester, ecologist, botanist, and GIS technician, including consulting work with the Dept. of Fish & Game, the California Native Plant Society, and several national recreation areas. She is also a trained trail construction worker and wildland firefighter.

“It’s wonderful to be back on the Board after a few years hiatus to focus on family,” said Mehrey. “I have stayed involved in the Stewardship Committee and a few volunteer assignments. My commitment and belief in Placer Land Trust’s mission remained strong during my absence from the Board, but really I miss the people – board members, staff, volunteers and all!”

Larry’s and Mehrey’s past and current involvement with various organizations gives them a unique community perspective, and their skills and work experience will make them definite assets to our organization. They were both elected to the Board in October.

In other recent Board news, Skip Outman has resigned from the Board to focus on work and family pursuits. Thank you Skip for your service to Placer Land Trust!

Earlier this month, Placer Land Trust elected its officers for 2011:
Fred Yeager, President
Tom McMahan, Vice President
Gregg McKenzie, Treasurer

At this time, thanks go out to the following Board members for their leadership of important Board Committees during 2010:
Bob Gilliom, Board Development
Rich Ferreira, Stewardship
Patricia Callan-McKinney, Budget & Finance, and Bylaws Policies & Procedures

An extra-special thanks goes out to Patricia for serving as our Treasurer for the past several years. Patricia’s commitment to sound fiscal management has helped Placer Land Trust become an accredited land trust with high standards and the ability to fund our land protection and stewardship commitments into the future.

Hope you have a Happy New Year!

 

 

Big Gun Preserve

Saving Mark Twain’s Favorite Endangered Species

By Jessica Pierce

On Nov. 18, Placer Land Trust partnered with Westervelt Ecological Services to permanently protect a 52-acre property near Foresthill that contains the largest Sierra Nevada population of the endangered California red-legged frog.

The California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) first jumped into fame in Mark Twain’s short story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, published in 1865. Following Twain’s story, the famous California red-legged frogs have been the unofficial mascot of Calaveras County, where frog-jumping is an annual tradition at the County fair.

100 years after his death, Twain’s autobiography, Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1, recently topped the best seller list at Amazon and Barnes & Noble before even reaching the official release date.

However, during the same 100 years since Twain’s death, populations of the California red-legged frog have declined drastically, largely due to the destruction of wetland habitat for residential development. The frogs were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in 1996, and are also listed as a species of special concern by the California Department of Fish & Game.

“The California red-legged frog has a special place in our history and our natural world,” said PLT Executive Director Jeff Darlington. “Protection of the Big Gun Preserve is particularly important because this property contains the largest known population of the frogs in the Sierra Nevada region.”

Working with the landowner, Westervelt Ecological Services, and the USFWS, Placer Land Trust has recorded a conservation easement on 48 acres of the Big Gun Preserve to forever protect the property as habitat for the California red-legged frog. Preservation and management of the property will greatly contribute to the long-term survival and recovery of the frogs in the region.

“By working with Placer Land Trust to protect this property, we are helping USFWS meet stated recovery goals for this species,” said Lucy Triffleman, Conservation Planner with Westervelt Ecological Services. “Through this three-way partnership between a private company, a non-profit land trust, and a federal agency, tangible species conservation and recovery is happening, moving us one step further on the path to saving this animal from extinction.”

The Big Gun Preserve features several ponds, ponderosa pine, mixed conifer woodlands, chaparral, and riparian corridors. Despite the severe degradation during the Gold Rush, this site today serves as ideal habitat for the frogs and an assortment of other Sierra Nevada foothill wildlife and plant species.

A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a land owner and a land trust that permanently limits the uses of the property in order to preserve its important conservation values and public benefits (such as wildlife protection). The conservation easement permanently prohibits development and other land uses that might impact species.

“We’ve been pleased to work with Westervelt Ecological Services to protect the Big Gun Preserve,” said Darlington, “The protection of this one single property is the most significant step we can take to save the California red-legged frog.”

 

 

 

Gold Hill Ranch

Wakamatsu Tea & Silk Farm Colony

Historic Property Protected by two Land Trusts

By Karrie Thomas

On Nov. 1, through the leadership of the American River Conservancy, a deal was finalized with willing landowners and conservation partners to permanently protect a 272-acre historic ranch property in El Dorado County.

The American River Conservancy (ARC) purchased the Gold Hill Ranch, site of the Wakamatsu Tea & Silk Farm Colony, a mile south of Coloma.

Concurrent with ARC’s purchase, Placer Land Trust acquired a conservation easement on this historic property, guaranteeing its permanent protection.

This ranch is an interesting mosaic of springs, streams, wetlands, blue and live oak forest, sweeping vistas and prime agricultural soil. Ranch ponds and the small lake is a draw for wildlife, particularly migratory waterfowl during the winter and early spring.

But it is the property’s special historical and cultural value that make it so unique.

“The Wakamatsu Colony story is every bit as compelling as the story of Jamestown or the Mayflower and Plymouth Rock,” said ARC Director Alan Ehrgott. “America derives its strength and its character from the diversity of its people. The Wakamatsu colonists were the last of the Tokugawa samurai … and became the first Japanese emigrants to arrive in California as skilled workers which advanced American agriculture, medicine, engineering, and other fields.”

The site was settled by colonists from Aizu Wakamatsu in 1869. To the best of our knowledge the Wakamatsu Colony site: is the first Japanese colony in North America; contains the gravesite of Okei Ito, the first Japanese woman buried on American soil; is the birthplace of the first naturalized Japanese-American; and is the only settlement established by samurai outside of Japan.

The Wakamatsu colonists were the first to introduce traditional Japanese horticulture to California including: silk worm farming, the cultivation of tea, rice, citrus, peaches and other stone fruit varieties, paper and oil plants and bamboo products.

The Wakamatsu colonists displayed their products at the 1869 California State Agricultural Fair in Sacramento and at the 1870 Horticultural Fair in San Francisco.

The permanent protection of this property was made possible in part by grant funding from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, as well as private donations and bridge loans from New Resource Bank and the previous landowners, the Veerkamp family.

Over the past 137 years, the Veerkamp family has been principally responsible for maintaining the rural agricultural nature of the property and preserving the heritage and landscape of the Wakamatsu Colony. In 2007, the Veerkamp family came to ARC and asked for help in accomplishing three main tasks: (1) restore the property’s farmhouse; (2) provide public access and interpret the cultural history of the property; and, (3) purchase the property at an appraised, fair market value.

With ARC’s recent purchase, Placer Land Trust’s acquisition of the conservation easement, and with the near-completion of the first phase of farmhouse restoration, ARC is well on its way to fulfilling all three tasks.

ARC plans to create a public park at the Wakamatsu Colony site that protects Okei’s gravesite, establishes a memorial garden, creates trails, and adds a museum within the historic farmhouse. The property will be used as a demonstration and production farm to display the valuable contributions that Japanese Americans have made to California agriculture and to the United States as a nation of diverse peoples.

The National Park Service recently placed the Wakamatsu Colony site on the National Register of Historic Places at a level of “National Significance.”

Bipartisan bills have been introduced in the U.S. Congress that would aid in the management of the ranch as a public park.

“Seeing the two parties working together in this manner makes me proud to be an American,” remarked Fred Kochi, President of the Gold Hill Wakamatsu Colony Foundation Board.

“Placer Land Trust is pleased to assist the American River Conservancy and the many agencies, organizations and individuals who all came together to make this project work,” said PLT Executive Director Jeff Darlington. “We’re committed to the protection of the historic, cultural, agricultural and natural values this property contains, and we’re excited to be a part of sharing this treasured landscape with current and future generations.”

For more information about the property, site tours, and planned improvements, call ARC at (530) 621-1224.

 

 

Responsible Stewardship,

Enhancement and Restoration

By Jeff Ward

On Sept. 14, the California Resources Agency awarded Placer Land Trust a $334,662 Proposition 84 River Parkways Grant for the Canyon View Riparian Restoration & Trail Project.

This grant will fund the second phase of ongoing riparian restoration and streambed enhancement along Sierra Canyon Creek, a tributary to the North Fork American River, on our Canyon View Preserve in Bowman.

The grant will also fund the construction of a 1.5 mile loop trail, which will showcase the restoration project, offer watershed education and provide new hiking and mountain biking opportunities for the public.

In 2008, we received funding from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy for the first phase of this project. We have designed and constructed the first part of a streambed enhancement and stabilization project on five acres of the Preserve. By constructing a series of step pools and stabilizing stream banks, erosion and sedimentation has been reduced in Sierra Canyon Creek and further down in the American River.

The second phase of the project will address erosion and sedimentation upstream at the base of a canal spillway. A plunge pool/dissipation basin will slow high velocity water before it enters and erodes the stream channel below.

We continue to manage invasive plants and re-vegetate the Preserve with native trees and shrubs to help stabilize stream banks and provide habitat for native animal species. This work also significantly reduces fire hazard.

Placer Land Trust is working with volunteer Greg Wells to design and construct the loop trail, which will meander through mixed oak conifer woodlands, annual grasslands and riparian habitat and will explain the restoration project through interpretive signage.

We’re hoping to begin construction on the trail this winter and have the trail open to the public by 2012.

While the next round of riparian restoration will continue to improve water quality in the North Fork American River watershed and reduce wildfire danger, we are also excited about creating a new recreation area in Placer County. We’ll keep you posted!

 

 

Land Steward of the Year

Placer Land Trust is pleased to announce Megan Forester as our Land Steward of the Year for 2010.

As part of her Girl Scout Silver Award project, Megan and her family and fellow scouts dedicated many long days building western bluebird, tree swallow and American kestrel nesting boxes, installing them on Doty Ravine Preserve and Taylor Ranch Preserve, and then monitoring the boxes for an entire nesting season.

A total of 143 baby birds were fledged during the year, 66 of which owe their birth to Megan’s work.

Megan funded the project by creating an Adopt-a-Bird program, and solicited donations from Home Depot and Placer Farm Supply.

 

 

Moonshine and Memories:

Great Sierra River Clean-up

On Sept. 25, 62 volunteers joined Placer Land Trust staff to clean up our local waterways as part of the 2nd Annual Great Sierra River Cleanup. This year Placer Land Trust doubled its sites, doubled its number of volunteers, and more than doubled the amount of trash hauled out of Placer County’s waterways … over 4,000 pounds!

Volunteers from both sites – Taylor Ranch Preserve in Auburn and Miner’s Ravine Preserve & Trail in Roseville – came away from the day with exciting stories. Ryan Gilpin led the charge at Taylor Ranch Preserve and found some relics, including a pocket calendar for 1938-1943 and a bottle of moonshine.

Jessica Aviña and our volunteers at Miner’s Ravine received many “thank you’s” from speeding bicycles and joggers as they cleaned up along the trail.

We had Antelope High School students, families and partners from Rocklin’s Star Ecostation and Sierra Nevada Conservancy all pitching in. Other top finds included a boogie board, a hub cap, and a $50 bill!

Thanks to all of our volunteers and also to local businesses that donated food and supplies: Boorinakis Harper Ranch, Fiddyment Farms, Foothill Organic Growers, Twin Peaks Orchard, Newcastle Produce, Raley’s, Nugget Market, Starbucks Coffee, Recology Auburn-Placer, and the City of Roseville.

 

 

Firehouse Fundraiser Assists

Bruin Ranch Acquisition

Folks from all over the Sacramento region gathered at Lloyd Harvego’s restaurant, The Firehouse, in Old Sacramento on Sept. 27 for an evening to benefit Bruin Ranch and Placer Land Trust’s Bear River Protection Program.

Keynote speaker Mike Eaton, former director of the Resources Legacy Fund, addressed a crowd of about 150 people emphasizing the importance of conservation in the foothills for Sacramento area residents, wildlife and ecosystems health.

Keynote speaker Mike Eaton, former director of the Resources Legacy Fund, addressed a crowd of about 150 people emphasizing the importance of conservation in the foothills for Sacramento area residents, wildlife and ecosystems health.

State Assemblyman Ted Gaines co-hosted the event and said: “Placer County has been among the fastest growing counties in California, and with that kind of growth it is very important to find opportunities to set aside undeveloped lands. Placer Land Trust does it right by working with willing sellers to provide open space benefits for the community.”

Ed Pandolfino presented a generous $10,000 contribution from the Sierra Foothills Chapter of the Audubon Society, and many other attendees broke out their checkbooks to make Bruin Ranch a reality.

Thanks to Mike, Ted, our Event Ambassadors and The Firehouse staff for a wonderful event for a great cause!

 

 

Phase 2 of Bruin Ranch Underway

Remaining 527 acres, public access planned

By Jeff Darlington

In 2005 Bruin Ranch had the ability to hold 900 homes. Today most of it is permanently protected – quite an accomplishment given these tough economic times.

With 1,773 acres of Bruin Ranch acquired, there’s 527 remaining acres at Bruin Ranch to protect.

This remaining 527 acres has the densest zoning and is the most likely to be developed. This portion of Bruin Ranch also provides the best connection with Placer Land Trust’s Big Hill properties to the south, which can link Bruin Ranch to Hidden Falls Regional Park and Coon Creek.

Placer Land Trust and our partner, The Trust for Public Land, are working with the landowners to acquire or protect the remainder of Bruin Ranch by fee or conservation easement. We’re also working with nearby and adjacent landowners to protect hundreds of acres of connected land.

Meanwhile, we’re working with Placer County and others on a recreation plan for Bruin Ranch. Our goal is to phase in public access and construct recreation infrastructure on the property, which will remain a working ranch, over the next 2-3 years.

Stay tuned for more details about visiting Bruin Ranch, and thanks again for your ongoing support.

 

Executive Director’s Report

Placer Land Trust is pleased to announce its Volunteer of the Year for 2010, Janet Voris of Newcastle.

Janet uprooted her family and moved to Newcastle in 2000, relocating from Portland, Oregon.

She is relatively newly involved with Placer Land Trust, and became a member and a volunteer at the same time, about six months ago.

Between late June and December, Janet volunteered over 265 hours. She has helped with various field work like stream monitoring, habitat assessments, and residual dry matter surveys, and events. She assisted greatly with the Great Sierra River Clean-up in September, and helps out by soliciting donations. Many of her hours were spent helping out with various projects in the Placer Land Trust office.

Janet graduated from Sierra College with Associates Degrees in Biological Science, Natural Science and Social Science.

She recently graduated from CSU Sacramento with High Honors and a Bachelors Degree in Environmental Studies.

“Janet has made an immediate impact by helping with communication, grants and database work,” said Placer Land Trust Assistant Director Jessica Pierce. “Its a real blessing to have a volunteer with her diligence, skill, and attention to detail!”

“I volunteered all through college, so it just seemed right to continue volunteering while looking for a job,” explains Janet. “After graduating I called my friend Justin Wages to see if they needed help at Placer Land Trust.”

“I really like the work being done here and being involved in the various projects. I’m learning so much that you can’t learn in college. The staff is awesome and the small office is a great environment!”

Thanks to all of our volunteers who make what we do possible, and a special thanks to our 2010 Volunteer of the Year, Janet Voris!

JEFF DARLINGTON

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR